The Whale Sharks of Mexico Need Your Help
In Praise of Older Divers, What Underwater Photography Should Really Be About, the Joys of Stan Waterman
Exploding tank
Diving and Viagra
Dive Makai Takes a Dive
Critter ID books, Dive Travel Books, "There's a Cockroach in my Regulator"
Is Open Circuit Scuba Dead?
The Whale Sharks of Mexico Need Your Help: October 19, 2010
In the summer months, as many as 300 whale sharks gather an hour's boat ride north of Isla Mujeres, off Cancun, Mexico (some gather farther north near Holbox). As we've reported, it's easy and exciting to get into the water with these giants. Trouble is, several times a week, huge cargo ships travel through, sometimes striking the slow-moving creatures. You see, there are no demarcation buoys to create shipping lanes and warn ship captains to stay clear because of the vulnerable whale sharks. Local guides want to deploy a series of state- of- the- art demarcation buoys complete with GPS transponders to warn ships to stay clear. Once these buoys are deployed, official navigation charts would also denote the area as a whale shark reserve.
Here's where you come in: for every dollar you give to this project, Undercurrent subscriber Elaine Mathews of Long Beach, CA will match it with a dollar of her own, up to $5000. That's right, your tax-deductible contribution will be doubled. The cost of the project will be $45,000 but the tour operators, hotel operators, and local businesses will put up as much as half . . . if we can raise the rest. So far, Undercurrent subscribers have contributed nearly $6000. Please help protect these gentle giants, by visiting and donating at the Seacology website and indicate your tax-deductible donation is for the whale shark buoy project. Remember give $1, and it becomes $2, thanks to a generous matching grant from one of our fellow divers, Elaine Mathews. So, please give now to save the whale sharks -- see more details on this project on the Seacology website.
In Praise of Older Divers, What Underwater Photography Should Really Be About, the Joys of Stan Waterman: October 19, 2010
These are just a few of the insightful and unconventional free blogs you'll find exclusively on the Undercurrent website. John Bantin, Bret Gilliam, Bob Halstead, Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock, Dick Jacoby.....endless irreverent authors to keep your diving mind sharp. Read the blogs here.
Exploding tank: October 19, 2010
Two Polish tourists were killed and two other seriously injured when a scuba tank exploded while it was being unloaded from a boat on the coast in the port of Komiza, in Croatia. They were in a group of 12 Polish tourists who arrived in Komiza in early October to go scuba diving. While some people say it was caused by a valve popping out, photos clearly show a tank split from end to end.
Diving and Viagra: October 19, 2010
We post two free articles a month on our website, and this as well as just how big the lionfish threat is to Caribbean coral reefs were the hard news offered from our October issue. Go to Undercurrent to read these and while you're there, sign up for a monthly subscription and you get 16 full pages of serious dive stories you'll find no where else on the web or in print.
Dive Makai Takes a Dive: October 19, 2010
One of the very first dive operators reviewed by Undercurrent, way back in 1976, has gone out of business. It was started on the Kona Coast by the colorful Tom Shockley, who later turned over much of the diving to his wife, Lisa Choquette. Tom retired, they sold the business and she moved to the Solomon islands. Without Tom and Lisa and with competition everywhere on the Big Island, Dive Makai is now only a great memory for those lucky enough to dive with the first operator in all the islands that made critter identification the real reason to go diving.
Critter ID books, Dive Travel Books, "There's a Cockroach in my Regulator": October 19, 2010
Undercurrent has the best in diving books all through Amazon.com to give you the best prices. Order through us and our profits go directly to save coral reefs.
Is Open Circuit Scuba Dead?: October 19, 2010
Coming up in our November 1st issue is a two part articles on rebreathers, lawsuits, safety and the emerging rebreather evolution that may mean open circuit scuba is dead. Available only to paid subscribers.
Ben Davison, editor/publisher Contact Ben
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Note: Undercurrent is a registered 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization donating funds to help preserve coral reefs. Our travel writers never announce their purpose, are unknown to the destination, and receive no complimentary services or compensation from the dive operators or resort.
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