Celebrating PADI Women’s Dive Day 2019

More than 100 countries participated in the PADI Women Dive Day 2019, the world’s largest single-day of organized diving held on July 20th. While the primary goal of the first PADI Women’s Day in 2015 was to bolster female participation in scuba diving, it became clear through the years that passion for the ocean extends beyond gender. From then on, male and female divers from different corners of the globe gear up for PADI Women’s Dive Day to connect and share their love for the ocean and diving. For five consecutive years now, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts continue to celebrate this annual event; bringing together new and experienced divers from various local communities.

Notable women in the world of diving

Women’s Dive Day highlights women’s contributions to diving throughout history beginning with Dottie Frazier – a woman of may firsts. She is recognized as the first female – scuba instructor, commercial diver, spearfishing champion, and dive shop owner.

In the book, Diving Pioneers: An Oral History of Diving in America, Frazier shares that in the 50s there was quite a bit of antagonism against a woman dive instructor. She recalls one particular session with 12 male students in a private pool. When she told the man in charge that she was the diving instructor for that class, he boldly replied, “There’s got to be some mistake, we don’t want a woman.” She requested for a chance to teach at least the first half of the class and if they weren’t satisfied, she said that she would walk out. All Frazier needed was a chance to prove her skills and eventually, she was able to narrow the gap of the gender barrier in her dive community.

Another amazing woman who captivated the world with her exemplary achievements in ocean conservation is Slyvia Earl. The renowned oceanographer, marine biologist, author, and lecturer won the prestigious TED Prize in 2009 and has been called a “living legend” by the Library of Congress.

“People ask: Why should I care about the ocean? Because the ocean is the cornerstone of earth’s life support system, it shapes climate and weather. It holds most of life on earth. 97% of earth’s water is there. It’s the blue heart of the planet — we should take care of our heart. It’s what makes life possible for us. We still have a really good chance to make things better than they are. They won’t get better unless we take action and inspire others to do the same thing. No one is without power. Everybody has the capacity to do something.” ― Sylvia A. Earle

The late Simone Melchior Cousteau, wife of Jacques-Yves Cousteau played a significant part in the invention of the aqualung and helped finance the exploration vessel called Calypso. During the operation at sea, Cousteau played multiple roles including nurse, psychiatrist, and whale-watcher.

Rising percentage of female scuba divers

Scuba diving, like many other sports, has been known as a male-dominated field but there is evident growth in the number of female divers in the past years. Since PADI’s Women’s Dive Day in 2015, PADI reported that 39.4% of recreational dive courses certifications were given to women. As time passes, the margin between male and female divers is becoming smaller and smaller.

PADI Master Instructor, Rocio Gajon, an avid supporter of PADI Women’s Dive Day looks forward to the opportunity of inspiring more women to explore the underwater world.

“Women have been pillars of communication and development. Since the beginning of time, women have been in charge of passing knowledge to our young, and keep families and groups together. Women in diving are essential, we are strong, nurturing, and inclusive. We are the glue to society. PADI Women’s Dive Day is Society Dive Day,” Gajon shares with the PADI Community.

Nemo Diving Center joins the PADI Women’s Dive

Nemo Diving Center participated in the recent PADI Women’s Dive Day 2019 together with 13 divers; nine of which were amazing women. It was an exciting day as we decorated our boat with pink balloons and displayed our PADI Women Day flag. En route to Dibba Rock and Artificial Reef, the divers had an opportunity to share their exciting journey in becoming certified divers and how their experiences inspired them to take a more active role in taking care of the sea.

The weather and sea conditions were perfect for diving and we encountered a lot of interesting marine species including pufferfish, pipefish, triggerfish, box fish, and jacks. Our group also came across stingrays, squid, and cuttlefish.

After the dive, our group enjoyed freshly grilled burgers and a customized cake made especially for the event. The best things about the dive were making new friends and bringing home wonderful memories.

If you want to join us on our next dive trip in Dubai, simply visit our website and book your preferred date. Hope to see you soon.