By Michel Gilbert & Danielle Alary We must confess, we both have a ‘problem’― an incurable addiction really―that impacts our underwater photo work. Danielle doesn’t smoke, drink alcohol, or any other liquid than milk, juice, or an occasional soda. I have one coffee per day, never drink outside of …

Words and Photography by Brandon Cole Clinging to a sponge-covered piling under Australia’s Blairgowrie Pier, giant spider crabs hope to avoid being eaten by predators patrolling the sand below. Each winter, tens of thousands of crabs with legs spanning 16 inches (40cm) march from deep water into the shallows of …

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis The newest findings are clear: our relationship with the natural world needs to be re-evaluated and then fixed. Not only are we navigating challenging times as we suffer through the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, but we are witnessing the destruction of nature on …

Words by Tom Levine Many people like me have been snorkeling all over the world and figured that was good enough – quick, simple and feels like flying. I decided to investigate the possibility that my smug notions were off the mark. What better place to be stripped of one’s …

Joanna Mikutowicz – Dive Instructor/ Dive Shop Owner How long have you been diving? 23 years now. I was certified in 1997. What made you want to become a diver? I have always loved being on and in the water but it was originally my dad who convinced me to …

When a hyperbaric emergency happens, divers want to know that a chamber is always available nearby. Problem is, it isn’t. Words by Dan Orr In the Winter 2012 edition of Alert Diver Online, Divers Alert Network (DAN) published an article authored by Dick Clarke of National Baromedical Services entitled, …

The Exploration Diving Society of British Columbia has officially launched. The EDSBC is a diverse group of experienced and multi-disciplined underwater explorers discovering new diving opportunities for freedivers, non-technical divers, and technical divers. Like most great ideas, this one started at a coffee shop with a group of people discussing …

Words by Jill Heinerth We’ve all seen an underwater video with a distracting blue cast. Our eyes long for the warm tones of orange and red that we saw on the rope sponges during our dive. What happened? Can we recover what we remembered from the hazy blue footage? …

Have you heard about the recent sightings of great white sharks in Nova Scotia, Canada? These incredible animals are becoming more frequent in the area, but fear not – there is no need to panic, this ain’t Amity Island! Dr Chris Harvey Clark shares science-based tips on how you …

Words by Natalie Gibb Are you cave diving as much as you would like? Unless you are fortunate enough to live in a location with local cave diving, it’s safe to say that the answer this year is a resounding “No!” Even in less apocalyptic times, cave divers can …

Photography by Maxwel Hohn / Words by Roseanne Kealtey Winter in the coastal region of British Columbia can bring harsh conditions for marine life and photographers alike. The gusting winds, driving rains, and unpredictable seas can create numerous challenges when filming, and any opportunities need to be fully utilized as …

Joe Grabowski is bringing adventure, science, and global exploration into classrooms around North America Interview by Jill Heinerth Just over five years ago, I visited a small classroom in Guelph, Ontario, to visit with the kids and their teacher Joe Grabowski. He spoke to me about his dream to …

For more than 40 years, DAN has been here to help divers, dive professionals, and health care providers stay safer and better prepared. With its vision of making every dive accident- and injury-free, DAN Medical Services offers an array of essential services trusted by millions of divers worldwide. DAN’s …

Wrecks, walls, and worms all feature prominently in British Columbia’s high octane, highly adventurous Discovery Passage Words and Photography by Russell Clark As Editor of DIVER magazine, one of the first questions I get asked by people is “where’s your favourite place to dive?” I think the question is a little …

Words and Photography by Tiare Boyes  Docks are easily overlooked historical markers, reflecting the individual communities that have used them. They have provided an essential link between land and sea, as well as shelter for mariners. Docks also have provided an important place for social connection between isolated neighbours. …

Words and Image by Maxwel Hohn When people think about commercial divers, they might picture a hardhat diver on an offshore oil rig, hundreds of feet below the waves, welding together steel structures and pipes. In reality, the job of a commercial diver is much more diverse. Commercial divers …

By Steve Lewis I was blind to the possibilities…and all the time it was staring me in the face. Every few circuits around the sun, some well-meaning public-relations maven sends out a press-release notifying the dive industry of yet another innovative technology or wonderfully-conceived piece of dive kit that will …

Words By Bill Nadeau We began this year mourning the loss of one of the recreational diving industry’s greatest pioneers, Tom Mount. The NOGI award winner and founder of IANTD and NACD logged more than 10,000 dives and remained active up until his death in January of this year, …

