Group trains disabled in diving

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Those who gathered Saturday in Albuquerque for the "Davy Jones' Locker Challenge" believe that disabled people can enjoy activities like scuba diving.

The goal was to provide free training to disabled folks who would like to become scuba divers, and to smash some stereotypes along the way.

Veronica Padilla said she had never thought about becoming a scuba diver. Her legs were taken when a drunk driver crashed into her.

It looked like life in a wheel chair might limit her options.

"Because you know we get that a lot. We go places and they're like, no, you can't do that. Do you need help with this," Padilla said.

But thanks to a scuba group named Dive Pirates, Padilla is now a certified diver, participating in the Davy Jones' Locker Challenge.

"We can do everything anyone else can. I mean, we have to modify things, but we can do it, and I think that's the stigma that we get is that we're not like you and we can't do the things you can do, and we can," Padilla said.

The event raises money to train other disabled or adaptive divers.

Teams build a giant underwater puzzle, and the best job in 45 minutes wins.

Coordinator Edie Guess is another graduate of adaptive diving. She said after training, it was off to the ocean.

"When you're under water, you're equal with everybody else. And so it kinda builds your self esteem and makes you think you're not as disabled as you think," Guess said.

Saturday's puzzle challenge presents some unique problems for all the divers. The over 200 puzzle pieces easily get dislodged with little swishes.

The task would be a mind boggling endeavor on the surface, but it's maddening underwater.

Nearby, volunteers from the New Mexico Scuba Center trained another person in adaptive diving.