Dema Congratulates New International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Inductees
The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) has recognized four international pioneers and two Cayman Island honorees for their contributions to the recreational scuba diving industry. In a ceremony held on Grand Cayman Island on January 29, 2009, awards for the Inductees and local Ministry of Tourism Honorees were presented by the Hon. Charles E. Clifford, JP, Minister for Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce in Cayman.
The Honorable Minister praised the newest Inductees as dedicated and professional individuals who have taken their love for diving and applied it through various disciplines to promote awareness of the aquatic environment, maintain the admirable safety record of diving, and establish a foundation for the worldwide development of the sport.
The evening's Master of Ceremonies was Leslie Leaney, President of the Historical Diving Society in the US. Leslie is a NOGI award winner and member of the Board of Directors for the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
International Inductees for 2009 are:
Kimiuo Aisek - Kimiuo personally witnessed "Operation Hailstone," the Allied Forces' attack on the Japanese Fleet in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia, on February 17 and 18, 1944. He opened Truk Lagoon's first dive facility in 1973 and helped film crews and divers experience the majestic sunken wrecks. Kimiuo's son Gradvin manages the shop to this day.
Howard Rosenstein - Howard pioneered diving along the Sinai Coast beginning in 1970 and by 1973 he opened the Red Sea Divers Center in Sharm el Sheikh, hosting countless divers and film crews from around the world. He later operated the Fantasea Line, a multi-national live-aboard diving operation taking divers the length of the Red Sea and as far as the Indian Ocean atolls of Aldabra and Astove in the Seychelles. Today he is owner of The Fantasea Line, manufacturing and distributing underwater photo equipment.
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Geri Murphy** - Geri Murphy is probably the most published female underwater photojournalist in the world, with an impressive record of more than 200 magazine cover shots and thousands of published articles, photos and books. Geri participated in movie productions including Cornell Wilde's, SHARK'S TREASURE and THE DEEP, filmed by Al Giddings. Geri was also the first to document and photograph Stingray City in the Cayman Islands - which she named in the first story written about this now world famous dive site. Geri was also married to Paul Tzimoulis (deceased), publisher of Skin Diver Magazine and she continues to shoot underwater photos in exotic locations around the world.
Larry Smith - Larry Smith began his diving career in 1972, spanning 3 1/2 decades and more than 20,000 dives. Larry had a hand in developing operations in the Caymans, Jamaica, and various exotic destinations in Southeast Asia, including Borneo, but is most noted for his time at Kungkungan Bay Resort in his adopted home, Indonesia where he pioneered "muck diving." The "World's Greatest Divemaster," Larry inspired a generation of underwater naturalists, ranging from the Indonesian dive guides he trained to recreational divers and world-class underwater photographers and writers.
The Williamson Brothers
In the early part of the 20thy century the Williamson Brothers adapted an underwater salvage viewing sphere invented by their father into an underwater film platform, the Photosphere. In 1915, using top divers from the USN, they created a movie version of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, filming in the Bahamas. The divers used rebreathers built by Siebe Gorman of England, contained inside deep sea diving dresses. The movie opened in the USA in 1916 and broke box office records across America. It was the world's first underwater movie and included several special effects including a mechanical "giant octopus." The Williamsons went on to make other underwater movies and brother J. Ernest Williamson's daughter, Sylvia, appeared in these films as a very small child, accompanying her father. Sylvia Williamson Munro accepted the award for her uncle and father.
Ministry of Tourism awardees for their contribution to the local diving industry included:
**
Stuart Freeman** - Mr. Freeman devoted 40 years to the sea and the watersports industry, and has spent his life helping to protect, preserve, and develop Cayman's diving industry. Mr. Freeman currently owns Eden Rock, one of the most successful full-service dive centers on Grand Cayman. Mr. Freeman is a past chairman of the Cayman Islands Divers, the local branch of the British Sub Aqua Club, a senior recompression chamber operator and instructor, chairman of the Pirates Week Underwater Treasure Hunt and a Royal Life Saving Society Instructor and Examiner.
