Dive News Network

Record is Set With Two Ships in One Day for Portugal!

A new record was set when two ships were scuttled as artificial reefs on Tuesday, October 30th, 2012 off the coast of Portimao in southern Portugal. The ships are part of a plan to increase dive tourism and enhance the marine environment in the Algarve region. This was phase one of the Ocean Revival Project, initiated five years ago, involving the scuttling of an 85 meter-long Corvette Ex-NRP Oliveira e Carmo and the Ex-NRP Zambeze, a 44 meter-long patrol vessel. Both ships were donated to the project by the Portuguese Navy.

Arenui Adventure

By Maria Hults, Dive News Network Editor-at-Large

Unless you are a Herpetologist, you don’t really leave home to go visit the Komodo dragon.  Yet, it’s legend is notorious -- didn’t one attack Sharon Stone’s husband at the San Diego Zoo.  Also, there are so many new destinations in Indonesia, I was not sure this trip would be all I wanted.  I heard the Komodo itinerary had strong currents, photographing was difficult, but the Arenui was fabulous and it departed from Bali (one of my favorite places on earth), so I decided to go face the dragon.  I just could not pass up the opportunity to see one in the wild.

7,107 REASONS TO GO DIVING: Exploring The Islands of the Philippines

Text & Photography by Stewart L. Sy
Contributions by Rick Stratton

“Country Beloved, Pearl of the Orient”, these are the (translated) opening lines of the Philippine National Anthem.

To me, the Philippines is the land of my birth, the country brings back thoughts of a warm and friendly people, rich in culture and old world tradition. A place where adversity, be it political, social or financial is met with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulder and smile just before the strong will of the Filipinos decide to tackle the issue.

Located along the Western edge of the Pacific, about 500 miles west of Guam and that other diving Mecca, Micronesia, the Philippine Islands are technically considered an archipelago encompassing approximately 7,107 islands, which combined, is more coastline then the entire US. Home to approximately 100 million inhabitants, the country’s heritage is a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Spanish, American, and of course, that of being “Pinoy” (the local slang for being a local). The Philippines is the only predominantly Christian country in Asia.

Kona: All I Can Say is “Wow”

By Rick Stratton

For as long as I can remember, my girlfriend Selene and I had wanted to take a vacation.  After months of planning the perfect trip (along with a secret surprise I kept to my daughter Amanda), we took to the skies in July and touched ground on the Kona side of Hawaii’s Big Island.

Grand Cayman - A Divers' Paradise

Located on a plateau in the middle of the western Caribbean Sea, Grand Cayman Island is literally sticking up like a mountain off the surrounding sea floor. Bounded by steep shear walls sliding into the abyss 6,000 feet below, divers revel in the feeling of seeming to soar out over the drop off, while the bottom drops out from underneath them. The feeling of weightlessness combined with soaring like a bird, is one of the many joys of diving. Combine that with warm clear waters, averaging 100+ feet of visibility, a safe family friendly atmosphere, incredible sandy beaches like Seven Mile Beach, one of the largest and best known in the Caribbean where sun lovers can sit and bake their hearts desire. World famous dive sites like Stingray City and the Sand Bar. Tons of restaurants and great shopping make Grand Cayman a cosmopolitan destination. All that, combined with incredible diving history as the original diving destination makes Grand Cayman a divers paradise.

Cenotes of Mexico The New Frontier of SCUBA Diving

By Tom Arnold

The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, aka The Mayan Riviera, is one of the most exciting dive destinations on the planet and the center of the action is Playa del Carmen. From Playa you have fast, easy access to wall and reef drift diving from both the mainland and the island of Cozumel, snorkeling with Whale Sharks (seasonal), up close and personal encounters with Bull Sharks (also seasonal), swimming with Dolphins, and, last but certainly not least, breathtaking tours of cenotes (year round).

The White Sharks of Guadalupe Island

Your first glimpse of a great white shark is truly a memorable experience.

The 2012 Top Tropical Destinations

Warm water, countless marine life species, clear vis…what diver wouldn’t give his/her left fin to head to a tropical dive destination? I know I would and probably the right one too. This year we here at Dive News Network took the time to survey dive shop owners, charter boat owners and divers themselves to seek out the top ten tropical dive destinations. It was a close race for many of these destinations and let me tell you, if we showcased them all, well, I’d never stop writing. So the following are the top ten according to our most recent survey.

Barbados: Bajan Diving at its Coolest

Barbados has a long history of being, “the place to go” when it comes to the Caribbean. Landlubbers know it as the exotic place to party with celebrities and hang out on pristine beaches…but for divers, Barbados holds another allure…it is the dive destination that whispers of mystery and adventure.

Guadalupe: Caves, Reefs, and Sharks!

