A new study suggests fish are behaviourally complex and possess a mental capacity that can match or exceed other vertebrates A paper just published in the scientific journal Animal Cognition states that “fish perception and cognitive abilities often match or exceed other vertebrates.” Dr. Culum Brown, a professor in the …

Gorgonian corals become rockfish communities Photograph by Lou Lehmann – Text by Neil McDaniel Gorgonian corals are common in the cold waters off Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts, but they usually dwell in deep, dark water well beyond SCUBA depths. But on the Pacific coast, a few species are …

Text and Photograph by David Fleetham As a rule, waves can be tricky to shoot underwater. In the shallow surf zone it’s not unusual that you’ll take a bit of a beating in the quest for a worthy wave shot, but this image at the Molokini Marine Preserve near …

Scientists have recently revealed the true champion of the deep Even the whale watchers among us are impressed by the scientific revelations released recently by cetacean researchers at the Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) in Olympia, Washington. They’ve been studying Cuvier’s beaked whales over the past few years and what …

Site of the country’s largest marine park, Cenderawasih Bay boasts endemic species and biodiversity that make it unique in the world ocean and worthy of your dive site bucket list Text and Photography by Michael AW Rising above an indigo sea, the fog-shrouded Arfak Mountains evoke the image of …

Text and Photograph by Joseph C. Dovala Today the SS Saganaga rests peacefully on the bottom of Conception Bay, Newfoundland, in the cool, clear North Atlantic. The World War II story of how she came to be such a great wreck, and dive, is anything but peaceful, however, and unravels the …

Want to work on a science diving project? Good news. You don’t have to be a scientist. And for you non-divers out there, here’s another good reason to get certified and help Planet Ocean  Text by Evan Kovacs & Chad Smith  The family is out. You alone have dominion …

In the late fall of 2012, researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Maryland and the University of Hawaii at Manoa joined forces to conduct a month-long integrated study of coral in the Federated States of Micronesia, remote islands in the western Pacific. Three dive teams, each …

US Freediving is pleased to report that US Freediving athlete Ted Hardy, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, has won the prestigious DejaBlueV freediving competition. Ted complied the highest point total for all six competitive freediving disciplines completed within the competition. The weeklong competition allows athletes to contest for points derived …

The University of British Columbia’s Project Seahorse just announced a rare documented sighting of a seahorse in Canadian waters. The sighting comes to light as a result of iSeahorse.org, the new citizen science initiative created by Project Seahorse. Two divers recently uploaded a photograph of the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) that …

More than 750 divers have visited Cayman’s newest dive attraction since sculpture was sunkon April 12 Adela Gonzales White, Cayman Bottom Times Since his celebrated sinking on April 12, more that 750 divers, both visitors and locals, have visited Cayman’s newest dive attraction, the Guardian of the Reef.  The bronze …

Text and Photograph by Eiko Jones Near the top end of Vancouver Island the picturesque community of Telegraph Cove nestles in rainforest overlooking the Johnstone Strait, a bountiful west coast waterway that’s home to its own lush forests, dazzling in their own right. With its serpentine shore and island-choked …

After many months and a long journey from his birthplace in British Columbia the bronze sculpture, commissioned to mark Divetech’s 20th Anniversary, to be welcomed with a weekend celebration He has travelled thousands of miles to arrive in Grand Cayman, and on Saturday, April 12 the bronze sculpture Guardian of …

Niagara Certifies First Quadriplegic Quadriplegic Mitch Brogan recently qualified as an HSA Advanced Open Water Diver in the Niagara Frontier area of Ontario, Canada, and holds the distinction of being the first graduate of a new local program launched in August to train disabled divers. The new Handicapped SCUBA …

The Dive Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) wants us to enjoy manatees but to be sure to give them their space. A poster and 30-second video, voiced by Jimmy Buffet, aim to boost awareness for safe interaction with the manatees when you’re in and on the water. Targeting tourists, …

In dark depths rarely visited by scuba divers, subs explore hectares of sponge many storeys high that form British Columbia’s ancient Sea of Glass By Sabine Jessen and Alexandra Barron The Aquarius submersible plummets through the depths, the light fades and darkness surrounds the small white vessel. Through the …

Photographs Courtesy Deep Ocean Technology A patented project by Deep Ocean Technology (DOT), the Water Discus Underwater Hotel is right out of the Jetsons. The futuristic accommodation is remarkable in appearance and design. The basic structure comprises an underwater disc and a topside disc, sized to client specifications, water …

We don’t often run events like this, but we should, especially when they appeal to the underwater photographer in all of us! Not only are Aquatica the official housing suppliers for the AGGRESSOR FLEET and DANCER FLEET, but Aquatica have now announce an 11 night charter from March 28th to April 8th, 2015 …

Text and Photograph by Eiko Jones   I first started shooting dogs in the water when Mortimer, a friendly pooch, came down to visit me photographing in the Campbell River estuary. He stood there watching me float in the water with my camera so I turned and began taking …

Former DIVER Editor, renowned underwater videographer, and all round local legend Neil McDaniel has released a short video giving a brief overview of the disease that has effected the west coast of Canada and the US.

