e56yj

WHEN IS IT OK TO DIVE ALONE — IF EVER?

RESULTS SCUBALAB TEST FOR 14 NEW REGS

SCUBA PAGE 66

D

I

V

I

N

PAGE 52

G

THE LIFE OF A FEMALE ARMY DIVER PAGE 20

LOVE WALLS? BIG ANIMALS? WRECKS? WE’VE GOT THE PERFECT SPOT PAGE 22

THE HUMPBACK WHALE DATING SCENE PAGE 32

SHARK ISSUE

THE

PAGE 36

scubadiving.com July 2014

Find Great Whites, Hammers and More

Behold!WorldMags.net ItÕs BIGGER Down Here!

Voted #1 for Big Animals!

Thousands of dive sites only minutes from Florida.

R E C E I V E $250 on stays of 3 or 4 nights & $50 DIVE INSTANT AIR CREDIT RECEIVE

FREE

AIR CREDIT

CREDIT*

on stays of 4 nights or more to select Out Islands Resorts

It’s Better in The Bahamas.

Undersea Adventures: 888-859-6650 Caradonna Travel: 866-794-1774 or call your local dive retailer

*Air Credit Offer is date specific. Other restrictions and blackout dates apply. Offer subject to change without notice. For complete details visit www.Bahamas.com/scubadivng

Scan Here to See Our Big Animals!

Image © Stephen Frink/Waterhouse.

Copy & content © BMOT/BDA/Cline.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net AT UNEXSO DREAMS COME TRUE! $577

REEFS, WRECKS & MOVIE SITES from $415

3 nights Ocean View Room At the Grand Lucayan resort 2 days of Two Tank Dives 1 day 1 Tank or Shark Dive Full gear, hotel taxes and r/t transfers included *Double Occupancy Only Valid travel dates: March – August 2014

4 Days/3 Nights at Orange Hill Resort, and 2 Days of AM 2-Tank diving on Nassau’s famous wrecks, reefs, walls and movie sites. RT transportation from resort to dive shop daily. Dive the Best of The Bahamas! Call for details!

888-682-5844 bahamas.com/unexso

888-682-7427 bahamas.com/stuartcove

EXUMA CAYS from $959

DIVE WITH TIGER SHARKS from $1,151

Adventure Live-Aboard Up to 19 dives per week Including Shark Feed! 6 nights all inclusive Great Camaraderie.

4 Days/3 Nights at Old Bahama Bay Resort, West End, Grand Bahama, and 2 Days of all day Tiger Shark Diving! Relax at night at Old Bahama Bay Resort.

High speed custom dive boat, usually limited to 10 divers or less! $1,151 pp until Dec. 15, 2014 with black out dates. Call today to book!

888-683-8759 bahamas.com/blackbeards

888-683-7521 bahamas.com/tigerbeach

EXUMA CAYS in Style

BIMINI’S DIVERSITY STARTING @ $302

Gourmet Meals, Huge Private Cabins, Eco Adventures Daily 7 night cruises.

2 Night Dive Package staying @ Bimini Sands including fully equipped One Bedroom Condo and 2 tank boat dive with tanks, weights & belts.

NITROX Available!

888-684-2438 bahamas.com/aquacat

888-683-7627 bahamas.com/biminisands

VISIT SCUBADIVING.COM/BAHAMAS TO SEE ONLINE TRAVEL SPECIALS

WorldMags.net

CONTENTS

WorldMags.net JULY 2014

VOL . 23

ISSUE 5

scubadiving.com

ON THE COVER Great white sharks inhabit the temperamental waters of South Africa’s southern sea, where they hunt fur seals.

Photo by Brandon Cole

1 TALK Editor’s Letter 8 Win This 9

22

CURRENTS 11 What It’s Like 20

Top 100: Bahamas Wrecks, advanced diving and tons of sharks are just a few reasons the Bahamas topped charts in our Readers Choice awards.

A BY BROOKE MORTON

52

36

Adrenaline OD What do you

do for an encore after the world’s 20 best shark dives? Kick it up a notch. A BY TRAVIS MARSHALL ScubaLab

Advanced Adventure 46

We put 14 regulators to the test based on performance, ease of use and more. See how they stacked up.

TRAINING Imaging+ 63 Lessons for Life 64 Ask an Expert 66

A BY ROGER ROY

LOOK 74

76 Scuba Diving (ISSN 1553-7919) is published eight times per year (J/F, M/A, May, Jul, S/O, N/D, w/ bonus issues in June and August) by Bonnier Corp., 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Vol. 23, No. 5, July 2014. Periodicals postage paid in Winter Park, FL, and additional offices. Subscription rate for one year (eight issues): U.S., $21.97; Canada, $30.97; all other foreign countries, $39.97. U.S. funds only. Contents copyright 2014 by Bonnier Corp. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Scuba Diving, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. For subscription questions, email: scubadiving@emailcustomerservice.com.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com JULY 2014 / 4

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: TIM CALVER; CARRIE GARCIA; DAVID FLEETHAM/CORBIS; JEFF ROTMAN/SEAPICS; RON DAHLQUIST/SUPERSTOCK

DEPARTMENTS Drive and Dive 28 Liveaboard 32

WorldMags.net

Ti Ta ni u m

3

The latest evolution of an elite element

LIGHTER. Weighs even less than our legendary T2 LONGER. Now go up to 3 years before servicing LIVELIER. Fresh styling and ultimate performance

SCUBALAB

2013 TESTERSĂ• CHOICE

atomicaquatics.com WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

GEAR UP, DIVE IN, BE AMAZED, REPEAT.

Website scubadiving.com Editorial Email edit@scubadiving.com Editorial Patricia Wuest e d i t o r - i n - c h i e f Mary Frances Emmons d e p u t y e d i t o r Ashley Annin m a n a g i n g e d i t o r Roger Roy s c u b a l a b d i r e c t o r Cindy Martin c o p y e d i t o r Veronica Brezina d i g i ta l i n t e r n Megan Elliott e d i t o r i a l i n t e r n

BOOK NOW!

Contributors Erica Blake, Tim Calver, Jim Decker, Anna DeLoach, Ned DeLoach, Eric Douglas, David Espinosa, David Fleetham, Scott Johnson, Travis Marshall, Andy Morrison, Brooke Morton

Delta adds 2nd flight to Bonaire from Atlanta on Fridays!

STARTING AUGUST 22

Art Monica Alberta a r t d i r e c t o r Kristen McClarty p h o t o e d i t o r

Bruce Bowker’s Carib Inn 011-599-717-8819 bb@caribinn.com www.CaribInn.com

Den Laman Condominiums 1-800-382-1094 denlaman@diveres.com www.DenLaman.com Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino 011-599-717-8285 or 1-800-367-3484 info@diviresorts.com www.DiviResorts.com Go All Inclusive at Plaza Resort Bonaire 1-800-766-6016 usa@plazabeachresortbonaire.com www.PlazaBeachResortBonaire.com

Digital Steve Spears d i g i ta l c o n t e n t d i r e c t o r Alex Bean d i g i ta l e d i t o r Becca Hurley d i g i ta l p r o d u c e r Sales Bonnie Borkin g r o u p p u b l i s h e r bonnie.borkin@bonniercorp.com Jeff Mondle a s s o c i at e p u b l i s h e r jeff.mondle@bonniercorp.com David Benz t e r r i t o r y m a n a g e r 850-934-3173; david.benz@bonniercorp.com Donna Player t e r r i t o r y m a n a g e r 908-731-2680; donna.player@bonniercorp.com Linda Sue Dingel t erri t o ry m a n ag er 407-913-4945; lindasue.dingel@bonniercorp.com Kelly Freygang a dv er t i si n g a s s o c i at e 407-571-4743; kelly.freygang@bonniercorp.com Tracey Voorhees a d v e r t i s i n g s a l e s c o o r d i n at o r 407-571-4534; tracey.voorhees@bonniercorp.com Matt Hickman vice president, director of brand strategies David Butler v i c e p r e s i d e n t , d i g i ta l o p e r at i o n s Jerry Pomales c r e at i v e d i r e c t o r Jeff Cassell c o r p o r at e p r o d u c t i o n d i r e c t o r Alicia Rivera p r o d u c t i o n m a n a g e r alicia.rivera@bonniercorp.com Suzanne Oberholtzer d e s i g n s e r v i c e s d i r e c t o r Julia Arana, Willy Frei, Jennifer Remias g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r s Sheri Bass h u m a n r e s o u r c e s d i r e c t o r

Jonas Bonnier c h a i r m a n Dave Freygang c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r Eric Zinczenko e x e c u t i v e v i c e p r e s i d e n t David Ritchie c h i e f c o n t e n t o f f i c e r Nancy Coalter c h i e f f i n a n c i a l o f f i c e r Lisa Earlywine c h i e f o p e r at i n g o f f i c e r Elizabeth Burnham Murphy c h i e f m a r k e t i n g o f f i c e r Leslie Glenn c h i e f h u m a n r e s o u r c e s o f f i c e r Sean Holzman c h i e f b r a n d d e v e l o p m e n t o f f i c e r John Reese v i c e p r e s i d e n t , c o n s u m e r m a r k e t i n g Jeremy Thompson g e n e r a l c o u n s e l All contents copyright 2014 Bonnier Corporation.

No use may be made of materials contained herein without express written consent. For inquiries, please contact us at Bonnier Corporation, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789.

Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40612608 Canada Post Returns: IMEX Global Solutions, P.O. Box 25542, London ON N6C 6B2 Canada Printed in the USA. Employment opportunities at bonniercorp.com.

See our Packages:

www.scubadiving.com/bonaire

FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS, such as renewals, address changes, email preferences, billing and account status, go to scubadiving.com/cs. You can also email scubadiving@emailcustomerservice.com.

In the U.S., call toll-free 800-666-0016. Outside the U.S., call 386-246-3381 or write to Scuba Diving, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

Retail Single-Copy Sales: ProCirc Retail Solutions Group, Tony DiBisceglie

@Bonairetourism www.tourismbonaire.com | 1-800-BONAIRE |

Doing Our Part for the Environment This product is made from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources .

Photo: David Benz ©

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 6

WorldMags.net

Taken with SeaLife DC1400

Sea Dragon 2000 Lumen Shown with DC1400 camera using optional cold shoe mount

Sea Dragon 1200 Lumen Perfect for compact cameras like GoPro®

Powerful new lights for dive, video or photo.

Light for any camera, any dive, any adventure.

New Flex-Connect Trays, grips and arms click together in seconds

Versatile Simply remove from grip for a compact and powerful dive light

DC1400 Sea Dragon Pro Duo DC1400 with Flex-Connect Dual Tray & grips, Sea Dragon 2000 Light and Flash, featuring optional Flex Arms

Sea Dragon 2000 Lumen Shown with SeaLife DC1400, includes Flex-Connect tray and grip

Quickly and easily expand your set with the SeaLife Flex-Connect system – add grips, Flex Arms, lights, trays and other accessories with just a simple “click.”

WorldMags.net

sealife-cameras.com facebook.com/SeaLifeCameras

WorldMags.net

Talk

editor’s note

Let ters

Win this

scubadiving.com

Dressed for Sharks

Caribbean reef sharks circle a feeder.

We write about daring adventures in Scuba Diving, but as we were putting together this issue, I was reminded about my frst-ever shark encounter, in the Bahamas. We were diving a section of wall along the Tongue of the Ocean, the deep trench that separates Andros and New Providence islands. I was a new diver, with only eight dives in my logbook. We were near a popular shark-feeding site, and even though our crew wasn’t going to use any chum, I could see about a dozen Caribbean reef sharks silhouetted against the sand bottom.

I’d seen enough. “I think I’ll skip this dive,” I said.

“What?” our divemaster blurted out, tugging on my wetsuit. “But you’re dressed for sharks!”

I made the dive, clinging to the divemaster like a remora. As we fnned along the wall, the sharks shadowing us, I began to relax. I’ve often told people that this was the day I fell in love with sharks.

Today I am afraid for sharks. Te threats facing these beautiful fsh are many.

We hope this issue inspires you to make shark conservation a priority in your life. After all, as a diver, you’re dressed for it. — Patricia Wuest, Editor-in-Chief

WorldMags.net

Paul SouderS/WorldFoto

Put on your Wetsuit tux — We’re honoring sharks

>LET

T E R S

WorldMags.net

<

The waters off Malin Head, at the northern tip of Ireland, were the doom of dreadnoughts, the graveyard of the great ships of World War I and II, the final resting place for many seldom-explored supersize wrecks.

Steve Jones made the long descent, and was in awe of what he found.

J U LY W I N N E R

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I wish your whole team could have been with me when I fl ipped through the March/April issue, and hit the spread on pages 42 and 43. I gasped out loud. Seriously. It happened again on the next page — and the next and the next. As someone who wants to add wreck diving to my “done that” list, I was absolutely captivated by (and insanely jealous of) the “World of War Craft” article. But that’s what you do best: make us readers excited enough to get off our butts and dive. So I hope

Win This!

Mark, we love the photoselection process when we’re producing an issue. We hope when you’re in Maui you’ll enjoy the SeaLife Sea Dragon Mini 600 light we’re sending you for writing us — and our May issue, which has a feature on Maui.

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY STEVE JONES

In September 1944, U-boat “wolfpacks” sank the Empire Heritage so quickly that no distress signal was ever sent.

scubadiving.com MARCH/APRIL 2014 / 42

scubadiving.com MARCH/APRIL 2014 / 43

you’ll be pleased to know I’m going to Maui for the fi rst time in June, and I plan to take the magazine with me for something to gasp at while I’m on the beach in between descents. — MARK STEENSLAND > Elk Grove, California

TUSA M-1001 FREEDOM HD MASK Email us — edit@scubadiving.com — or post on our Facebook wall about your favorite shark encounter, and you could win a Tusa M-1001 Freedom HD mask, a single-lens viewfinder popular for its comfortable skirt and excellent sealing surface.

Broken Heart Being a diver and reading articles like “Tragedy at Tanjung Luar” (March/April) always breaks my heart. Seeing such barbaric slaughter of beautiful creatures at alarming rates will only end in tragedy for both creature and man. I am troubled by the lack of attention by news media. Tey just won’t or refuse to make the public more aware of these types of urgent matters to save certain species. — GREG GEUSS > via email Editor’s Note: Greg, we plan to publish an update on the progress conservationists are making in Tanjung Luar on scubadiving.com.

READY SET DIVE WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

7UDYHO OLJKW

DQG VDYH VSDFH IRU VRXYHQLUV

VUELO

CARRY-ON BAG 6 LBS

Functionality and lightweight.

TRAVELIGHT

Dimensions:

BCD 5.85 LBS

H: 21 inches W:14.5 inches D: 9.5 inches

Reg. No. 4 465 872 2013 - 2012 - 2011 Best Rated Travel BCD - Also available in Ladies version -

MC9/COMPACT

REGULATOR + OCTOPUS 2.2 LBS

Cressi’s new Compact travel regulator.

- Maximum performance into minimal space -

GIOTTO

DIVE COMPUTER 4.8 OZ

3 buttons, mixed Gas Dive Computer: -Your Perfect Circle for your next diving destination-

I love to ski, bike and golf, but it is hard to travel with the equipment for these hobbies … Quite frankly, it is much faster and simpler to pack a few Cressi products and go swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving.

Stay warm and be optimistic. Next winter cannot be as cold as the last one!

Download the Cressi

Catalog for iPhone and iPad App!

Follow us:

WorldMags.net

www.cressi.com

WorldMags.net Notes

News

currents

stuff you c aN use

scubadiving.com

neptunic president neil andrea puts his money where his mouth is.

Bite Me. (Please.)

It takes nerves of steel to test Neptunic’s redesigned shark suits story and photos By tim Calver

“Y

ou really have to solicit the worst-case shark-attack scenario,” says Neil Andrea, CEO of Neptunic. “Te reality is that a shark bite is so dynamic that our redesign demanded a real-world test.

Mathematics and theory of materials can’t tell you enough.”

Tat real-world test? Enticing an agitated Caribbean reef shark to frantically and repeatedly bite Andrea’s arm.

WorldMags.net

Neptunic Shark Suits are trusted worldwide by aquariums, dive operators and flmmakers to protect them as they work closely with some of the world’s most dangerous sharks. It is a responsibility that Neptunic takes very seriously. As Andrea emphasized, “Our redesign was inspired by our desire to keep divers safe — divers who spend all day, every day, underwater, surrounded by sharks in a working environment.”

currents

WorldMags.net >

Tis year marked the frst major redesign of a product that traces its heritage back to medieval times.

Recent advances in materials and fabrication allowed the shark suit’s weight to be decreased while the mobility and strength increased.

Andrea is secretive about exactly

how the stainless-steel mesh suits are manufactured to give both protection and range of motion, but he will divulge that it takes a specialized machine 70 hours to individually weld enough chain mail to make a suit — ring by ring, link by link, almost 500,000 in total. And it takes a skilled craftsman another 40 hours to cut and assemble that suit completely by hand.

