Fourteen women set a world record on the Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) Women’s Dive Day on July 16, according to a story by WBKB 11. The women dove to historic sites in each of the Great Lakes in less than 24 hours. The goal of this “Big5Dive” was not only to break a world record, but also to inspire the next generation of female divers. Half of the women are from Alpena, and the rest come from across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“Not everybody knew each other, and for this to come together, and really work together, and make sure everyone succeeds — that’s what’s cool,” maritime archeologist Stephanie Gandulla said in the story.
The group began their journey at midnight in Lake Superior. From there they followed the natural flow of the lakes, traveling to Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and finally Lake Ontario. The trip required the women to drive nearly 1,000 miles across the Great Lakes region. On their dives, they saw the Joseph S. Fay and Penelope shipwrecks, among others. In its entirety, the trip took 22 hours and 27 minutes.
For more information, visit padi.com.
[Photo from the Great Lakes Divers Facebook page]
