The seven days in the Galápagos went by too quickly, and I was ready to come back before I had even left. The Galápagos National Park and the tour operators greatly respect the destination, and conservation is their primary goal. Even with all the protections in place, the fishing industry, climate change and ocean health pressure the archipelago. Every tourist dollar that goes into the Galápagos adds persuasive emphasis that this is a place that deserves ongoing and stringent protection.
THE UNKNOWN HAS ALWAYS BEEN FERTILE GROUND for mythology, and the oceans have long inspired legends and tales of gods and monsters.
It is difficult to step out from the shadow cast by a famous family member long in the spotlight and to stake one’s own claim and create a different identity. I was reminded of this while reflecting on my relationship with diving in South Africa.
Looking down from space, the Windward Islands resemble an emerald necklace floating in the sea. Viewed from underwater, when you are immersed in that warm, blue sea and surrounded by colorful reefs bustling with life, the Windwards take on new dimensions.
Humpback whales feed in polar waters during the summer and then migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed during winter. Various locations offer seasonal whale-watching, but swimming with them is legal in only a few places — Tonga is one of them. Every year its warm and sheltered waters provide a nursery for the whales, which gather there between July and October after a long migration from Antarctica.
TRAVELING THROUGH THE FJORDS and on the rivers has always been an important part of life in Norway and Scandinavia. Witnessing the beauty of sunsets from front-row seats on the fjords or chasing the northern lights as they dance on dark autumn and winter nights are experiences not to be missed. Discovering what is hidden below the dark surface in the unfathomable underwater realms here is just as fascinating for visitors who choose to dive in Norway.
When you get off the boat on Sabang Beach, near Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island in the Philippines, a sign that reads “Welcome to Sabang, Your Gateway to the Center of the Center of Marine Biodiversity” greets you. That phrase defines the diving in the region, as you will not find more fish species anywhere else on Earth.
Explore the journey of Turning Dreams to Reality. Discover how Henley Spiers transformed his career from corporate to ocean adventure.
Calling a dive is not as easy as just giving the thumbs-up signal. There are steps to follow after the signal to cancel a dive. The dive briefing should cover these procedures, and the greater the dive’s potential risk, the more attention to detail the procedures and briefing should have to make calling the dive happen as safely as possible.
AN OTHERWORLDLY LANDSCAPE lies on the western coast of Australia, where the red outback meets the iridescent blue of the Indian Ocean. This magical place is the Ningaloo Reef, or Nyinggulu in the local Aboriginal language.
