Blog & News
Discover the best tips, travel guides, marine conservation news and secrets of the underwater world.
Sinus barotrauma and vertigo in diving: causes, symptoms and prevention
Sinus barotrauma is the second most common diving injury. Frontal sinuses most affected, nasal congestion is key risk factor.
EquipmentWing vs jacket BCD: why beginners should stick to a jacket
The wing-versus-jacket debate splits recreational and technical divers. Experienced divers favour the wing for horizontal trim and modularity. Beginners do better with a jacket for surface stability. The right choice hinges on dive count and the type of diving you actually do. Neither system is universally superior.
EcologyMarine conservation and activism: how divers protect the ocean
Diving industry $20 billion/year. PADI citizen science. COP15 30x30 agreement: protect 30% of oceans. Underwater cleanups and marine litter inventories. Divers are direct witnesses of environmental degradation.
TravelSão Tomé and Príncipe: Africa's undiscovered dive destination
São Tomé and Príncipe is a two-island volcanic archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea, sitting on the equator off the coast of Gabon. One of the least-visited countries on Earth, it barely registers on the dive circuit. Vertical walls, Atlantic pelagic life and migrating humpback whales make it a genuine explorer's destination, not a packaged resort trip.
HealthScuba diving and antihistamines: why that Reactine before your dive is a bad idea
Allergy antihistamines like Reactine, Claritin, Aerius, and Zyrtec seem harmless, and plenty of divers pop one before getting in the water without a second thought. The reality is different: they can cause serious equalization problems, underwater drowsiness, and interact with pressure in ways that are hard to predict. This guide covers which OTC drugs are acceptable, which are not, and why only a hyperbaric medicine physician can make that call.
TipsLegal regulation of scuba diving in Spain: everything you need to know
Learn about the legislation governing scuba diving in Spain: Royal Decree 347/2011, restrictions in marine reserves and the division of powers between the State, autonomous communities and municipalities.
DivingCave diving: real risks, essential training and safety protocols
More than 400 divers have died in Florida caves since 1950. Learn the three main causes of accidents according to NSS-CDS.
TipsDiving beyond certification limits: legal and insurance consequences
RD 550/2020 sets depth limits by certification level. The dive computer is a black box. Insurers can deny coverage. Dive centres are also liable if they allow limits to be exceeded. Computer data determines liability.
EquipmentDrysuits: trilaminate vs neoprene, maintenance and repair
Trilaminate or dry neoprene? Differences, ballast management, Tizip zipper maintenance and when to repair vs buy new.
Marine LifeGiant squid (Architeuthis): fact versus legend
The giant squid (*Architeuthis dux*) ranks among the ocean's most mythologised animals. For centuries sailors described it as the Kraken. Science confirmed the species in the 19th century. Adults reach 13 m and 275 kg. Yet divers never encounter one in the wild: it lives at 500–1,000 m depth, far beyond recreational and technical diving limits.
TravelMexican cenotes: the world's longest flooded cave systems
10,000-15,000 cenotes in Yucatán, 2,500+ in Quintana Roo. Sac Actun 350 km. Dos Ojos 83 km. Cavern diving vs cave diving. Visibility 60 m+. Sacred wells for the Maya. Tulum the most visited but overcrowded.
EcologyBeach replenishment and its impact on underwater life
Posidonia grows 1 cm/year; recovery takes decades. Leaf production drops 20% in the first year after a spill. Dredging: invertebrates take 2-5 years to recolonise. BOE 2025 environmental impact declaration Valencia.
TipsDive insurance: what your policy covers, what it doesn't and how much it can cost you
A hyperbaric chamber treatment costs $800-2000/hour. DAN offers plans from $40/year. Conventional travel insurance does NOT cover diving.
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