A schoolgirl in Dubai has become one of the world’s youngest certified scuba divers after she plunged 10 metres underwater.
Ellie May Craig passed the exam on her 10th birthday, December 31, 2020.
Children aged under 10 are not allowed to take the test.
She took it through Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the world’s largest scuba-diving training organisation.
The next day, she completed her open-water diving certificate at Jumeirah Beach, making her one of the few children to achieve the feat worldwide. Similar records are held by only a few other boys and girls.
Her performance was recorded by examiners.
“I was a bit nervous, but mainly excited. When I got to Al Boom Diving Centre on Al Wasl Road, I went straight into the pool and did some skills,” the Briton said.
“Then we went on a minibus to this private bit of Jumeirah Beach and we did the sea work. I was really pleased to hear from my instructor that I passed.
“I felt really excited, but I was really tired. When I came home I had the coolest diver cake with pink flippers and a big number 10.”
The Year 5 pupil of Gems FirstPoint School said she was proud of her achievement, but found the second set of exams, for the open-water dive, tougher than expected.
“I woke up again nice and early to go back to Al Boom Diving Centre,” she said.
“Then we did some more pool work, like taking my mask off and swimming around, lots of skills.
“After that I did some sea work, such as towing people in.
“It was very hard, because it was cold.”
Towing people in a pool is a water rescue exercise and demonstrates the swimmer’s fitness and strength.
Ellie is certified to go as deep as 12m but could only do 10m because of the cold.
Her mother, Tracey Craig, said she wore three wetsuits on the day to keep warm.
“I think she found it a little bit more challenging than she thought.
“But she was so determined. When she came out of the water, she said there was no way she was going to give up and she was going to get that certificate on the day.”
The family thanked the team at Al Boom Diving Centre, in Jumeirah 1, for allowing Ellie to make the attempt.
“We would not have done this anywhere else,” said her grandfather, Ray Hewitt, 57, who is an experienced diver and often dives with Ellie May.
He said Ellie, who has lived in the UAE since she was one, was inspired to make the attempt after growing up seeing the country’s many record-breaking achievements.
The pair plan to visit Fujairah this weekend to dive at Snoopy Island, a well-known diving spot.
Brief scoreline:
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Huddersfield 0
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
