From Antigua to the United Arab Emirates, divers from all over the world came together to celebrate PADI’s inaugural Women’s Dive Day on July 18, 2015, and made history in the process. The event brought together more than 6,000 divers from 65 countries on six continents — all participating in 335 special events. (It would have been seven continents, but the Antarctica events were canceled due to inclement weather.) Now, plans are underway to do it all again this year on July 16 — but bigger and better!

“Women’s Dive Day was originally conceived by PADI as a way to celebrate women’s contributions to diving throughout history and bring more women into the sport today. However, Women’s Dive Day has a special significance for PADI this year,” says Drew Richardson, president and CEO of PADI Worldwide. “2016 is PADI’s 50th anniversary, and as we celebrate our place as both today’s leader and yesterday’s trailblazer in the dive industry, we want to emphasize the critical role women have played — and continue to play — in what is sometimes perceived as a man’s sport. PADI history and current leadership are full of female dive icons and legends who continue to pave the way for today’s divers of both genders.”

The inaugural Women’s Dive Day was a call to action that was heard — and heeded — by some of those icons. For example, shark expert and PADI Course Director Cristina Zenato, who developed the PADI Caribbean Reef Shark Awareness Distinctive Specialty course and started a campaign that resulted in the complete protection for all shark species in the Bahamas, participated by offering a special shark dive for certified women divers and a special Discover Scuba Diving day just for women to give them the opportunity to try scuba diving.

Another participant was Sarah Ward, professional archaeologist and tutor for the Australian Institute of Maritime Archaeology. Ward, who dives on the job around the world, says that without her PADI certifications, she wouldn’t be able to do what she loves. “I honestly believe there are no challenges specific to women in diving. Yes, as a woman you might be in the minority, but to me, this presents an opportunity to stand up, stand out and be the best diver you can be, both in and out of the water. Whether you are interested in occasionally diving as a holiday activity, regularly diving for sport or are working in recreational, technical, scientific or commercial diving, the opportunities are as expansive as our oceans.” Last year, Ward participated in Women’s Dive Day by teaming up with a local PADI dive shop in Australia for a dive on Long Reef in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and an all-day beach barbecue.

Discover (or Rediscover) Diving at Women’s Dive Day
On July 16, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts, dive clubs and other organizations will offer a host of female-friendly dives or events, ranging from shark dives to beach cleanups to special speaker engagements. Some PADI dive shops will also offer the opportunity to try scuba diving through the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program. Others will focus on PADI ReActivate, which gives lapsed divers the opportunity to refresh their scuba skills, rediscover the sport they love and reactivate their dive certifications.

However, although the focus is on women, all are encouraged to become involved. Many events are open to the general public, regardless of gender, so it can be a great opportunity to get your friends and family members together for a fun day of diving.

How to Participate
If you’re a diver who is interested in participating in a Women’s Dive Day event, please contact your local PADI Dive Center or Resort to see if it’s holding an event — and encourage it to get involved if it’s not already. Otherwise, you can find an event or get more information at padi.com/women-dive. If you’re a PADI Professional interested in hosting a dive or event, email [email protected] to be added to our event registry. And don’t forget that Total Submersion Dive Festival will be held July 16–23 at Anse Chastanet Resort in St. Lucia. Visit padi.com/totalsub for more information.

Dive In
Now an official holiday in many countries around the world, International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history. The event is marked by presentations, speeches and activities headlined by many of the most prestigious women in public life. Sign up for a PADI Women’s Dive Day 2016 event or organize one for your community! Visit padi.com/ women-dive for details.