Ray Woolley was diving at age 95
Undercurrent recently wrote about the continuing diving career of 95-year-old Ray Woolley, a British-born resident of Cyprus, where he has plenty of opportunities to get into the water. But now his record as the world’s oldest diver is being challenged by 98-year-old Bill Lambert from Rockford, IL, who got his scuba certification last October. Lambert is waiting to see if the Guinness World Records will verify his claim.Â
I love Undercurrent and was thrilled to read this in their bulletin this month. We have many grandparents who travel and dive with Kids Sea Camp and Family Divers, and now our Empty Nester trips, well into their late 70s and 80s.
I want to be just like that someday, and maybe challenge this record too if my son Robbie Peyton and Jen Peyton are taking their mamma diving at 90. I always tell Tom Peyton that I didn’t want to live to be that old if I couldn’t dive. All the grandparents, many of whom travel with me each year, inspire me and others. The smiles on their grandchildren’s faces when they say, “I’m scuba diving with my grandma and grandpa.” They truly remember those memories for the rest of their lives.
Time becomes the most important thing in life as I age, not only my time, but the time spent with my own parents. I would have loved to take my mom or dad diving. So to all you grandparents out there diving. Keep it up. Zero gravity is good for the bones, and diving with your kids and grandkids is great for the heart! Divers keep getting older and better.
A sad update: Ray Woolley, age 99, has passed. (See link)
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