On 11 December 2014 our own Ann Keibler was honoured by the Cozumel Tourist Association’s Scuba Fest along with Bruce Hootman, Manuel Victoria, and Alberto Friscione. The event blends the beauty of the reefs in Cozumel with education, marketing, business and tourism through events that ran throughout the week. The catered Gala dinner hosts the who’s-who of Cozumel as well as international celebrities including the Master of Cerimonies, Jean Michele Cousteau.
In addition to the Golden Diver Awards, the organization sank a bust of Ramon Bravo, a celebrated cinematographer, who started his work as a guide and cameraman for Jacques Cousteau. His work appears in documentaries, movies and television shows throughout the world. His bronze bust will sit near the bust of Jacques Cousteau near the Villablanca Reef.
Ann felt completely overwhelmed at receiving the news she was being honoured at this year’s event. In fact, she received a congratulations from her friend Martha Peredes before she even read the note from Scuba Fest. She was in the airport in LA on her way back from a week in Fiji. When talking about the award, Ann said,
“I feel so humble to be honoured in another country for the thing I love to do and I received it along with some other very distinguished divers who have given back so much to the diving and heritage in Mexico. It is a real honour and a priviledge to be here with them, especially honouring the work of Ramon Bravo whose bust is being lowered into the sea this week. My thanks to the people and divers in Cozumel, the El Presidente hotel and Scuba Du for helping to make this possible”
As part of the award, I put together a short video about Ann’s life in Scuba including some old photographs from her open water class and some early trips to Cozumel, You can watch the video by going to our YouTube channel or watching it here…
The event made then Mexican National News! Unfortunately, the link is no longer working so you will have to take our word on it.
Del Sol Photography has posted a number of photographs from the event on their website. You can view them here.
It was a special event and Ann was deeply touched. Alberto and Manuel were so gracious and wanted to have their photographs made with Ann, a.k.a. “Momma Buzo.”
