Copenhagen, COP 15 UN Climate Conference December 8

I arrived in Copenhagen Tuesday afternoon, excited about engaging in the historic UN Climate Conference.  While you know me as the editor of Undercurrent, I’m here in my new capacity to organize the International Court for the Environment Coalition in the U.S. Quite simply, a movement is underway to create such a court to hold … Read more

Nightmares of the Scuba Police

Diving used to be a fairly laid-back and non-confrontational leisure activity. In fact, in the early days most divers were generally considered to have a few screws loose but that was part of the appeal. The idea that diving was inherently a flirtation with a real or perceived danger was pretty much a “given” by … Read more

Be-Brief

In July I was fortunate enough to yet again venture along the Great Barrier Reef north of Cairns and out into the Coral Sea. I’ve made this cruise several times on various boats including Mike Ball’s Spoilsport, the private Super Yacht Bullish, the now sadly missed Nimrod and Underwater Explorer, and this time on Taka. … Read more

Diving: The Superior Sport

What a fabulous sport scuba diving is. Other sports mostly challenge my sanity, and their blatant inadequacies confirm diving as the superior sport. Take Motor Racing for example. Aren’t you glad I do not squirt you with Champagne on the dive deck after every successful dive? Few realize what this extravagant behaviour actually symbolizes. Squirters … Read more