Te shark-bite test was the most important and final step in the manufacturing process for the NEXXT Generation Neptunic Sharksuit.

How did it feel to be bitten by an 8-foot Caribbean reef shark? Andrea remembers with a wince.

“It hurt! Te shark bit down once; it bit down twice. And on the third bite, it really clamped down. It was violent and powerful, hard to really explain. I hopefully won’t be doing it again for a while. Te shark suits are designed for accidental bites, not full attacks. Te redesigned suit held up, and I swam away unscratched. To me, that is a huge success.”

b y t h e n u m b e r s<

sh a rk di v e s

400

Estimated number of shark-diving businesses operating around the world

1 in 3.7 million

Estimated odds of being killed by a shark (Chance of dying from flu: 1 in 63)

$800 million Estimated amount in U.S. dollars contributed to the Bahamas’ economy in 20 years of shark diving

EXPLORE USS ORISKANY, THE LARGEST ARTIFICIAL REEF IN THE WORLD!

“Take only pictures, leave only bubbles.”

The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail consists of 12 unique shipwrecks between Pensacola, Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe. Dive USS Oriskany, the largest artifcial reef in the world and one of the most popular wrecks in the United States. Ranging in depth from 80 to 212 feet, and teeming with sea life, this unique dive can be enjoyed by divers with a variety of skill levels.

WorldMags.net

FloridaPanhandleDiveTrail.com

Photo: VisitPensacola

WorldMags.net

Travel Lightâ&#x20AC;Ś Wave the baggage fees goodbye.

Relax, no assembly required.

With Aqua Lungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Travel Line, you will be fying past the baggage check and gear rental lines. With no assembly required you can relax knowing your gear is just as ready as you are for the next dive adventure. Our complete Travel Line, including the redesigned Zuma BCD, has been specially designed to provide you with maximum comfort while easily ftting in a carry-on bag. Travel Light, Dive More.

For more information visit aqualung.com

Learn more on the Aqua Lung Catalog App for iPad!

WorldMags.net

currents >crit

t e r

WorldMags.net <

h u n t

Kidnapped!

Boxer crabs keep hostages to ensure dinner is promptly served

C

ute, multihued boxer crabs certainly don’t seem like kidnappers, but a closer look reveals incriminating evidence — living anemones grasped tightly in each claw. It turns out the crabs, which spend the day hiding beneath rocks along shorelines in the IndoWest Pacifc, depend on their hostages for gathering food as well as for protection.

Tis unusual form of symbiosis was labeled as “kleptoparasitism” — the theft of food — in a recent scientifc paper. Te authors studied the relationship using aquarium experimentations and observations. Unexpectedly, their research also revealed that the crabs

for video Go to scubadiving .com/critterhunt.

intentionally starve their captives to keep them manageably small.

To feed, the crabs use their tiny victims like mops to pick up bits of food from their surroundings. Te crabs quickly remove the particles with their walking

legs, leaving behind just enough scraps to keep their anemones alive but not enough for them to continue to grow — a novel form of kleptoparasitism.

Te researchers likened the behavior to “bonsai” — retarding a plant’s growth by manipulation. When anemones are removed from crabs and allowed to live on their own, they grow rapidly, increasing their size by as much as 250 percent, and also changing color and shape.

It generally takes a lot of rockturning to find a boxer crab.

With the help of our dive guide at Tulamben — a well-known dive destination in Bali — we were able to beat the odds. He knew exactly where a pair lived and was able to uncover one in a matter of minutes. Exposed, the crab wielded its pair of anemones like miniature boxing gloves, appearing to throw a series of left and right jabs. Afterward the guide carefully turned the rock back over, returning the little pugilist to its rightful place. — by Ned and Anna DeLoach

Dive Smarter

With DAN Insurance.

Over the years, we’ve worked hard to make scuba diving a safer sport through improved training, education and research. However, dive accidents can still happen and may require costly emergency transportation and treatment. DAN’s Dive Accident Insurance let’s you dive with confidence knowing that you are covered in case of an unexpected incident. Dive smarter and explore the benefits of DAN Dive Accident Insurance today.

DAN.org/insurance-scd

INCIDENT PREVENTION

+

WorldMags.net INCIDENT MANAGEMENT + INCIDENT PROTECTION

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

currEntS

WorldMags.net

>s e a h e r o e s<

Keller Laros

His Manta Pacific Research Foundation was key in winning protection for Hawaii’s mantas

Video of Keller Laros’ rescue of an entangled Kona dolphin went viral last year, with more than 9 million views.

But protecting Hawaii’s manta rays though research, education and conservation is our July Sea Hero’s real focus.

Pacifc Research Foundation began in 2003. Te longer answer would be in 1993, when a group of concerned divers created guidelines for the then-somewhat chaotic manta night dives. Te result is that mantas are treated with respect and will approach humans closely.

from top: courtesy keller laros; masa ushioda/coolwaterphoto

How did you get involved?

In 1985, I joined my family on a night dive with Jack’s Diving Locker on the Big Island of Hawaii, where I saw my frst manta rays. After that, it was all over — the course of my life changed!

I became a PADI instructor and moved to Kona to work full time at Jack’s. I noticed that each manta possessed a unique spot pattern that, like fngerprints, could identify individuals. In 1991, I began cataloging the Kona population. We now have over 211 rays in our Manta Identifcation Project. most rewarding moment?

June 5, 2009, when then-Gov. Linda Lingle signed an act making it illegal to kill or capture mantas in Hawaii.

Tis concluded a campaign that Manta

How can divers Help?

Tey can submit images to the Manta Identification Project (guidelines at mantapacifc.org). If it’s a new manta, you get naming rights; that’s always fun.

Showing a documented residential population was important when working on protection in Hawaii. Tis is even more important as we work toward national protection. If you can’t take a photo, we welcome a tax-deductible donation. wHat’s next?

We are working on ways to ofer manta fshing villages alternatives to support themselves. We are also developing the Manta Rescue Project to help manta guides know what to do when encountering a ray with fshing line or hooks.

scubadiving.com/seaheroes Each Sea Hero featured in Scuba Diving will receive an Oris Diver’s Date watch worth $1,595. At the end of the year, a panel of judges will select one overall winner, who will receive a $5,000 cash award from Oris to further his or her work.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 17

People of action, devoted to protecting the planet’s oceans and marine life through conservation, technology or by simply helping others. If you spot a Sea Hero, join Scuba Diving, Oris and the 2014 Sea Heroes program by nominating him or her at scubadiving.com/seaheroes

K I D S S E A C A M P F A M I LY D I V E A D V E N T U R E S

WorldMags.net

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree Scuba diving dad watches as his daughter falls in love with the ocean

By Eric Michael, special to Kids Sea Camp

My four-year-old daughter didn’t like snorkeling, and I feared that unless I got her through that important gateway to scuba, she’d never join me underwater as a passionate diver.

From birth, I had done everything I could to expose her to the wonders of the underwater world: the right sea-centric bedtime stories, the coolest marine-life DVDs and a steady stream of new Sport Diver issues. Watching her react positively to the images and video was encouraging.

Swimming lessons at the YMCA followed and she made steady progress in our backyard pool. Next came goggles and then a mask, but she wanted absolutely nothing to do with her bright-yellow snorkel. Despite my best efforts, I simply could not convince her that it was the key to seeing all the awesome stuff underwater.

Then we got the opportunity to visit Kids Sea Camp — a program that combines everything an ocean-loving family could ask for in a vacation: loads of diving for the adults, kid-tailored PADI certification

and specialty courses for kids 10 and up, SASY and Seal Team scuba-prep offerings for younger children, and educational experiences and fun social events for everyone involved.

keling lessons. Despite the enthusiastic instruction from KSC and dive staff, Hailey still wouldn’t accept the snorkel — no matter what they tried.

The Littlest Turtle

Traveling to a destination with such amazing underwater diversity can make “Me Time” difficult. Thankfully, the Kids Sea Camp vacation recipe designed by Margo Peyton keeps every member of the family entertained and happy. While my family was engaged in their own activities each morning, I got to get wet with other moms and dads who were just as over-themoon happy to be underwater as I was.

Toward the end of the week, I skipped a couple of adult boat dives to join both the Junior Open Water divers and Advanced Open Water diving teens. It was the best decision I’d made all week. Kids marvel at everything, and it’s contagious. They were by far my favorite buddies of the trip.

Watching the teens, armed with their new SeaLife cameras — a cool bonus included during some of the Kids Sea Camp weeks

Cobalt Coast Dive Resort was bustling with youthful exuberance when we arrived.

With a big seaside pool, sandy beach, open-air restaurant and bar and the PADI Five Star Dive Center located conveniently on site, the waterfront enclave seemed tailor-made for Kids Sea Camp.

Hailey was the youngest camper that week, but it didn’t take long for her to immerse herself into the social mix, plunging into the pool, hunting hermit crabs on the beach and making new friends with the other kids in her Turtle program. Each morning the youngsters would report for the day’s duty, which ranged from marine education, art projects, field trips to see turtles and build sand castles at the Beach, opportunities to try SASY (Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth) and snor-

WorldMags.net

A Glimpse of the Future

S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

WorldMags.net

at Kids Sea Camp that I couldn’t wait to get her back again, this time to Buddy Dive on Bonaire. The familyfriendly Buddy Dive has enough activities to keep us all entertained — not to mention amazing food and friendly staff. Hailey was now 5 and old enough to learn Surface Air Supplied Snorkeling for Youth (SASY).

Each afternoon after Kids Sea Camp we’d meet on the dock for family snorkeling time, searching the protected area in front of the dive shop for schooling baitfish in the shadows of the dock, silver sides schooling and the occasional tarpon cruising between the pilings.

My Girl Grew Braver Each Day

Now, she was dragging me toward the water after dinner for a moonlit snorkel off the dock. But Hailey’s proudest moment was the day she donned her SASY gear to pass her checkout “dive”. With her BFF Olive by her side, she popped the regulator into her mouth and didn’t raise her head from the underwater view until her instructor was tapping her on the back to tell her she had passed.

I watched from the dock, laughing with pride as my little turtle tried her best to submerge, only to be thwarted by the SASY flotation vest, legs and tiny bottom in the air like a diving duck. More than a year later, we can’t have a family vacation discussion without Hailey chanting, “Kids Sea Camp, Kids Sea Camp, Kids Sea Camp.” Next up: She will join the Kids Sea Camp PADI Seal Team and really get underwater.

The “apple” has fallen close to the tree after all — it just took a great place like Kids Sea Camp to nurture and encourage what was just waiting to show up.

They Will Remember Forever Photo Courtesy of Kids Sea Camp

— going nuts over coral gardens was a true highlight.

The best dive of my entire year!

The Benefits of Peer Pressure

The big finale of Kids Sea Camp is a family trip, to do the world-famous encounter at Stingray City. While the others on our boat dropped to the sand, my family and I floated on the surface, watching the action below. Hailey seemed content to gaze down between breaths at first.

That’s when I heard something that warmed my heart: “Mommy, I want my snorkel.”

Listening to my daughter giggling through her snorkel as she clung to my wife’s arm was magic. I dived below, snapping photos of them, and today, those images are some of my most prized. When the feed ended and the divers emerged, Hailey could laugh with the other kids about how the rays swooped and swirled, rather than feeling left out of the fun.

The fun, welcoming and gently encouraging atmosphere of Kids Sea Camp helped motivate her to persevere through a tough challenge.

My daughter had such a transformative experience

Photo by Annie Crawley

www.familydivers.com 803.419.2556 kids@familydivers.com WorldMags.net

w h at

WorldMags.net

i t ’s

l i k e

…

... To Be a Female Army Diver �A By Lt. Christie PLaCkis, as toLd to Brooke Morton

In the Army, gender challenges are about logistics. I trained for two years before dive-school tryouts. A lot of that was upper-body work to meet training standards. You have to complete 46 push-ups in two minutes, and a minimum of six pull-ups.

I’m a small woman. My upper body isn’t as strong as that of some people, so it took more initiative on my part to meet the ftness requirements. Tat’s one great thing for our standards — they’re the same for everybody. You know your body, and only you know if you have to work harder to get there.

Much of our training, like swift-water

rescue, isn’t easy for anyone. In West Virginia we studied with the River Riders to learn the hydrology of fast-moving water. As soon as we were at depth in the current, I felt like a rag doll — I think everyone did. In dive gear, we learned to be properly tied down and constantly alert — or discover the consequences. At one point, I was carrying a rock to weight myself in place. Te river pried it from my hands, pushing my fnger against another rock. Tat digit swelled until a needle poke was needed to relieve the pressure.

Another training exercise that emphasizes the importance of physical

ftness is our two-week annual Deep Blue. One day the seas picked up — waves grew to 5 feet. While wearing a 30-pound dive helmet, a standard scuba tank, weights and boots, I had to hoist myself onto a platform. Ten as a unit, we had to pull the rest of the crew from the drink. We were maneuvering around 2 tons of steel slapping up and down in the waves. If we didn’t muscle up the strength to ride the swell, we would have been endangering ourselves and our surface support — they could have been swept under and injured by the bow ramp.

Is every day easy? No. But with diving, the playing feld is level. Te training exercise that best demonstrates this is underwater football. In regular football, the big guys win. In our version, it’s about how deep you dive, how strong a swimmer you are, how calm you stay underwater, how long you can hold your breath, and how well you push of the bottom. Tese are the game changers. Tis is what I do best.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 20

Courtesy u.s. Army stAff sgt. miCAh VAnDyke (3)

currents

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

top 100

WorldMags.net \\\ 2 0 1 4 \\\

>readers

c h o i c e

<

The Bahamas This island nation claimed No. 1 wins in our 2014 Top 100 Readers Choice Awards for Best Overall Diving, Best Big Animals and Best Advanced Diving. Its walls, wrecks, beginner diving and photography opportunities also placed in the top five. �A by brooke Morton

Sharks, sharks, dolphins and more sharks. Island-hopping in the Bahamas means checking of a handful of species from your list: Caribbean reefes, hammers, tigers, oceanic whitetips and more. In Bimini, operators regularly ofer swims with wild Atlantic spotted dolphins. But back to the sharks: Nearly every island has an aggregation or feeding site, making this destination No. 1 in the Caribbean and Atlantic in our Top 100 Readers Choice Awards for big animals, surely a factor in why these 700 islands also earned top honors for overall diving. Beyond the parade of dorsals, the Bahamas is also home to reefs, wrecks, walls and caves â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the diving is as challenging or as breezy as you like.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 22

Charo Gertrudix/ ultima Frontera

tiger beach, Grand bahama

WorldMags.net Aggressor Fleet • Dancer Fleet

8:05AM

10:17AM

It’s Time You Discover the

3:42PM

Around-the-Clock Advantages of Aggressor Fleet & Dancer Fleet Worldwide LiveAboards.

6:15PM

Exploring the World Since 1984 · Alor · Bahamas · Belize · Cayman Islands · · Cocos Island · Dominican Republic · Fiji · · Galapagos · Hawaii · Komodo · Maldives ·

8:30PM

· Myanmar · Palau · Pulau Weh, Indonesia · · Red Sea · Tailand · Turks & Caicos ·

Fantastic Fiji, Save $500 New reservations Island Dancer LiveAboard*

+1-800-348-2628 · www.liveaboardfeet.tv www.aggressor.com · www.dancerfeet.com

WorldMags.net *some restrictions apply

top 100 readers choice

WorldMags.net

the M/V Comberbach off Long Island (top); divers are flocking to bimini for great hammerhead aggregations.

bimini’s Hammerheads It’s the easiest great hammerhead encounter in North America — the success rate stands at 100 percent. At a feeding site just outside the harbor of South Bimini, these 13-foot-long predators arrive every February. Operators such as Neal Watson’s Dive Center take guests to the 15-foot-deep site where they feed hammerheads chunks of mahimahi and bonita. For divers and especially photographers, it’s a thrilling and intimate experience: On a typical dive, anywhere from three to nine sharks come within bumping distance, making for guaranteed jaw-dropping close-ups. Bonus: Te site is so close to shore that you can hop on the Wi-Fi network of Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, and instantly upload.

Wreck Diving New Providence has a number of wrecks, including the cargo ship Ray of Hope, which is perched between the edge of a wall and Stuart Cove’s sharkfeed site. After dropping deep, stroll its top deck to decompress while hanging with goliath grouper and reef sharks.

Grand Bahama has the nicely encrusted Theo’s Wreck, a 230-foot freighter that’s been down since 1982. Of Long Island, the 110-foot M/V Comberbach is a must-dive freighter at 115 feet, with a utility van on deck and black coral thriving along the wheelhouse. Of South Bimini, divers can check out the partly-above-water SS Sapona, sitting in 18 feet; grunts and snapper weave among the sponge-covered supports.

tiger beach You’ve seen the footage: A tiger shark chomps down on an underwater camera; insanely awesome video is the result.

