Dive Boat Safety

WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN DIVING from boats for years or you’re looking forward to your first liveaboard trip, it’s an excellent time to refresh your knowledge about staying safe on board and evaluating your dive operator’s safety preparedness.

A Little Detail

I TAKE A GIANT STRIDE off the back of the boat and splash into a cascade of tingling, magical bubbles. The sea’s embrace is chilly; I can feel the 74˚F water through my 5 mm wetsuit and thick 4 mm hood. My vision clears as the …

Unconscious Diver

FEBRUARY 6, 2022 HAD ALL THE MAKINGS OF A PROMISING DAY out on the water in the Gulf of Mexico off Destin, Florida. Though I work at a dive shop, this was a recreational lionfish harvesting trip with friends …

Professional Liability Coverage 

RISK MITIGATION IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT of any effort to promote diver safety. But even if a dive professional is always careful, follows all safety and training protocols, and judiciously complies with risk mitigation …

Oxygen Cleaning of Dive Gear: A Two-Part Series

FIRES IN COMPRESSED OXYGEN EQUIPMENT are rare, even though we hear about life-threatening accidents — a rebreather fire, an emergency oxygen regulator accident, or a gas blending system fire. Several key questions arise …

Blenny Watching 101

OF ALL THE FISHES IN THE SEA THAT ANNA ADORES, blennies perch high atop her favorites list. Her fascination with the tribe of typically small, hole-inhabiting bottom-dwellers …

My Octopus Goes Where?

THE DIVE INDUSTRY IS FULL OF DEBATES. Should you use a jacket-style, back-inflate, or backplate and wing buoyancy compensator? A canister light or a cordless light? A weight belt or integrated weights? Regular fins or split fins?

Fitness for Scuba: Exercises for All Ages

SARCOPENIA IS A NATURAL MUSCLE LOSS (atrophy) due to aging. Periods of inactivity due to injury, illness, or a busy life can accelerate this process. Individuals over the age of 65 are particularly …

Springs of Central Texas

I’M A NATIVE TEXAN, AND PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME how an underwater photographer originates from Texas. They are sometimes unaware of the rich underwater resources our state offers. Our dive opportunities are diverse …