Simon Morris's bronze statue made its first appearance at the 2013 DEMA show.
Ryan CanonThe sinking went of beautifully, after months of preparation by Jay and Nancy Easterbrook and their team.
David BenzDivetech's staff photographer, Cathy, next to the statue. The Guardian was placed on a tiered concrete pedestal that weighs a whopping 14,000 pounds.
David BenzGuardian is much more than another dive attraction on Grand Cayman. It represents Divetech's commitment to marine conservation — and was a way to celebrate the dive operation's 20th anniversary.
The 1,100-pound bronze statue called Guardian of the Reef, located about 200 yards off Grand Cayman’s Divetech Lighthouse Point Dive Resort’s dock, has now been down since April.
“I first started working on The Guardian 10 years ago,” says Canadian artist Simon Morris. “And it’s now traveled 4,552 miles from British Columbia to Grand Cayman.”
The statue is a mythological creature — half ancient warrior and half seahorse. The top half of the sculpture is a guardsman wearing Greco-Roman armor and carrying a circular shield and a staff and sphere. His helmet is a stylized seahorse head, and a dorsal fin protrudes from the back of his breastplate. At the waist, the creature morphs into a seahorse with a tail coiled around a bronze ring mounted on a 4-foot bronze column. The Guardian was placed on a tiered concrete pedestal that weighs a whopping 14,000 pounds.
Nancy Easterbrook explains the impetus behind sinking the Guardian — dive site No. 240 in Grand Cayman’s Dive 365 program. “This year Divetech is 20 years old,” she says. “I thought we should do something more permanent to celebrate the anniversary — something we could dedicate to ocean conservation and the island’s local youth. The Guardian has traveled over 4,500 miles, and now he will be looking over our reefs and symbolize our need to safeguard our reefs. And for every dive made on the Guardian, we will donate a dollar to our conservation program for youths.” Divetech’s goal is to raise $20,000 the first year (donations are accepted).
The Guardian is another reminder of Divetech's proud legacy as a leading beacon for marine conservation.
PADI 5 Star Resort Divetech is Green Globe Certified and is a National Geographic Center, Project AWARE Center, TecRec and PADI Swim School, and is the recipient of the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2012 and the PADI Green Star Award.
