Your first trip to a dive destination can engulf you in new experiences — unexplored sites, unfamiliar creatures and sometimes unanticipated situations. While you have likely researched the dive operator and read online reviews about them, it’s a good idea to evaluate them in person after you arrive. We provide some guidelines to help you determine if you can trust the business with your safety.
DAN is available to help divers who face a variety of medical emergencies. If you or someone you know is in a dive accident, call local emergency services and then call the DAN emergency hotline.
The DAN Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment program is a free tool that enables dive operators to assess their own operations.
Images have the potential to spark conversations that change our world, but photographers must get down in the trenches on the frontlines of conservation, where it’s frequently uncomfortable and sometimes just plain terrifying
Formed of lava, these nine islands of the Azores, on the coast of Portugal, are each incredibly different. They are isolated and vulnerable by winter storms, but the diving is spectacular.
Humans pose a serious risk to the world’s oceans. The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument is the largest marine protected area in the world. Biologists periodically check the area to ensure to remains untouched.
On my way back to the campsite, my headlamp reflected off a pair of glowing green animal eyes, and in that split-second of distraction I lost my footing on the algae, which sent me tumbling head over heels more than 10 feet down the cliff face. I landed on my left foot with the full force of my body.
Dive professionals and everyone involved in diving should recognize the value of learning more about risk assessment as a means of promoting safety for all divers.
Raja Ampat refers to four main islands which are part of the larger collective area known as Bird’s Head Seascape — located in Indonesia. It is one of the world’s most biodiverse and rich tropical marine ecosystems..
Becky Kagan Schott is an accomplished underwater photograph and videographer. She has won five Emmys for underwater camera work and has shot for National Geographic and the Travel Channel.