CHAPPY’S SHARK & RAY WATCH

I'm fundraising for the ocean

Beyond the Fear — Sharks & Rays
Observe. Record. Protect.

Sharks and rays deserve understanding, respect, and a future.

As a longtime diver and PADI Divemaster and Master Scuba Diver, I’m raising funds for the PADI AWARE Foundation because I want our underwater encounters to contribute to something bigger: knowledge that helps protect these magnificent animals.

My particular passion is diver-supported shark and ray monitoring. Where and when did we see them? Were they feeding, resting, traveling, or interacting? How did they respond—or not respond—to nearby divers? Were there visible wounds, scars, damaged fins, hooks, or entanglement?

These observations can raise important questions about their lives and the pressures they face. A photograph can document an injury; a careful record can preserve a behavior. We should record what we actually witness, without guessing what caused a scar or provoking a reaction in an animal.

I also want to raise awareness of shark finning, destructive fishing practices, and the fear that too often overshadows understanding. Divers can serve as witnesses for marine life, safely documenting concerns and reporting suspected illegal activity to the appropriate authorities.

I’m starting with a $500 goal—testing the waters, literally! If we reach it, I’ll raise the target and keep going.

Donations through this page support PADI AWARE Foundation’s global ocean-conservation programs, including the Global Shark & Ray Census, community conservation grants, marine-debris work, and advocacy. Sharks and rays are the inspiration for my campaign; donations are not exclusively earmarked for their research.

Please donate what you can and share this page. You don’t have to be a diver to help protect what lives below the surface.

Every sighting counts. Every contribution helps.