Tis is the stuf of Tiger Beach, a site

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 24

WorldMags.net Arawak Cay to sample the nutmegtopped drink. Be wary — they are potent.

PHOTO OP

From top: nanCie willett; shutterstoCk (2), opposite, From top: stephen Frink ColleCtion/alamy; John Bantin

EAT It’s how the South would cook lobster: At Santanna’s Grill Pit on Great Exuma, don’t even look at the menu. Take the fried lobster: It’s sweet, juicy and, surprisingly, not a gut bomb. The open-air restaurant is right on the water; bring a towel and stay for a post-lunch ocean dip.

Rumor has it that during wartime, a local stashed a few pigs on the island just north of Staniel Cay in the Exumas, planning to fetch them when meat supplies ran low. They’re plenty fat now, but far from on the menu.

Instead, they’re photo fodder.

TRAVELPAC VOYAGERPAC •

With 25 lbs / 11.3 kgs of lift, the TravelPac is the ideal BCD for AL 80s and warm water diving.

•

With 35 lbs / 15.8 kgs of lift, the VoyagerPac is the ideal BCD for heavier steel tanks and cold water diving.

•

Lightweight 5 lbs 13 oz (2.62kg) and compact size make the TravelPac ideal for travel.

•

Lightweight 6 lbs (2.72kg) and compact size make the VoyagerPac ideal for travel.

TO FIND MORE INFORMATION & TO LOCATE YOUR GLOBAL DEALER OR VISIT:

M a k e

T h e

Connection

DRINK

Sky Juice — a cocktail of gin, coconut water and ice — is the refreshment of choice in these islands. On New Providence, head to the fish fry at

ALL-IN-ONE DESIGN, WITH MODULAR BCD COMFORT • ADJUSTABLE FOR OPTIMUM FIT INFLATOR ROUTES OVER LEFT SHOULDER AND OPV IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND SIDE

reef & rainforesT Anchor offshore and these opportunists swim to you, hoping for a handout. you’ll get a great snap — if you can stop laughing.

Travel for adventure seekers

Connect to your world, connect with your dive buddy and connect with the planet.

Reef & Rainforest can connect you with expert travel advice, seamless transportaton, jaw-dropping dive sites, excitng adventures and a personalized itnerary to the destnaton of your dreams.

w w w. r e e f r a i n f o r e s T. c o M Toll Free 1.800.794.9767 ARC Accredited • ASTA • IATAN • CST 1021532-40

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 25

top 100

WorldMags.net

readers choice

Both UNEXSO and Stuart Cove’s are

renowned for shark dives; opposite: blue holes are a classic Bahamian experience.

of Grand Bahama where Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas runs year-round dive trips. Many visitors get hooked instantly on interactions with this species, whose silver-dollar eyes not only track us but also give the sense of a greater connection.

Caribbean Reef Shark Feeds “Tey’re like golden retrievers,” says Cristina Zenato, head trainer at UNEXSO dive facility on Grand Bahama, of the Caribbean reef sharks she works with. “I don’t get to scratch their heads while I watch TV at night, but I wish I could.” Instead, she joins fellow crew for daily feeds, with guests gathered in a semicircle behind her on a sand patch. Most sharks are regulars — meaning they learned the drill long ago. Tey stay calm and orderly, recognizing they earn fsh heads for good behavior. Divers new to shark diving can build confdence with the experience, and learn to read a shark’s body language and behavior. Zenato, with UNEXSO since 1995, readily doles out trivia and tidbits.

The Tongue of the Ocean Call up the Bahamas on Google Earth’s satellite view, and you’ll fnd that this is an area of contrasts. Te archipelago was named for its shallow grand bahama Theo’s Wreck

Tiger Beach

need to know

new Providence

Bimini

Current Cut Wax Cay Cut

Sapona

bahamas

Tongue of the Ocean Ray of Hope

Atlantic Ocean

M/V Comberbach

when to Go Conditions in the Bahamas are idyllic year-round. Note that shark mating season is summer; smaller numbers of predators RSVP to the afternoon feedings then. travel tip Island-hopping in the Bahamas can be a bit of a logic puzzle. Certain airlines reach certain islands only on

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 26

certain days. It pays to do your homework, and have a backup plan (weather isn’t an issue, but flights can be affected by “island time” delays). dive Conditions Water temperatures vary between 72 degrees F in January to 84 F in August.

For More Info scubadiving .com/bahamas

WorldMags.net

seas (baha mar) — think of the beaches with turquoise waters on all the postcards — but don’t overlook some of the best wall diving in the world. Of the coast of Andros is a cobalt-blue, hockey-stick-shaped oceanic trench — 20 miles deep in some patches.

Whether you’re diving on air, nitrox, rebreather or inside a submarine, this is a destination with enough depth to satisfy all profles.

HAWAI I the spirit of

Kauai

• • • • • • • •

Maui

PADI 5 Star IDC Training Center Daily Boat & Shore Dives Whale Watching Dec-Apr Spacious Boats w/Hot Showers & Restroom Free Pool Lessons Certification Courses Snorkel/Scuba Rentals & Sales 2 Locations on Kauai

,

Toll Free 800.685.5889 www.seasportdivers.com

(808) 922-DIVE www.DiveOahu.com

Aw

Oahu ar

d

Sc

ub

zi

ad

ers

ving Maga

Choice

Di

R

e

NatioNal GeoGraphic imaGe collectioN/alamy, opposite: tim calver

808-329-7585 800-345-4807 dive@jacksdivinglocker.com www.jacksdivinglocker.com

• PADI 5 Star IDC Gold Palm Resort • Do Your IDC in Hawaii!

• Daily Boat Charters to Shipwrecks: Sea Tiger/YO-257/San Pedro • Three minutes from Waikiki • ScubaPro, Tusa, Aqualung • Rebreather Friendly • Mark 6 rentals

a

Te never-ending vistas of sea, sky and sand in the Bahamas can completely relax you, but for divers who don’t mind a current-fueled drift, there are sites where adrenaline junkies can get their kicks, just one reason readers scored Bahamas high for advanced diving (it’s not just about the sharks).

Channels between the islands in the chain can deliver hold-onto-your-reg drift diving. Current Cut in Eleuthera is arguably the most famous. Some operators ofer multiple runs through the cut, where you’ll fy with the fsh past large coral heads and colorful flter feeders. Te dive boat picks you up as you exit the channel. Te current also cooks at Wax Cay Cut in the Exumas.

Forget the camera — usually at these sites it’s futile to do anything other than go with the fow.

Manta Night Dive & Snorkel Daily Dive Trips “Pelagic Magic” Night Dive Summer Camps for Kids & Teens PADI Outstanding Dive Center PADI Instructor Training Beginners thru Advanced Retail, Rental, Repair, Pool

ne

Current-Fueled Drifts

www.Hawaiianrafting.com 808-661-7333 Toll Free 1-866-529-2544

Oahu

Kona

• • • • • • • •

Two tank Dives to Lanai daily.

Small groups our specialty. 12 Divers Max. Digital underwater camera rentals and instruction available. We shoot pictures on every Dive. Nitrox buy 1 fill get the 2nd for free.

Voted BEST OVERALL DESTINATION USA & North America

Waikiki Dive Center • PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center • Complimentary Shuttle Service • Coast Guard Certified boats in two locations • Waikiki’s Only Full Service Dive Center since 1979 • Separate Trips Daily for Experienced & Beginner Divers • Equipment Rental & Sales • Amazing Wreck Diving on Oahu 808-922-2121 www.waikikidiving.com

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 27

drive and dive

WorldMags.net

Clockwise from top left: the deck of the Bermuda, just 12 feet below the surface; a diver drops into the Alger Underwater Preserve; divers on the Smith Moore; Selvick was placed for divers in 1996. Opposite: Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

The Wrecks of Munising

There’s treasure in the histories of the ships of Michigan’s Alger underwater Preserve �A stORy by ERiCA bLAkE PhOtOs by ANdy MORRisON

Tousands of visitors each year travel miles of Lake Superior shoreline to view colorful weathered sandstone that makes up one of Mother Nature’s greatest beauties. But while the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is one of America’s natural wonders, it’s what lies below these magnifcent clifs that excites scuba divers.

One of Michigan’s 14 underwater protected areas, the Alger Underwater Preserve stretches 113 square miles along the shoreline. Conserved within the frigid waters are dozens of shipwrecks ofering divers of various skill levels the opportunity to peek into our nation’s maritime past.

Among the most popular Great Lakes shipwrecks is the

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 28

WorldMags.net

130-foot schooner Bermuda. Sheltered within Murray Bay, just of the shores of the city of Munising, this intact vessel rests upright in about 30 feet of water.

Because of its location in the bay, the Bermuda is often accessible to divers even when Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unpredictable weather cancels dive opportunities farther out into the lake.

Tere is plenty to see on this wreck â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because the shallow depths ofer a relatively bright experience, most divers make sure they have time to explore.

Depending on lake levels, the deck of this beauty rests just about a dozen feet below surface. Compared with some of Munisingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deeper offerings, the Bermuda radiates a welcome warmth, which gives me even more time to cruise along its rails.

Most of my air was spent at the bow, where a chain dropped of into Superior silt. Te wreck also ofers hatches, the bow stem, stern rail and rudder; divers have reported seeing paint on the hull despite decades underwater.

Another Munising favorite is the Smith Moore. Deeper, darker and colder than the Bermuda, the Smith Moore is just as beautiful although a bit more taxing to tour. A 226-foot woodenhulled steamer, the Smith Moore sank in an 1889 collision outside the bay.

Dropping just about 90 feet to the stern on a summertime dive here, I felt as though I were swimming through a green fog when I spotted the ship lying upright. I eased forward along the rail to the boiler house, where I could see

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 29

drIVe aNd dIVe

WorldMags.net

Munising

ITINERARY

DAY If weather

1 permits, choose a dive site along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Back on land, head to Foggy’s Steakhouse & Lounge, where diners can grill their own steaks.

DAY If you have

2 an after-

noon charter, get up early and take a

opportunities. And because you’re in the Upper Peninsula, stop for a pasty — a meat pie usually eaten by hand — at one of the city’s diners.

DAY If you

3 haven’t had enough shipwrecks, Glass bottom shipwreck tours (ship wrecktours .com) is a unique Great Lakes

A diver approaches the bow of the

Bermuda, a wooden schooner that sank

FROM TOP: SHUTTERSTOCK (2); COURTESY SHIPWRECK TOURS

off Grand island on Oct. 15, 1870.

tour of the area’s many lighthouses.

Integral to Michigan’s maritime history, lighthouses offer beautiful photographic

experience. On your drive home, take a detour to see Munising Falls — the Upper Peninsula’s area falls are majestic.

the steamer’s giant engine. I took my time traveling toward the bow and dropped down into a few cargo holds, which revealed how much sand now surrounds the ship on the outside.

Capt. Peter Lindquist of Shipwreck Tours, our charter, explained that preserve managers keep the Smith Moore from being buried by dredging the sand with pumps.

Because of the depth and cold — these dives are most comfortable in a drysuit — I spent only a half-hour on this shipwreck but was still able to see much of the machinery that went down with the vessel. Capstans, pinrails and pumps are among the items still visible, although experts say many

items — including the anchor — were removed years ago. (Today Michigan law protects shipwrecks from those looking for souvenirs.)

A less historic but just as impressive dive is the Steven M. Selvick, afectionately called the Tugboat. Members of the preserve intentionally sank this 71-foot steam-driven tugboat as a dive site. With the help of numerous volunteers and hours of prep work, the Selvick — which was used during construction of the Mackinac Bridge — was sent about 60 feet to the bottom in 1996.

Wave action over the years has pushed the Selvick so that it now rests nearly completely on its port side. I was able to peek in the back holding areas and up through the doorways and windows in the pilothouse, and noticed a large coil of rope still at the bow.

Because of its relatively small size, the

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 30

WorldMags.net

Selvick can get crowded quickly, but it’s defnitely a dive worth doing.

No list of favorite Alger Preserve wrecks would be complete without the Kiowa. Its location several miles east of Munising means the boat ride out and back ofers spectacular views of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

And the dive on this 261-foot, oceangoing freighter ofers a chance to explore its many broken pieces.

Kiowa foundered in a 1929 storm; today it rests in about 30 feet of water.

Years of waves and ice have crushed much of the ship, but there are still interesting artifacts to discover. Visibility during my visit was limited, but my

the 226-foot wooden-hulled Smith Moore sank in an 1889 collision outside the bay. its engine is shown here.

buddy did spot the corked cannon that we were told to look for. Tis object — which still had cork in the barrel — was used to shoot rope from ship to shore.

Getting to Munising — located on the far side of the mostly rural Upper Peninsula — requires quite a drive for most visitors. But the certainty of excellent diving makes the trip worth it.

To fnd the best dive sites, shops, operators and more near you — all on a handy locator map — visit scubadiving.com/dive-local.

need to know

When to Go The diving season typically runs from mid-May to early October. Keep an eye on the weather: Heavy winds may limit the shipwrecks that can be visited, or even cause the charter to be canceled.

Dive Conditions Lake Superior is the coldest of the five Great Lakes, so drysuits are highly recommended.

Surface temperatures in the summer may hit the low 60s, however prepare for bottom temperatures in the 40-degree range on the deeper wrecks.

The visibility at Alger Underwater Preserve can range from 25 to 50-plus feet, depending on weather and the time of year.

Operator Shipwreck Tours (shipwrecktours

lake superior, michigan Kiowa

Grand Island

PIcTured rocks NaTIoNal lakeshore

Steven M. Selvick Bermuda Smith Moore Munising

.com/diving- charters) provides scuba-diving opportunities, as well as glass-bottom- boat tours for those

not interested in getting wet. Air fills are available, but if you want to dive nitrox, you must bring your own.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 31

live-aboard

WorldMags.net

My Little Valentine

In the mood for love, with the humpbacks of Dominican Republic’s Silver Bank �A By DaviD Espinosa photos By scott johnson

Tere are few guarantees in life, fewer still when it involves marine life. Shark feeds are one, but when it comes to natural encounters, nothing’s a sure thing. Except for the humpback whales of the Dominican Republic’s Silver Bank.

“I guarantee you will see humpbacks,” says Rob Smith, second captain of Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, as we settle in for the crossing to Silver Bank, nine hours north of Puerto Plata.

Boats have been coming here for 27 years, and they’ve got the whale watching down to a science. “North Atlantic humpbacks arrive here on Silver Bank to calve, mate and frolic,” says Capt. Amanda Smith. Whales start arriving in late November, departing for the North Atlantic to feed in late April; boats ofer a brief 10-week schedule to coincide with the busiest period.

As certain as beach trafc in summer, the humpbacks are here. Within minutes, we are treated to half a dozen breaches and tail slaps, a few tail lobs, and a fuke display.

Hot and Heavy We enjoy some brief mother-and-calf engagements our frst afternoon, but we’re skunked the second day. On the morning of our third day we see a handful of whales, but they are all going somewhere other than where we are.

An hour into the afternoon session, our spirits are lagging. Te mother-and-calf pairs have disappeared, and the possibility of another day without an in-water encounter looms when a pair of whales pops up beneath the tender. Tey forge ahead, circle back and swim under the tender. Smith tells us to get our fns on; we’ve stumbled upon a “Valentine.”

It is a marvelous courtship: Te female is in a fuguelike state — slow moving and with a glaze in her eyes. Te male swims beneath her with open pectorals before surfacing to slap the water with his pectoral fns, or fuke.

An hour in, two new males appear.

Smith calls us out of the water; we watch as the original suitor battles his rivals using an array of bubble screens, pec slaps and tail lobs. Just 20 minutes in, and the interlopers are defeated. Our Valentine couple re-emerges, inviting us once again to watch their amorous dalliance.

I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but as our tender

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 32

a humpback mother swims upside down above her calf; guests are treated to a showy display by a breaching humpback (below).

WorldMags.net

â&#x153;˛ NEED TO KNOW When to go Turks & Caicos Aggressor II offers whale charters from late January through early april.

Snorkel conditions Water temps this time of year are typically in the high 70s. You will be on a tender for seven to nine hours

a day, so come prepared (with sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.).

Operator With room for 18 guests in comfortable luxury, Turks & Caicos Aggressor II is one of only four boats with a permit for Silver bank. Capt. amanda

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 33

Smith has 10 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience here; she and her crew put guests in for optimal encounters. (aggressor.com) Price tag Prices for a seven-day cruise (four-and-a-half days with the whales) start at $3,095 for a twin share.

WorldMags.net

is pulling away, the two whales surface, arch their backs, and sink one last time, their fukes synchronizing perfectly in a fnal farewell. I’m reminded of the date — Feb. 12 — when my roommate, John Curtis, says, “Valentine’s Day came early.”

