Cayman Bids Farewell to Dive Legend Bob Soto, the “Father of Diving”
The dive industry he started is ranked by divers Tops in 2015 as Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean and Atlantic
Cayman Islands, (March 31, 2015) - Dive flags flew at half-mast in the Cayman Islands recently in tribute to Bob Soto, a revered dive legend and the founder of recreational scuba diving in Cayman, who died at the age of 88. As they mourn his passing, Cayman’s dive leaders say Bob Soto’s legacy is Cayman diving’s enduring star power. The Cayman Islands nabbed the top spot as 2015 Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic in Scuba Diving Magazine’s Annual Reader’s Choice Awards. Cayman also ranked well in the polls Top 100 Gold List.
It all started with Bob Soto who opened his first dive shop on the George Town waterfront in 1957. With vision, one wooden boat, several tanks and a small staff (he taught to dive himself), Soto began soliciting guests in Cayman’s hotels, and gave birth to an industry. Bob Soto personally taught and mentored several of Cayman’s current dive leaders, who then took Cayman’s dive industry to the next level, and work hard to keep it on top.
“Bob was a wonderful man and a roll model for all of us,” said Adrien Briggs owner ofSunset House, Sunset Divers and Red Sail Sports. “He brought a lot of Caymanians into diving and showed us that we could follow our dreams, follow our diving trails – myself, Clinton Ebanks, Atlee Evans, Don Foster - we all got our start with Bob Soto.”
From one end of Grand Cayman to the other, Bob Soto influenced dive pioneers. He encouraged Nancy Easterbrook to set up Divetech in West Bay in the same building that housed a restaurant Soto owned with his wife Suzy. He knew well the excellent reefs located just offshore.
“Bobby Soto was a true visionary who created dive tourism in Cayman,” said Easterbrook. “He has become a legend for many, an inspiration for me, and a man who was a leader. He will be truly missed, one of the greats.”
“Bob was not only a pioneer in an industry we all love and made our careers, but a fascinating man who did a whole variety of dive related adventures,” said Rod McDowall, Operations Manager of Red Sail Sports. “I shared time with him telling stories from maritime treasure hunting to his involvement in land based and live aboard diving in Grand Cayman. He was always very happy to give advice and share his years of experience.”
Bob Soto also blazed dive trails on Grand Cayman’s remote East End where Steve Broadbelt, co-founder of Ocean Frontiers, now runs a thriving dive business.
“Bob Soto put Cayman on the map and everybody in the dive business owes him an immense debt of gratitude,” said Broadbelt. “It is impossible to imagine a Cayman without Bob Soto, his vision and what he achieved. His legacy will never be forgotten.”
Soto’s legacy includes some of the most famous dive sites in the business. He and his divemasters explored the pristine and untouched coral reefs around George Town and game them names: Trinity Caves, Orange Canyon, Big Tunnel, Eden Rock, Devil’s Grotto. Peter Milburn, at Bob Soto’s side in those early days, recalls the first wall dive he made at Trinity Caves.
“It was unbelievably beautiful and breathtaking,” said Milburn. “It was like being in a forest with so many soft corals and sea fans, there was so much black coral in the crevasses then.”
Millions of visitors have enjoyed those dive sites during the past 50 years, and they are part of the reason Cayman has been voted the #1 this year by Scuba Diving readers. Subscribers and web users rate their dive experiences on a scale of 1 – 5 and the results are tabulated and published. Cayman ranked #1 in Wall Diving, #1 in Best Marine Environment and #3 in Advanced Diving, giving it the edge over all other Caribbean and Atlantic destinations.
Cayman also did well in the magazine’s “Top 100 Gold List” receiving 11 rankings based on total responses and popularity regardless of category. Divetech and Sunset House received nods for Best Dive Operator and Best Dive Resort. The Cayman rankings are as follows:
#2 BEST WALL DIVING/Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman
#4 BEST WALL DIVING/North Wall/ Grand Cayman
#13 BEST DIVE SITES/Devil’s Grotto, Grand Cayman
#23 BEST WRECK DIVES/Capt. Keith Tibbetts, Cayman Brac
#41 BEST NIGHT DIVE, Coral Spawning Dives, Grand Cayman
#56 BEST BEACH/Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
#80 BEST DIVE OPERATORS, Divetech, Grand Cayman
#83 BEST DIVE RESORT, Sunset House, Grand Cayman
#87 BEST DIVE RESORT, Little Cayman Beach Resort, Little Cayman
#95 BEST BEACH BAR, My Bar, Sunset House Grand Cayman
#97 CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE/ Lone Star Bar & Grill, Grand Cayman
Dive leaders say Bob Soto should be proud of what he started on Grand Cayman. For his contributions to the dive industry in Cayman and across the world, Soto was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. The loss of the mentor who touched so many people in Cayman is being felt across all three islands.
