BUSINESS EDU
Dive Pirates – Bringing the Entire Scuba Industry Together by Jeff Cinciripino , JeffCinciripino.com, Former Owner of Scuba Shack, CT
T HE DIVE COMMUNITY has many opportunities to get together and share their passion for the under- water world. Whether at a local dive club meeting, a consumer scuba show, or at our trade association DEMA Show, engaging with others is an essential part of our industry. One very special organization, Dive Pirates, creates an extraordinary event that brings all elements of the dive industry together to create an environment of inclusiveness for scuba divers with physical disabilities. Each year, Dive Pirates select multiple individuals with physical disabilities to participate in scuba diving training. The organization funds training for each recipient and the recipient’s buddy at one of its affiliated dive center chapters. The culmination of the program is participating in the annual Dive Pirates trip. That is where the entire industry comes together. Local dive centers from around the country, independent instructors, product sponsors, dive resorts, training agencies and a bevy of volunteers
from all corners of the U.S. join forces to make for an incredible week of diving and personal enrichment. This year a group of adaptive divers, their buddies, instructors, volunteer divers and dive pirate supporters totaling 77 people arrived at Divi Flamingo Resort in Bonaire. The Divi Resort pulled out all the stops to accommodate the needs of the group and to ensure everyone had a terrific stay. Additionally, Divi Dive created a safe and secure operation running four boats to handle the needs of the adaptive divers. For Dive Pirates Week, Divi Dive, headed by Sarah Cann, closed all other diving at the resort to make sure her entire dive team at Divi Dive had a laser focus on the Dive Pirates group. This is a great example of how this segment of the dive industry came together. Each Dive Pirate’s trip combines a group of adaptive divers consisting of the current year’s recipients and their buddies along with past awardees. 2026 featured six recipients from Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Michigan and Virginia. Additionally,
NOVEMBER 4, 2026 • 6 PM NEW ORLEANS MARRIOTT • NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA PRESENTED BY THE ACADEMY OF UNDERWATER ARTS AND SCIENCES WITH THE UNDERWATER SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2026 NOGI AWARDS GALA 65TH ANNUAL
HONORING NOGI RECIPIENTS:
www.auas-nogi.org
50 | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
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