BUSINESS EDU Breaking Barriers: Cayman’s All-Women Class Makes ISDHF History – by Patty Cline, Associate Publisher, Scuba Diving Industry Magazine
The Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism, through the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF), created a historic moment in a ballroom glowing with soft pink light and fresh flowers. For the first
time in its 25-year history, ISDHF inducted an all-female class; an unprecedented achievement that showcased Cayman’s lead- ership in honoring pioneers, trailblazers, and visionaries of diving. A Historic First: The 2025 class highlighted the wide-reach- ing influence of women across every corner of the diving world. Hidy Yu (Hong Kong) received the first-ever Trailblazer ▪ Award for her work with the Bling Bling Ocean Foun- dation, which has removed more than 10 tons of ghost nets across Hong Kong Harbor. Rosemary Lunn (UK) became the first British woman ▪ inducted, honored for her work in dive safety with the UK Ministry of Defence. Michelle Cove (Bahamas) was recognized for growing ▪
From Left: Bonnie Toth, Mary Connelly, Anne Hasson, Michelle Cove, Hidy Yu, Rosemary Lunn
Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas while championing shark conservation and coral restoration. Anne Hasson (USA) transformed liveaboard diving ▪ through Aggressor Adventures, setting global stan- dards for adventure travel and sustainability. Simone Melchior-Cousteau (France), the world’s ▪ first female diver and a driving force behind the Aqua-Lung and Calypso expeditions, was inducted posthumously. The Women Divers Hall of Fame (USA) was rec- ▪ ognized for 25 years of empowering women and young divers through mentorship and over $900,000 in scholarships. “This is a groundbreaking moment,” said ISDHF chair- man Stephen Broadbelt. “These extraordinary individuals are our superheroes. If we had a mission to save the ocean, these are the women we’d call.” The celebration also featured a keynote address from Margo Peyton, founder of Kids Sea Camp and 2024 ISDHF inductee, who inspired the audience with her message of empowering families and young people to connect with the ocean. Honoring Cayman’s Own: Local legends who have shaped the islands’ reputation as a premier dive destina- tion were also recognized in the Local Honouree cate- gory: dive operator Jason Belport ; conservation leader
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