“It is heart-wrenching, we were very close and I learned so much from him,” said Peter Milburn.
“I learned how to be a better human being from Bob Soto,” adds Adrien Briggs.
Ron Kipp, a long time friend and the man who bought Bob Soto’s dive operation decades ago, spoke at his memorial service: “The Cayman Islands has lost a legend. Without Bob Soto, there would have been no diving industry. He will be remembered all over the world.”
About Us
The Cayman Bottom Times is news collaboration by five leading dive operators to promote the superb diving of the Cayman Islands, and keep the diving public informed of important developments and events. Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Sunset House in Grand Cayman, and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, all members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, represent more than 100 years of solid experience in a destination that is recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving. With a unique combination of deep wall and shallow reef diving, several wrecks, and world-famous Stingray City, the Cayman Islands has cemented its place as the top diving destination in the Caribbean.
Offering diverse and wide-ranging dive programs on both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, the members of this dive group represent the best Cayman has to offer;Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman, Sunset House and the Southern Cross Club.
Web: www.cayman-bottom-time.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/caymanbottomtimes
Media Contact: Adela Gonzales White at [email protected] or call (941) 350-8735.
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Cayman’s Legends and Lions Weeklong Scuba Celebration Launched with a Resounding Start
The birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean inaugurates an annual celebration of what makes the Cayman Islands special
Tanks, tuxedos and tasty lionfish were all hits at Cayman’s first annual Legends and Lions scuba celebration, which rolled out October 4 – 11, 2014 with great success thanks to teamwork, a good turnout and perfect weather. The celebration showcased Cayman’s superb diving, honored dive legends inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, fought invasive Lionfish and then served them up at a celebratory street party on the waterfront.
“Legends and Lions was a successful event for its first time,” says Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall, one of the participating dive operators. “ We hope to make it a yearly celebration that highlights the fantastic scuba diving of the Cayman Islands and the reasons we are one of the world’s leading dive destinations.”
“It went really well, I’m very pleased,” agreed Keith Sahm, General Manager for Sunset House, also one of the event dive operators. “It pulled together very nicely.”
Dive industry leaders teamed up with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to combine several existing scuba promotions during this traditionally slow time of year to take advantage of off-season rates. The dive deals offered by Red Sail Sports, Sunset House and Divetech attracted new divers to Cayman from as far away as Germany, and drew repeat divers from closer markets in the US back to a destination they know well and visit often.
Some visitors started the week of diving aboard a Red Sail Sports dive boat with scuba pioneers Bill Acker, Dan Orr and Leslie Leaney. The three hall of famers spoke to the group about the history of diving and their experiences in the sport. The legends and divers then hit the water together to dive Cayman’s spectacular North Wall where they explored dive sites Creole Cliff and Pinnacle Reef. It was an experience Carolyn Larrivee and her husband George from Utah won’t forget.
“I loved it! It was great to be with people who love what they do and who want to share that passion with us,” she said. “I love the camaraderie – it reassures me as a diver who loves the sport.”
“They shared this wonderful dive experience with us,” said Dan Orr, who thoroughly enjoyed the meet and greet on board. “Diving is done as a community – we are a community.”
“This is the essence of diving, which is a non-competitive sport,” agreed Leslie Leaney, a dive historian. “It’s about sharing this fun activity as a community.”
Also attending the festival were top performers from dive shops and booking agents participating in Cayman’s Tanks A Lot Rewards Program, courtesy of the Department of Tourism and Cayman’s dive industry. A couple of the FAM attendees – Paula and Dean of The Dive Academy in Ontario - celebrated by getting engaged and then picking out a ring. The weeklong fun continued with topside events that Lionfish culling certifications and culling dives to remove the predators from Cayman’s reefs. The day’s catch was then cooked up and served during a street party sponsored by Aqua Lung.
“I’ve never had Lionfish before and it’s tasty!” said a surprised and pleased Rich Peterson, visiting the island from Jacksonville, Florida. The meal included Caribbean staples rice and peas, plantain and “cho cho” a tropical fruit.