Photos and story by Sammy Cimeno
Guest Writer, Dive News Network

Guadalupe is a magical island located about 150 miles offshore of the west coast of Baja and a day’s steam south of San Diego. This 22-mile long island was formed by a string of volcanoes, and remains one of the least inhabited and remote islands in the temperate Americas. Guadalupe marks the most westerly outpost of Mexico, and its only residents are a few subsistence Mexican fishermen and a handful of Mexican sailors. Its isolation along with its large populations of marine mammals and top predators distinguishes Guadalupe as the “Jurassic Park” of dive sites.

Galapagos Islands The Ultimate Exotic Dive Destination

The Galapagos Islands, an archipelago that calls to divers; a place that sports some of the most impressive marine life on the planet; a playground for those whose sandbox is underwater. The world's marine life come to the Galapagos Islands to play so why shouldn't divers follow suit? They do and every one of them report back that the experience was otherworldly.

Guam: An Island Diver's Paradise

By Rick Stratton

There’s a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, which has the distinction of being on the rim of the deepest part of the earth’s oceans. Guam, the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands, stands guard over the Challenger Deep, a crevice, which dips down into the oceans depths some 6.83 miles. Many scientists believe that because Guam is so close to the Marianas Trench there are vast nutrient streams, which feed the marine life surrounding the island and because of this Guam offers incredible diving to divers around the world.

Love Diving? Philippines!

By Sandy Sondrol

I love the Philippines.  I love diving there, I love the people, I love the culture, and I love the beauty of the Philippines Islands themselves.

Costa Rica Diving: A Feast of a Dive

By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network

There is a place down in Costa Rica where the whale sharks, manta rays and divers come together and see eye to scuba mask. The place is the waters surrounding Guanacaste. This is one of the best scuba diving zones in the world and one local area, the Playa del Coco, located in the north of the Nicoya Peninsula, has divers flocking from the world over. The beaches are beautiful; the scuba diving is amazing and the people are friendly. Manta rays, white tipped sharks, whales, dolphins, turtles, eels, and schools of vibrant tropical fish can be seen in the Playa del Coco area all year long.

Fiji: Award Winning Diving Like None Other

By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network

Peppered with coral reefs, and home to warm tropical waters, Fiji is an area of the world tucked away in the ocean and shrouded with mystery and deep rich history. The people are a cultural melting pot of Polynesian, Melanesian, Micronesian, Indian, Chinese and European cultures. Temps in this island paradise range between 75 and 90 degrees and the currents are normally easy. This horseshoe-shaped collection of islands offers world class diving and hospitality to match. Most divers who visit go back again and again for good reason! Lagoons are a feature of Fiji and often the water is shallow quite a ways from shore, which makes this a great family destination because the kids can snorkel while mom and dad are diving.

Cancún: A World of Wonder

By John Tapley

The warm tropical sea breeze gusts across the sandy expanse as whales and dolphins perform their songs in the distance. The waters beneath are crisp and inviting; a gallery of colorful aquatic creatures and plant life waits within brilliant reefs under the crystalline surface. Lush palm leaves sway back and forth in a serene procession, which sweeps away all your troubles. It is a perfect scene locked in a single moment. Do you hear paradise in the wind? You hear the call of Cancún.

A Kungkungan Bay Escapade: “Lembeh Strait to Heaven”

By Takako Uno & Stephen Wong

Divers can somewhat be daunted by their first glance of the underwater topography of this North Sulawesi hot-spot as surging tides can be nauseating.  Visibility here is usually less than 30 feet, 20 being the average.  The already turbid water conditions easily further deteriorate with the mindless kick of a fin, which raises clouds of fine black silt that never seems to settle.  Terrestrial and man-made objects alike – tree trunks, coconut shells, glass bottles, tin cans, linen sacks – add to the unique backdrop of the ocean floor.  Memorably, we once found a radio cassette player, rather new, with large stereo speakers still attached.  Not to forget that the gradually sloping bottom usually has no coral – it’s just plain old muck.

Bonaire: Second Time's A Charm!

By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network

You know how you can go see a movie a second time and you are just amazed by all of the things that you notice that you missed the first time around…my trip to Bonaire in September this year was exactly like that!

Roatán: Cloud Nine for Coral Lovers

By John Tapley

Honduras has a diving paradise just off its eastern coast: A place where coral blooms around gigantic walls; where octopus, grouper, and turtles can all be found in one spot; and where swim-throughs lead to more incredible discoveries. The warm shores of Roatán, consistent throughout the year, reward its visitors with unique encounters and breathtaking views.
The island has over 132 recognized dive sites, making each new trip a refreshing experience.

Gary Gwilliam, dive manager and senior dive instructor of Roatán’s Luna Beach Resort, and Jesús Reyes, manager of Turquoise Bay Resort, imparted their favorite sites and why this vacation locale is not to be missed.

Bonaire-Eco & Diver Friendly

By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network

I'd heard stories. I had an idea formulated in my mind, but in the end Bonaire was not at all what I expected...it was more...much more.