The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame 2010 celebrated its 10th anniversary by inducting several new members into its fold.

Eugenie Clark is a world-renowned ichthyologist often called The Shark Lad. In a speech at the event, held at Pedro St. James, she said that she’d spent a considerable period of time diving in Cayman over the years.

“I spent more than 30 dives below a thousand feet down the Cayman wall in what was then called a ‘research submersible’. We did a whole series of dives to study the Great six-gilled shark and fish that live in that depth of water.”

Her article, Down the Cayman Wall, subsequently appeared in National Geographic magazine, she said.

“I have many wonderful and spooky memories of the Cayman Islands down at a thousand feet and am very happy to be back here honoured in this way,” added the 88-year old.

Flaming star

Fellow inductee Nick Icorn is considered the ‘keeper of the flame’ of diving history due to his extensive collection of diving gear. He admitted that he was a ‘man of few words’ then said the appearance at the awards was his second trip to Cayman after having visited five years previously with his daughter. On that trip he achieved a thousand-foot wall dive.

“That was exceptional and I’m very happy to be back again,” he said.

Francis Toribiong of the tiny Pacific nation of Palau is an instrumental figure in the diving industry both in his home island and worldwide.

He told the audience of his experiences in the scuba diving industry over the years and the people who had been equally instrumental in the success of the island and his famous Fish n Fins dive shop.

He explained that he had retired from direct involvement to spend more time with his children. He also said that he had been unsure that he would be able to attend the ceremony due to serious ilness only weeks ago but thanked God that he had recovered in time.

“I’d like to thank all the divers of the world, from New York to South Africa, from California to Japan and from Granada to Australia who made me who I am today,” concluded Mr Toirbiong.

Art and science

Wyland, the US Olympic artist, is renowned for his series of a hundred huge murals worldwide that feature marine life in its many forms. The ebullient Californian was on typically voluble form in his induction speech.

“It’s a great honour to be part of this community and I want to give thanks to Jacques Cousteau who inspired me as it probably did you too,” he said.

Wyland went on to thank the late actor Lloyd Bridges who had mentored him in his early years. The artist said that divers were ‘a little quirky and not perfect’ and that he was looking forward to meeting more of his peers. He explained that the diving community had a very strong conservation focus.

“We’re united in protecting the beauty that we see when we dive these special places like the Cayman Islands... all pulling together to make sure that we protect this place.

“I think we’ve done so much damage in the last century that if we don’t create a major sea-change in environmental awareness we’re going to lose it,” said the artist.