What a Dive !!!
This weekend DDI celebrated three years of activity in Portugal. The celebration took place in a city of the Algarve, called Tavira, thanks to the outstanding work and effort of people like Dr. António Almeida Pires who has believed in DDI and dive for all from the start supporting DDI Portugal in so many ways, making it possible for people like me to go and enjoy and feel the unquestionable benefits and pleasures of diving.
On the morning of the 22nd we went diving to a spot called Pedra Rasteira with one of the DDI Dive Centers existent in Portugal, UDiving – Dive Center in Tavira. I went in the amazing company of my friends Mateus Mendonça, the responsible of the Dive Center, Vânia Jorge, member of the outstanding UDiving team, as well as Guilherme, our skipper, Flemming Thyge, Vice-President and Founder of DDI, Paulo Guerreiro, who represents DDI in Portugal and Ana Gago an OWD DDI diver like me.
The 3rd Anniversary of DDI in Portugal
The 3rd Anniversary of DDI - Disabled Divers International, an organization that is dedicated to scuba diving following the slogan "Diving for All," will take place on 22nd and 23rd of June, in Tavira.
The headquartered is in Denmark but DDI also to operates in Portugal, conducting activities that promotes diving for people with disabilities, "aiming at social inclusion and physical and psychological rehabilitation."
DDI visited DAN Europe headquarters In Italy
Flemming Thyge and Anders Orpana visited DAN Europe headquarters in Roseto, Italia the 5th and 6thof June 2013 and met with several of key staff – especially Guy Thomas (Exec. Vice President Missions and Operations) and Massimo Stirparo ((Acting) Training Manager).The purpose of the visit was to discuss cooperation on both scientific and course levels.
DAN Europe is interested in disabled diving – and in how to make that part of the diving world even safer. They hold a prestigious scientific level and they want to work with us!
Mark Slingo and Disabled Divers International
Based in Thailand, PADI Course Director Mark Slingo offers adaptive scuba training to PADI Members anywhere,
but primarily in the Asia Pacific region. Slingo is a dynamic example of someone who is motivated to pass along his pointers and techniques for working with people with injuries or disabilities. In addition to conducting PADI Instructor Development Courses, Slingo specializes in showing others how to properly interact with, train and motivate people who have overcome physical challenges.
As Slingo’s personal mobility comes from a wheelchair, those he teaches truly benefit from someone with first-hand experience. Teaching primarily through Disabled Divers International (DDI), Mark says the DDI Instructor course is open to PADI Divemasters and above.