Articles

Diving Technically in the Solomon Islands

2024 was my first full year of diving technically and it involved a lot of learning. Some not insignificant “investment” (expenditure…) in new equipment and a whole new mindset around the preparation for a trip!I had planned the year carefully …

Diving Papatura – A Real Gem!

Diving Papatura – a Solomon Island’s Gem… It’s a romantic notion most of us have, but very few realise. Find an island paradise, far from the modern world. And then transform it into a desert island dream and live off the grid, …

Understanding Conservation in Raja Ampat – Part 1: Mark Erdmann

Understanding Conservation in Raja Ampat… In just over 20 years Raja Ampat, the “Four Kings” of Indonesia’s remote West Papua province, has evolved from an almost unknown location into one of the world’s most sought-after tropical …

Diving Bikini Atoll – It’s Complicated

Commodore Ben Wyatt addressing people of Bikini Atoll – Courtesy of WikiCommons Diving Bikini Atoll… How do you tell 167 men, women, and children that their island home, which had always provided for all their basic needs, is going to be …

Diving the Solomon Islands WWII Wrecks

Solomon Islands WWII Wrecks… Located at the eastern tip of the famed Coral Triangle, the Solomon Islands form a long chain of tropical islands surrounded by deep ocean trenches and the vast expanse of the Pacific. These waters offer two …

Diving Baja California

Diving Baja California… Bounded to the north by the US state of California, to the west by the Pacific Ocean. And to the east by the Sea of Cortez, the long and narrow Baja California peninsula is one of Mexico’s most visually spectacular and …

Diving the Banda Sea

Diving the Banda Sea… It seems almost beyond belief that some 360 years ago, one of a cluster of ten small and very isolated volcanic islands at the remote eastern end of what was then called the Malay Archipelago, was so valuable that it was …

Blackwater Diving – The Anilao Night Shift

Getting into Blackwater Diving… For many, blackwater diving sits just beyond the edge of familiarity — intriguing, somewhat intimidating, and quite unlike anything experienced in “normal” diving.These strange forms, illuminated …

Technical Diving Match Fitness

Technical Diving Match Fitness… As the end of 2023 approached, I made a decision to approach technical diving from a different perspective.Instead of merely hoping to engage in occasional tech dives. I decided to commit to dedicated trips …

Diving Misool in Raja Ampat

The Four Kings of Raja Ampat Misool Scuba Diving… The second king – Misool, the large, remote, and sparsely populated island that is the second biggest of Raja Ampat’s “four kings”. It is said that the name Raja Ampat derives from the local folklore …

Diving Rabaul’s Wrecks, Reefs and Jetties

Diving Rabaul Wrecks Reefs and Jetties… In January 1942, just 46 days after their devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese Imperial Forces redirected their attention southward and launched an invasion of Papua New Guinea. Their …

Switching to SEACAM – First Impressions

Switching to SEACAM… In late 2023, a remarkable series of events aligned for me, leading to a formal association with SEACAM. The Austrian company I have always regarded as the Rolls-Royce of underwater photography equipment.Even now, the …