News
Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Postpones 20th Annual International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Induction
The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame’s milestone 20th Anniversary Induction, set to take place in the Cayman Islands on September 25, 2021, has been officially postponed to 2022. The Cayman Islands is following a responsibly planned phased reopening approach for its borders; therefore, for the safety of all attendees, the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) Board of Directors and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) have taken the necessary precautions to delay the 20th Induction Ceremony to ensure a safe and proper in-person celebration. The induction ceremony has been rescheduled for September 2022 in Grand Cayman.
The Class of 2020 – Tom Ingram, Jill Heinerth, Jim Gatacre and Avi Klapfer – will be inducted at an official reception in September 2022, where they will be recognized for their devotion to Cayman culture and honored for their achievements in the scuba diving community.
“Scuba diving has been at the core of Cayman heritage for generations, and it is a great privilege to honor these amazing inductees who have contributed to the sport,” said Hon. Minister for Tourism and Transport, Mr. Kenneth Bryan. “We want to pay proper homage to these industry pioneers, and look forward to doing so next year, once we can do so safely, successfully and seamlessly.”
ISDHF officials look forward to welcoming stakeholders, esteemed guests and inductees to a ceremony that will emphasize and pay tribute to the cultural significance of scuba diving in the Cayman Islands and set the stage for another 20+ years of honor and achievements. The 2022 ceremony will also serve as the much-anticipated unveiling of the permanent home for the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, located at the iconic Pedro St. James Castle in Grand Cayman.
The ISDHF was established by the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism in 2000 and celebrates dive industry leaders who have contributed to the success of recreational scuba diving worldwide through innovation and advancements made in the areas of dive tourism, equipment design, dive safety, inclusivity, exploration, adventure, innovation and more.
To learn more about the 2020 ISDHF inductees, please visit: www.isdhf.com
Source: www.divenewswire.com
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 3
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 2
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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