Legends and Lions also hosted a photo contest during the week that drew local, as well as visiting underwater photographers. The winners received prizes awarded by Scubapro, Guy Harvey and the Cathy Church Underwater Photo Centre. Coordinator Keith Sahm says the images submitted for the event were astounding and the response to the collections has been great. Categories included; Unusual, Macro, and Turtles, Stingrays and Fish. Winners included local divers Charlie Reaney, Brittany Slade, Amanda Nicholls, Chase Darnell, Courtney Platt and Ellen Cuylaerts.
“The response that we have received from our social medial site showing off the winners has been absolutely fabulous and it give us great pleasure showing off these talented photographers work,” he said. “Next year, we will get started much earlier, now that we have a new format in place. We’ll have more prizes, more categories, the goal is to get more entries.”
The scuba week celebration was capped off with a formal, black tie International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Induction Dinner hosted by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. These year’s inductees were Alese and Mort Pechter, Bill Acker, Chuck Nicklin, Dan Orr and Neal Watson. Rod McDowall of Red Sail Sports was also honored for his contributions to Cayman’s dive industry through the years.
“The induction into the local Cayman Islands Scuba Hall of Fame is appreciated,” said McDowall. “It’s always nice to get recognition for just doing your job in a diving paradise.”
The dive legends inducted to the hall of fame had this to say:
Alese Pechter: “What a fantastic weekend we had! Thank you so much for making absolutely everything so perfect. Grand Cayman has always held a special place in our hearts and this weekend just solidified that feeling even more.”
Neal Watson: “Thanks a million for the hospitality extended to my friends, family and the ‘Dive God’.”
Dan Orr: "Keith, it was a wonderful week thanks largely to you and Karin. Having all of our family stay at Sunset House was the best decision - our family loved every bit of it. The rooms, the staff, the food and the diving were all first rate. We sincerely thank you and Karin for everything! "
Bill Acker: “Thank you so very much, for your help, hospitality and friendship during the past week in the Cayman Islands. My entire family as well as our friends from Germany had a wonderful time at Sunset House.”
Chuck Nicklin: “Thanks to the Cayman Department of Tourism and to the hospitality of Karin and Keith Sahm of the Sunset House Dive Resort, Leslie Leaney, our eloquent MC and Co-founder of the Historical Diving Society, and to the many friends who attended. Congratulations to all inductees! It was a great event!”
Everyone involved in Legends and Lions is anxious to get started on plans for 2015 since this first event was so successful - there are new ideas to discuss for next year.
“We want to put this event on every divers calendar - fantastic diving, great dive deals, diving with industry celebrities and a street party - the perfect Cayman Islands dive vacation!” said Rod McDowall.
About Us
The Cayman Bottom Times is news collaboration by five leading dive operators to promote the superb diving of the Cayman Islands, and keep the diving public informed of important developments and events. Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Sunset House in Grand Cayman, and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, all members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, represent more than 100 years of solid experience in a destination that is recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving. With a unique combination of deep wall and shallow reef diving, several wrecks, and world-famous Stingray City, the Cayman Islands has cemented its place as the top diving destination in the Caribbean.
Offering diverse and wide-ranging dive programs on both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, the members of this dive group represent the best Cayman has to offer; Divetech (www.divetech.com), Ocean Frontiers (www.oceanfrontiers.com), Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman (www.redsailcayman.com), Sunset House (www.sunsethouse.com) and the Southern Cross Club (www.southerncrossclub.com).
Media Contact: Adela Gonzales White at [email protected] or call (941) 350-8735.
Cayman Islands to Honor Legends of Scuba Diving at DEMA 2014
Some of the biggest names in the industry to be on hand in the Cayman pavilion to greet the public and share love of diving
Cayman Islands, September 23, 2014 - The Cayman Islands pavilion at the annual Diving Equipment and Marketing Association’s (DEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 19-22, 2014 will be welcoming and honoring dive industry legends who have been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF), founded in Cayman 14 years ago. Making appearances at the ISDHF show booth will be some of the best known names in the dive industry worldwide: Leslie Leaney, Carl Roessler, Howard and Michelle Hall, Ron Stevens ‘Rogest’, Wyland, Joann and Armand Zighand, Bob Hollis, David Doubilet, Drew Richardson, Howard Rosenstein and Cayman’s own Ron Kipp and Cathy Church. Also making appearances will be 2014 honorees.
