Dive history

Dive number 50 is under her belt.

And with it, the diving world has another junior master scuba diver while the island has its first in 12-year-old Briton Sophie Stewart.

Stewart accomplished the feat yesterday when she completed her qualifying dive with Dive Barbados Blue.

She now joins an elite handful of pre-teens around the world who have achieved the highest junior ranking in recreational scuba diving.

“I was just really shocked. I couldn’t really believe it. I was happy,” the 12-year-old said.

Barbados has been the only place Stewart has dived.

“At home it is really cold and I didn’t have my own gear. There aren’t many dive shops near us and I come here every year anyway so I just dive here,” she said, noting she can now turn her attention to her next pet project – getting the invasive lionfish on more menus across the island. (HLE)