In November 2021 I was diving on the HMHS Letitia shipwreck in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, one of Canada’s Maritime provinces. The British hospital ship, which lies near a gray seal colony, ran aground and sank in 1917 while returning from Liverpool, England, with wounded Canadian soldiers.
A lifetime’s worth of superb diving awaits adventurous divers in the cool, current-swept waters surrounding British Columbia’s Vancouver Island.
These small yet magnificent mollusks live in the open ocean and are at the mercy of wind, tide, and currents. As they float upside down just beneath the surface, their blue-striped bellies point upward while their metallic backs are counter-shaded when seen from below.
Aquatic dumbbells can be beneficial for divers who want to improve their control and stamina underwater while minimizing impact on their joints. These targeted water aerobics exercises utilize aqua dumbbells and focus on enhancing a diver’s core stability, strength, and endurance.
The “Historic Dive Helmets” article from the Second Quarter 2024 issue of Alert Diver triggered memories of my father, Burton Stewart, and his best friend Leno Prestini. In 1935 they crafted their own dive gear from a water heater, milk can, garden hoses, and Goodyear balloon material for the suits.
Most flights are uneventful, with the worst experiences being an occupied lavatory or unexpected turbulence. Emergencies can happen, however, and aircraft passengers need to be prepared to react quickly and efficiently. In an emergency, knowing the proper evacuation procedures for your flight can mean the difference between safely concluding your trip or reaching a different final destination.
Sorb, or scrubber, plays a critical role in rebreather diving, as it is responsible for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the diver’s breathing gas. Small granules or pellets absorb exhaled CO2 and allow oxygen to pass through. This chemical process allows rebreathers to recycle exhaled air, limiting gas consumption and allowing longer dives.
DAN’S NEW OFFICIAL PODCAST, The DANcast, delivers safety insights through engaging conversations from across the dive industry. This series blends practical knowledge with personal stories to inform and inspire the dive community.
Though I believe rewilding coral reefs is a valuable approach, it requires a strong, established foundation of good old-fashioned marine conservation. I view reef rewilding as a tertiary marine conservation strategy that we should attempt only after the fundamentals of an effective marine conservation strategy (often anchored with a well-managed marine protected area) are in place.
DAN has introduced the Research Grant Program, designed to push the boundaries of dive safety through innovative research. The program will support studies that develop robust theories and empirical evidence that contribute to safer dive experiences.
