I had dived in Makako Bay, Hawai’i, many times over many years without seeing a single knobby sea star. The first time I encountered one, however, it wasn’t just one, but more than a hundred of them together. They were all gone a day later, and I haven’t seen one since.
After getting my dive certification in 1992, I was instantaneously addicted. Being young, obsessed, and convinced of my immortality, I was not the most conservative diver, but I had no issues with decompression sickness (DCS) for my first decade of diving.
The decision to sustainably harvest marine life can spark vigorous discussions among divers. Regardless of your views, there are benefits to understanding the equipment, procedures, and dangers associated with spearfishing.
Colombia has some of the strictest illegal fishing laws in the world, but people still need to stand up and enforce them. Erika Lopez has taken on the role of guardian of Malpelo, an island 314 miles (506 kilometers) west of Colombia.
Having their work showcased in a print magazine is one of the greatest satisfactions for underwater photographers.
In the opening chapter of The World Beneath: The Life and Times of Unknown Sea Creatures and Coral Reefs, his acclaimed combination coffee table book and coral reef reference guide, Richard Smith, PhD, recalls his six months of shore diving and research in 2007 at the Wakatobi reefs in Indonesia.
I am about two and a half months postpartum with no complications and have received clearance from my physician and a dive specialist to resume diving.
Most divers know their scuba cylinders need a visual inspection every year and a hydrostatic test every five years (referred to as a requalification or a hydro). The actual regulations for cylinders and other dive equipment, however, are less clear.
Divers spend much of their time underwater with a select group of buddies — the ones we trust to get us through the dive and surface with fresh experiences and stories to tell. Newly certified divers have had limited interactions underwater, having dived only with classmates, instructors, and assistant instructors during their classes.
To clear up any confusion divers may have about patent foramen ovale (PFO), I will share how I explain the condition to patients.