Shark Stroking: Free Diving with Great Whites

A call I got recently from Dr. Chip Scarlett of Austin, Texas got my attention. “You have to drop what you’re doing and check out these white shark photos on this guy’s website,” he gushed enthusiastically into my speaker phone. “C’mon, Chip,” I yawned. “I’ve seen more white shark images than a sea lion at … Read more

The Big Difference Between Day Boats and Liveaboards? The Customers

I do a lot of dive trips abroad, about a dozen each year. I recently enjoyed a two-week liveaboard trip in the Red Sea near southern Sudan, followed by a similar amount of time shore-based in Bali, Indonesia. In each case, my fellow divers were British, French, Belgian, German and Dutch but could have been … Read more

Sinking in a Sea of Luxury?

For the past year we’ve been based in Indonesia working as consultants for Conservation International’s Indonesia Marine Programs, specifically in diving’s newest hotspot, Raja Ampat. With all the liveaboards here or coming here, we’re seeing an explosion of luxury — but is this what you, the real diving-public want? …