The Tribune

NOT many people are brave enough to swim with sharks, much less feed them, but Rachelle Lazarre is proving an exception by becoming the first Bahamian woman shark feeder.

Ms Lazarre, Underwater Explorers Society’s (UNEXSO) youngest divemaster, has recently completed her shark feeding training and is delighted with the opportunity she has been given.

“I am very excited to carry on the 25-year tradition of UNEXSO’s shark diving programme and to belong to a company that will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. Cristina (Zenato, UNEXSO Diving Supervisor) has been an amazing role model and teacher and I am looking forward to my next experiences.”

Ms Lazarre began her career at UNEXSO in the high school dive programme at St George’s High School in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and joined the staff after graduation. After a three-year hiatus from the company she returned to complete her divemaster class as well as becoming a videographer for various dives at UNEXSO. She also holds a level B boat captain’s licence.

“As the training co-ordinator at UNEXSO, I’m extremely proud of Rachelle because I’ve watched her go through the ranks of training and as a fellow woman diver ... I have a soft spot for her,” said Cristina Zenato, a women divers Hall of Fame inductee in 2011 and a featured shark feeder on Discovery channel’s Shark Week.

“Although I mainly conduct the upper level training, I co-ordinate all of the training here, and it has made me so proud to see a Bahamian woman reach this level. It just speaks to Rachelle’s level of determination as the training is rigorous and, of course, a little bit scary since you’re dealing with sharks.”

In its almost 50 years of operation, UNEXSO has trained countless Bahamians to become dive instructors in the Bahamas. They have offered a free dive training programme for students of St Georges High School for the last 20 years, allowing senior high school students to come in one day a week to learn the basics of diving and work in the equipment room.

Students who participate in this programme can also participate in summer internships at UNEXSO, and those who excel are often offered jobs after graduation.

“Diving has just become a part of my everyday life,” said Ms Lazarre. “Sure I was scared at first about feeding sharks, but with the help of Christina I have learned that I have to control the feedings and direct the sharks. It’s very cool and I get to do this as a career and to be their first Bahamian female doing this makes me smile.”

UNEXSO hopes to continue to train Bahamians to become divemasters and other dive specialists and another woman shark diver is on the team.