Local watersports pioneers honoured in hall of fame

(CNS): Capt. Marvin Ebanks who helped establish Stingray City and James Ebanks an early dive operator are to be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the Cayman Islands dive industry during the Scuba Diving Hall of Fame awards on Wednesday. The two respected local pioneers will be acknowledged alongside eight other individuals from the international dive community, the tourism department said in a release this week. Founded in 2000 by Cayman’s tourism ministry and the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) the gala event recognises those who have dedicated their lives to the positive development of the sport and the industry.

Premier Mckeeva Bush who is hosting the gala said the local honourees had “devoted much of their lives to the diving industry in the Cayman Islands and to ensuring that our magnificent underwater environment is accessible to ever increasing numbers of avid watersports and dive enthusiasts.”  Bush went on to say that they had assisted in developing some of Cayman’s unique attractions, and ensured that the Cayman Islands retains its reputation as one of the best diving locations in the world.

Capt. Marvin Ebanks (96) said he remembers fishing as a boy with his father and stopping by a shallow area in the North Sound to clean their catch. They, and other fishermen, noticed that stingrays would congregate and eat the fish scraps that were being discarded overboard. In 1951, Capt. Marvin Ebanks returned to Grand Cayman after serving in the Merchant Marines and started running tours on a borrowed sailboat from a dock in West Bay for visitors to see the stingrays. He is now considered one of the founding members of Stingray City.

James Ebanks (42) learned how to dive at the age of 10 with his father, Clinton Ebanks, and brother, Clinton Ebanks Jr. – both of whom are past ISDHF honourees. It was during this time that he realised the ocean, and the dive industry, would become his greatest passions in life. He joined his brother and father in running the family business until 1993 when he acquired his own small craft and began his company which still caters to divers from all over the world today.

The two local nominees will join Lesley Leaney, Clive Cussler, Ron Kipp, Kelly Tarlton, Ric and Do Cammick, Armand and JoAnn Zigahn as the 2012 Hall of Fame inductees. The ISDHF Board has also cited three of the dive industry’s earliest pioneers for induction: Maurize Fenzy (France), who developed the first production Buoyancy Compensator (BC); Edward “Ted” Eldred (Australia), who is credited with inventing Porpoise SCUBA gear; and Max “Gene” Nohl (USA), who invented the first Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA).

For more information the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, please visit the website at www.scubahalloffame.com or contact the Department of Tourism on 949 0623 to purchase tickets.