Empowering Timor-Leste’s Local Dive Industry
Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is one of the world’s newest countries, having gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after decades of conflict.
Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is one of the world’s newest countries, having gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after decades of conflict.
The waters of southern Florida are famous for their stunning coral reefs and vibrant marine life. This underwater paradise is not only a playground for recreational divers but also vital to many people who depend on it for their livelihoods, including dive instructors.
I spent a week in late June diving the Galápagos, which, as no surprise, was quite amazing.
Dive photojournalists often go to the same places but rarely at the same time. In 2006, however, Alex Mustard participated in an imaging event called Digital Madness, and I was there to cover it for a magazine. That was our only time diving together on Grand Cayman.
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.
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.