Bret Gilliam

When I first met Bret, I disliked him intensely. My friend Rob Palmer, a self-effacing Englishman, had invited me over to the Bahamas for the launch of the Draeger semi-closed circuit rebreather and I found myself in the company of a group of loud-mouthed American technical diving pioneers, each competing with the other to hold … Read more

How to Help the Citizens of Maui

Fire destroyed Lahaina and ravaged other areas of Maui, and thousands of displaced people there are desperate for your kindness. Here is a list of charities that welcome your immediate donation. Please do what you can. Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement CNHA is matching up to $250,000 in community donations providing critical assistance to families … Read more

Diving with a Purpose, volunteering with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program

by Bill Mashek According to Wikipedia, the whale shark is the largest extant fish species and a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft) Volunteering as a diver for any marine conservation project is a wonderful opportunity for passionate divers. My passion is working as a … Read more

The Raja Ampat Explained

There were so many fishes around me in the water; at times I had trouble getting a clear view. Nothing was arranged in any orderly fashion. There were no neat schools, just thousands of fishes positioned chaotically and darting about without any common factor. I had difficulty concentrating my camera on anything in particular and … Read more