COVER STORY Diving in the Maldives Aboard the Barutheela and the Manthiri Were you the kind of kid who dreamt of sailing the Seven Seas with swashbuckling pirates? If the romantic still courses in your blood, then the notion of diving from a 90-foot wooden galleon with 200 yards of rust-red sails sounds like a dream trip. Throw in the remote Maldive Islands, with more divers in the water than anywhere on the planet and an estimated thousand species of fish, and the trip sounds even dreamier. Of course, in the real world, making dreams come true means being set up to meet divers' demands and having a dive operator who knows the waters and understands the currents that can make or break Maldivian diving. Given the choice between a replica of an eighteenth-century galleon and a modern Aggressor /Peter Hughes live-aboard clone, how do you pick the stuff of dreams? Check out what our correspondent thought of the food, the boats, the diving, and the dive operations as well as his impressions of the Maldive Islands themselves.   Dengue Fever Alert U.S. health authorities say doctors may be overlooking or misdiagnosing cases of dengue fever, which is on the upswing in virtually every tropical country as well as among U.S. visitors to foreign lands. Learn where outbreaks have been highest, and be sure you're familiar with the symptoms of dengue as well as some steps you can take to prevent it. Why Divers Die, Part IV: Ascents & Embolisms Although divers who attempt to save themselves fare better than those who rely on a buddy, many divers are ill equipped to conduct an emergency ascent. If the need arises, a large proportion panic, and a significant number die. Learn what to do to minimize the risk of embolism when ascending as well as how to dive safely in the vicinity of boats and jet skis. What to Do If Your Auto Inflator Sticks Open If the valve of a low-pressure inflator on a buoyancy compensator or a drysuit sticks open, a dangerous, out-of-control ascent can result. Find out what to do if your automatic inflator sticks open and the surest ways to prevent or slow involuntary ascents. Hiding in the Maldives What would you do if you were about to be indicted for embezzling $1.2 million in Teamster pension funds? If you think like David Friedland, an ex-New Jersey state senator who was recently released from prison, you'd fake your death in a Bahamas diving accident, then slip away to a remote tropical paradise to live on the lam. Unexpected Taxes The diving was good, the food was fine, and the price had seemed right-until checkout time, when an extra $300 in hotel taxes and service charges was added to the bill. It sounds hard to believe, but our readers have vouched for stories like this one on dive trips they've taken in the Caribbean, and tacked-on taxes are just part of the problem. The many different types of travel taxes also make the situation very confusing, and the fact that the charges can be variable-and sometimes even arbitrary-makes the problem even harder to sort out. Find out where taxes are high (and getting higher), discover some low-tax getaways, and learn what questions to ask your travel agent when you book to make sure your trip doesn't end on an unpleasant note. Little Cayman Diver II In the past we've reported on problems with Little Cayman Diver II, a boat that had fallen into serious disrepair. Recent requests from readers about whether the boat had been brought up to snuff made us decide to check it out. Find out whether Little Cayman Diver II has its act together as well as what we learned about development on Little Cayman Island itself. Counterfeit Scubapro BCs The sale of discounted dive equipment by mail is a hotly-debated topic that has always created tensions between dive shops, equipment manufacturers, and the mail order dive businesses themselves. At times the disputes have become legal hassles that have left their mark on the dive equipment industry. The latest saga, involving Scubapro, Leisure Pro, and Cal Pacific Manufacturing, goes beyond any of the squabbles that have existed heretofore and opens up a real dive industry can of worms. Get the scoop on the legal wrangle and the clandestine "grey market" for dive gear. No-Nap Diving Ever wonder why a couple tanks' worth of diving can leave you ready for a nap? We've always assumed that all that strenuous activity knocked us out, but a recent study by the Kawashima Orthopedic Hospital points in a different direction. Their findings might surprise you-and show you how to make diving a bit less tiring. Dangers of Swallowing Air We never thought of a good belch as a smart safety move before a dive, at least not until Undercurrent subscriber Daniel Spitzer, M.D., and fellow diver Lee Fleisher, M.D., encountered a unique and serious diving malady that they shared with us. Learn why belching might be wise, as well as other, quieter precautions that might help prevent what could be a serious problem.