Departed friends

Tribute to Donna Louise Beresford:

There is travesty in human life that is just plain not fair and you constantly ask why him or her. Fate, on certain occasions, can be very cruel. When we enter the underwater world we do so with risk, and it was this element that tragically took away the life of Donna Louise Beresford on July 2nd 1994 while ascending from a dive after taking underwater pictures. Donna was a promising student and was in the final stages of completing her PhD in environmental monitoring and ecotoxiology at Auckland University. Donna was known as a very out going person, whose first love was the sea and our hearts go out to her family and friends - she will be deeply missed.
Donna was 27 years old when she accidentally died.

Tribute to Steve Irwin:

Steve Irwin took on nature’s wildlife like nobody has ever done before. His flamboyant Australian personality flowed over the world bringing a different, sometimes controversial, approach to wildlife education. He chose to interact with some of the most deadly of creatures in the world and a one in a million fatal accident with a stingray has left us stunned and knowing that we have lost a dedicated conservationist and novel entertainer. Our hearts go out to Steve’s wife Terri, and his two children Bindi and Bob for their great loss.

He had often urged people to take part in considerate tourism and not support illegal poaching through the purchase of items such as turtle shells, or shark-fin soup.

Quote: “These Hitler’s use the camouflage of science to make money out of animals. So whenever they murder our animals and call it sustainable use, I'll fight it. Since when has killing a wild animal, eating it or wearing it, ever saved a species?”

 Steve died after being stung in the chest by a stingray on September 4^th 2006 while filming off Lowe Island in the far north Queensland , Australia – he was 44 years old.

Tribute to Stew Trim:

On behalf of the Western Underwater Research Team I would like to thank the many people who supported Stew during his illness with phone calls and visits. Stew was a stalwart and early supporter of the research team. He was held in the highest regard and was a buddy to us all. His contribution to the Research Team has in no small way made it what it is today. Stew will be sadly missed by all at Western Underwater – his friendly face at the bar - his great sense of humour and who will ever forget his laugh or how everything was magic. Farewell Stew. We will miss you. Stew passed away on Saturday 12 February 2005 after a battle with cancer, aged 62. Picture: Two Club Presidents – Paul Oxton (left) and Stew Trim.

Tribute to Sir Peter Blake

Our hearts go out to the Blake family and our deepest
sympathy for your loss.
Our environment needed an Ambassador and Sir Peter filled that role. We are going to miss this man for all he has done and for all that he could have done. What a tragic loss.
He was sympathetic to our cause, and it was hoped that we would meet someday to discuss the problems facing the seahorse worldwide and now, sadly, that will not happen.
Tragic as his death is, we must continue the work that people like Sir Peter Blake have been doing to protect and clean up this planet we call Earth. Don't let us waste the good work that he has started.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead.
Peter was murdered by pirates on December 5th, 2001, aged 53

Mike Percy (Chairperson of the Western Underwater Research Team)