A small gathering of women divers at Sealine highlighted how support, safety and shared experiences can strengthen Qatar’s diving community as SEAsters-in-Action marked the 12th annual PADI Women’s Dive Day on July 18.
The group’s larger community event was cancelled out of respect for the national mourning period, but a simple fun dive was arranged for women who had registered earlier and still wished to commemorate the occasion together.
The gathering brought together eight divers, two snorkellers and one participant completing a Discover Scuba Diving experience, or “try dive”.
Participants ranged from someone taking their first breaths underwater to Open Water and Advanced Open Water Divers, Rescue Divers, Divemasters and Instructors.
“The true strength of a diving community is not measured by the size of an event, but by how its members support and care for one another,” SEAsters-in-Action organiser and dive lead instructor Meech del Carmen said.
PADI Women’s Dive Day, launched in 2015, marked its 12th year under the theme “Celebrate Community. Create Change.” It was the second year that SEAsters-in-Action organised an activity in Qatar as part of the global initiative.
Del Carmen said SEAsters-in-Action grew out of her own experience of being supported by other women as she began her scuba-diving journey.
She recalled how fellow divers Lyn and Ellen encouraged her, shared equipment, helped arrange four-wheel-drive transportation to reach Sealine dive sites and spent weekends practising diving skills together.
“Their support was not only about becoming better divers. It was also about building confidence, forming friendships and creating a safe space where women could learn without feeling judged or left behind,” she said.
Those experiences inspired her to “pay it forward” by helping create a community where experienced divers support newcomers and women facing fears or practical obstacles can find encouragement.
“SEAsters-in-Action is not only about gathering women to dive. It is about creating a circle of support where experienced divers help new divers, confident swimmers assist those still overcoming fear, and everyone understands that progress becomes more meaningful when it is shared,” del Carmen said.
That spirit was demonstrated during the Sealine gathering, particularly when participants encountered challenges in and around the water.
During the surface swim towards the dive-site buoy, the women stayed close, slowing down at times, holding hands, or reassuring participants who needed support.
Underwater, one diver experienced difficulty equalising pressure in her ears during descent. The other divers stayed nearby and gave her time to adjust safely.
She eventually regained her confidence and completed a dive lasting almost an hour.
“Success in diving does not always mean reaching the bottom or finishing a planned route,” del Carmen said. “Sometimes, success means recognising a problem, making a safe decision and knowing that someone will remain beside you.”
She said such experiences capture the meaning behind the group’s message, #PassTheScubaDivingHappiness.
“Scuba-diving happiness is not only about what we see underwater. It is also about being present for someone, helping her through a difficult moment and making her feel safe,” she added.
Participants also received a double-ended bolt snap, or “double ender”, as a souvenir – the same symbolic gift given at the group’s first Women’s Dive Day celebration last year.
The piece of diving equipment, used to securely connect and organise gear, symbolises the buddy system and the values of trust, responsibility and mutual support.
“Just like the double-ender symbolises, we have got each other, no matter what,” del Carmen said.
This year’s Women’s Dive Day also coincided with PADI’s 60th anniversary. Founded in 1966, the organisation has played a major role globally in diver education, training, safety and ocean stewardship.
SEAsters-in-Action also underlined Sealine’s importance to Qatar’s diving community as an accessible place where residents can experience their first open-water dives, develop their skills and build friendships.
“What may appear to others as a simple public beach has become a classroom, a training ground, a place of comfort and a second home for many divers,” del Carmen said.
Environmental responsibility remains part of the group’s activities. Since its first gathering in 2025, participants have been encouraged to use reusable water bottles, cups and containers, reduce single-use plastics and leave dive sites clean.
“Caring for the ocean does not begin only when divers enter the water,” del Carmen said. “It also means being responsible for what we bring to the beach, reducing unnecessary waste and leaving the area as clean as, or cleaner than, we found it.”
Organisers del Carmen, Margaux de Pauw and Anusha Kandaiah thanked the divers, snorkellers, learners and supporters who participated, as well as members of Qatar’s wider diving community who continue to share their knowledge and experience.
Although smaller than originally planned, del Carmen said the gathering fulfilled its purpose by bringing women of different backgrounds and experience levels together, helping them overcome challenges and forge new friendships.
“Sometimes, the smallest gathering can leave the deepest impact,” she said.
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