News
Diving with a disability in Sharm el Sheikh
Being office bound now, I am always after any excuse to go for a dive and spend the day on the boat. Usually I try to convince my boss that I can go and take a few pictures. One sunny day in March was no different.
I headed off on the Camel Tribe boat with some very smiley divers from the UK, Germany, New Zealand, Greece and Malaysia to the beautiful nearby Coral Gardens, just 20 minutes from the harbor in Na’ama Bay (where both Camel Dive Club and my office are located).
In my usually chatty way, I set about meeting my fellow companions for the day. At this point, I met a lovely couple Russell (British) and Kelly (New Zealander), who travelled from the UK to get some quality diving in Sharm el Sheikh.
Russell is a diver and a wheelchair user who chose to celebrate his recent 40th birthday with a trip to Egypt. After a brief intermission in Cairo, where Kelly and Russell went to explore the Pyramids and the Museum of Antiquities, they arrived in Sharm el Sheikh to complete their SCUBA Refresher course with us here at Camel Dive Club.
The first day, they met their instructor Amr Shawkat, who is a PADI Master Instructor with many years of adaptive teaching behind him. There was going to be some serious refreshing and adjusting for both Kelly and Russell. Kelly had not dived since 2004. Russell had stopped diving after he sustained a spinal injury leaving him paralysed from the chest down in 2006 after falling from a branch during his employment as a Tree Surgeon.
Their refresher course spread over two days so that there was no rush to reacquaint themselves with the underwater world. The first day, enjoying some theory and pool time, right outside their room at Camel Hotel. The second day was spent diving from the boat.
After the first dive at the delightful Fiddle Garden where we enjoyed seeing the hunting lionfish on the many glassfish pinnacles, I got the opportunity to ask Kelly and Russell some questions, as we get less travelers than usual from the UK due to the lack of direct flights.
They told me that they had chosen Sharm el Sheikh after a friend, who is also a wheelchair user, recommended the location to them. After some further research on the internet they discovered that Camel Dive Club “ticked the boxes of their requirements” for an enjoyable, easy holiday.
Both found the trip to Sharm el Sheikh easy and uneventful, despite the connecting flights. “The ground crew of the airlines were amazing,” Kelly told me.
Our conversation then turned to the more exciting topic of the dive that we had just completed together under the watchful eye of Amr.
How was it to be back underwater after so long and also having to alter the style of diving that was learnt initially? Russell answered my question honestly, telling me it was a bit nerve wracking at the beginning, but once below the surface, he said it was amazing to be back underwater. They both hope to make it a regular thing and promised to not leave it so long until the next time.
We then enjoyed a well-deserved lunch on board Camel Tribe, which features a number of wheelchair friendly facilities that are unique in Sharm el Sheikh. These include an accessible bathroom and saloon area, spacious dive deck for gear preparation and a low dive platform. This, combined with the boat crew, which have many years of experience assisting divers with disabilities, makes water entries and exits a breeze.
Feeling fueled up after our tasty lunch, we geared up and headed off for a superb second dive at Near Garden. We were treated to a huge moray eel, humphead napoleon wrasse and a vivid red anemone, complete with anemone fish.
To end the day, we headed back with a short wander to Camel Dive Club & Hotel where the dive centre is based and where Kelly and Russell were staying. The hotel is situated in the heart of Na’ama Bay and features wheelchair accessible rooms, restaurants, the dive centre and most importantly for some, bars.
We celebrated the day with discussions of the fish we saw whilst drinking our beers well into the sunset.
Cheers to you all. There are no excuses as to why you cannot all come and enjoy Sharm el Sheikh today. As Kelly told me, “Just do it!”
Inspired? Take a look at www.cameldive.com and book your trip!
Diving Talks, Portugal’s internationally acclaimed diving conference, has officially become the second most visible diving event online worldwide, according to aggregated performance data across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and other digital platforms.
With a rapidly growing digital presence that includes over 365,000 YouTube views and more than 25,000 social media visitors, Diving Talks has solidified its position as a global reference in diving content, storytelling, and thought leadership.
“In just a few short years, we’ve built more than a conference — we’ve built a global conversation about the future of diving,” said Arlindo Serrão, spokesperson for Diving Talks. “From deep cave expeditions to marine conservation, our speakers are some of the most accomplished and inspiring figures in the underwater world — and now their stories are reaching a truly global audience.”
Global Ranking
Based on comparative visibility across digital media, the current ranking of the top five diving events by online visibility is as follows:
1. ADEX Asia Dive Expo – Long-established brand with multi-platform digital reach across Asia
2. Diving Talks – The fastest-growing platform in Europe, with unmatched video engagement and curated speaker content
3. DEMA Show – The largest trade-only show in the world, with strong B2B digital presence
4. boot Düsseldorf (Dive Segment) – Massive event footprint, with diving as a key but not exclusive focus
5. Salon de la Plongée (Paris Dive Show) – A dominant force in Francophone markets, growing steadily online
An Invitation to Brands
“For dive gear manufacturers, training agencies, destinations, and ocean-focused brands, this is your moment,” added [Spokesperson Name]. “Diving Talks has become one of the most powerful digital platforms in the diving world. If you want your message to be seen, heard, and respected globally — this is where you show up.”
