HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Pennyroyal Scuba Center in Hopkinsville welcomed divers from across Kentucky and surrounding states to celebrate the eighth annual Women’s Dive Day, an event that featured diving, games, educational opportunities and a fundraiser benefiting adaptive diving programs.

Held on July 18, the local event is part of a worldwide celebration held on the third Saturday of July that recognizes women in the scuba diving community while encouraging new participants to get involved in the sport.

People swimming and relaxing at a quarry lake with a wooden dock and towering rock walls in the background.
Outdoor lakeside market with blue canopies, people browsing tables of goods along a gravel path under a bright sky.
Dive center on a rocky lakeshore with racks of scuba gear and divers preparing under a long red canopy.
Two scuba divers smiling by a lake in full gear, fins in hand and hoses visible.
Vendor under a blue canopy shows athletic shoes and gear to a customer at an outdoor market stall on a sunny day.
Dive instructor in red sunglasses explains scuba gear at an AVELO booth with tanks and gear on display
Scuba diver with mask, snorkel, and fins floating on green water surface.
Two divers in wetsuits and scuba gear posing by a lake, smiling at the camera after a dive.

“This event was started several years ago by a training agency called PADI. We started hosting them here eight years ago as part of the collaboration,” said Kris Tapp, owner of Pennyroyal Scuba Center.

Recent growth of event in Hopkinsville

According to Tapp, what began as a small gathering has grown into a regional event drawing participants, dive shops and scuba manufacturers from across the region. The event included fun dives, an underwater treasure hunt, “try Scuba experiences” for beginners, and vendor exhibits. This year’s fundraiser benefited Life Waters, a nonprofit organization that provides adaptive scuba diving opportunities for people with disabilities.

Women divers received free admission for the day, while certified divers could participate in the treasure hunt and other activities. Those interested in scuba diving but not yet certified also had the opportunity to try the sport through free introductory dives.

Divers in wetsuits and gear prepare at the quarry lake edge, with a wooden table and others already in the water against tall cliff walls.
Banner reads 'Welcome to Women's Dive Day!' over a red-roofed pavilion at a sunny scuba event.
Two women in light blue shirts pose with a stone-frame photo prop reading 'Welcome to the 8th Annual Women's Dive Day' and '2026' at a lakeside event.
Group of scuba divers in wetsuits with tanks and fins standing in a calm lake near a wooden dock, preparing to dive.
Diver in a turquoise wetsuit gestures while other scuba divers stand waist-deep in a lake with a rocky embankment behind them.
Female scuba diver in a wetsuit exits a lake, holding onto a metal railing with blue fins tucked under her arm and other divers visible in the background.
Divers wading into a lake with scuba gear, assisted by a person in a blue shirt near a railing.

“We also do what we call ‘Try Scubas’ for folks who are interested in diving but they’re not ready to pull the trigger as far as investing the money to get certified just yet,” Tapp said. “So it’s an opportunity they can come in and do a free ‘Try Scuba’ to see if they like it.”

Attendance continued to grow this year, with organizers reporting approximately 140 participants in the underwater treasure hunt and more than 160 registered attendees overall, in addition to recreational divers visiting the quarry. Dive shops from Nashville, Louisville, Indianapolis and other regional communities participated. The event also featured Stephanie Miele, an inductee into the Women Divers Hall of Fame.

Those interested in learning more about scuba certification or future events can visit Pennyroyal Scuba Center’s website.

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