The last issue of 2013 has just rolled off the printers and it looks fantastic! Volume 39 Issue 1 will be hitting subscribers over the next week or two depending on where you live and seasonal postal services. New subscribers can download the issue onto their iPhone or iPad. …

The Ontario Underwater Council (OUC) held a successful fund raising evening at the Ontario Science Centre earlier this month. Although the holiday season is normally a difficult time to get people to come out to Toronto dive events, but when the topic is Great White Sharks, there is always …

Divers encounter jelly with a bubbly personality Text and Photo by Trisha Stovel During a recent search for six gill sharks with Rendezvous Dive Adventures, I encountered one of my favourite critters: a fried egg jelly. In the end, we didn’t see any of the elusive sharks during our …

The dive live-aboard Nautilus Swell travels back in time to an archipelago and culture thousands of years old Text and Photography by Dale Sanders   Haida Gwaii is a remote and windswept archipelago more than 60 miles (100km) off the north coast of British Columbia, inhabited by the Haida since, …

Great White Shark, a new IMAX film in 3D and 2D now out in the U.S. and Canada, unravels the mystery of the creature we love to fear—the much maligned, misrepresented and misunderstood great white shark—and dives into the depths of human daring to tell the true story of …

It’s true. Time flies when you’re having fun. Hard to believe but this month marks the beginning of the Aggressor Fleet’s 30th year in business. Three decades the luxurious live-aboard dive boats have been ferrying divers to the world’s great dive sites! It was November 17, 1984, when the …

Wall diving in the Cayman Islands is extraordinary, even before you hit the water Text by Peter Golding   There’s a wall dive you won’t want to miss next time you’re in the Caymans. Any vacationer to these islands can enjoy this particular reefscape ascending a double helix staircase …

Previously featured in DIVER Volume 37 Issue 3, David Hall’s photography comes to Vancouver on August 24th. Photohaus Gallery is pleased to announce the opening debut of David Hall’s Beneath Cold Seas, a compelling collection of underwater photography shot entirely off the coast of British Columbia. This will be …

For the diver who’s done it all, this place is one for the logbook Text by Michel Braunstein Photography by Michel Braunstein & Jacki Soikis    I’ve had the good fortune to dive in many parts of the world. It’s the variety of experiences I’ve enjoyed that keeps my eye …

The Vancouver Aquarium’s lingcod egg mass survey brings together local divers for a fun citizen science project every year By Russell Clark For six weeks each winter divers across British Columbia unite to become part of a citizen science project that’s sponsored by the Vancouver Aquarium. The annual Lingcod …

Text and Photo by Amanda Marie Lovell In the Pacific Northwest basket stars can be found in high current areas clinging to hard and soft coral, sponges, rocks, and even to each other, like this one. These extraordinary creatures have five delicately spiraled arms that divide and branch out …

  Text and Photo by Andy Murch One of the favourite games played by adolescent Steller sea lions is ‘sneak up on the scuba diver’. This gang of juveniles materialized out of the blue and entertained me to no end before acrobatically scattering in all directions. For most of …

Inside the pages of DIVER Volume 38 Issue 3 you’ll be able to read about the oceans most promoinent underwater sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. Taylor’s most well known work was in creating the world’s first underwater scultpure park off the coast of Grenada in 2006, it is now considered one …

Just 500 divers each year get to see the Caribbean as it was 60 years ago. Text by Joseph Frey Photos: Courtesy Avalon Diving Centres  Rolling off the skiff for the last dive of the week I barely miss three Caribbean reef sharks in the shallows. Startled, they quickly …

Japan may not be at the top of your dive destination list, but consider that this is a country of over 6,800 islands and tens of thousands of dive sites from the chilly north to the tropical south, among them UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites. Diving for all skill …

Getting SeaOrbiter off the drawing board and into the aquatic realm she was conceived to explore would move humankind a step closer to colonizing the oceans By DIVER Staff SeaOrbiter on YouTube The future of inner space exploration is on a course set by outer space science fiction. SeaOrbiter …