**
Ollen Miller** - A born Caymanian, Mr. Miller has been diving since the age of 13 and began his career as a diving instructor in 1979. Mr. Miller opened Sundivers in the late 1980's to provide more personalized one-on-one service, and continues to get to know each of his guests, ensuring that each had one of their best diving experiences while on Cayman. His business has grown but he stands by his original principles and limits each dive group to eight or less. Mr. Miller has lived on Grand Cayman his entire life and his nomination applauds his love of country and personal thirty-year commitment to diving.
Award winners received a unique Caymanite prize in the presence of family, friends and admirers at the beautiful Pedro St. James National Historic Site on Grand Cayman. All attendees were provided the opportunity to view a video biography of each Inductee, courtesy of Jack and Sue Drafahl of Image Concepts, media consultants to the ISDHF. View videos at: www.scubahalloffame.com/videobios.
All inductees and their representatives provided remarks on their induction and each provided the enthusiastic audience with their personal experiences and philosophies from developing recreational scuba diving as a worldwide phenomenon.
Mr. Clifford recognized local Cayman Honorees saying: "These individuals have done much for diving in the Cayman Islands, bringing our excellent and friendly diving and local culture to the world at large. Their contribution has helped to make diving an activity that is associated worldwide with the Cayman Islands."
"With all that these people have done to establish sport diving as a major tourism attraction here in the Cayman Islands, I am proud to officially congratulate the world-renowned 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees and the Caymanian leaders who are the recipients of this year's Local Honors Awards."
The Diving Hall of Fame Board of Directors oversees the Diving Hall of Fame project. These Board Members are internationally recognized individuals who have contributed to the sport and are actively involved in the scuba diving industry, and individual leaders of the local community. Included are:
• Cathy Church Executive Secretary, International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Board of Directors
• Hon. Charles E. Clifford, JP - Chairman, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Investment and Commerce
• Captain Charles "Chuckie" Ebanks - President, Cayman National Watersports Association
• Al Hornsby, Executive Vice President, Professional Association of Diving Instructors
• Tom Ingram - Executive Director of DEMA
• Leslie Leaney - President, Historical Diving Society
• Rodney McDowall - Past-President, and current Board member, Cayman Islands Tourism Association
• Carl Roessler - Retired former owner of See & Sea Travel Services
• Ty Sawyer - Editor Sport Diver magazine
The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) has recognized four international pioneers and two Cayman Island honorees for their contributions to the recreational scuba diving industry. In a ceremony held on Grand Cayman Island on January 29, 2009, awards for the Inductees and local Ministry of Tourism Honorees were presented by the Hon. Charles E. Clifford, JP, Minister for Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce in Cayman.
The Honorable Minister praised the newest Inductees as dedicated and professional individuals who have taken their love for diving and applied it through various disciplines to promote awareness of the aquatic environment, maintain the admirable safety record of diving, and establish a foundation for the worldwide development of the sport.
The evening's Master of Ceremonies was Leslie Leaney, President of the Historical Diving Society in the US. Leslie is a NOGI award winner and member of the Board of Directors for the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
International Inductees for 2009 are:
Kimiuo Aisek - Kimiuo personally witnessed "Operation Hailstone," the Allied Forces' attack on the Japanese Fleet in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia, on February 17 and 18, 1944. He opened Truk Lagoon's first dive facility in 1973 and helped film crews and divers experience the majestic sunken wrecks. Kimiuo's son Gradvin manages the shop to this day.
Howard Rosenstein - Howard pioneered diving along the Sinai Coast beginning in 1970 and by 1973 he opened the Red Sea Divers Center in Sharm el Sheikh, hosting countless divers and film crews from around the world. He later operated the Fantasea Line, a multi-national live-aboard diving operation taking divers the length of the Red Sea and as far as the Indian Ocean atolls of Aldabra and Astove in the Seychelles. Today he is owner of The Fantasea Line, manufacturing and distributing underwater photo equipment.
**
Geri Murphy** - Geri Murphy is probably the most published female underwater photojournalist in the world, with an impressive record of more than 200 magazine cover shots and thousands of published articles, photos and books. Geri participated in movie productions including Cornell Wilde's, SHARK'S TREASURE and THE DEEP, filmed by Al Giddings. Geri was also the first to document and photograph Stingray City in the Cayman Islands - which she named in the first story written about this now world famous dive site. Geri was also married to Paul Tzimoulis (deceased), publisher of Skin Diver Magazine and she continues to shoot underwater photos in exotic locations around the world.
