Dream Chasers

a ASCEND girls to defy anything—and anyone—that DREAM CHASERS gets in the way of achieving their dreams. These strong-willed women share a passion for scuba diving—and a don’t-tell-me-what-I-can’t-do attitude // IT TAKES TWO // BY PATRICIA WUEST EUNA ZIO Dive Instructor, Dive Munda he fifth annual Women’s Dive Day will conservation and community undertak- HOMETOWN: Munda, Western Province, Tbe celebrated this month in more than ings, ranging from ocean cleanups to Solomon Islands 100 countries around the world by thou- teaching orphaned girls how to dive. AGE: 29 sands of divers. On July 20, dive shops, In honor of this year’s Women’s Dive FIRST CERTIFIED: 2010 (PADI OW) clubs and groups will host events in what Day, we profile three female divers: a HIGHEST CERTIFICATION: SSI Open Water has become the world’s biggest under- spunky dive instructor from a remote Scuba Instructor (2018) water block party, a global celebration Pacific island; a free-spirited marine FEMALE DIVER SHE ADMIRES: Belinda Botha. of scuba divers’ shared passion for the biologist-cum-liveaboard captain; and “She made my dream of becoming a scuba ocean. an intrepid rebreather diver and dive instructor come true. I continue to learn so Though PADI created the fun-filled day shop owner. They have different back- much from her and be inspired.” to support female participation in the grounds, challenges and career paths, sport, events associated with Women’s but it’s what they share that unites them: “From the moment I met Euna, I knew Dive Day have evolved to transcend a love for the ocean, a female role mod- I had to provide her with the resourc- gender. Both women and men participate el, and, most important, an uncompro- es to grow and develop so she could in causes that are mostly inclined toward mising desire to be an example for young empower others,” says Belinda Botha, TASTE2TRAVEL.COM ZIO; OPPOSITE: COURTESY TUNA COURTESY 14 / JULY 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM owner of Dive Munda. Euna Zio is the second woman certified as a dive instructor in the Solomon Islands; Botha taught the first one too. Zio’s curiosity about scuba was Reservations: sparked while working at Munda’s Ag- 1-800-899-2582 [email protected] nes Gateway Hotel. One of the activities www.SouthernCrossClub.com offered was diving. Though Solomon Is- Use Code: BON19 landers consider scuba diving “unsafe and a man’s job,” Zio earned her open water certification in 2010. She was blown away by Munda’s reefs and marine life. “So many kids think being underwater is boring,” she says. “I wanted to show them how much fun it was.” Dive Fish Relax “The Solomon Islands is one of the last wild BC_070013_SCD0419P.indd 1 2/7/19 5:38 PM frontiers left on the planet, and we need leaders and strong ADOPT A SHARK females to help protect and preserve.” The resort’s struggling dive operation closed, and Zio had to put her dreams on hold. When Botha reopened Dive Munda in 2016, Zio approached her about becoming a dive guide. “Belinda worked with me one-on-one and pushed me hard to get my instructor certification,” Zio says. After overcoming the challenges of becoming an instructor, Zio cried. They were tears of joy: “I felt so happy and proud that day.” “Euna ignites passion and a love for the ocean that is rare to see,” Botha says. “The Solomon Islands is one of the last wild frontiers left on the planet, and we need leaders and strong females to help protect and preserve.” sharkangels.org The weight of that responsibility is not lost on Zio. “It is hard in this country for 06.08.2018 19:02 SCUBADIVING.COM AdID: 66621 SCD0818 JULY 2019 / 15 a a girl to get opportunities because there Last year, Mikutowicz added another are so many challenges,” she says. “I do certification to her extensive scuba outreach programs and speak with girls résumé —deep rebreather—which she about career choices and, most impor- accomplished on Bonaire’s Windjam- tant, about protecting our ocean and mer. The three-masted iron-hulled ship ASCEND reducing plastic,” she says. “Every day I lies in current-churned waters off the have this gift, the opportunity to be un- island’s northwest coast. derwater