When I was young I read about Antarctic expeditions and was mesmerized by the alien worlds found under the ice. As incredible as it looked, I never imagined seeing it for myself. I enjoy all types of diving and underwater environments, and ice diving was another unique and challenging realm to explore — one that required furthering my dive education and skills.
Seventy miles west of Key West, Florida, lies one of the most remote and beautiful national parks in the United States: Dry Tortugas National Park. Sitting isolated in the Gulf of Mexico, these islands mark the westernmost edge of the Florida Keys archipelago.
Our group of six researchers back rolled off the vessel near Jupiter, Florida, and began our descent to the sandy bottom nearly 80 feet (24 meters) below. As the wreck became visible, our team streamlined into formation to begin our task: searching for goliath groupers.
Sandbags are versatile training tools for a total body workout. These dynamic exercises incorporate nontraditional lifting methods that mimic real-life movements. This sandbag workout builds functional and grip strength, balance, endurance, and stability, making it ideal for divers of all levels.
The common seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is anything but. Found only in Australia’s temperate coastal waters, this spectacular seahorse relative — also called the weedy seadragon — grows up to 18 inches long and is painted beautiful colors and whimsically festooned with teardrop-shaped skin flaps.
Cruise ships have extensive safety protocols in place, focusing on passenger safety in areas such as overboard incidents, onboard fires, illness outbreaks, and large-scale ship disasters. Accidents and incidents can happen, however, and traveling on cruise ships is not without risk.