Larry Smith - Larry Smith began his diving career in 1972, spanning 3 1/2 decades and more than 20,000 dives. Larry had a hand in developing operations in the Caymans, Jamaica, and various exotic destinations in Southeast Asia, including Borneo, but is most noted for his time at Kungkungan Bay Resort in his adopted home, Indonesia where he pioneered "muck diving." The "World's Greatest Divemaster," Larry inspired a generation of underwater naturalists, ranging from the Indonesian dive guides he trained to recreational divers and world-class underwater photographers and writers.
The Williamson Brothers
In the early part of the 20thy century the Williamson Brothers adapted an underwater salvage viewing sphere invented by their father into an underwater film platform, the Photosphere. In 1915, using top divers from the USN, they created a movie version of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, filming in the Bahamas. The divers used rebreathers built by Siebe Gorman of England, contained inside deep sea diving dresses. The movie opened in the USA in 1916 and broke box office records across America. It was the world's first underwater movie and included several special effects including a mechanical "giant octopus." The Williamsons went on to make other underwater movies and brother J. Ernest Williamson's daughter, Sylvia, appeared in these films as a very small child, accompanying her father. Sylvia Williamson Munro accepted the award for her uncle and father.
Ministry of Tourism awardees for their contribution to the local diving industry included:
**
Stuart Freeman** - Mr. Freeman devoted 40 years to the sea and the watersports industry, and has spent his life helping to protect, preserve, and develop Cayman's diving industry. Mr. Freeman currently owns Eden Rock, one of the most successful full-service dive centers on Grand Cayman. Mr. Freeman is a past chairman of the Cayman Islands Divers, the local branch of the British Sub Aqua Club, a senior recompression chamber operator and instructor, chairman of the Pirates Week Underwater Treasure Hunt and a Royal Life Saving Society Instructor and Examiner.
**
Ollen Miller** - A born Caymanian, Mr. Miller has been diving since the age of 13 and began his career as a diving instructor in 1979. Mr. Miller opened Sundivers in the late 1980's to provide more personalized one-on-one service, and continues to get to know each of his guests, ensuring that each had one of their best diving experiences while on Cayman. His business has grown but he stands by his original principles and limits each dive group to eight or less. Mr. Miller has lived on Grand Cayman his entire life and his nomination applauds his love of country and personal thirty-year commitment to diving.
Award winners received a unique Caymanite prize in the presence of family, friends and admirers at the beautiful Pedro St. James National Historic Site on Grand Cayman. All attendees were provided the opportunity to view a video biography of each Inductee, courtesy of Jack and Sue Drafahl of Image Concepts, media consultants to the ISDHF. View videos at: www.scubahalloffame.com/videobios.
All inductees and their representatives provided remarks on their induction and each provided the enthusiastic audience with their personal experiences and philosophies from developing recreational scuba diving as a worldwide phenomenon.
Mr. Clifford recognized local Cayman Honorees saying: "These individuals have done much for diving in the Cayman Islands, bringing our excellent and friendly diving and local culture to the world at large. Their contribution has helped to make diving an activity that is associated worldwide with the Cayman Islands."
"With all that these people have done to establish sport diving as a major tourism attraction here in the Cayman Islands, I am proud to officially congratulate the world-renowned 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees and the Caymanian leaders who are the recipients of this year's Local Honors Awards."
The Diving Hall of Fame Board of Directors oversees the Diving Hall of Fame project. These Board Members are internationally recognized individuals who have contributed to the sport and are actively involved in the scuba diving industry, and individual leaders of the local community. Included are:
• Cathy Church Executive Secretary, International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Board of Directors
• Hon. Charles E. Clifford, JP - Chairman, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Investment and Commerce
• Captain Charles "Chuckie" Ebanks - President, Cayman National Watersports Association
• Al Hornsby, Executive Vice President, Professional Association of Diving Instructors
• Tom Ingram - Executive Director of DEMA
• Leslie Leaney - President, Historical Diving Society
• Rodney McDowall - Past-President, and current Board member, Cayman Islands Tourism Association
• Carl Roessler - Retired former owner of See & Sea Travel Services
• Ty Sawyer - Editor Sport Diver magazine
