Marsa Alam is a small town on the western shore of the Red Sea, in south east Egypt. Until recent years it was a relatively unknown dive destination but it has gained popularity thanks to its pristine reefs and the lack of crowds that are found at other Red Sea premier diving towns, such as Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada.
Frogfish are one of those fish nearly all divers are drawn to (provided you can find them). They are weird animals: they look more like a sponge or lump of algae than a fish, they don’t bother swimming but walk across the bottom instead, they can gulp down prey larger than themselves, and they have what is basically a fishing rod stuck to their foreheads. New research has now found that they are even weirder than you already thought, something is up with the lures at the end of their “fishing rod”.
Having just spent the dive trip of a lifetime in Truk Lagoon, I thought it…
Earlier this summer a great white shark sighting was reported off the Atlantic coast of Canada. Although these sightings are rare, white sharks do visit Canadian waters, in fact their range extends from sub-arctic to tropical waters. To help boost your shark smarts, we’re counting down five facts about white sharks.
Earlier this summer a great white shark sighting was reported off the Atlantic coast of…
In the dark of midnight, November 12, 1912, Ethyl B Sumner struck a ledge near Waterside, New Brunswick, and broke apart. According to a commentary written in The Parrsboro Record in April 1974, “Such was the untimely end of the Ethyl B Sumner by this cruel act of Providence, but danger and sometimes death were always the sailor’s companions in the by-gone days of sail.”
In the dark of midnight, November 12, 1912, Ethyl B Sumner struck a ledge near…
There I was at 100 ft ( 30 meters) deep really annoyed with myself because…
Taking up scuba diving was a natural progression for Samantha Trueman, given her passion for the ocean and the fact she was studying marine biology.
Taking up scuba diving was a natural progression for Samantha Trueman, given her passion for…
It’s not often that you get to say “We fixed a waterfall today at work.” Let’s face it, that’s not within the normal parameters of most occupations. But this summer, that’s exactly what we did!
It’s not often that you get to say “We fixed a waterfall today at work.”…
Halifax Mermaids is a division of parent company Canadian Mermaids. The Halifax Mermaids provide educational entertainment for people of all ages, using mermaids with high quality realistic tails. The Halifax Mermaids believe in the power of imagination as a learning and healthy development tool. Our goal is to provide clients with a lasting experience that helps them nurture their inner child while also learning about the world around them.
On November 21st, 1944 the schooner Shag left St. John’s, Newfoundland, for Prince Edward Island on what turned out to be her last voyage.
On November 21st, 1944 the schooner Shag left St. John’s, Newfoundland, for Prince Edward Island…
Halifax Mermaids is a division of parent company Canadian Mermaids. The Halifax Mermaids provide educational…
Boating in the fall offers colourful vistas, quiet anchorages and excellent fishing but it is not without its challenges that necessitate self-sufficiency and taking some additional precautions to keep from running into trouble.
If you have met this little guy before I am sure you will find yourself in one of these 2 categories: “So shy, hiding in the Anemone. I could barely take a couple of photos of him.” OR “Sharks are friendly. Nemo is terrifying!! I got bitten!”
One of the most famous fish in the sea and also characters in Children’s Hollywood!…
“Ladies and gentlemen we are going to need to circle for a few minutes until we can get clearance to land.” For many, this announcement would be a frustration, a sign you would be late. For me it was a chance to get a bird’s-eye view of the waters I would be submerging in the next morning. Looking down, I saw Bell Island and Little Bell Island. In the waters that surround these islands lie four wrecks steeped in history.
“Ladies and gentlemen we are going to need to circle for a few minutes until…
Since the phenomenon of the 1997 hit movie “Titanic” the world, or the western hemisphere at least, has been enthralled with Titanic trivia and still thirsts, seemingly at an ever-increasing rate, for facts about the great ship operated by the renown White Star Line.
Since the phenomenon of the 1997 hit movie “Titanic” the world, or the western hemisphere…
Beginning next week and running for 11 weeks, The Scuba News Canada will feature a shipwreck story from every province of Canada, as well as one in Canada’s north. Although both the east and west coasts, along with the Great Lakes, are best known for shipwrecks, we will feature a shipwreck from even the landlocked provinces. Stay tuned for our first shipwreck story from Matt Lerpiniere’s adventure in Bell Island, Newfoundland.
Beginning next week and running for 11 weeks, The Scuba News Canada will feature a…
This was a tough decision we had to make. We chose black because of its superior properties over brown or green material. The tests showed that Black Viton compared to Green or Brown Viton, with all parameters constant except for the color, is favorable. It has higher strength, better stability and better elastic properties originally (brand new), and also after exposure to extreme situations that cause material fatigue. It also possesses higher resistance to surface damage.
