Dive News Network

Dive Long & Help the Ocean Prosper

• Prev
• 1 of 2
• Next

By John Tapley

The ocean is an exciting frontier: silent and waiting. A diver’s continuing mission is to boldly seek out and explore new adventures and encounters within its depths.

To keep these underwater voyages going requires great dedication, forethought, and consciousness from its explorers.  Founded by the son of late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, The Roddenberry Dive Team (RDT) provides eager stewards with exciting opportunities to earn great prizes and help maintain a clean environment.

In partnership with the Green Diver Initiative, TUSA, Body Glove, Alaska Airlines, the Sheraton Waikiki, Oahu Visitor’s Bureau and Pearl Harbor Divers, the RDT has created an event which spreads Roddenberry’s message of stewardship and peace: The Trashy Diver Contest.

The photo competition, which started January 1 and will run until October 31, inspires divers and non-divers alike to join in environmental cleanup efforts by removing harmful materials from aquatic environments across the world.

Participation in the cleanup is a simple three-step process: Applicants must collect and remove any trash near or in an ocean, beach, lake, pond, or river, take photos of the collected garbage, and send the photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Each sent picture counts as one contest submission and may be in black & white or color; scanned images should be at 300 dpi minimum and can be no greater than 1 to 1.5 MB in file size per image. Photos are welcomed from anyone, but contestants under the age of 18 must have a submitted form from a parent or guardian.

Every month, the contest awards winners with a Body Glove Long Sleeve Rashguard for Most Unique Piece of Trash Photo and a TUSA set (mask, fins, snorkel, and dive light) for Most Amount of Trash Photo. Three Grand Prizes: a Star Trek: TOS Phaser II Prop, a DiveQuest Aqua Tour at The Seas at Epcot® in Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, and a Dream Getaway to Hawaii for two (airfare and accommodations included) will be announced at this year’s DEMA 2012 show in November at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV. These prizes are determined at random order from a drawing; sending in numerous entries is strongly encouraged.

For more information on the Trashy Diver Contest, along with the necessary prerequisite forms and agreements, visit www.roddenberrydiveteam.com ■