Divers Alert Network has published the latest edition of its Travelers Medical Guide. Created to help divers, boaters, and adventure travelers recognize and manage various travel-related illnesses and injuries, this digital guide explains common symptoms, illnesses, and treatments in an easy-to-understand manner. “DAN members are active explorers, and they …

By Heather Creech In citizen science, there comes a moment when recording observations simply isn’t enough to protect the ocean we love—when it becomes necessary to dive headfirst into the politics and economics of marine conservation. That time has come in South Australia. Divers, scientists, and many others (including …

Martin Edge’s Fifth Edition has been ten years in the making, and is better than ever. Words by Michel Gilbert & Danielle Alary In our review of the Fourth Edition of Martin Edge’s The Underwater Photographer, we wrote, “Let us just say that this is the best underwater photo technique book …

By Margo Peyton Teaching diving to your children can open them up to a new world of global possibilities and dreams, and make for an awesome vacation! Photo courtesy: Kids Sea CampIt’s time to start thinking about where you’ll take your family for a break once! Here are my …

By Natalie Gibb I read an uniformed and rather prejudiced opinion on Facebook the other day. Actually, I read quite a few such opinions, but this one had to do with the use of drysuits by cavern diving and cave diving guides in Mexico. “If you use a drysuit in …

NOTE: This article was written at the height of the global lockdown – but still includes some great advice for videographers. By Jill Heinerth Our world is a far different place from just a few months ago. The global pandemic has changed life for most of us. Some divers …

By Michel Gilbert & Danielle Alary Light is the foundation of any image and artificial lighting is ubiquitous in underwater photography. When using twin strobes, you can go beyond the standard strobe head placement. As we’ve said many times in this column, adding a second strobe is probably the …

Sometimes the most incredible marine life encoutners aren’t in the ocean, they’re hiding under lily pads in remote Canadian lakes Words by Russell Clark / Photography by Maxwel Hohn   You may well remember seeing a couple of images we’ve previously published of tadpoles. They are always crowd pleasers, …

Wakatobi Resort will reopen for business on 02 June 2022. This announcement comes as Indonesia eliminates all quarantines for arriving international travelers and reinstates its Visa On Arrival program. A number of international airlines have resumed flights to Bali and as in years past, Wakatobi will offer their private …

Digital edition now available on Magzter. Features this issue: Rays & Skates – an overview of the lesser-known shark species Remembering Tom Mount Sunken trains in British Columbia Ocean Art winners Exploring a German slate mine DIVER interview with Holly Lohuis Columns this issue: Shark Diving with Cristina Zenato …

Words and Photography by David Fleetham & Tim Rock I moved to Maui in 1986 for a year or two, and never left. I have been fortunate to work as an underwater photographer and travel to most of our planet’s oceans, but I always look forward to coming back to Hawaii, …

Words by Jill Heinerth When I was a little girl, we had two channels available on TV. Everyone in my neighbourhood had the same stations, which meant we all had a common media diet. On Sunday evenings, we crouched in front of the black and white television, with dinner …

He’s photographed more wrecks than we can count. After several articles for DIVER, we gave the renowned UK photographer the challenge of finding his favourite five. Words and Photography By Steve Jones I’ve visited my fair share of wrecks over the years, so shortlisting five that have left the …

Words by Jade Boudreau  What is a dive shop? To some it’s a business or a way to make a profit in the tourist industry, but for Rocky Boudreau of Rockdiver’s Costa Rica, it is much more. Diving is Rocky’s passion, and giving his clients the opportunity to explore …

Words by Jill Heinerth  The underwater photo and cinematography community is mourning Val Ranetkins, founder of Aqua Vision Systems, Amphibico, Aquatica, and Valstech, all companies on the leading edge of underwater optics, housings, and lighting. National Geographic Explorer/Photographer David Doubilet remembers Val Ranetkins as “a Canadian national treasure.” Chuck …

Words by Dr. Joe MacInnis When a man’s life depends on your skill as a diving physician, your memory of him goes deep. So it is with Jon Lindbergh. We’re in Key West. I see him walking up the gangway to our ship Sea Diver. He’s 32 years old, carrying …

Shark feeding is a controversial practice, but is it as bad as we think, and can it actually benefit conservation? Words by Christina Zenato Shark diving is a growing market. Whether it’s to quench the human desire to come face to face with our fears, or to feed our fascination …

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis There is an inner galaxy of alien looking organisms on our own planet. Just night dive in open water with a bright light and witness for yourself the water column coming alive with all different forms of gelatinous plants and animals: plankton. It …