Dan Orr – Most recently the President Emeritus of the Divers Alert Network Foundation and the former CEO, Orr has been involved in the diving industry for more than 40 years. Orr continues to promote dive safety as an author of books and contributor to magazines.
Neal Watson – Watson has enjoyed a varied career in commercial diving, stunt coordination for the films and TV, hotel management, and diving franchises. Watson holds several Guinness World Records and has worked taught several celebrities to dive. He has hand-fed sharks with Jean-Michel Cousteau.
Bill Acker – Acker is the owner of the first dive shop in Yap and has helped make the island a top international dive destination, bringing jobs and prosperity to the local community.
Chuck Nicklin – With an extensive background in underwater photography, Nicklin has had work published numerous catalogues, magazines, and movies, including ‘The Deep,’ ‘For Your Eyes Only,’ ‘The Abyss’ and ‘Never Say Never Again.’ He’s also been instrumental in building the San Diego dive scene, and is a contributor to the international dive community.
Alese and Morton Pechter – Underwater photographers Alese and her late husband Morton Pechter have documented the underwater world for a number of publications. They’ve been active in educating children about the marine environment and advocating for ocean conservation. The Pechters have been honored by the United Nations Environment Programme and recognized by the US Navy as Honorary Deep Sea Divers.
A set schedule of appearances by dive legends will be released at a later date. The Cayman pavilion will also include an ISDHF photo booth with life-size cutouts of early dive pioneers and a display of historic dive equipment. Because diving is intrinsic to Caymanian culture, the Cayman Islands’ Ministry of Tourism founded the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2000 to recognize individuals who have contributed to the industry making the sport better for all.
“It is logical that the ISDHOF is established in Cayman as it had the FIRST sport diving facility in the world, Bob Soto's Diving established in 1957, and then Cayman became the leader in dive destinations in the 1980's,” said Ron Kipp, a pioneer of Cayman’s dive industry and Hall of Fame 2012 inductee. “There is no greater honor than to be recognized by your peers.”
2012 inductee Leslie Leaney says it is vitally important to recognize history-makers now. “Some of the earliest participants are still with us. The first generation from the 1940s, are all gone. The second generation from the 1950's to mid 60's, are slowly leaving us. In 50 years the first five generations of divers who built the sport will all be gone. All that will be left is their history, provided it is accurately recorded now.”
“The history of diving is crucial to the future of diving,” adds Neal Watson. “You learn from history and try not to repeat those mistakes. And diving is so young, it started in 1953 – from 50 years ago to where it is today – technology and evolution of training now make it possible for almost everyone to dive, and new divers love to hear the stories.”
The DEMA promotion is an extension of “Legends and Lions” a festival showcasing Cayman’s diving scheduled October 4 -11. Teaming up with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to combine several dive promotions to take advantage of off-season rates, Red Sail Sports, Divetech, Ocean Frontiers and Sunset House are offering value-packed dive deals. Participants will have the chance to dive with 2014’s honorees, and mingle with them during the induction dinner that is capping off the week’s activities.
“I have always loved the opportunity to interact with other divers regardless of their level of experience and training,” said Dan Orr being recognized for his contributions to dive safety. “The scuba week is a fantastic way of getting together with others who also love diving and provides a great opportunity to share experiences and learn from one another. I can hardly wait!”
For more on Legends and Lions visit http://www.caymanislands.ky/divecayman/consumer
About Us
The Cayman Bottom Times is news collaboration by five leading dive operators to promote the superb diving of the Cayman Islands, and keep the diving public informed of important developments and events. Divetech, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Sunset House in Grand Cayman, and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, all members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, represent more than 100 years of solid experience in a destination that is recognized as the birthplace of recreational diving. With a unique combination of deep wall and shallow reef diving, several wrecks, and world-famous Stingray City, the Cayman Islands has cemented its place as the top diving destination in the Caribbean.
Offering diverse and wide-ranging dive programs on both Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, the members of this dive group represent the best Cayman has to offer; Divetech (www.divetech.com), Ocean Frontiers (www.oceanfrontiers.com), Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman (www.redsailcayman.com), Sunset House (www.sunsethouse.com) and the Southern Cross Club (www.southerncrossclub.com).
Web: www.cayman-bottom-times.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/caymanbottomtimes
Media Contact: Adela Gonzales White at [email protected] or call (941) 350-8735.