Mother-and-Child Reunion Tere are two spots in the world you can safely and reliably — not to mention legally — enter the water with humpbacks: Tonga and the Dominican Republic. Tonga is difcult and expensive to get to; the Dominican Republic is neither. Only four boats hold a permit for in-water experiences on Silver Bank: two of which are Sun Dancer II and Turks & Caicos Aggressor II. Even if you’re a longtime Aggressor

Silver Bank because it’s warm and there are no fsh — which equals no predators.

Tat’s conducive to mating behavior, especially heat runs (aka rowdies), in which a female is pursued by more than one male. Silver Bank is also good for mothers that give birth to calves, either on the way to the Dominican Republic or shortly after arriving.

The next morning we see how comfortable the whales have become on Silver Bank. After an hour with an unruly Valentine couple, as we head back in for lunch, one of the Sun Dancer II tenders calls to us on radio. (Te boats here are extremely collaborative, sharing whale experiences.) Tey’ve found an exceedingly receptive mother and calf, but are headed in to lunch and want to know whether we’d “babysit” for them.

a young humpback puts on a display

near the Polyxeni.

5

TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP

1 yes, there is a $150 whale sanctuary fee, but it’s for a good cause.

The humpbacks and their calves stay in these waters until the young are strong enough to make the journey to the northeastern u.S. 2 The aluminumhull chase boats are fitted with a Bimini top, so you’ll have some protection from

devotee, this liveaboard trip is unlike any other. For starters, there isn’t the excitement of the unknown: We know what we’re going to see every day.

Second, don’t discount the diferent feeling you get from taking on no nitrogen. “It took me the longest time to fnally get down here because I was a snorkel snob,” says photographer Scott Johnson, who’s done this trip three times.

I know what he means. Tere’s a diferent ebb and fow to getting geared up in just a mask, snorkel and fns.

Te fnal diference is more subtle.

“On most dive trips, we’re there to see various animals,” says Johnson. “On this trip, we’re here to see behavior.”

Scientists believe the humpbacks prefer

Ten minutes later, we are in the water with a mother and her 8-foot-long calf.

“Some of the best encounters are when the mom’s sleeping,” says Johnson. “Te calf has to come up for air every two to four minutes, four times for every breath the mom takes.” Which is exactly what plays out. Te mother hovers 30 feet deep, while the calf alternates nuzzling her nose, cuddling up beneath a pec, or playing hide-and-seek with us.

Harangued by pilot fsh picking at the new skin that is sloughing of, the calf pops to the surface and parades past us before returning to its mother.

the sun. But don’t skip the sunscreen. We also recommend a uV-protective hat and quality sunglasses.

Be My Valentine Te f nal day is a “best-of ” whale

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 34

3 Bring a camera outfitted with a wide lens.

There’s nothing to photograph out here except the whales.

4 Full-foot fins are best for free diving, and because the water can be as cool as 78 degrees F, a 3 mm wetsuit might be in order if you’re prone to getting cold.

5 On Friday, after the return to Ocean World Marina in Puerto Plata, guests are treated to a cocktail party on the yacht, and then you’re on your own for dinner.

The crew can offer restaurant recommendations; you’ll want to wear something besides the shorts and T-shirt you’ve lived in all week.

SHUTTERSTOCK (2)

live-aboard

WorldMags.net See for yourself

Cayman’s magical underwater World with Don Foster’s Dive.

• Located on the water, just minutes from Georgetown • Daily boat dives • Spectacular shore diving • Kittiwake • Excellent dive package rates • Caymans longest standing dive shop

© Bone Dry Photo

218 South Church St. • Georgetown 345-949-5679 • 345-945-5132 • email: dfd@candw.ky

www.donfosters.com

For more info 800-410-9608

LetsGoHonduras.com

For a great deal on a scuba diving vacation in one of the world’s most beautiful places, visit Utila in the Bay Islands of Honduras. Surrounded by the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Utila features spectacular turquoise water, and abundant sea life. This authentic Caribbean Island is still a largely undiscovered and unspoiled tropical paradise. Escape the stress and busy lifestyles of the mainland and get a feel for the laid-back attitude of Utila.

LAGUNA BEACH RESORT

The perfect location for an exclusive diving, fishing and beach getaway. This beachfront resort provides much privacy with bungalow style A/C accommodations nestled on the lagoon’s edge, perfect for a view of Utila’s tropical sunsets. All dive packages include three boat dives a day, two night boat dives a week, unlimited shore diving/snorkeling, unlimited horseback riding, kayaking, r/t transfers Utila airport/resort, and hotel taxes.

623-217-4557 shara@utiladiveventures.com www.lagunabeachresort.info

photo by: Wally Diehl/Blue Ocean Ink

display. Te morning starts with a pack of rowdies, which tail-slap and breach their way toward us.

Next we encounter a couple of sleepers which, as the name suggests, aren’t too exciting. Tey mostly sleep, rousing every 20 minutes before descending to 30 feet and nodding of again. We are hoping they’ll wake and start a Valentine, but after four breath cycles, we move on.

Good thing we did, because TCII’s other tender has found the same motherand-calf pair from the previous day. We get about four of mom’s breath cycles, enjoying the calf as it swims in front of the line of snorkelers.

We power through lunch because, as Smith says, “It’s whale soup out here.” At one point we are tracking two motherand-calf pairs, along with a group of rowdies that keep popping their fukes into the air.

Finally we settle on a mother and calf with a lone male escort. As soon as we approach, the three swim straight at the boat, and for an hour and a half lead us on a circuitous tour of the narrow coral-reef passages around the Polyxeni wreck, near TCII’s mooring.

Shots of a whale’s fuke are awesome, and the male escort is showing of. But the shots are also “naked,” with no background or foreground in the wide ocean.

As we follow the trio, we notice we are getting close to the wreck. Te ultimate fuke shot is lining up, but every time the male raises his fuke, it’s at a poor angle or barely out of the water. Time is running out — the water near the wreck is getting progressively shallower and more hazardous, with numerous patch reefs.

Ten it happens. About 100 yards of the wreck the male stops, raises his fuke 8 feet out of the water, and waves it side to side. Our tender erupts in cheers.

We follow the whales for another 500 yards, but the sun is going down, and it’s too treacherous to follow them without being able to see the reefs. As we head home, I look back to see the whales in a tangle of white water and bodies.

It’s a proper send-of for an amazing trip, one where I don’t log a single second of nitrogen time. On the return trip, I watch my videos of Valentines, mothers and calves, and the sleepers. And next Valentine’s Day, I may watch them again, to get me in the mood for a little love.

DEEP BLUE RESORT

A beachfront resort set in its own grounds surrounded by indigenous plants and animals.

Spacious, rooms with A/C and private balconies overlook the Caribbean. With a max capacity of 20 guests, our resort makes for a real get-away-fromit-all hideaway. 3 boat dives per day and unlimited shore diving only 40 feet from your room.

011-504-957-63-697 info@DeepBlueUtila.com www.DeepBlueUtila.com

For Utila Dive Deals & Honduras Dive Guide Visit: www.scubadiving/bayislands WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 35

WorldMags.net

AdrenA by tr avis marshall

From left: hammers in Galapagos; tubing in Belize; surfing in Maui; sharks

at Cocos Island, Costa Rica.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Hiking, SHA rK S, c av i n g , S H A r K S , surfing, SHA rK S, rafting and, Hmm, S H A r K S . W H at m o r e could an adventure junkie a sk for?

from left: Brandon Cole; doug Perrine/SeaPiCS; ron dahlquiSt/SuPerStoCk; Jeff rotman/SeaPiCS

line Od WorldMags.net

AdrenAline Od WorldMags.net wimming with sharks is a heart-pounding adventure that comes in many diferent shapes and sizes. All around the world, divers have unique opportunities to marvel at the ocean’s most majestic predators, up close and personal. Many of the hottest shark spots also ofer can’t-miss topside thrills to keep your heart rate up between dives. That’s why we’ve compiled our collection of the world’s 25 best spots for sharks and adventure, so you’ll never run out of ways to stoke your adrenaline.

Lemons pile up at Bahamas’ Tiger Beach.

tiger beach, bahamas

F

or underwater photographers and adventurers who are keen to get up close and personal with tiger sharks, there’s one place that’s on everyone’s bucket list. Tiger Beach in the Bahamas is a shallow sand fat where divers not only get within touching distance of multiple tiger sharks, but also Caribbean reefs, lemons and occasional

hammerheads that join the scrum. While Tiger Beach is accessible by a high-speed dive boat from Stuart Cove’s new location on the west end of Grand Bahama Island, ocean adventurers should also set their sights on the Abacos — the perfect jumping-of point for an exciting sailing adventure through the remote reaches of the Out Islands. stuartcove.com

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 38

WorldMags.net

15

More shark adventures

1 | Malapascua Island,

CloCkwiSe from toP: maSa uShioda/CoolwaterPhoto; national geograPhiC/getty imageS; gerald nowak; tim Calver; ron dahlquiSt/SuPerStoCk, oPPoSite: greg leCoeur

phIlIppInes Drop onto Monad Shoal to swim with rare pelagic thresher sharks, which cruise in from the deep to visit cleaning stations at this submerged pinnacle off Malapascua Island in the Philippines.

Topside, take an island cruise with a stop for adrenaline-pumping jumps from towering cliffs. malapascuadiving.com

3| nassau, BahaMas

Experience one of the original shark-feed dives, pioneered by shark-wrangling expert Stuart Cove at his Nassau dive center.

Feeders descend with chum buckets at spots

like Shark Arena and the Ray of Hope wreck, ringing the dinner bell for throngs of Caribbean reef sharks.

Afterward, try your hand at kite-surfing across Nassau’s glassy blue waters. stuartcove.com

4| BIMInI, BahaMas Maui scenes: scalloped ham-

mers and stand-up paddlers.

M

aui is blessed with an abundance of dive locations, from turtle- laden nearshore reefs to the open-ocean cinder-cone Molokini and the dramatic lava formations of Lanai. Maui insiders also know of a secret dive site where scalloped hammerheads mysteriously congregate. The site, called Fish Rain, sits of the coast of nearby Molokai. It’s visited by only a handful of dive boats, like Lahaina Divers, which makes a weekly run for an advanced drift dive among the highly sought-after sharks, which can include gray reef and Galapagos. Lahaina Divers also takes small groups to a secluded part of Lanai where you can kayak, snorkel or try stand-up paddleboarding. lahainadivers.com

maui, hawaii

2| Morehead cIty, north

carolIna Fin alongside schools of ragged-toothed sand tiger sharks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic off Morehead City, North Carolina, home to some of the best wreck dives in the country, like the Spar and the Papoose.

These Gulf Stream waters also offer world-class fishing — spend an extra day on the waves stalking cobia, mackerel and bonito. olympusdiving.com

WorldMags.net

Slip into a cage to hang with resident bull sharks right in the marina of the Bimini Big Game Club. The original island in the stream (the Gulf Stream, that is) also makes the perfect jumping-off point

for marlin fishing and dolphin encounters. biggameclubbimini .com

AdrenAline Od WorldMags.net

15

More shark adventures

5| Fakarava, French

dive. And don’t miss a day of swimming, snorkeling and sampling the local poisson cru with a trip to Blue Lagoon. tahiti-tourism.com

6| north Queensland,

D

rawn by schools of spawning snapper, whale sharks show up like clockwork at Belize’s Gladden Spit between the months of March and June.

This experience is open to both divers and snorkelers, as whale-shark sightings near the surface are common when the animals surface to feed. The best days for whaleshark encounters of the Placencia coast are around the full moon each month of the season, when the spawning action reaches its zenith. Once you’ve gone face to face with the biggest fsh in the sea, turn your gaze inland, where the jungles of Belize conceal a network of caves and underground rivers. Take an inner-tube foat through a jungle cave system or go spelunking to explore ancient Maya artifacts. splashbelize.com

Placencia, belize

australIa During the Australian summer, thousands of turtles migrate to Queensland’s far north to lay eggs, and hungry tiger sharks are hot on their heels for an easy turtle buffet.

While there, take a side trip to Daintree Rainforest to spot crocodiles, cassowary and other exotic wildlife. destination queensland .com.au

WorldMags.net

7|

Great BarrIer reeF, australIa One of the best shark spots on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is Osprey Reef, where you can spot gray reef sharks, silvertips, wobbegongs and more.

Make the liveaboard trip any time from June to August and stop at Lighthouse Bommie for a chance to snorkel with minke whales. mikeball.com

8| socorro Islands, MexIco From hammerheads to tiger sharks to whale sharks, the Socorro Islands are as sharky as they come. Stop in Cabo on the way out for an ATV adventure in the Baja desert. rociodelmar liveaboard.com

CloCkwiSe from toP left: tim Calver; doug Perrine/SeaPiCS; aaron huey/national geograPhiC Creative; ShutterStoCk, oPPoSite, CloCkwiSe from left: dale JorgenSon/SuPerStoCk; maSa uShioda/SeaPiCS; lill haugen

polynesIa At Fakarava’s Tumakohua Pass, ride the incoming tide into a narrow channel, where the current reaches blazing speeds. At the mouth of the pass, a gauntlet of reef sharks makes a formidable start to the

WorldMags.net

san diego, california

S

outhern California has one of the best spots to catch a glimpse of blazing-fast shortfn mako sharks. These openocean hunters follow their food to the San Diego coast from June to November; divers often spot them alongside sleek blue sharks. Here you get the chance to go sans cage with both of these beautiful pelagic predators at one time. San Diego is also home to one of the most picturesque coastlines in the country.

Spend a day exploring the clifs of La Jolla by kayak, where you can paddle inside wave-carved sea caves and snorkel among the kelp forests. bluewaterphotostore

.com/blue-shark-trip Very aggressive shortfin

mako; La Jolla.

beqa lagoon, fiji

C

onsidered one of the best shark dives in the world, Fijiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beqa Lagoon is famous for encounters with as many as eight species of sharks at one time, including tigers, bulls, sicklefn lemons and many more. The long-running feeding program happens at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a marine park created specifcally for research and conservation of sharks. The departure point for the shark dive is Pacifc Harbour on Viti Levu, which is also where you can join a white-water-rafting excursion to the Upper Navua Gorge, home to some of the most dramatic and formidable terrain in the South Pacifc. fji.travel

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 41

AdrenAline Od WorldMags.net

Cocos style: whitetip reefies

on the hunt; schooling hammers; a Wafer Bay waterfall.

CoCos Island, Costa RiCa

T

ake a liveaboard from Coast Ricaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pacifc coast to the Cocos Island Marine Park, where you can do four dives a day with schooling hammerheads, marlin and flter-feeding manta rays against towering volcanic rock formations. Drop down on the legendary seamount Bajo Alcyone, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share the water column with a half-dozen shark species, not to mention pelagics like sailfish, tuna and wahoo.

Between dives, outdoor adventurers can go ashore on this remote isle to hike and swim in the jungle waterfalls of this pristine island in the Pacifc, where remote rainforests have earned the island UNESCO World Heritage status.

aggressor.com

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 42

WorldMags.net

15

More shark adventures

9| Guadalupe Island,

clockwise from top: A. winkler/picture AlliAnce/photoshot; luis JAvier sAndovAl; christiAn vizl; shutterstock; michAel Aw/seApics, opposite, clockwise from top: Alex tyrrell; Jeff rotmAn/seApics; scott Johnson

MexIco For adrenaline junkies who want the ultimate big-animal encounter,

Guadalupe Island — a liveaboard trip from Ensenada, Mexico — is arguably the world’s best place to get a cageside view of great white sharks in action.

Back in port, take some time to kayak around La Bufadora, a spectacular natural sea spout. nautilus explorer.com

Dyer Island great white; African elephants.

11| JupIter, FlorIda

Jupiter has become famous for the annual migration of lemon sharks along its shores during the winter months. The yellowtinged sharks congregate around wrecks and deeper ledges from Jupiter to Palm Beach.

Winter is also the perfect time to take a paddling trip beneath the cypress stands of the Loxahatchee River. jupiterdivecenter .com del 12| playa carMen, MexIco For a chance to go cageless with bull sharks, Playa del

10| Marsa alaM, eGypt

T

he original home of great-white cage diving can be found in one of the wildest corners of the ocean.

