Features by our regulars

Australia's Great Barrier Reef

September 17, 2015 - 18:30
The story is found: 
on page 20

If there was a place that inspired me to become a diver and invoked my passion and love for the ocean, it was Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR). As a kid, I could spend hours watching television specials of this blue, fish-filled world that was so different from the Wisconsin farm town I grew up in.

While flying to Australia on my way to dive the GBR for a week with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions (MBDE), I was reading The Reef by Iain McCalman.

Destination reports

Papua New Guinea: Witu Islands & Fathers Reefs

June 07, 2015 - 18:54
The story is found: 
on page 59

When it comes to superlatives, diving and Papua New Guinea certainly go hand in hand. Sharing the world’s second largest island with Indonesian West Papua, the island nation is positioned at the easternmost extremity of the Pacific’s famed Coral Triangle—an undersea Eden boasting an unrivalled diversity of life.

Anchored off the east coast in the Bismarck Archipelago, New Britain is home to some of the country’s finest diving. At more than 500km in length, the country’s largest island is home to world-famous Kimbe Bay.

Destination reports

Hurghada: Red Sea Wrecks

May 22, 2015 - 15:53
The story is found: 
on page 56

The Red Sea, its reputation precedes itself. The beautiful red-orange desert mountains stand over the unexpected and contrasting blues of the water. The calm and clear waters hide much below. Under the water is a rainbow of colors, and among the fish and corals, are the remains of many ships.

The Red Sea has been deceitful to many captains over time. The beautiful reefs that divers dream about here have also caused many a ship to meet its end. Sailors thought they were safe after clearing the challenging and narrow Suez Canal only to run aground or hit reef just outside the canal.

Locations
WW2

Chuuk: Wreck Junkie Heaven

May 20, 2015 - 13:21
The story is found: 
on page 49

My dream history lesson includes a tropical Pacific island where I step off a beautiful boat soaked in sunshine the warm Micronesian waters and descend on a coral covered ship that was part of World War II. This dream and these ships came to life for me during a recent trip aboard the MV Odyssey liveaboard. Truk Lagoon, now known as Chuuk, is most certainly one of the world’s greatest wreck diving destinations.

Under Japanese occupation during World War II, Truk served as one of the Japanese Imperial Navy’s main bases in the South Pacific Theater. Some compared it as Japan’s Pearl Harbor.

Locations
WW2

Guam: The Tale of Two Wrecks

May 20, 2015 - 12:39
The story is found: 
on page 11

Guam’s Apra Harbor is home to a unique set of sunken warships. It is the only place in the world where a World War I and a World War II wreck sit touching each other underwater, and they can both be dived on one tank. The calm, warm waters of Guam make for easy diving, and both wrecks can be mostly explored above 100ft. The story of how these ships sank is almost as interesting as the dive itself.

German Captain Adalbert Zuckschwerdt steered his ship, the SMS Cormoran, into Guam’s Apra Harbor on 14 December 1914. With only 50 tons of coal left in the hold and not much food, he hoped the Americans of this U.S. territory would provide them with much needed supplies to continue their voyage.

Locations
WW2

San Francisco Maru Wreck of Chuuk Lagoon

May 05, 2015 - 12:52
The story is found: 
on page 12

Truk Lagoon (now known as Chuuk) plays host to what is usually considered the world’s best wreck diving. World War II ships, planes, tanks, trucks, and military artifacts abound at recreational dive limits in Micronesia’s calm, warm waters. The abundant marine life has transformed the former war vessels into stunningly beautiful artificial reefs.

With so many interesting wrecks, it can be hard to choose a favorite. But ask any wreck diver who has been to Chuuk and most likely they will tell you their favorite is the San Francisco Maru.

Locations
WW2

Yap: Micronesia's Best Kept Secret

April 29, 2015 - 18:14
The story is found: 
on page 32

Micronesia has so many great islands to dive that it’s hard to pick just one. Often, some of the lesser known islands, such as Yap, get passed over for their more popular neighbors such as Truk (Chuuk) or Palau. I had always heard great things about Yap’s diving though stories of mantas and sharks, so I headed there to find out if it was indeed one of Micronesia’s best kept secrets.

I discovered some truth in that as soon as I arrived. It’s not often you show up at a dive resort and find you are the only person there.

Destination reports

Ghosts of the Machines: Kavieng’s WWII Wrecks

April 29, 2015 - 13:37
The story is found: 
on page 8

The 21st of January in 1942 was a really bad day to be a resident of Kavieng, in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. On that fateful day, the full might of the Imperial Japanese Navy was unleashed on this small town on the remote eastern edge of the Bismarck Archipelago, as it prepared to seize the main prize of Rabaul in nearby New Britain.

Rabaul’s Simpson Harbour was the Australian Army’s key base in the archipelago, and had to be taken by the Japanese, as they rolled out their plan to seize the main island of Papua New Guinea and isolate Australia to the south.

Locations
WW2

Learn to drive a submarine and explore the depths of the Mediterranean Sea

April 03, 2015 - 18:46
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Adventurous types, submarine enthusiasts, explorers and submersible operators can sign up for a selection of pilot training courses to be held in August 2015. No experience is necessary, as U-Boat Worx’ expert instructors will teach all the ins and outs.

Courses will be held off the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, known for its crystal-clear waters and abundance of world-class shipwrecks. A fully-equipped 30-meter yacht will support the training courses and take the pilots to all the best dive sites.

Underwater Nanaimo

April 01, 2015 - 15:30
The story is found: 
on page 65

I am often asked, “Where is the best place to photograph underwater critters in British Columbia?” Well, there is certainly no simple answer to this question and I usually end up replying something like this; “Unless there is a plankton bloom, bad weather or visibility is poor, there are no bad places to dive in BC, therefore you can see critters on every dive!”

This is especially true around Nanaimo, a popular hub destination on Vancouver Island that is easy to get to and can be frequented by divers on a year-round basis.

Destination reports

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