This was a tough decision we had to make. We chose black because of its…
Every diver has a favourite critter or ocean giant they like to find during their travels and dives. Sharks, nudibranchs, whales and dolphins are often listed as popular but what about seahorses? These unusual and delicate creatures are found around the world and new species continue to be discovered. New Zealand is home to one species of seahorse, the Large-Bellied seahorse and, as its name suggests, it is the largest species of seahorse – growing up to 35cm in length. It lives up to a depth of approximately 100m and as shallow as 10metres and, like other species, is under threat from pollution of habitats and exploitation in commercial industries.
Every diver has a favourite critter or ocean giant they like to find during their…
They travel the seas in search of feeding grounds, adding more than 25km under their belt every single day. Whalesharks are filtering the water for small nutritional organisms (plankton, krill, jellyfish, small fish, squid, etc.). In order to survive, a juvenile needs to process at least 21kg (46 pounds) of food on a daily basis. They have been called many names: Lord Fish (Cá Ông) in Vietnam, Butanding and Balilan in the Philippines, they even made it to the back of the 100 peso bill. But I prefer “Gentle Giants” for their calm nature and slowly moving huge bodies. Time is passing with a different speed for them. Their hippy nature backed by a school bus size of a body makes the perfect tool to show us the peace that is the main rule in the underwater world.
They travel the seas in search of feeding grounds, adding more than 25km under their…
The diver was a generally healthy, 32-year-old woman with 130 lifetime dives. Her medical history included no allergies or other health problems. She had just completed her second dive on the second day of a dive series.
The Diver The diver was a generally healthy, 32-year-old woman with 130 lifetime dives. Her…
Being only five hours away on a direct flight from Auckland, I am surprised more people don’t or haven’t visited Cairns and the surrounding Tropical north Queensland across the ditch. Having lived in Queensland for four years in my early 20’s, I fell in love with the place and realised how lucky we were as Kiwis to have such easy access to the warmth, sunshine and more importantly – the Great Barrier reef. It’s been over a few years since I lived and worked there, and I felt it was time to go back and visit my old haunts (particularly the Reef of course) after hearing how El Nino, flooding and the dreaded Crown of thorns seastar (COTS) had started to decimate the coral.
Being only five hours away on a direct flight from Auckland, I am surprised more…
Why should you choose a rebreather over standard open circuit diving? Find out with New Zealand Sea Adventures
Warm & moist air: This is due to the chemical reaction of the carbon dioxide…
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr sang about being “under the sea in an octopus’s garden.” As a qualified scuba diver and instructor, Sherri Ferguson is used to being under the sea. But invading the home of an octopus was not on her bucket list, despite the best efforts of a member of the species.
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr sang about being “under the sea in an octopus’s garden.”…
The iconic Andrea Doria wreck featured in the press in June 2016 when OceanGate explored the wreck with their manned submersible and assessed her current condition. The footage that was captured showed considerable deterioration of the wreck in the last two years alone. As divers continue to explore this luxury liner, we look back at Bob Wilson’s account of his Andrea Doria 50th anniversary dive in 2006.
The iconic Andrea Doria wreck featured in the press in June 2016 when OceanGate explored…
The Underwater Archaeological Society of BC (UASBC) announces its latest exploration project. Starting fall 2016…
After diving and travelling in Asia for nine months, I was given the opportunity to…
While growing up in New Zealand, Eiko acquired his first SLR camera at the age of fourteen. He quickly discovered his passion for capturing images of animals, especially birds, in their natural habitat. During extensive trips along the West Coast of British Columbia and Alaska in the early 1990’s, his focus shifted to coastal landscapes above and below the waterline.
While growing up in New Zealand, Eiko acquired his first SLR camera at the age of fourteen. He quickly discovered his passion for capturing images of animals, especially birds, in their natural habitat. During extensive trips along the West Coast of British Columbia and Alaska in the early 1990’s, his focus shifted to coastal landscapes above and below the waterline.
As the global population increases and world travel becomes more accessible for many people, it is increasingly difficult to find dive sites that offer spectacular marine life and minimal tourism. Many areas of world class diving are overrun in peak season with boats and large dive groups, which is a far cry from the serenity and peace of scuba diving that most of us seek. There are however some lesser-known diving locations to explore, if you are prepared to go off the beaten track and begin a travel adventure both topside and underwater.
As the global population increases and world travel becomes more accessible for many people, it…
Are you looking for a different marine wildlife experience for non-scuba days? How about exploring New Zealand’s populations of seals and sea-lions? With opportunities to view both topside and underwater, spending time with these animals is a great day out for all the family and offers a fascinating introduction into their lives.
Are you looking for a different marine wildlife experience for non-scuba days? How about exploring…
Safety is almost always at the forefront of any divers thinking, but occasionally and commonly even the most experienced and qualified enthusiasts find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. The inevitable will come for every diver when a little surprise catches them off guard and they need to re-group a little to regain control of the dive. For the most part, in an ideal world, this is all any diver would really want or expect to happen.