The southern sea of South Africa is a hotbed of shark activity, where apex predators cruise the temperamental waters for abundant local fur seals. Set out from Gansbaai for an undersea safari you’ll never forget when you slip into a cage alongside toothed behemoths the size of school buses. Those watching the experience from the boat won’t be disappointed, as the deck provides an all-around view of the sharks as they circle and descend. And then experience a topside safari in the famed Kruger National Park, where you have incredible odds of frsthand encounters with the Big Five: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and bufalo. sharkcagediving.net

gansbaai, south africa

Egypt. After spotting these rare sharks in the wild, take a day to drive inland and go back in time at the ancient city of Luxor. emperordivers.com

Swim with elusive oceanic whitetips — fierce pelagic predators not to be confused with whitetip reef sharks — at Elphinstone Reef, a coral-covered pinnacle accessible by day boat from Marsa Alam,

WorldMags.net

Carmen has just the ticket. Regular sightings happen from December to March, just a few minutes’ boat ride from shore, where a sandy bottom offers a safe, clear view of these aggressive predators. Then explore a cavern with a swim in a nearby cenote. scubadiving .com/rivieramaya

AdrenAline Od WorldMags.net

15

More shark adventures

seat for some serious predation as copper sharks blast past gulping whales and dolphin pods spin bubble nets. Then get a second dose of adrenaline on a

13| Roatan, HonduRas

The signature shark feed on Honduras’ Bay Island of Roatan is Cara a Cara. Go face to face with a swarming pack of Caribbean reef sharks when the divemaster cracks his bucket of chum 70 feet down.

Topside, take a kayak trip to Pigeon Cay to explore this deserted tropical isle. sharkdiveroatan .com

14| KwaZulunatal,

soutH afRica Hop into a miles-wide boil of baitfish off South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, and snag an amazing front-row

zip-line canopy tour in the Karkloof Nature Reserve. sardinerun .com

15| RHode island

Plunge into chilly North Atlantic waters for a cage dive with some of the fastest fish in the sea. Slender and shimmering blue sharks make regular appearances, but the guests of honor are the powerfully aggressive and lightning-fast mako sharks. Do double duty on the Snappa by hitting the Gulf Stream on a deep-sea fishing adventure. snappa charters.com

O

ne of the most unusual sharks in the sea, the basking shark is only rarely encountered. Basking sharks are the world’s second-largest fsh — after whale sharks — reaching lengths of about 30 feet. Diving with these prehistoric flter feeders is akin to swimming with their larger cousins, except basking sharks prefer the chilly waters of the North Sea. Scotland is the ideal base for encounters with basking sharks, which arrive at Scottish Bank during the summer months. Summer is also the ideal season to take a stunning cycling tour of Outer Hebrides. Peddle past lochs, windswept beaches and the 5,000-year-old Callanish Standing Stones as you explore the lonely island roads of these remote islands. baskingsharkscotland.co.uk

hebrides, scotland

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

clockwise from top: cArlos villoch; brAndon cole; frAnco bAnfi, opposite, clockwise from top: AlexAnder mustArd; Andy murch; keith de-lin; doug perrine

blue corner, palau

T

he vibrant reef of Palau’s Blue Corner hangs on the edge of deep, open ocean, where sweeping currents blanket the corals with nutrients, sparking a food-chain proliferation right up to the apex predators. Sharks hang here in hordes, cruising the bufet. To get in on the action, toss out a reef hook to hold your position in the ripping fow as the sharks close in around you — you’ll feel an incredible sense of stationary fying.

And no trip to Palau is complete without donning a snorkel to swim among the swarms of sun-worshipping photosynthetic jellyfsh at Jellyfsh Lake. scubadiving.com/palau

Scalloped hammerheads; an

endangered marine iguana.

galapagos, ecuador

R

ipping currents, steep walls, and crazy schools of pelagic fsh and sharks are the everyday denizens of a dive in the Galapagos. Divers undertaking the trek to this once-in-a-lifetime destination should make the most of it on a liveaboard like M/V Galapagos Sky, which visits remote dive sites at Wolf Island and Darwin Island. These sharkiest dive spots

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 45

are the backdrops for iconic images of schooling hammerheads — not to mention Galapagos sharks hunting the open ocean, and whitetips overflowing from every crack. No trip to the Galapagos is complete, however, without exploring ashore to get up close with endemic iguanas, penguins, tortoises and other unique topside creatures. divencounters.com

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

VECTOR ART: ISTOCK

WorldMags.net

WITNESSING A GOLIATH GROUPER SPAWNING ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS, BUT THAT MAKES DIVERS ONLY MORE EAGER TO JOIN THE HUNT

BY BRO O K E M O R T O N IL L U S T R AT I O N S BY M O NI C A A L BER TA

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com JULY 2014 / 47

WorldMags.net

ORGY IN THE DARK

rom the outset, the plan seems more batter than baked. As I load my gear onto M/V Explorer at the dock in Boynton Beach, Florida, I look around and sense that the four divers assembled by Kevin Metz know it.

Through our exchanged emails days earlier, the dreadlocked captain couldn’t hide his excitement.

He works for the dive operation Underwater Explorers, which means he has the keys — and the freedom to burn gas — to chase a phenomenon that most boat operators won’t. Te charter on this September evening is invite-only.

A few months back, I’d been introduced to Metz via Brian Dombrowski, a technical diver who tracks underwater happenings. When the time came for goliath grouper aggregations, Dombrowski reached out to Metz, someone with a taste for exploration dives.

Epinephelus itajara, which can grow to nearly 10 feet and around 800 pounds, has been off-limits to fi shermen since 1990. A year later, it was nearly declared endangered.

Now the population has rebounded, and the Florida reef residents gather by the hundreds in various off shore points to spawn, mostly in August and September. For divers, there’s no luck required to swim with dozens at this time, when they brazenly disregard people — they’re too busy seeking mates.

What hooked Dombrowski, Metz and me was the possibility of witnessing hundreds of grouper in the actual moment of release, as plumes of eggs and milt — fish sperm — swirl into the water column.

Unlike the coral spawns on Caribbean

I’VE GOT A LOADED BOAT, FLAT SEAS, AND THREE DIET COKES COURSING THROUGH MY VEINS. SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN. islands like Grand Cayman and Curaçao, the timing of this nighttime sex party was still one big TBD. As of that night, nobody had seen it.

“So where do we start looking?” I ask while schlepping tanks.

“Tat’s the easy part,” Metz says. For the past two months, the grouper have been aggregating at the M/V Castor, an artificial reef in 110 feet of water. In Jupiter, a coastal city 30 miles north, they meet up at the M-111.

What these two locations have in common are deep, warm water and a surging current — all turn-ons for this barrel-chested swimmer.

Trough the dive reports of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association scientists, fi shermen, divers and even National Geographic photographer David Doubilet, Metz knew that the release of milky clouds coincides with the new moon.

Doubilet had been out on Explorer several times in the past week, enticed by the prospect of being the fi rst to capture the spawn on fi lm. He told Metz that he figured the best time is as close to dusk as possible. Whether this was advice for lighting a shot, locating the mass orgy with the naked eye or actual scientific intel, Metz wasn’t sure.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com JULY 2014 / 48

MICHAEL PATRICK O'NEILL/OCEANWIDEIMAGES

WorldMags.net

But when David Doubilet gives you a tip, you heed it.

I also learn that when the fish pair off, they ditch the wreck and swim out over the sand. Ten, in the actual moment of fry-making, the fish change course, darting vertically in the water column — which, from a diver’s perspective, means that it will be nearly impossible to find them: a free-swimming needle in the Atlantic haystack.

I’m starting to feel like Tom Cruise in a fishy version of Eyes Wide Shut. Te party is out there, and it’s going to take a hell of a lot of work to find it. But I’m not led by libido. I’ve got a loaded boat, flat seas, and three Diet Cokes coursing through my veins. Something has to happen.

Ten I spy a toy in the stern. Tis is my first spawn-chasing rodeo, but it’s not for my fellow divers. Teir batteries are charged.

re you comfortable grabbing my ankles?”

That’s how I meet divemaster Alex Borsutzky, owner of one diver propulsion vehicle. As Explorer motors out of the harbor, he tells me his plan to buzz ever-wider circles around the wreck to find the action. Apparently, he’s generous enough to sacrifice speed to show me around.

It’s 30 minutes to the wreck; when we arrive, we find we’re not the only ones

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com JULY 2014 / 49

knocking at the party-house door.

Only, the folks aboard the other boat don’t seem to be sure if they’re coming or going. Tey fly no dive flag. No fishing lines run below the surface. It’s unclear what they’re doing out here.

Only after we’re in the water, hovering over the bow of the Castor at 95 feet do we connect the dots. Ten feet of yellow polypropylene line dangles from the mouth of one grouper. Someone had been illegally attempting to haul in this fish, which explains why minutes before we dropped anchor, a scuba-suited guy thumped back aboard the mystery boat — and why the passengers barely responded to Metz’s yelled offers to help them with their stuck anchor, the only logical explanation for why they were lingering. Turns out that despite the goliath’s protected status, some yahoos can’t ignore 700 pounds of temptation.

WorldMags.net

ORGY IN THE DARK

Tere’s nothing we can do about that right now, with bottom time dwindling and the last crumbs of daylight disappearing. Borsutzky buzzes up to me, palms upturned: a question.

I return the gesture and shake my head, answering no, I haven’t seen the grouper in numbers. And no sign of mating behavior: the rubbing of pectoral fins against bodies, the throaty thump of their aggressive cries. In the past week, during day trips with Jupiter Dive Center a few miles up the coast, I’d seen grouper by the dozens. I’d sheltered behind a piling as I watched one slide belly-up below me, eyeing my movements. Like middle-schoolers at a dance, they formed little pods, nestling near one another but not making big moves. So far, on this night, I had laid eyes on two, maybe three at a time, but they were clearly on the move, not as leisurely as they’d been in daylight.

Borsutzky signals that he’s going to make another sweep. He disappears.

Suddenly, I realize how thickly dark it is. Foolishly, I failed to dive this wreck in the daylight. I don’t know where I am going.

Rising through the ranks of the dive world is a funny thing: Te more experience you gain, the more other divers will grant you more leeway, a sign of respect.

Te leash gets ever looser, until you find yourself practicing the “buddies in the same ocean” style of diving.

Realizing I’m quickly becoming separated from our loosely knit group, I make my way toward the only lights I can see. Tey belong to a customer who didn’t offer to be my guide. He

NEED TO KNOW WHEN TO GO The goliath grouper spawning off the southeast Florida coast coincides with the new moons of August, September and sometimes October. For the best chances of seeing, drop in as close to dusk as possible.

has a camera, so I pass the rest of the dive staying a few yards behind him as he photographs the giants crowding inside the superstructure. I spin my light into the black wilderness around me, wondering about the odds that I will stumble upon magic.

until I’ve almost hit it.”

Te fourth diver in our party, Rick Scott, starts asking how the grouper responded to our lights. He’s vexed, working out aloud how to rig his gear.

He needs his dive lights to see but thinks his camera strobes scared the subjects.

Borsutzky laughs. “Don’t they know it’s more fun with the lights on?”

With an hour to kill on the surface, we tweak our plan. While we were in the water, Metz had been eyeing the fish finder. “Were you seeing them around the superstructure? They should be stacking up in about 40 to 60 feet.”

We jump in again, armed with suggestions from Metz. The group stays more or less together this dive, and I watch Scott’s strobes. Like a photo booth, every few moments, the

’m the first back on the boat.

Heat lightning cracks white above the cityscape and open ocean.

When Metz asks, I say I heard a couple of thundering grunts.

I also tell him that the current seems fairly strong, but when my makeshift buddy climbs back aboard, he reports the opposite, explaining that the flow of water over the ship creates a sweeping force — this is what I felt. Otherwise, he deems this a calm night in terms of current.

Borsutzky starts cleaning his scooter.

He swears he’s not using it again. “I need a helmet! I can’t see the wreck

DIVE CONDITIONS August water temps are about 86 degrees F; seas are generally calm. September is a transitional month, so conditions vary. However, water temps are consistently in the high 70s.

OPERATORS Underwater Explorers (diveboyntonbeach.com), based

in Boynton Beach is already planning its fall night-diving schedule; call or email the dive shop for details. Jupiter Dive Center (jupiterdivecenter.com) also offers night dives upon request for groups of four or more. To make this night dive, you must be advanced open water and nitrox certified.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com JULY 2014 / 50

PRICE TAG Underwater Explorers charges $65 for a two-dive day charter and $70 for two dips at night. Jupiter Dive Center asks $70 for a daytime two-tank trip, and $80 for its two-dive nighttime excursions. Note that both operators charge extra for tanks and rental gear.

WorldMags.net bulbs fire. Grouper with tails thrashing against one another. Grouper spinning upward in the water column. Grouper dive-bombing toward the sand.

It’s funny — I had mostly figured that none of us would hit the jackpot and see that eggy cloud. But there’s an electricity in hoping, in knowing that we’re yards, maybe even feet, from something no human has seen, or at least captured on film. In a way, these behaviors are among the last frontiers in the world — a few undiscovered moments. By the time I

assent to my computer’s suggestion to call the dive, my body is shaking from cold.

In a fog of wonder, I drive the three hours home in silence. I can’t stop thinking about what to do differently should I again get the chance to search for this mating moment.

I’m deep into my second cup of coffee the next morning when I see an email from Scott. He apologizes that the shot isn’t in better focus. Yet, amid the nine grouper captured in the frame is the most wondrous thing. It’s like an

MCT VIA GETTY IMAGES

THERE’S AN ELECTRICITY IN HOPING, IN KNOWING THAT WE’RE YARDS, MAYBE EVEN FEET, FROM SOMETHING NO HUMAN HAS SEEN.

enormous dust storm kicked up by a motorcycle in the desert. Scale is hard to judge, but this cloud of beginnings stretches maybe 20 feet tall. It’s like a speckled cosmos at the tail, and thick cotton candy in the center. I’m mesmerized. It’s a good five minutes before I see that Scott also wrote a few lines explaining how he managed this single frame.

Frustrated that his dive lights were scaring away the very thing he came to see, he resolved to stay still in the blackness, watching. When the shadows edged in near enough, he squeezed the shutter.

Beyond that, Scott says he was simply shooting in the dark.

In a way, we all were, hoping against lightninglike odds that magic would simply fall in our laps and that — like the grouper — we’d get lucky too.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

eAsY BReATHeRs TesT resULTs Are in FOr 14 neW reGULATOrs

new regs are like new cars: no matter how shiny and pretty they are, you don’t know what they can do until they’re put to the test. We started on the AnsTi breathing simulator at dive Lab in panama City beach, Florida. Then we spent two days with test divers conducting in-water ergonomic trials. We’ve got the test summaries here. (detailed scoring results can be found on scubadiving.com.) BY ROGER ROY PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH STOVALL AND CARRIE GARCIA

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 52

WorldMags.net The experTs behind The TesTs

How we TesT testinG was conducted on an ansti wet breathinG simulator,

which measures how much efort — “work of breathing” — it takes to move air through a regulator as it is subjected, underwater, to a precise series of depths and breathing rates. Te testing was done at Dive Lab, a commercial testing facility owned by Kirby Morgan Diving Systems International. (Full disclosure: Te company manufactured one of the regs in this year’s test.)

than 1 j/l of work — a big improvement over regs of a generation ago.

If a reg achieves these test requirements — the toughest of which the fttest diver would be hard-pressed to keep up for more than a couple of minutes — we push it into even more-extreme conditions.

How each reg performed is found in the charts that accompany the reviews.

erGo test cateGories C ease of breathing in a normal

swimming position. How well does the regulator deliver air?

C ease of breathing in face-up posi-

How well does the regulator deliver air when looking up? tion.

C ease of breathing in head-down

position. How

well does the regulator deliver air when in an inverted, headdown position?

C wetness in normal swimming

position.

How dry does the regulator

breathe?

C wetness in head-down position.

When in odd positions, how dry does the regulator breathe?

C bubble interference in swimming

position. How well does the reg defect

bubbles from your feld of view while swimming?

Tests are performed at a highpressure supply of 725-760 psi to conform to European test standards.

Per industry practice, regs are tested in the face-forward position, and regs with breathing adjustments are set at the wide-open/no-free-fow point.

Te simulator pressurizes the test chamber to simulate depths of 132, 165 and 198 feet of seawater (fsw). Each “breath” by the machine moves 2.5 liters of air through the regulator, and we do this at breathing rates of 15, 25 and 30 breaths a minute. Tese precisely measured volumes of air — 2.5 liters multiplied by the breathing rate — are called respiratory minute volumes (rmv).

roger roy

depths and breathinG volumes C 37.5 rmv @ 132 fsw: Tis represents the maximum recreational depth at a somewhat aggressive breathing rate.

C 75 rmv @ 132 fsw: Tis simulates the

potential demand at maximum recreational depth for a diver at an extremely heavy work rate or two divers buddybreathing at a somewhat aggressive rate.

C 62.5 rmv @ 165 fsw: Tis represents the European conformance standard EN250 (you’ve seen this stamped on your regulator). Tis is also the depth and breathing rate commonly used by manufacturers.

C 62.5 rmv @ 198 fsw: Tis is the U.S. Navy’s Class A test depth and breathing rate (although the Navy uses a higher HP supply pressure than we do).

