Alert Diver Category: Dive Slate

Paul Bardo witnessed the second plane collide into the south tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. As a firefighter, he responded to the call. Scuba diving was therapy.

Cookiecutter sharks and pygmy sharks are unusual to see because of where they live, but they are common from the perspective of total oceanic diversity.

The REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project is the world’s largest database of marine-life sightings, containing more than 250,000 surveys, thanks to divers and snorkelers from all over the world. Scientists, policymakers and resource managers use REEF data for research and to make informed decisions, and divers can consult the database to learn what species have been reported at a given location. By engaging in this ocean citizen science initiative, each dive can be a fascinating and rewarding underwater scavenger hunt.

Understanding migration routes of blue whales may lead to more protection of blue whales in those locations.

DAN has been tracking scuba-related incidents since the late 1980s, and the dive community is critical to our success in collecting information about fatal and nonfatal injuries. Our dive safety and medical experts have produced essential recommendations as a result of their in-depth analyses of incident data. What is critical for better data is for divers and others to report incidents to DAN. By collecting more data, DAN can continue toward the goal of making every dive accident- and injury-free.

At Divers Alert Network, our commitment to making diving safer runs deep. The members of DAN’s board of directors have spent their careers managing risk, exploring the underwater world and supporting those who dive. These are our directors and the reasons they dedicate their time to DAN.

At age 20, Mehgan Heaney-Grier made freediving history, touching off a storm of media attention and putting freediving on the map in the U.S. She later pursued underwater projects both as a freediver and scuba diver. Her newfound fame, aquatic talents and photogenic appearance led to several television and movie projects. She is now focusing on projects such as conservation, connecting people with the sea, and the empowerment of women. She is a frequent keynote speaker, collaborates with a variety of nonprofit organizations and has begun leading water-based expeditions.

Have you ever seen an anchored sailboat with wetsuits and regulators hanging from the rigging and wondered what it was like for those divers? While there are benefits of living aboard and diving from your own boat, there are challenges as well. Every adventure has risks. But we can wake up in our own bed, don our gear at sunrise and slip into the sea to spend an hour alone underwater with mantas, sharks and dolphins, and it’s worth it.