Dive Month BUEI Talks: ‘Bermuda Dives’
A second BUEI Talks presentation, entitled ‘Bermuda Dives,’ will take place this Thursday [April 14] at 7.00pm.
A spokesperson said, “Don’t miss BUEI’s upcoming events celebrating April’s Dive Month! A second BUEI Talks presentation, entitled ‘Bermuda Dives,’ will take place this Thursday, 14 April at 7pm. Bermudian divers Chris Flook, Kyla Smith, J.D. Symonds, Kwe’Shon Woods-Hollis, and Jade Williams will participate in what is expected to be a lively and informative panel discussion, moderated by Weldon Wade, Founder of the Guardians of the Reef.
“Each presenter will bring their unique perspective to diving, share their local diving experiences and discuss the changes they have seen in our underwater environment over the past decade. The talk will take place in front of a live audience in BUEI’s Tradewinds Auditorium with a Q&A following the presentations.
“Environmental Award Winner, Lionfish Expert and Supervisor at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS], Chris Flook or ‘Flookie’ as he is widely known on Island, holds a wealth of knowledge in the field of diving. Chris has dedicated a substantial portion of his time to bringing Bermuda’s marine environment to the forefront of public discourse and political awareness. He has worked with several ocean scientists and assisted in the discovery of a new species of algae off St. George’s Island in Bermuda.
“Kyla Smith, Diving Safety Officer at BIOS, first discovered her passion for diving at the age of 14 and never looked back! As a Dive Professional, she has instructed over 500 student divers through Fantasea Diving & Watersports, the Waterstart Program, and more recently AAUS science diver courses at BIOS.
“Kwe’Shon Woods-Hollis, PADI Specialty Instructor, has had the opportunity to work alongside several ocean science divers at BIOS and commercial divers throughout his diving career. Kwe’Shon works with Lit Divers as an independent instructor and is highly experienced in teaching private diving courses, he is also involved in creating and organizing dive groups to tackle the lionfish invasion problem and marine debris in our Islands waters.
“J.D. Symonds is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor [OWSI] with well over 100 certifications under his belt. JD is always excited to hunt lionfish and was recognized last year during BUEI’s Ocean Heroes Awards as an Ocean Advocate for his commitment to ocean conservation through consistent involvement with conservation programs in Bermuda.
“Jade Williams, or ‘Lionfish Queen’ as she was dubbed in 2020 for having culled over 100 lionfish from our local reef, is a young Bermudian who began her ocean adventures at the age of 2 months! Growing up in Bermuda afforded Jade the opportunities to explore the ocean around her, becoming an avid diver/free diver in her teens. Jade prefers to spend as much time as possible diving, pursuing her passion for culling lionfish with the Bermuda Lionfish Task Force, and removing marine debris from the ocean.
“Moderator Weldon Wade, another BUEI Ocean Hero and member of BUEI’s Board of Directors, is an avid ocean advocate, diver, and community activist. As a dedicated member of the Bermuda diving community with over a decade of experience exploring the thriving and abundant Bermudian waters, Weldon is on a mission to bring awareness to the importance of protecting our oceans on a global scale. He is the founder of Guardians of the Reef, an ocean conservation organization, and leader of several ocean-focused projects.”
“BUEI is excited to be an international hotspot for environmental/ocean-centric events. Between the success of Bermuda’s first Youth Climate Summit, our on-going BUEI Talks: Island SOS series, and the continued interest in our Dive Month events, we hope to continue to not only bring international activists and scientists to Bermuda, but to also give our local activists and subject-matter-experts the opportunity to be recognized in the same manner, and to make life-changing connections with others in their field.” said Karla Lacey, CEO. “Every person participating is a great role model for young Bermudians, and all have taken different paths to the ocean. We welcome anyone with a thirst for knowledge, and an interest diving in Bermuda’s waters to join us at BUEI on Thursday evening.”
“In addition to BUEI Talks: Bermuda Dives, BUEI Screens will feature dive-focused film ‘The Deep’ on Friday, 29 April at 7pm inclusive of a private auction of memorabilia from the film including t-shirts, comic books, ampules featured in the film, posters and more!
“As part of the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s [BTA] ‘Dinner Date & Dive’ promotion, tickets for BUEI Talks: Bermuda Dives are $20 for Members and $25 for Non-Members. Each ticket includes entry into BUEI’s Ocean Discovery Centre from 6pm-7pm and a complimentary beverage courtesy of Gosling Brothers and bag of popcorn courtesy of GlamPop.
“The Harbourfront restaurant will also open at 5pm for each ‘Dinner, Date and Dive’ event at BUEI! Ticket holders will receive 10% off dinner [food only] and a complimentary cocktail.
“Reservations required, book early to avoid disappointment. Please call 295-4207 for reservations and be sure to mention Dive Month.
“For a full listing of BUEI’s Dive Month events, visit www.BUEI.bm.”
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