Te simulator monitors how much efort is required to “breathe” in and out, measuring the work of breathing in joules per liter (j/l). As depth and breathing rate increase (and with it, the density of the air being moved), the work gets harder. Most modern regs are able to perform at 37 rmv and 132 fsw with less

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 53

C bubble interference in vertical/ stationary position. When station-

ary in the water, how well does the reg defect bubbles?

C ease of clearing, the blowing method. Is it easy to clear the reg by

exhaling into the mouthpiece?

C ease of clearing, the purge-button

Is it easy to fnd and use the purge? How forceful is it?

C purge-button stiffness. How hard or easy is the purge button to press?

C comfort of mouthpiece. How comfortable is the mouthpiece?

C venturi-lever adjustment. Is the Venturi lever easy to fnd and use?

C breathing-adjustment knob. Is the adjustment knob easy to fnd and use? Does it do its job in a reasonable manner? method.

to see complete ergo test scores for each reg, go to scubadiving.com.

OVer $500 THE TOP PERFORMERS IN THIS PRICE CATEGORY SCORED WorldMags.net GOOD TO EXCELLENT ON ALL TESTS

WOB SCORING

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

PISTON VS. DIAPHRAGM

4 3

High-Pressure Air from Tank

2 1

Intermediate Pressure to Second Stage

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

Ambient Pressure

Piston

PISTON High-Pressure Air from Tank

Ambient Pressure

Intermediate Pressure to Second Stage

Diaphragm

LAB RESULTS

BEUCHAT VR200 SOFT TOUCH HF msrp: $899 (includes octo and reg bag) contact: spearotek.com balanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

We liked a lot about the solid VR200 Soft Touch, including that it was easy-breathing, dry, comfortable and lightweight. In fact, it made every test diver’s top-three favorites list — the only reg we tested to do so. On the breathing simulator, the reg demonstrated very good performance well beyond recreational-diving limits, although it dropped off just a little at the most extreme depths. The wide, pliable purge button — set in a lightweight chrome front plate — lived up to its Soft Touch name, with easy, efficient clearing. The dive/predive switch was slightly on the stiff side though effective at preventing free-flows, and the breathing knob was convenient and easy to adjust. We tested other regs that racked up more-impressive work-of-breathing scores at torturous depths and breathing rates on the simulator. But in actual diving, no other reg was rated more highly across the board for comfort and ease of breathing. The VR200 Soft Touch is our Testers’ Choice in this category.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 54

This is a debate that’s been going on since the early days of scuba diving.

Since then, manufacturers have so dramatically improved both designs that the differences in performance are largely imperceptible to recreational divers.

Piston first stages gained a reputation for reliability because they have few moving parts, but in well-made regs, both piston and diaphragm models have excellent reliability records.

Because piston designs require more-precise machining, they were often more expensive. But modern manufacturing techniques

have made it possible to produce both designs with greater precision and at lower cost.

The moving parts in diaphragm regs are isolated from contact with the water, so they’re often favored for cold or contaminated water, although some piston regs can be environmentally sealed.

Piston first stages can deliver greater volumes of gas, so they’ve often been the choice for tec diving. But many diaphragm regs are capable of comparable performance and — especially in recreational use — any modern reg is capable of delivering more air than a diver can breathe.

ILLUSTrATIoNS By JAMeS ProVoST

DIAPHRAGM

OVer $500 WorldMags.net

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

WOB SCORING

4

HOLLIS 500SE/DC7

msrp: $549.95 contact: hollis.com overbalanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

The advantage of side exhausts is you can switch sides with a flip rather than a wrench. The trade-off is that side exhausts, including the 500SE, typically use a servo-operated valve, which is a more complicated mechanism than a conventional reg. Despite this, test divers found it to be easy-breathing. On the simulator, its work of breathing was excellent at rec limits, and very good at extreme depths and breathing rates. Testers found that in some positions, bubble interference was worse than conventional regs; tilting the head was usually enough to make interference negligible. There’s no dive/predive switch, but the reg didn’t try to free-flow. While the purge cleared the reg well, several divers thought it operated with enough force that it required a strong bite to keep the reg in place.

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

WOB SCORING

4 3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

BEUCHAT VX10 EVOLUTION

msrp: $650 (includes reg bag) contact: spearotek.com balanced-diaphragm first stage; five lp, two hp ports

The VX10 might look a little like a beefed-up version of the VR200 Soft Touch, but it has heavy finning on the first stage and oversize water-exchange holes on the alloy diaphragm cover that mark this as a cold-water reg. Inside, the details are very different from its smaller brother, with a larger-diameter diaphragm and a huge, oval-shaped exhaust diaphragm.

There’s also a 360-degree swiveling turret on the first stage.

The diaphragm and exhaust ports make the VX10 a little huskier, but it’s a comfortable reg. Divers rated it very good almost across the board, though some found it just a tad wet in the head-down position. In fact, its ergo scores were a virtual tie with the VR200. On the breathing simulator, the VX10 demonstrated very good performance, even to extreme depths. This is a cold-water-capable reg that’s an all-around good performer.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 55

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

OVer $500 WorldMags.net

WOB SCORING

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

4

OCEANIC OMEGA 3

msrp: $699.95 contact: oceanicworldwide.com overbalanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

The Omega 3 shares the same first stage that Oceanic pairs with the ZEO, but otherwise the side-exhaust Omega 3 is very different. It’s another example of how the performance of side-exhaust regs has been honed. The Omega 3 chalked up one of the very best scores for work of breathing on the simulator at maximum recreational depth. Divers gave the reg good scores for ease of breathing and dry-air delivery in all attitudes — although some found it slightly wet while head-down. They also gave it very good ratings for reducing bubble interference with just a slight tilt of the head. On the surface, the purge button seemed a little stiff, but submerged it worked easily and effectively. The Omega 3 has a dive/predive switch that rotates around the air hose, with a large ringlike knob that’s easy to grip and did a good job at damping free-flows.

WOB SCORING

5 4 3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

OCEANIC ZEO

msrp: $689.95 contact: oceanicworldwide.com overbalanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

The elliptical shape of the ZEO’s second stage keeps it compact, and its lightweight, swivel-joint hose connector and orthodontic mouthpiece make it comfortable. The crescent-shaped dive/predive switch is easy to grasp, if just a bit stiff, and prevented free-flows. The breathing-adjustment dial was easy to use, though it took a few turns to make a noticeable difference in breathing resistance. Divers gave the ZEO scores from good to very good for ease of breathing and delivering dry air in all positions, though some found it slightly damp in the head-down position. On the breathing simulator, the ZEO’s work-of-breathing performance earned a very good rating at maximum recreational depth — even under the heaviest workload we subjected regs to — and its performance was good at the deepest depths of our regular test protocol.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 56

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

OVer $500 WorldMags.net

WOB SCORING

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

4

AQUA LUNG GLACIA

MSRP: $825 yoke, $840 DIN Contact: aqualung.com Overbalanced-diaphragm first stage; four LP, two HP ports

3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

Aqua lung makes the legend lX Supreme for cold water, but the Glacia is built for even more-extreme conditions. Hence the extensive fins on the first and second stages, the in-line heat exchanger on the hose, and the large water-exchange holes on the front cover — all designed to suck as much heat as possible from water that’s not much above freezing. On the breathing simulator, the Glacia showed its legend heritage, with performance that was rated excellent at high demand rates well beyond rec depths. In fairness, our ergo tests were performed in 72 degree F water, where features like the Glacia’s cold-water mouthpiece and muted purge action — which prevents blasts of frigid air that could cause icing — were bound to be little more than annoyances. Had our test divers been in icy water, they would have recorded higher scores.

WOB SCORING

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

4 3 2 1

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

LAB RESULTS

KIRBY MORGAN SUPERFLOW msrp: $825 contact: kirbymorgan.com balanced-piston first stage; five lp, two hp ports

This reg has some distinctive features that reflect its manufacturer’s history in commercial dive gear. The most obvious are the wide “whiskers” — long, flexible exhaust ports with open slots along the bottom like those on lightweight dive helmets. The reg’s mega exhaust gives it a wide profile, but it’s actually lightweight (and with the purge cover/exhaust port removed, surprisingly compact). The reg cranked out the top work-of-breathing performance in its class on the simulator, with excellent ratings down to 198 feet. Test divers also liked the oversize adjustment knob but added a caution about it. With some regs, you can turn the adjustment all you want and not much changes. On the SuperFlow, the adjustment’s effect is pronounced, and spinning it wide open can invite a free-flow; fine-tune it with care, and this is a very capable reg.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 57

Under $500 THE TOP PERFORMERS AT THIS PRICE POINT RECEIVED GOOD WorldMags.net TO EXCELLENT MARKS IN ALL CATEGORIES

KEEP WATER OUT OF YOUR REGULATOR After diving, dry and reinstall the first-stage dust cap before soaking your reg in fresh water. Avoid pressing the purge button on the second stage while it’s soaking because that can allow water past the demand valve and up into the reg.

If possible, after your reg is thoroughly rinsed, hook it up to a cylinder and press the purge to drive out any moisture.

FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S SERVICE SCHEDULE Service schedules vary, with most reg makers recommending servicing once a year for normal use, and every six months for frequent use.

Manufacturers also recommend a service check if the reg has been in storage

WOB SCORING

ReG CARe AND seRVICe

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

4 3 2 1

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

for an extended period — even if it’s been used very little — because it’s impossible to detect corrosion or deterioration of internal components without disassembling the reg.

DO A REG CHECK BEFORE EVERY USE With the regulator hooked up to a cylinder but with the valve still closed, put the reg in your mouth and inhale.

If you can’t hold a vacuum without air creeping into the reg, the exhaust valve could be leaking, and the reg should be serviced. Next, open the valve, note the pressure, then close the valve; the pressure shouldn’t drop in less than about one minute.

Reopen the valve and do several cycles of exhaling and inhaling to make sure the reg is working properly.

LAB RESULTS

HOG ZENITH

msrp: Zenith second stage $124.95; Zenith black $129.95; d3 first stage $209.95; d3 cold $229.95 contact: edge-gear.com balanced-diaphragm first stage; two hp, five lp ports; 360-degree swiveling turret We tested both the Zenith and Zenith Black, and found that they are essentially identical other than their color highlights. Their performance was exceptional, especially since they were nearly the lowest-priced regs we tested (the pricing does not include a hose, which allows divers to select a preferred length). HOG calls itself a “boutique” brand for tec divers, but there’s nothing fancy-pants about the Zenith, which gets right all the details of what works. On the breathing simulator, both Zeniths scored excellent at maximum recreational depth and very good scores beyond. In real-world ergo tests, divers gave the Zeniths the highest overall scores of any reg we tested — not because they excelled in any one category, but because they did well across the board in all categories. The Zenith was our Testers’ Choice in this category.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 58

Under $500 WorldMags.net

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

WOB SCORING

4

IST SPORTS R860

msrp: $430 contact: istsports.com balanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

IST has given its flagship reg some internal upgrades, but our tests show it’s retained the same easy-breathing characteristics that earned good marks in our 2012 test. On the simulator, the R860 chalked up excellent performance at recreational depth, and was rated good even down to extreme depth and breathing rates. Test divers gave the R860 very good marks for ease of breathing in a swimming position and for easy purge action, though some felt the purge button could be a tad larger. like the first stage — which has a 360-degree swiveling turret — the metal ring that retains the diaphragm cover is a metallic gray that gives the reg a beefy look. But the ring is actually a light alloy that doesn’t add any noticeable weight to the second stage. Divers also liked the breathing adjustment, which has a soft, rubbery knob that was precise and effective.

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

WOB SCORING

4 3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

CRESSI MC9/COMPACT

msrp: $359.95 contact: cressi.com balanced-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

This travel-oriented reg is the smallest of any we tested. Made of lightweight materials and with abbreviated exhaust ports, the second stage weighs less than 5 ounces. Its feathery weight and a very soft purge cover made this a comfortable reg. Despite stubby exhaust outlets, divers didn’t find bubble interference troublesome. Paired with Cressi’s top-of-the-line MC9 first stage, the Compact also showed very good performance on the breathing simulator at recreational depth, and good performance even down to our test limits. It has no breathing adjustment, just a well-marked dive/predive lever on the top of the reg. The lever didn’t seem to make a pronounced difference in performance, but then the reg didn’t try to free-flow even in dive mode on the surface. The price tag is also small, making it one of the best bargains in our test.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 59

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

Under $500 WorldMags.net

5

LAB RESULTS

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

TUSA RS-812

WOB SCORING

4

msrp: $499 contact: tusa.com balanced-piston first stage; four lp, two hp ports

3 2 1

Tusa’s newest reg aced our tests on the breathing simulator, earning excellent scores for work of breathing from rec limits down to our most demanding test depths and breathing rates.

It also performed well in real-world diving, with test divers giving the RS-812 very good scores for ease of breathing in all positions, and finding it to be a dry breather. It’s a comfortable reg too, with a lightweight second stage and a good swivel hose connection. Divers found the breathing adjustment to be easy to operate and very effective; it required a bit of care in adjustment near the open limit to prevent a free-flow.

While the purge did its job well, some divers found it to be a bit stiffer than they liked — especially those with smaller hands.

Testers called this a solid reg, a description that aptly fit its performance on the simulator and in the water.

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

WOB SCORING

5 4 3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

SCUBAPRO MK21/S560

msrp: $499 contact: scubapro.com balanced-piston first stage; four lp, two hp ports Everything about the MK21/S560’s performance would lead you to expect bigger numbers after the dollar sign. Test divers liked its smooth, almost-effortless performance. The lightweight second stage is easy on the mouth, and the purge is smooth and sure. The adjustment knob turns easily and to noticeable effect. One rap was the dive/predive switch, which is effective but can be a little hard to grasp. On the breathing simulator, the reg really stood out. When it recorded excellent performance throughout our standard test regimen, we pushed into muscle-reg territory to see what it could do: Even at a torturous breathing rate, it didn’t exceed test parameters for work of breathing until we hit 220 feet. No other reg in this test pulled off that feat. For delivering unmatched performance at a midrange price, the MK21/S560 is our Best Buy.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 60

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

Under $500 WorldMags.net

WOB SCORING

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

4

SUBGEAR SG50

msrp: $499 contact: subgear.com balanced, sealed-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

SubGear’s top-of-the-line reg, the SG50 aced its tests on the breathing simulator, racking up excellent ratings down to the most challenging depths and breathing rates. It also gave an impressive performance in the water, earning very good scores for ease of breathing and comfort. The dive/predive switch was easy to use and effective at blocking free-flows. Some divers thought the purge cover was a little stiff, but the purge cleared the reg well. The breathing-resistance adjustment knob has a wide enough range that opening it too much risked a free-flow at depth; however, it allowed precise adjustment that made the reg breathe with very little effort. Divers found a lot to like about the SG50, which offers impressive performance for a relatively modest price.

5

BREATHING SIMULATOR RESULTS

WOB SCORING

4 3 2 1

LAB RESULTS

SUBGEAR SG30

msrp: $399 contact: subgear.com balanced, sealed-diaphragm first stage; four lp, two hp ports

As the SG50’s little brother, the SG30 doesn’t have all the upscale features like a swivel connection or braided hose.

But the SG30 had excellent performance on the breathing simulator at recreational limits and very good performance even beyond. Divers called it a smooth, dry reg, and liked the same things about it that they liked about its bigger sibling — a compact, lightweight second stage that’s easy on the jaw, with easy and effective breathing and Venturi adjustments.

The few niggles divers noted were reminiscent of the SG50 — the sensitive breathing adjustment requires care when nearing wide open to prevent free-flows, and the purge was on the stiff side, though it otherwise did the job. All things considered, the SG30 offers a lot of performance at a very attractive price.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 61

37.5 RMV 75 RMV 62.5 RMV 62.5 RMV @ 132 FSW @ 132 FSW @ 165 FSW @ 198 FSW

WorldMags.net

FIRsT LooK

WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF DIVE WATCHES CiTiZen eCO-driVe prOMAsTer depTh-MeTer ChrOnOGrAph Fueled by Citizen’s light-powered Eco-Drive, this distinctively styled watch has an indicator to show the battery’s reserve power. The meter displays depth to 125 feet and records maximum depth, while the chronograph tracks dive time. Waterproof to 200 meters.

Contact: citizenwatch.com MSRP: $695

Oris prOdiVer pOinTer MOOn bALL WATCh enGineer hYdrOCArbOn nedU

This watch features a unique display that tracks the tidal range with an Old World style of moon phases and orbital tracks, combined with the latest technology and exotic materials. The watch has a titanium case for lightweight strength, and a locking dive-time bezel with a rotation-safety system that’s secure but easy to operate. The Prodiver Pointer Moon is water resistant to 1,000 meters.

