The Three Women Making Waves in Scuba Diving Today
Scuba diving may have long been regarded as a man’s territory, but the last few decades have seen the rise of female scuba divers who are showing us that women can also rule the sport. These three female scuba divers in particular are not only letting us into the beautiful world under the sea but are also making huge differences to our oceans.
Sarah Richard
Photo credit: Sassy Hong Kong
At the age of 25, Sarah Richard was one of only few female Divemasters in the world exploring the depths of Micronesia, one of the best-kept secrets in scuba diving. Sarah was discovered through her blog where she writes about her underwater adventures and she was commissioned to write for international publications about being a woman in the male-dominated scuba diving world.
With her work, Sarah began to inspire other women who wanted to be scuba divers. This prompted her to start Girls that Scuba, an online community that brings together women who are interested in scuba diving. Sarah also has a strong fascination for sharks and is a volunteer for the Hong Kong Shark Foundation.
Ocean Ramsey
Her name couldn’t be more fitting for her passion, the ocean. Ocean Ramsey is a shark conservationist who grew up surfing and diving in Hawaii and San Diego. She was always passionate about sharks that she committed her life to observing and protecting them. She said: “I hope that by sharing my experiences with sharks, I might inspire others to take action and help protect these amazing creatures before it’s too late.” Ocean is also a free diver, surfer and professional scuba instructor.
Sylvia Earle
Photo credit by: Wanted Online
If there is one woman who gets the most recognition in scuba diving and ocean advocacy, it would have to be Sylvia Earle. She won the TED Prize in 2009 and has always been vocal about her passion for the ocean. In fact, she has been exploring it for 60 years now. Sylvia was the captain of the first all-female team to live underwater in 1970 and has committed her life to educating the world on how to save the ocean.
Indeed, these women are making huge waves in both the scuba diving world and in preserving the ocean they love so much.