A last-minute change of venue due to surging seas did not dampen enthusiasm or turnout at the annual Women’s Dive Day on Saturday 19 July.
More than 100 divers and snorkellers took part in the West Bay event, held by Divetech, to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Originally scheduled to be held at Cobalt Coast, it was ultimately at Divetech’s site at Lighthouse Point on North West Point Road that the participants dropped into the water, in search of bright pink rocks placed on the seabed and across the reef. Each numbered rock corresponded to a prize in this underwater scavenger hunt.
After retrieving the rocks, the divers and snorkellers headed to the Divetech operation at Cobalt Coast for the rest of the event.
Jo Mikutowicz, owner of Divetech, said the unexpected change of venue had little impact.
“We had just as many people turn up as expected,” she said. “Everybody was still super excited and willing to go do the dive somewhere else and then come back here and join the festivities. We didn’t have anybody not dive because of that. It just shows how supportive people with this event.”
She added, “It’s so important to support women in diving, and even more important to support the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation, because they do a lot of really good work on the island.”
Kelly Carpenter of Divetech, who helped organise this year’s Women’s Dive Day, said it couldn’t happen without the support of the local businesses, who donated more than 200 prizes this year.
“People go out of their way to donate so much, and we couldn’t do it without them,” she said.
In addition to the divers and snorkellers, another 30-40 people took part in an ice-bath challenge or attended the raffle.
Hardy participants lowered themselves in an ice-water-filled tub and tried to last at least three minutes. The longer they lasted, the less money they forfeited – but as it was all for a charitable cause, there was plenty of good-natured, albeit shivery, reactions no matter how long they tolerated the freezing temperatures.
Out in the sea, it was much warmer, but equally good natured, as divers pointed out the pink rocks to each other and posed for photos.
Women’s Dive Day was created by PADI in 2015 to promote and celebrate female participation, and Divetech has been hosting local events to mark the occasion ever since.
The company was still tallying how much was raised, but in recent years the total has reached at least $10,000.
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