Contact: oris.ch MSRP: $3,600

Named for the Navy Experimental Diving Unit, the elegantly styled Hydrocarbon NEDU uses Ball’s gas-tube luminosity and oversize graduations and numerals for easy reading, even in the dark. All of the watch’s chronograph features are accessible when underwater. The unidirectional bezel is shaped for a sure grip and precise adjustment, and the watch is rated to 600 meters.

Contact: ballwatch.com MSRP: $4,799

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 62

WorldMags.net ImaGING +

LESSONS FOR LIFE

traininG ExPERT aDvIcE

scubadiving.com

bEHIND THE LENS [ Gear ] Panasonic GH3, Olympus 60mm lens, Subsee +10 wet lens, Nauticam housing, Inon Z-240 strobes

CAMERA SPECS ISO 200 SHUTTER SPEED 1/160 SEC F-STOP 22 [ location ] Bonaire: Lots of supermacro-size subjects can be easily found in the 20- to 30-foot range before dropping over the wall.

All the Small Things Super tips for shooting supermacro

�A By Jim Decker, ceO, Backscatter UnDerwater ViDeO anD phOtO

Supermacro doesn’t have to be super hard. With the right tools and technique, you can get great shots.

is so close, you’ll need to put the strobes right up against the front port to get light onto the subject.

1 A macro lens is designed for the 5 Use a DeDicateD macrO lens

largest reproduction ratios. On SLRs and mirrorless cameras, look for lenses that will give you a 1-to-1 ratio.

2

Use a wet DiOpter clOse-Up

lens Tis will allow the lens to focus closer than its normal minimumfocus distance and allow you to get closer to the subject, thereby making it appear larger.

keep the shUtter speeD anD apertUre nUmBers Up Depth

of feld will become thinner as you approach the limits of minimum focus and maximum reproduction. Higher aperture numbers (f-stop) will give more depth of feld (the amount of the picture that is in focus). With an SLR at ƒ/22 and a wet close-up lens, depth of feld

longer 6 focal lengths of a The 100mm or slr is still king

105mm macro lens will give you more working distance from the front of your lens to the subject than a shorter focallength lens. Tis will permit you to stay a bit farther out and get pictures of skittish creatures. And you still can’t beat looking through an optical viewfnder to confrm fnal focus before snapping the shot.

PHOTOLab

special effect

focus light 3 with a wide beam is aAmust, even Use a fOcUs light

during the daytime. Macro critters tend to live in dark holes or under ledges.

4 Since the distance to the subject

is only about 1/8 of an inch. Keep the shutter speed up to the limits of your camera’s fash sync speed, which will tend to be between 1/160 and 1/320 sec for most mirrorless and SLR cameras.

Tis will help keep ambient light out of the shot, and also serve to knock out any light from your focus light.

mOVe the strOBes clOse

bEFORE

aFTER

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 63

When your subject is very close to the background, a little postvignette crop will darken the edges of the photo a little. This will help bring more attention to the primary subject.

training lessons for life

WorldMags.net

Ed had only an open-water certifcation, but he was thinking of taking additional training now that Leo was a diver. He hoped they’d become dive instructors together and lead dive trips around the world. He couldn’t wait.

Lose Your Focus, Lose Your Life

Tere was a light surface current and 2- to 3-foot seas as Ed and Leo got ready to make their frst dive on the shipwreck, one of Ed’s favorite dives.

As the divemaster gave the briefng and told them what to expect, both divers got more and more excited. Leo was a little nervous. He hadn’t dived since the previous summer but had refreshed himself using his training-course materials. Ed reassured Leo that he would be right beside him the entire dive, and showed him the pony bottle attached to Ed’s main scuba cylinder in case one of them ran low on air. Ed had bought it a few weeks before, wanting an extra margin of safety since he was diving with his son.

Ed stayed slightly above and behind his son once they made it to the deck of the wreck at 91 feet. He wanted to be in a position to watch out for Leo — and to watch Leo have the time of his life.

Troughout the dive, Leo checked his air supply regularly. He didn’t want to get in trouble on his frst ocean dive.

Every few minutes, he glanced at his gauges and was reassured that he was in good shape. Tere was a stronger current at depth than at the surface, but Leo stayed close to the wreck structure and didn’t have to work too hard to maintain his position.

Getting caught up in the moment turns a son’s first ocean dive into his father’s last �A By Eric Douglas

THE ACCIDENT

Ed couldn’t be more proud. He had learned to dive a couple of years before, and had 20 dives to his credit. As soon as he earned his certifcation, Ed had known it was something he wanted to share with his son. Leo had been busy fnishing high school and starting college, but he had managed to earn his open-water certification. They had dived together in the local quarry, but Ed hadn’t had a chance to take his son to the ocean until today. He was having a blast watching his son’s eyes as

Leo explored the wreck below them. He could tell Leo was excited about everything he saw, and knew the young man was hooked. Ed was thinking to himself how great it was that he had a new dive buddy, and could share the underwater world with his son. Ten he took a breath, and almost nothing came through his regulator.

THE DIVERS

Ed was 48 years old. Leo was 19 and had just fnished his freshman year of college.

It took Ed a moment to fgure out what was wrong with his regulator. The current was moving quickly across the deck, and he was swimming hard to stay above Leo. Ed felt as if his regulator was barely keeping up — then all of a sudden, it wasn’t keeping up at all.

Ed looked at his air-pressure gauge and realized it was showing zero. Ed quickly tapped his son on the shoulder, giving him the out-of-air and ascend signals.

Ed began swimming as fast as he could toward the anchor line, knowing Leo would follow. Ed ascended as he swam, reaching the anchor line at around 45 feet. He got a few sips of air from his

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 64

JORI BOLTON

THE DIVE

WorldMags.net

tank as the ambient pressure decreased.

In his panic, he mostly held his breath, trying to save what he had in his lungs for the swim.

At around 20 feet, Ed remembered his pony bottle, steadied himself and grabbed the extra regulator, taking a deep breath. His breathing was rapid, but he slowly got things under control as Leo joined him and they completed their safety stop, although Ed signaled Leo that he felt “funny.” Tey surfaced and made their way to the dive boat’s ladder. Ed insisted that his son go up the ladder frst. Leo started to argue, but decided to board so he could let the divemaster know his dad was in trouble. Ed started to climb out of the water and collapsed on the swim step, falling onto his face and losing consciousness. Te diveboat crew grabbed Ed and pulled him the rest of the way into the boat. Tey pulled his dive gear of and began CPR. Ed never regained consciousness.

ANALYSIS

Ed was more worried about his son on this dive than he was about himself. His good intentions put both of them at risk, and cost Ed his life.

In an emergency, panic narrows a diver’s options to what he or she has reviewed and practiced. Ed had bought a pony bottle but had never used it or even thought much about what to do with it. In his panic after running out of air at depth, the only thing Ed thought of was feeing toward the surface. He didn’t think of using his son’s alternate air source, or using the alternate air source he was carrying for just such a situation.

For any emergency procedure to be efective, you have to practice it regularly. Ed and Leo should have discussed

what they would do in the event of an emergency, and practiced using the pony-bottle regulator. Tey could have done this on the dive boat or on the bottom as soon as they reached the wreck, before they began their exploration. (Safety stops can be a great place to practice emergency drills. You have a few moments to do nothing but breathe, so why not practice skills like mask removal and replacement, regulator recovery and alternate-air-source breathing? It’s a good idea to brief your dive buddy frst on your plans so you don’t scare him underwater.)

In Ed’s case, an autopsy showed the presence of intravascular and intracardiac gas. In other words, he had bubbles in his circulatory system and heart, suggesting an arterial gas embolism. Ed panicked and held his breath while he ascended. He continued to inhale from his regulator but didn’t exhale the expanding gas. Only when he reached safety-stop depth did he calm down enough to breathe from the pony bottle. Te ascent from 90 feet to 20 feet was more than enough drop in pressure to create the embolism.

Ultimately, even though Ed’s reaction is what killed him, the basic problem was avoidable. If he had monitored his gas and been aware that he was working harder at depth because of the position he chose to make the dive in — above his son, subject to the stronger current — the issue could have been averted. All Ed had to do was dive beside his buddy rather than trying to take care of the younger diver, and signal that they needed to ascend when he realized his pressure gauge was in the red.

If either of those things had happened, father and son could have enjoyed a long diving career together.

Lessons for Life 1 Practice with new equipment to be comfortable with it when you need it.

2 regularly rehearse rescue skills in the water to make sure you are prepared for an emergency.

3 Monitor your own gas supply, and be prepared to call the dive

when your air supply is getting low.

4 stay out of currents on a dive to avoid working hard and consuming your gas supply more quickly.

5 Don’t assume a position where you have to “take care” of another diver, unless you are a dive professional and

you are teaching a class.

In that case, you are prepared to be the one who does the rescuing in an emergency.

Eric Douglas co-authored the book Scuba Diving Safety, and has written a series of dive-adventure novels and short stories. Check out his website at booksbyeric.com.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 65

Cabo San Lucas

Sandos Finisterra Los Cabos All Inclusive Resort Live the legend at the new All Inclusive Resort located in the “Heart and Soul of Cabo”. Ocean and Bay view Suites, 4 great pools, private beach, short walk to Marina, dive centers, shops & night life.

1-866-336-4083 reservas.web@sandos.com www.sandos.com

East Cape

East Cape Is the perfect destination that provides excellent opportunities for those interested in marine life, underwater photography or simply explore a new diving adventure.

Mexico: 624-197-0957 / 612-348-9215 USA: 1-877-777-8862 Ext. 1003 www.eastcapedivers.com

For Dive Deals visit: www.scubadiving.com/baja

training

WorldMags.net ask an expert

BVIDiving.com

aquacatcruises.com

Is It OK to Dive Solo? �A By Eric Douglas

Get more details at:

ScubaDiving.com/ Liveaboards

concentrating on their hobby rather than paying attention to their buddy.

Solo diving iS a Safe practice

Husband-and-wife dive-instructor team Michael and Felicia Berg believe in solo diving and teach the course to other divers. “Photographers and spearfshermen dive solo even though they have a buddy.

Anyone who buddies up with them knows what I’m talking about. Learning to be self-reliant is what the solo-diver course teaches. It makes you a better buddy too, and the prerequisite is more than 100 logged dives (and then taught

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 66

Predrag VuckoVic/getty images

blackbeard-cruises.com

For many divers, the idea of diving alone doesn’t make any sense at all. To them, diving is a communal sport, and half the fun is sharing the experience.

Too many dive accidents happen when a diver ventures away from his buddy and gets in trouble, turning what could have been an easily avoided problem into a fatal accident.

For others, the risk of diving with a buddy chosen on a dive boat without knowing the diver’s experience is worse than the risks of diving alone.

Many divers efectively photograph or spearfsh on their own because they are

WorldMags.net

only at the instructor’s discretion). No newbie open-water divers should ever dive alone,” Michael says.

“Nearly every dive professional is solo diving whether they admit to it or not.

I personally would prefer to dive with at least a loose buddy system, though I must say I am a big advocate of the training and the experience and education it provides. As an instructor, I see a real need to provide and teach solo diving to those who have experience and a need. I feel that every dive professional should at least sit through a solo course,” Felicia says.

Solo diving iSn’t for everyone

On the other side, Tinamarie Hernandez asks this question: “Why would anyone want to dive solo? Isn’t most of the fun sharing what you saw when you come up from the dive? Or pointing to stuf while you are down there?”

Wendy Quimby, a technical and cave diver, says it’s all about equipment and preparation. “I think if you are going to dive solo, you should have certain

things in place: top-notch basic scuba skills (mask fooding/replacement, regulator retrieval, etc.), spare mask, pony bottle or extra tank with enough gas to get to the surface safely from the deepest part of the dive planned, as well as

“All divers should be solo trAined And Able to rely on themselves to reAch the surfAce sAfely unless A medicAl condition Arises.”

other equipment like a surface-marker buoy with signaling abilities. I have done solo diving, though I prefer to share the dive with others.”

Emmy award-winning underwater videographer Frazier Nivens sums up both sides of the discussion: “All divers should be solo trained and able to rely on themselves to reach the surface safely unless a medical condition arises. But

don’t get me wrong, new divers should never dive alone. Just train them to be self-reliant.”

ConCluSion

Scuba diving is a social, buddy-driven sport. It makes sense on many levels for divers to dive with a buddy. It’s more fun, and usually safer, to dive with others around. Many Lessons for Life columns detail what can happen when a diver ventures out on his own, and the ending often is not a happy one.

Solo diving has a purpose and many advocates, and there are times of crisis when divers have no one to help them.

“Aren’t all instructors solo diving when teaching anyway? No student can save you in an open-water course,” dive instructor Paul Shepherd says.

Solo diving is not something to begin willfully and without preparation. For divers thinking about going solo, there is necessary training to take and additional equipment to purchase to be prepared for a potentially bad situation.

After all, there won’t be a buddy close by to ask for help if it’s needed.

Dive into our website for more packages in Cozumel, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman, Turks & Caicos, Curacao and Honduras!

BONUS

!

ADD 3r BOAT d TANK DIVES $

15

EACH

Hotel Cozumel Tour the hotel & do a virtual dive!

COZUMEL 869 $ only

p.p.

Valid for travel April 21 - August 17, 2014. Single travelers add just $25/night!

Get the smart phone app to play our video tours at

http://gettag.mobi

bayadventures.com

888-599-3483

Rates are US dollars, per person, based on dbl. occ. unless otherwise stated. Please call or email for airfare, for single/triple/other occupancy, non-diver rates, kids rates and prices for dates other than specified. Taxes are included. Rates subject to availability & subject to change; other restrictions may apply. Not responsible for typographical errors. Call for group, dive club and dive shop rates!

WorldMags.net

SCUBA DIVING marketplace

WorldMags.net

Jupiter’s best kept secret!

T U R T L E S , G O L I AT H G R O U P E R , SHARKS AND MORE! EQUIPMENT AND CHARTERS ON L O C AT I O N

Dive with us.

Jupiter is the treasure of Palm Beach County.

Daily Dive Charters and some of the biggest Sea Life around.

1001 N Highway A1A Alternate • Jupiter, FL 33477 561-745 -7807 • jupiterdivecenter.com

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 68

SCUBA DIVING marketplace

WorldMags.net Quiet. Unpretentious.

In the true Mexican sense.

All diving services in one convenient place. See the difference a dedicated dive resort can make.

800.847.5708 www.scubaclubcozumel.com Isla de Cozumel, México

the new way to see

TRUK LAGOON • Includes all meals, beverages & transfers • Free Nitrox • Unique outer reef, shark, and tech diving • Nine luxury suites

Cabo Pulmo National Park “the aquarium of the world”

EAT, SLEEP & DIVE PACKAGES from

$138 p/night*

Rate Code: SDM2014

1-800-757-5396 diving@cabopulmo.com

www.cabopulmo.com

www.trukodyssey.com info@trukodyssey.com

US/Can: (562) 366-0722 Mexico: (624) 141-0726 *Price per person based on double occupancy in Eco Bungalows. Other options available. All taxes included.

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 69

SCUBA DIVING marketplace

WorldMags.net To truly appreciate the beauty of La Paz, you need to look beneath the surface! jamescurtiss@me.com ::: www.cortezclub.com ::: 1-877-408-6769

BECOME THE BEST CAVERN, CAVE OR TEC DIVER JOIN NOW!

DIVE WITH MARTIN SCUBA COZUMEL ISLAND’S FASTEST BOATS, ISLAND’S BEST DIVE MASTERS!!

 20+ years diving Cozumel!  4 day / 2-tank boat dives $250  FREE use of Sherwood dive gear  FREE Video with 4+ day dive package  Group Rates  Hotel Packages  2-4 bedroom Condo rentals

Email us for package rates & knowledgeable service 888-512-8747 | sburton@airmail.net | www.divewithmartin.com

Discovery

Experience NORTH CAROLINA

Adventure Diving Cenote/Cavern & Cave Diving Tours TRAINING: Cavern · Full Cave Sidemount · Poseidon Rebreather

CAVETECNOW.COM Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico cavetecnow@gmail.com

You love the magazine,

World class, warm water, wreck diving.

Discovery Diving is a full service dive operation ofering training, gear sales, rentals, and equipment repair. Our education department is fully accredited and able to accept GI Bill or Military T.A. funding for several exciting programs.

Photo by: KarenDoody.com

Call now or visit our website for more information 252-728-2265 or www.discoverydiving.com

but have you seen Scuba Diving on the iPad™?

Scuba Diving is available on the App store. The app is FREE to download!

APP FEATURES:

Contact Kelly Freygang to advertise here and learn more about Scuba Diving's Opportunities!

407-571-4743 kelly.freygang@bonniercorp.com WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 70

• Email Articles • Free Sample • Save Images Issue • Social Sharing • And More

Apple, the Apple Logo, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

SCUBA DIVING marketplace

WorldMags.net

Your dive shop aw ay from

hom e!

