Minister of Tourism honours scuba divers

Bob and Suzy Soto. Bob Soto was one of the first scuba
divers to develop the scuba diving industry here.


Minister of Tourism, Charles Clifford, gave a speech at
the fifth annual Scuba Diving Hall of Fame dinner at the
Marriott Beach Resort, where he praised the work of
the inductees, as well as all those who have
contributed to the development of the scuba diving
industry here


Back Row (l-r) Ernest Brooks, Innes Bergman, Captain
Don Stewart, Ty Sawer, Janet Thibault. Front Row (l-r)
Captain Charles Ebanks, Carl Roessler, Cathy Church,
and Leslie Leaney.

Tuesday,  October 18, 2005

The Minister of Tourism, Hon Charles Clifford, honoured four International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Inductees at the fifth annual dinner held at the Marriott Beach Resort on Wednesday 12 October. 

Coming from diverse backgrounds and fields, all four inductees have shown a track record of helping the development and growth of recreational scuba diving around the world. 

The inductees were Ernest Brooks II, who has been a major contributor to instruction in underwater photography. Mr Brooks has won international acclaim for his underwater photography and audiovisual presentations; his personal photo skills are considered outstanding. 

Mr Brooks became President of the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California in 1971. His father, Ernest Brooks Sr founded the Institute in 1945. 

Under his leadership, the Brooks Institute became recognized as having one of the most extensive underwater photography programmes in the world, as well as being a major research and testing centre for underwater photography.

Another inductee, Andreas Rechnitzer, Ph.D has been described as “One of the true pioneers of diving and ocean science.”

Dr Rechnitzer began diving in 1942 as a free diver and, together with Limbaugh, pioneered the use of scuba diving in ocean science, while a doctorate candidate at Scripps.

In 1951 Dr Rechnitzer co-authored with Conrad Limbaugh the first civilian scuba training curriculum and safety rules, Diving Training and Field Procedures Syllabus. 

This was the very first scientific diving manual, later to be used as the basis for training diving instructors for the huge sport diving community. Dr Rechnitzer passed away on 22 August, 2005. 

Another true pioneer and inductee into the International Scuba diving Hall of Fame, Dewey Bergman, led the way in researching, planning, organizing and operating top quality diving tours. 

As an underwater photographer, he participated in diving and scientific expeditions to Tahiti, Europe, South America, Mexico, the Bahamas, Africa and Belize. 

Combining his diving background with over 25 years experience as owner of several successful travel agencies, Mr Bergman created See & Sea, a San Francisco-based travel company, in 1965. 

As President of the company he built a reputation for top quality diving tours.

Every new location selected as a possible dive destination by See & Sea is thoroughly investigated and researched prior to adding it to the list of dive tours. 

The high standards of See & Sea set the standards for dive travel operators. Mr Bergman passed away in 1993.

The fourth inductee, Captain Don Stewart, was nominated for his founding of dive tourism in the Bonaire, a small island in the Dutch Carribbean. Mr Stewart was also nominated for founding the Council of Underwater Resort Operators as well as his own diving resort. 

Originally from California, Mr Stewart has spent the greater part of his life in Bonaire taking visitors diving and successfully campaigning to protect the natural underwater environment.

Among his many accomplishments, Capt. Don led the campaign to ban spear fishing in Bonaire, instituted the first permanent mooring system which eliminated the need for boats to drop an anchor, and eventually led to the Bonaire Marine Park, and implemented a mandatory orientation dive for all people diving on Bonaire. 

The Ministry of Tourism also gave awards to local people for their contribution to the diving industry here. 

The awardees included Peter Milburn who started diving in 1969, while working at Bob Soto’s Diving, Surfside and Spanish Bay Reef Resort, before beginning his own business in 1978, called Peter Milburn's Dive Cayman. 

Mr Milburn has made more than 26,000 scuba dives and still personally dives with his customers. 

Mr Milburn was the very first Caymanian Olympian (for sailing), as well as being past president of the Cayman Islands Watersports Assocation.
Another Ministry of Tourism awardee, Tom Hubbell, was one of the original pioneers of scuba diving here.

The Diving Hall of Fame Board of Directors oversees the Diving Hall of Fame project. These Board Members are comprised of internationally recognized individuals that have contributed to the sport and are actively involved in the scuba diving industry. 

It is part of the vision of the board to soon establish a permanent Hall of Fame museum, somewhere near to the George Town Waterfront.

“The Board of Directors of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and the Cayman Islands, are very proud to honour these extraordinary individuals. Each inductee has had a great impact on scuba diving’s growth and popularity in their various areas of expertise,” said Director of Tourism, Pilar Bush.

Guests also had the opportunity to see world-class underwater photography and film during the Underwater Film Festival that was held on Thursday, 13 October, and on Friday, 14 October at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. The festival featured the work of Stephen Frink, Wayne Hasson, Geri Murphy, Lawson Wood and Ernie Brooks.

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