Young scuba diver targets 50 logged dives aged just 13

At just 13 years old, Isla Robinson is already showing that age need not be a barrier to becoming a confident, capable and enthusiastic scuba diver.

Isla is autistic and began her diving journey with Diverstime, completing her BSAC Ocean Diver training in 2025 when she was just 12 years old. Since then, she has embraced every opportunity to develop her skills and experience, building an impressive record of more than 38 dives in a variety of environments.

Her diving has included lakes, quarries, night dives and, most recently, her first experience of diving in the sea during a club trip to Porthkerris.

This was a significant step in Isla’s development as a diver. She completed four challenging boat dives and, on three of them, dived without a parent alongside her. She approached the experience with confidence and maturity, demonstrating just how far she has progressed since taking her first steps into scuba diving.

One particularly memorable moment came when Isla encountered and photographed a nursehound shark — a fantastic experience for any diver, but especially remarkable during her first experience of ocean diving.

Those who dive with Isla speak equally highly of her abilities as a buddy. Despite her young age, she has already earned a reputation for being calm, capable and attentive underwater. One experienced diver described her simply as “one of the best buddies I’ve had.”

For Isla, however, scuba diving means much more than qualifications and logged dives.

As an autistic young person, she works hard to overcome challenges in everyday life, and diving has become an environment in which she can flourish. Underwater she has found somewhere that gives her confidence, enjoyment and a real sense of belonging. Scuba diving is, quite simply, her happy place.

Her enthusiasm extends beyond diving itself. Isla has developed a real passion for underwater photography and marine life and is constantly keen to learn new skills and experience new environments. Whether she is diving in a quarry, lake or the sea, her enthusiasm for discovering the underwater world is infectious.

An inspiration to other young divers

Mark Griffin, known to many as “Scoobs”, is Isla’s instructor at Diverstime and has watched her progress from the very beginning of her diving journey. He said:

Isla is a massive inspiration to other children of her age. Her achievements from day one with Diverstime have been amazing, and it has been fantastic to watch her learn, develop and grow within the sport.

I am sure she will continue her journey towards her ambition of becoming a marine biologist. Isla shows other young people that, with hard work, determination and, most importantly, enjoying what you love doing, so much can be achieved.

Isla already has ambitions extending well beyond recreational diving. Her dream is to become a marine biologist, combining her fascination with marine life with the confidence and skills she is developing underwater. And the next chapter of her diving adventure is already planned.

Isla is booked on a forthcoming Red Sea diving trip, which will introduce her to a completely different underwater environment and give her the opportunity to experience some of the spectacular marine life the Red Sea has to offer.

If everything goes to plan, the trip could also include a very special milestone — Isla hopes to complete her 50th dive in the Red Sea.

For someone who only completed her Ocean Diver training at the age of 12, reaching 50 dives so soon would be a wonderful achievement and another important step in her development as a young diver. At only 13, there is a great deal still ahead of her.

But with more than 38 dives already completed, growing experience in UK waters, a passion for underwater photography, a love of marine life and now the Red Sea on the horizon, Isla has made an exceptional start.
Most importantly, she demonstrates what can happen when a young person discovers an activity in which they can truly thrive.

Her family, instructors and fellow divers are enormously proud of what she has achieved so far — and everyone who has had the opportunity to dive alongside Isla will be watching with interest to see where her underwater journey takes her next.