FROM THE MAKERS OF THE MOST VERSATILE, LIGHTEST WEIGHT, ALUMINUM ARMS ON THE MARKET

Weekly Mushroom Forest & Klein Curacao trips  Warm, clear, shallow reefs at your doorstep  Two tank daily boat departures  Daily dolphin dives available  Group Specials  PADI 5* IDC Resort 

1-877-ScubaEZ uscan@oceanencounters.com www.oceanencounters.com Lots of GoPro accessories available!

Dive Deals DIVE CENTERS

MADE IN USA

Cozumel

Dive with maRtin scUba Dive your computer limits!

4 day/2-tank boat dive $250  FREE Sherwood gear use  FREE Video 4+ day pkg  Dive, Hotel & Condo pkgs.

1-888-512-8747

We make adapters for all housings, strobes, video lights and spotting lights.

The original arms with o-rings in the ball for ease of use.

stacey@vacationconnectionnRh.com

DIVE RESORTS Grand Cayman

Divetech & cobalt coast ResoRt at Grand Cayman’s North wall. August Summer Savings 25% off kids packages.

Unlimited shore diving 24/7 in addition to boat-diving; dive the Kittiwake and Stingray City

Often copied, never equaled

www.cobaltcoast.com

Promote Your Dive Deals!

Contact: Kelly Freygang 407-571-4743

!

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 71

(805) 484-3334 www.ulcs.com

SCUBA DIVING marketplace

WorldMags.net Golden Tank Retailer Partner Directory CALL KELLY AT 407-571-4743 ArizonA Mesa - Saguaro Scuba 877-837-7637 www.saguaroscuba.com

nEW jErSEy Cherry Hill - The Dive Shop 856-751-0308 www.thediveshopnj.com

Nogales - Alexander’s Dive Shop Too 520-287-5103 divetoo.com

nEW yorK Brooklyn - Stingray Divers 718-384-1280 stingraydivers.com

ColorAdo Littleton - A–1 Scuba & Travel Aquatic Center 800-783-7283 a1scuba.com FloridA Boynton Beach - Boynton Beach Dive Center 561-732-8590 boyntonbeachdivecenter.com Fort Lauderdale - Sea Experience 954-770-3483 diveFortLauderdale.com Jupiter - Jupiter Dive Center 561-745-7807 jupiterdivecenter.com Lakeland - Deep Six Divers Service Inc 863-688-3015 deepsixdivers.com

Miami - Austin’s Diving Center 305-665-0636 austins.com

East Rochester - Pisces School of Dive, Inc. 585-381-2842 piscesdivers.com New York - Pan Aqua Diving 212.736.3483 panaqua.com Riverhead - Hampton Dive Center 631-727-7578 www.hamptondive.com

Syracuse - National Aquatic Service, Inc. 315-479-5544 nationalaquatic.com oKlAHoMA Enid - Into The Blue Dive Shop, LLC 580-747-6044 www.intothebluediveshop.com

Oviedo - Castaway Scuba 407-658-9464 www.castawayscuba.com

PEnnSylvAniA Bethlehem - Lehigh Valley Dive Center

Panama City Beach - Dive Locker 850-230-8006 divelocker.net

610-746-4016 lvdive.com

Panama City Beach - Diver’s Den 850-234-8717 diversdenpcb.com

814-459-3195 scubaerie.com

Erie - Diver’s World of Erie Inc

Stuart - Stuart Dive Shop 772-600-8288 www.stuartscuba.com

virGiniA Charlottesville - University Dive Center & Hobby 434-296-6306 universitydivecenter.com

GEorGiA Macon - Divers Supply

Manassas - Virginia Scuba

478-474-6740 divers-supply.com

Woodbridge - Woodbridge Scuba

HAWAii Lahaina - Lahaina Divers Inc. 808-667-7496 lahainadivers.com

703-878-4365 www.woodbridgescuba.com

illinoiS Glenview - D.D. Dive Shop 847-657-3483 dddive.com

Grayslake - Big Kahuna Scuba 847-223-5600 bigkahunascuba.com MAinE Auburn - Barclay’s Skindivers Paradise 207-784-7300 skindiversparadise.com

MiCHiGAn Farmington Hills - Sea the World Scuba Center 248-478-6400 seatheworld.us MinnESoTA Faribault - Adventure Specialties, LLC 888-771-6466 adventurespecialties.com Detroit Lakes - Tri-State Diving 218-847-4868 tri-statediving.com

MiSSoUri Bridgeton - BonneTerre/West End Diving Centers 888-843-3483 2dive.com Joplin - Extreme Sports 417-659-9009 extremesportsscuba.com

Call

Buffalo - Dip ‘N Dive 716-837-3483 dipndive.com

nEvAdA Las Vegas - GR8DIVN 702-367-3484 gr8divn.com

703-369-0098 www.virginiascuba.com

WASHinGTon, dC Blue Planet Scuba - DC 202-527-9419 www.blueplanetdc.com WiSConSin Brookfield - Aquatic Adventures 262-938-6827 dive-aai.com

Chippewa Falls - Inland Divers Supply 715-723-9408 inlanddiverssupply.com Green Bay - Aqua Center of Green Bay, Inc. 920-468-8080 aquacntr.com inTErnATionAl George Town, Grand Cayman Eden Rock Diving Center

1-345-949-7243 www.edenrockdive.com Dorado, PR - Kalichee Surf Shop 787-796-3852 kalicheesurfshop.com

Nassau, Bahamas - Stuart Cove’s Dive South Ocean 800-879-9832 www.stuartcove.com CAnAdA Calgary, AB - Caribbean Dream Diving 403-228-5756 caribbeandreams.ca Langley, BC - Langley Diving, Inc. 604-514-8190 langleydiving.com

For information on participation in the

Golden Tank Retailer Partner Directory call Kelly at407-571-4743

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 72

WorldMags.net advertiser directory Atlantic Caribbean and Latin America Avalon Cuban Diving Centers – Gardens of the Queen - Cuba’s Gardens of the Queen: the ultimate sharks paradise. P. 69 www.cubandivingcenters.com Bay Adventures ofers one-stop shopping for air, lodging & diving in Cozumel, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, and Roatan. P. 67 www.bayadventures.com Bimini Sands Resort & Marina - Featuring Neal Watson Bimini Scuba Center w/40-foot custom dive boat, gear rentals and the only Nitrox fill station on Bimini. P. 3 www.biminisands.com Bonaire Tourism - Bonaire, long-known as the Diver’s Paradise, offers the ease of boat diving with the adventure of shore diving.

P. 6 www.tourismbonaire.com

Honduras Institute of Tourism - Honduras offers reefs, beaches, natural adventures, colonial cities including the Maya ruins of Copan and the Bay Islands. P. 35 www.letsgohonduras.com Indepth Watersports - Adventure diving on one-of-a-kind converted Navy Seal RIB; expert training from resort to CCR trimix. P. 4 www.indepthwatersports.com Jupiter Dive Center - P. 68 www.jupiterdivecenter.com Laguna Beach Resort- Utila - Our oceanfront resort offers unlimited shore diving as well as 3 boat dives/day. P. 35 http://www.lagunabeachresort.info/ Little Cayman Beach Resort - Unsurpassed wall diving and an unparalleled dive resort.

It’s the dive vacation of your dreams, only better. P. 29 www.littlecayman.com

Jack’s Diving Locker - Kona, Hawaii - Jack’s Diving Locker is the right place to take your IDC training. P. 27 www.jacksdivinglocker.com Seasport Divers - Kauai, Hawaii - Full-service dive shop specializing in local Kauai scuba diving tours, snorkeling tours and scuba certification courses. P. 27 www.seasportdivers.com Panhandle Shipwreck Trail -The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail consists of 12 unique shipwrecks along Florida’s Panhandle.

P. 12 FloridaPanhandleDiveTrail.com Waikiki Dive Center - PADI 5 Star IDC in the heart of Waikiki! Best Wreck & Reef Diving on Oahu. Two Boats Daily! Full Service Dive Center! P. 27 www.waikikidiving.com

Camps/Events

Brac Reef Beach Resort - Charming beachfront hotel rooms & suites, onsite dive center with access to unparalleled reefs & walls - a “valet” diving experience. P. 29 www.bracreef.com/index.html

Ocean Encounters Curacao - 20 years of experience! We want all of our guests to enjoy the ultimate diving experience. P. 71 www.oceanencounters.com

Kids Sea Camp -Scuba Vacations for the Whole Family: Bonaire; Galapagos; Grand Cayman; Little Cayman; Palau; Utila, Bay Islands & Yap. P. 18-19 www.familydivers.com

Bruce Bowker’s Carib Inn - Bonaire - Carib Inn is a smaller resort catering to the vacationing diver. P. 6 www.caribinn.com

Phocea Mexico - Training & Dive Resort to: Cenotes, Cozumel,Local Reefs, Whalesharks, Bull Sharks, & Sailfish. P. 15 www.phoceamexico.com

Dive Travel Specialists

Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort and Dive Center - Diving the Aquarium of the World. PADI Courses. Diving Tours. Eat, Sleep & Dive Packages. P. 69 www.cabopulmo.com Caradonna Fiji - Great values on dive packages to Bay Islands to Bay Islands, Honduras and complimentary professional dive travel services. P. 31 www.cardonna.com Cave Training Mexico - Riviera Maya’s experts in cenote/cavern, cave & MKVI Poseidon rebreather diving & training. P. 70 www.cavetrainingmexico.com Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Only 1 hour and 10 minutes from Miami - fly in the morning, beach in the afternoon! P. 21 www.divecayman.ky Deep Blue Resort -Utila – Oceanfront dedicated dive resort with unlimited shore diving, Utila, undiscovered jewel of the Caribbean. P. 35 www.deepblueutila.com Den Laman Condominiums – Bonaire - 16 modern A/C apartments perched atop the waterfront Sunset Restaurant. Dive & Photo shop on property. P. 6 www.denlaman.com Discovery Diving - USA NC Warm Water Wreck Diving -- Historic Ships, Sharks, Big Animals, GI Bill eligible Training. P. 70 www.DiscoveryDiving

Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire – The resort that has all. PADI 5-star IDC, beach, spacious villas and great restaurants. P. 6 www.plazabeachresortbonaire.com Sandos Finisterra Los Cabos All Inclusive Resort - Live the legend at the best Resort for divers located in the “Heart and Soul of Cabo”. P. 65 www.sandos.com Scuba Club Cozumel – Mexico - Spanish colonial-style, located on the waterfront one mile south of downtown, built by divers for divers. P. 69 www.scubaclubcozumel.com Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas - So much more than Sharks! Walls, Reefs, Wrecks, Movie Sites & Sharks - We have 17 wrecks! P. 3 www.stuartcove.com Stuart Cove’s Tiger Beach Seafaris -Snorkel with Wild Dolphins or dive with Tiger Sharks at TIGER BEACH with Stuart Cove! P. 3 www.stuartcovesharkdiving.com/tigerbeach The Cortez Club -La Paz, Mexico: World class diving with Giant Manta Rays, Hammerheads, Sea Lions, Whalesharks & More! P. 70 www.cortezclub.com UNEXSO Grand Bahamas - When you dive with UNEXSO, you dive with the best!

Experience diving and dolphin adventures on Grand Bahamas! P. 3 www.unexso.com

Divi Flamingo Beach Resort – Bonaire - Oceanfront dive resort features PADI 5-star dive operation with custom boats, instruction, dive packages & shore diving.

P. 6 www.diviresorts.com

Vacation Connection/Dive With Martin -Islands fastest boats & best Divemasters, NO crowds, approximately 8 divers per boat!

P. 70, 71 www.vacationconnectionnrh.com

Don Foster’s Dive Cayman - With our fleet of dive boats, friendly staff, service and instruction, divers keep coming back for more. P. 35 www.donfosters.com

United States

East Cape Divers - Cabo Pulmo Marine Park – Perfect for marine life, underwater photography or for simply exploring a new diving adventure.

P. 65 www.eastcapedivers.com

Reef & Rainforest Dive & Adventure Travel -Scuba diving travel for adventure seekers.

We’ve perfected exotic itineraries and exceptional service. P. 25 www.reefrainforest.com

Instruction/Training DAN - Leading dive safety through research, education, emergency assistance and insurance programs for 30 years. P. 14 www.dan.org The Ocean Corporation - Offering commercial diver training, under water welding, ROVs and NDT weld inspector training since 1969. P. C3 www.oceancorp.com

Live-aboards Aggressor Fleet & Dancer Fleet – The largest feet of live-aboards in the world serving 15 yachts. Providing professional service for 25+ years. P. 23 www.aggressor.com Aqua Cat Cruises - Weeklong All Inclusive Luxusry Liveaboard Diving Adventure Cruises Depart Nassau, Bahamas to the Exuma Cays.

P. 3, 66 www.aquacatcruises.com Blackbeard’s Cruises - Twice the fun-half the cost! Bahamas liveaboard adventures - 19 dives, meals, beverages/bar and accommodations. P. 3, 66 www.blackbeard-cruises.com Trimarine - Sail, dive British Virgin Islands on world’s largest trimaran operated by most experienced live-aboard company. P. 66 www.bvidiving.com

Dive Oahu - PADI Gold Palm Dive Center just 3 minutes from Waikiki. We dive all the major wrecks. P. 27 www.diveoahu.com Hawaiian Rafting Adventures, Inc. - The best Maui has to offer with dive shop in Lahaina offering a range of tours and services. P. 27 www.hawaiianrafting.com

Truk Odyssey- Live-aboard in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia. 132’ vessel for 16 divers. Nitrox included. World’s finest wreck diving. P. 69 www.trukodyssey.com

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 73

Photography/Video Backscatter East & West Underwater Video and Photo - Now with 2 locations & the most experienced staff to serve your underwater imaging needs. P. 71 www.backscatter.com Ikelite - Manufacturer of underwater camera housings, strobes, mounting arms and flashlights. P. C4 www.ikelite.com SeaLife Cameras - Underwater cameras and accessories to help you explore the underwater world. P. 7 www.sealife-cameras.com Ultralight Control Systems -Manufacturers of trays and arms for your cameras, lights & strobes for digital, video or film. P. 71 www.ulcs.com

Scuba Accessories The Air Line by J Sink - High quality gas or electric powered hookah dive compressor systems and accessories. P. 68 www.airlinebyjsink.com Grip Socks -The feel of bare feet while offering protection on the boat or inside fins.

P. 71 www.sandsocks.net ORIS -Maker of fine Swiss mechanical timepieces since 1904 including a full line of professional divers pieces. P. 16, 17 www.oris.ch Spare Air - Smallest redundant breathing device to get you to the surface in an emergency. P. 8 www.spareair.com Uzzi Amphibious Gear -Wholesale Distributor and Retailer of Dive Apparel & Accessories. P. 69 www.uzzi.com

Scuba Equipment Aeris - Aeris products are recognized for smart design, outstanding performance, user-friendly features, and intuitive operation. P. 9 www.diveaeris.com BARE - Manufacturer’s of the best fitting wetsuits and drysuits on Earth. P. 5 www.bare-wetsuits.com Cressi - A company close to its Italian sealoving heritage providing superior designs for discriminating divers. P. 10 www.cressisubusa.com Dive Rite - Florida-based pioneer and manufacturer of technical and advanced open water diving equipment since 1984.

P. 25 www.diverite.com IST Sports - Manufacturing and wholesaling quality SCUBA and watersports equipment worldwide for 33 years. P. 72 www.istsports.com

WorldMags.net

manila ocean park aquarium, pHilippineS

By DavID FlEE THam

Tiny white-spotted bamboo sharks — Chiloscyllium plagiosum — inside their egg casings. The 6-inch pups hatch after 14 weeks.

As adults, these carpet sharks are 3 feet long.

» HOW I GOT THE SHOT I shot this with a Canon 50D and Canon’s EF-S17-85mm Image Stabilized zoom lens at 1/5 sec at f/5.6 and ISO 400. I took numerous shots

WorldMags.net scubadiving.com july 2014 / 74

because of the slow shutter speed and the fact that I had to hand-hold the camera.

A tripod would have made things easier but was not possible in the crowded aquarium.

Corbis

look

WorldMags.net Ever think of turning your passion for Scuba Diving into a professional career?

Worldwide, countless divers and nondestructive testing inspectors are living their passion in the ďŹ eld of commercial diving. Watch our videos to see how Ocean Corporation has helped passionate divers Dive to Live.

oceancorp.com

HOUSTON, TEXAS WorldMags.net

Ultimate Diver Training

Nondestructive Tech Training

WorldMags.net

Locally Grown

With super high-definition 4K video, you may be able to capture every shade of blue in the world. But we recommend adding a few more colors.

The Vega Video + Photo Light will illuminate your subject with 2000 lumens of color-popping power in a package small enough to fit in your pocket.

You'll never look at underwater video the same way again.

Find an Authorized Ikelite Dealer at ikelite.com.

WorldMags.net