Blog & News
Discover the best tips, travel guides, marine conservation news and secrets of the underwater world.
Mayotte (France): giant Indian Ocean lagoon and resident dugongs
Mayotte is a French overseas department in the Comoros archipelago (western Indian Ocean). It holds the world's second-largest lagoon (1,500 km²) enclosed by a 195 km coral barrier reef. The destination combines lagoon and open-sea diving with frequent encounters with resident dugongs — among the few places worldwide where they are reliably accessible to divers — plus humpback whale migration.
StoriesThe Bou Ferrer wreck: 2,000 years of Roman history off Villajoyosa
Discovered in 1999. Sank 64-68 AD with amphorae of garum and Nero's lead ingots. UNESCO Good Practices Register 2017, renewed 2025-2029. International model for managing an archaeological site without removing finds from their original position.
EcologyThe invasive blue crab in the Mediterranean: expansion and ecological impact
Callinectes sapidus in Spain since 2012. Mar Menor, Ebro Delta, Albufera Valencia. Among the 100 most problematic invasive species. Preys on bivalves, crustaceans and juvenile fish. Gastronomic use promoted as a control measure.
TravelMozambique, Tofo: whale sharks and mantas in underrated waters
Mozambique ranks among Africa's most overlooked dive destinations. The Tofo coast, in the country's centre, holds one of the world's largest resident whale shark populations, near-guaranteed encounters with oceanic and reef mantas, and prices running 40 % below comparable Indian Ocean spots. The logistics filter out casual travellers.
TipsAfter-sales service from diving brands: why it is a recurring problem
Manufacturers delegate to scattered authorised centres. Warranties exclude normal wear. Maintenance kits overpriced. Mandatory services are more of a commercial barrier than a safety measure. Instructors speak out.
TrainingIce diving course: the frozen ceiling and why you never go alone
Ice diving ranks among the most extreme disciplines in recreational diving. A frozen ceiling above the diver eliminates the option of surfacing at any point — you must return to the entry hole. It demands specific training, redundant equipment, and a tether line to the surface at all times. A serious pursuit for cold-water divers in the right climate.
TravelVisibility in the Mediterranean: why July and August are not the best months
Seasonal thermocline: 10°C differences within a few metres. Phytoplankton increases with warmth. August: boat congestion, sediment resuspension. Sep-Oct: 20-25°C, thermocline fades, consistent visibility 15-30 m.
EquipmentMid-range regulators that perform like high-end: 3 honest picks
The regulator is the most safety-critical piece of scuba gear a diver owns. The gap between mid-range and high-end is real, but nowhere near as wide as marketing implies. This selection of three mid-range models (300–500 €) delivers performance equivalent to high-end regulators (700–1,000 €) under real diving conditions. Straight talk on where it makes sense to spend, and where it does not.
TravelSeychelles Outer Islands: liveaboard expeditions to Aldabra
The Seychelles most travellers know — Mahé, Praslin, La Digue — are beach resorts with decent diving. The Outer Islands are a different proposition entirely: remote atolls 1,000 km south of Mahé, reachable only by liveaboard, carrying biodiversity on par with the Galápagos. This is expedition diving for those who have already worked through most of the bucket list.
TravelRaja Ampat, Indonesia: biodiversity by the numbers
Raja Ampat tops every list as the world's marine biodiversity hotspot. The claim sounds like marketing copy until you look at the data: 1,700 fish species, 600 hard coral species (75% of the global total), every major family of marine fauna represented. Science backs it up, and every dive confirms it.
EquipmentDrysuits for technical diving: valves, undergarment and correct fit
Si Tech and Apeks low-profile valves. QCS quick-change cuffs. Polar fleece liner for 10-15°C, Thinsulate for below 5°C. Inflate slightly before descent to avoid suit squeeze.
TravelDiving the Cíes Islands: cold Atlantic water and big octopuses
The Cíes Islands offer some of Galicia's most accessible diving, but accessible is not the same as comfortable. Water sits at 13–17 °C year-round, visibility swings from 4 to 20 m between one week and the next, and common octopus density here is something the Mediterranean can no longer match. For divers used to warm, clear water, this corner of the Atlantic operates by different rules.
TravelInternational diving trips: the world's best destinations for scuba divers
Discover the best scuba diving destinations in the world: Raja Ampat, Red Sea, Galapagos, Maldives, Philippines and the Caribbean. Complete guide to planning your next international diving trip.
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