and show guests this amazing “I planned my dive the night before, country, above and below the water.” mentally rehearsing failures and how I would handle each situation,” Mikutowicz recalls. “In the morning, I laid out my as- sembly checklist and put my rebreather // WOMAN OF STEEL // together, double-checking everything. “As we hit 120 feet, from out of nowhere, JO MIKUTOWICZ the ship’s silhouette suddenly appeared,” Owner, Divetech, Grand Cayman Mikutowicz says. As she explored its HOMETOWN: Cape Cod, Massachusetts masts, she checked her computer. “I was AGE: 37 at 200 feet and realized I had made it.” FIRST CERTIFIED: 1997 (PADI OW) Divetech instructors train all levels of HIGHEST CERTIFICATION: PADI Course divers, but Mikutowicz, who is also an avid Director (2008) freediver, loves the quiet that rebreather FEMALE DIVER SHE ADMIRES: Jill Heinerth. “Being on and in the water was my happy diving offers. “Being in the ocean down “She’s never been intimidated by certain parts place,” Mikutowicz says. “My dad was a deep and in complete silence is probably of the diving industry being a ‘man’s world.’” diver, and while on a vacation in Grand one of the best places in the world to be.” Cayman [in 1997], he signed me up for an And what about the girl who dreamed As a young girl, Jo Mikutowicz was a figure open water course. I was hooked.” of becoming an Olympian? Mikutowicz skater with big dreams. By 2008, Mikutowicz was a PADI course has no regrets. “If I have one message “I skated just about every day for director, and in 2015, she returned to for young girls who dream about explor- several years,” she says. “I always wanted the island where her scuba career was ing the ocean, it’s this: You are capable to go to the Olympics.” launched, taking over as owner of Grand of achieving anything in diving by setting Life took her in a different direction. Cayman’s Divetech. your mind to it and making it happen.” COURTESY JO MIKUTOWICZ COURTESY 16 / JULY 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM a // BORN TO BE WILD // CHRISTY WEAVER Bahamas Aggressor ASCEND Liveaboard Captain HOMETOWN: Wilmington, Delaware AGE: 34 FIRST CERTIFIED: 2006 (PADI OW) HIGHEST CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (2011); SSI Platinum Pro By the time Weaver was accepted at captain on Turks & Caicos Aggressor and Instructor (2018) the University of Delaware, she knew she today as first captain on Bahamas Ag- FEMALE DIVER SHE ADMIRES: Eugenie Clark. wanted to study ocean animals. In 2007, gressor. “Being a female captain is still “Very few women were involved in the field of she earned a degree in wildlife conser- a novelty,” she says. “It takes resolve marine biology at the time. She was a pioneer.” vation and followed that with a master’s and resilience to weather some of what in marine biology from Australia’s James comes my way.” “I am so lucky to be working outside and Cook University. “The Great Barrier Reef Thoreau also wrote, “I wish to speak exploring everything the Bahamas has was my backyard!” a word for Nature, for absolute freedom to offer,” says Christy Weaver, whose fa- Weaver got certified as an instructor and wildness.” That philosophy is at the vorite quote—“all good things are wild in 2011 and landed a job on a Bahamas heart of what drives Weaver. and free” from Henry David Thoreau’s es- liveaboard. “The captain I worked with “I have had so many wonderful mo- say Walking—defines not only her career was my mentor and pushed me to get my ments. My advice [for young girls] is to choice, but her life as well. The quote “also captain’s license,” she says. “It started a follow what you love and believe in your- speaks to me in a different way,” she says. completely new career path for me.” self wholeheartedly," Weaver says. "Not “Being wild and free means you live your By 2016, Weaver was captaining for everyone is going to support you, but the life the way you choose.” Aggressor Liveaboards, first as second people who do are the ones who matter.” WEAVER CHRISTY COURTESY 18 / JULY 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM 04.29.2019 14:41 AdID: 71426 SCD0719 .

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