Blog & News
Discover the best tips, travel guides, marine conservation news and secrets of the underwater world.
Panama, Coiba: the underrated marine park of the eastern Pacific
Coiba is an archipelago of 38 islands in Panama's Pacific, a UNESCO national park since 2005. A penal colony until 2004 that kept its reefs isolated for 80 years, it is now one of the best-preserved marine areas in the tropical eastern Pacific. Hammerhead schools from June to November, oceanic biodiversity, and an accessible alternative to Cocos and Galápagos at moderate prices.
EquipmentSpring straps for fins: real upgrade or overpriced gadget?
Spring straps replace the rubber fin straps that come standard with most fins, and they've been one of the most argued-over kit changes in diving for the past decade. Advocates call them essential; skeptics call them an expensive gimmick. The answer is more nuanced: they genuinely help certain divers and make no difference for others, and the decision hinges on specifics that most gear reviews gloss over.
HealthEye problems and diving: contact lenses, LASIK and underwater vision
Can you dive with contacts, after LASIK or with glaucoma? DAN recommends soft lenses only.
TravelMadeira: giant dusky grouper at the Desertas and warm water year-round
Madeira rarely appears on diving destination lists, which is precisely what makes it worth considering. Water stays between 19 and 23 °C throughout the year, visibility reaches 25–35 m, and the strictly protected Desertas Islands marine reserve holds the largest concentrations of dusky grouper left in the eastern Atlantic.
TipsHow to Make a 12 L Tank Last 60 Minutes Underwater
Air consumption is the metric that changes most with experience. A novice diver empties a 12 L tank in 30 minutes at 18 m; someone with 200 dives stretches it to 60. The difference isn't lung capacity — it's mindset. And it can be learned, even though almost nobody teaches it explicitly in the open water course.
Tips10 scuba diving myths you'll hear at any dive centre worldwide
Diving, like any sport with a long tradition, accumulates myths passed from diver to diver without scrutiny. Some are harmless, others are genuinely dangerous. This collection tackles 10 common myths one by one, weighing them against current evidence. Worth reading for beginners encountering these claims for the first time, and for experienced divers who may still be repeating them.
TravelFreshwater diving in Spain: reservoirs, lagoons and inland cenotes
Pozo Azul, Burgos: 6 km of passages, one of the longest in Europe. Canelles reservoir with the submerged village of Blancafort. Ruidera Lagoons: karstic clarity. Lower density means more ballast. Temperature 8-15°C.
TravelNetherlands, Zeeland: the most popular shore diving in northern Europe
Zeeland (southern Netherlands) is home to the Oosterschelde, a national park with the highest concentration of recreational divers in northern Europe. It is a tidal estuary with cold-water North Sea species: giant cuttlefish, lobsters, wolffish. Sites are shore-accessible by car, with infrastructure well suited to beginners. A classic cold-water initiation destination.
TipsAlternobaric vertigo: one ear equalizes, the other doesn't, and everything spins
Alternobaric vertigo is one of those moments that changes how you descend forever. It happens when one ear equalizes and the other lags behind, and the pressure difference between labyrinths sends contradictory signals to your brain. The result is nausea, disorientation, and — worst of all — an overwhelming urge to bolt for the surface at exactly the wrong moment.
TravelEastern Sicily, Catania: volcanic lava diving and Etna underwater
Catania's coastline, on Etna's eastern flank, is one of the few Mediterranean areas where recent volcanic lava shapes the seabed. Centuries of eruptions have built a basalt-dominated coast with black lava walls, lava tunnels, and Roman amphorae scattered across volcanic substrate. A geological alternative to the Aeolian Islands for divers drawn to the unusual.
HealthUnderwater panic: what to do when your buddy loses it
Underwater panic is the most dangerous situation in recreational diving. The victim loses rational control and can injure or drown a rescuer who handles it wrong. The correct response is deeply counterintuitive—it fights every natural instinct. This guide covers the right protocol, the fatal mistakes, and how to prevent panic before it starts.
StoriesThe US Navy Mark V Diving Suit: From Brass to Modern Gear
The Mark V was the US Navy's standard professional diving suit from 1916 to 1980. A 25 kg brass helmet, waterproof canvas suit, and 9 kg lead boots apiece — 86 kg in total. It appears in virtually every vintage naval diving photograph. Its development traces the arc of diving history from Victorian-era pioneers to the modern era of mixed-gas systems.
TravelOrganising a group diving trip: buddies, liveaboards and logistics
Clubs and platforms: Buceo y Viajes, Buceadores.club. Facebook groups. Liveaboards with single-supplement cabins. Verify certification levels and actual experience before committing.
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