Sponsorship and digital placement opportunities for the upcoming edition are now open, offering brands high-visibility integration into Diving Talks’ growing multimedia ecosystem.
An Expanding Digital Footprint
Diving Talks’ rise has been fueled by a video-first strategy, high-profile speaker interviews, and deep audience engagement through debates, lightning talks, and behind-the-scenes content.
Its YouTube channel is now the most-watched in the diving conference space, attracting both recreational divers and technical specialists from around the globe.
The conference continues to grow its presence across platforms and is investing in new digital initiatives to further expand its global community.
Looking Ahead
With the next edition already in the works and an ambitious content strategy in place, Diving Talks is poised to challenge for the top spot in online visibility — setting a new standard for how diving events connect with the world.
Contact:
Arlindo Serrao
arlindo.serrao@portugaldive.com
www.divingtalks.com
The DAN.PADI programme brings ocean knowledge to all through a free eLearning platform
The DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project has been officially recognised as an Ocean Decade Action by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, joining the prestigious Ocean Literacy With All (OLWA) programme under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
This endorsement is a significant recognition of the scientific value and social relevance of the programme. It also plays a vital role in extending the project’s reach and impact, helping to spread marine culture across all ages, languages and nationalities – a goal at the heart of DAN Europe and PADI’s shared vision to achieve balance between humanity and ocean.
The DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project is an international educational initiative designed to raise awareness and empower younger generations to become stewards of the ocean. Through a dynamic e-learning experience, its mission is to make ocean knowledge accessible and engaging by combining science, sustainability and storytelling. The programme features high quality content developed by DAN Europe in collaboration with university professors and marine science researchers. Available in English and Italian, it is currently being used by DAN and PADI instructors in schools, dive centres and youth initiatives.
It consists of four core learning modules:
- Citizen Science – Encouraging students to take an active part in marine research.
- Plastic Pollution – highlighting the impact of human waste on marine ecosystems.
- Climate Change – Understanding the ocean’s role in the global climate crisis.
- Underwater Archaeology – exploring history through underwater cultural heritage.
The project is based on a successful initiative – Scuola D’Amare – launched in Italy in 2019 by a local PADI association, with the approval of MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education). 180 PADI instructors were trained to deliver the programme, which used diving as a gateway to environmental education and discovery. In just five years, Scuola D’Amare has introduced over 80,000 students in 17 regions to the wonders of the Mediterranean Sea.
From this successful start, the project evolved into the DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project – a scalable, international programme that embeds ocean literacy into diving education. The aim is not only to equip students with environmental knowledge, but also to instill a deep, personal sense of responsibility for ocean conservation.
Now, with UNESCO’s official endorsement, the programme is expanding its original scope to provide wider access to ocean education for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. With freely accessible content, the programme pushes the boundaries of traditional learning environments and aims to inspire curiosity and promote awareness of the ocean far beyond schools and into communities around the world.
This collaboration brings together DAN Europe’s expertise in dive safety and scientific outreach with PADI’s global reach, supported by a network of 128,000 dive instructors and more than 30 million certified divers in 186 countries over the last 50 years. Together, the two organisations aim to embed ocean literacy into the educational journeys of new generations and global communities, promoting sustainable ocean use, climate action and collective responsibility.
“UNESCO’s support is a powerful boost to our mission,” said Laura Marroni, Exec. Vice President of DAN Europe. “It strengthens our ability to spread marine culture on a global scale – reaching new audiences, in new places, and inspiring a deeper connection with the sea.”
“This recognition by UNESCO reinforces the critical role divers play as ambassadors for ocean protection,” said David Murray, Managing Director of PADI EMEA. “Through the DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project, we are making ocean education more inclusive, accessible, and impactful—empowering individuals of all ages to become true Ocean Torchbearers. Together, we’re creating positive ocean change in everyday life, not just for divers, but for the global community.”
Go to https://oceanliteracy.edu.daneurope.org/index to access the programme.
The platform is also accessible via the TalentLMS app, available for iOS and Android. When using the app for the first time, mobile users must enter the full domain https://oceanliteracy.edu.daneurope.org/ to log in and begin their learning journey. Whether learning on desktop or mobile, course progress is automatically synced across devices for a seamless experience.
About DAN Europe
DAN Europe (Divers Alert Network Europe) is an international non-profit medical and research organisation devoted to the health and safety of divers. Since 1983, it has provided medical assistance, scientific research, education and innovative safety initiatives to the global diving community. DAN Europe is also an advocate for environmental responsibility and the responsible practice of diving.
About PADI
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centers and resorts, 128,000 professional members and more than 30 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean TorchbearersTM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARETM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.
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