By Jill Heinerth I have a confession: I have a bit of a light fetish. I can’t seem to stop buying new lights. Headlamps, solar rechargeable, hand-cranked lanterns, cinema lighting, LED key fobs and endless cave diving and video lights. I have them all.  And this doesn’t include 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 …

On one occasion, Evan Kovac’s imaging lab was filming the features of a lake in Yellowstone in 3D for the National Park Service. With extinct hydrothermal features right next to active methane seeps, and an archaeological component as well, the lake has a lot to offer. During the shoot …

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 …

Sidemount diving may have been around for while now, but in the last couple of years it seems to have risen in popularity and become a very fashionable way of diving, and not just for cave divers, but open water divers too. The new SEAC KS01 Buoyancy jacket is a …

Announced a week ago at the TekDive USA show in Miami, the new Edge / Hog Gear sidemount system created a wee bit of interest to say the least. Little is officially known at this point, but that hasn’t stopped people getting excited at the prospect of a new, …

American Underwater Products (AUP) announced today the merger of two of their recreational dive companies, AERIS & Oceanic. Each of these companies currently offer similar product lines to the diving industry worldwide. Effective September 1st, 2014, these lines will be combined and sold exclusively under the Oceanic brand. The merger will …

The Nauticam Super Macro Converter (SMC) is the first underwater macro conversion lens that is fully optimized for in water use.  This unique and innovative lens claims to change the way that underwater macro photography is done. There are three key advantages to this internationally patent pending new optical design: …

World renowned side scan sonar expert, Garry Kozak recently completed the first “Side Scan Sonar Operators Course” for Shipwreck School. The Five participants received 3 days of comprehensive training on the school’s new EdgeTech model 4125 Dual Frequency Side Scan Sonar System. The course consisted of 8 hours of …

Documentary airing May 28th 9pm ET/PT on PBS Our new issue’s cover story on the mapping of D-Day wrecks along the Normandy shore is focus of a new PBS documentary airing May 28, with a DVD release set for June 10. D-Day’s Sunken Secrets recalls that historic WWII invasion, and reveals the unseen battlefield …

For those new to sidemount, or those still trying to find the right gear configuration, Dive Rite may be able to help. Dive Rite’s new BC Hose Quick Disconnect Adapter is a simple solution to a common routing problem . If the power inflator on your sidemount rig doesn’t sit flat …

Ikelite have been hitting a lot of home runs lately. With some fantastic packages and a great new website to name just two.  Their new Vega has been looming for a while now, but it’s finally available in stores and is well deserving of your attention. The Vega packs a …

Statistics show that almost always the cause is diver error By Dr. David Sawatzky In the last column I outlined how rebreathers work. There are many brands available and more coming on the market though the basic concepts for all of them are the same.  Rebreathers are complicated. There …

Five pieces of awesome dive gear, untested but worthy of your dive time Roland St. John Sterling Hammerhead Shark $75 Conservationist, videographer and artist Roland St. John has created this latest lovely piece for his Seaplicity Collection. It’s approximately 2 inches of sterling silver on an optional 2mm Omega chain. One of …

Five pieces of awesome dive gear, untested but worthy of your dive time   Poseidon SE7EN Rebreather $6,895 Developed from the world’s first recreational rebreather, the SE7EN reflects next generation innovation. New hardware and firmware make for a faster and more reliable unit, bluetooth connectivity means easy updates and dive …

Tonnes of fuel oil were recovered from the aging wreck but the Coast Guard says it will monitor the remote site for leakage Text by Robert Osborne Grenville Channel is the very epitome of west coast beauty. Rugged, heavily forested mountain slopes plunge precipitously into the deep, dark water …

Huish Outdoors have announced the acquisition of Liquivision Products Inc., a premier dive computer company located in Vancouver, Canada, who have been featured inside DIVER many times, even on the cover (Liquivision owner and freediver Eric Fattah on the cover of Volume 38 Issue 6). “The addition of the Liquivision …

BARE have announced their HDC TECH DRY, a durable new drysuit designed for avid recreational, technical and professional divers who require an extra level of protection. “The HDC TECH DRY fills a long-standing need in the market,” explains Tommy Aoki, Brand Manager for BARE. “It’s an exceptionally tough but lightweight …

By Jeffrey Gallant   Divers Jean-Louis Courteau and Jacques Lech were exploring a Laurentians lake for an old truck that broke through the ice nearly a century ago when they came across something just a tad older. In fact, their find in November was likely a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. What …

Our antipodean friends at Sport Diving magazine have just released this rather good five minute film about Chuuk Lagoon. Filmed nearly 70 years after Operation Hailstone laid waste to the Japanese fleet, it features a local captain’s historical retelling. CHUUK: Adventure on the Thorfinn from Sportdiving Magazine on Vimeo. …

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 …

A great way to get started in underwater photography with this compact, easy-to-use system. The Camera Switch effortlessly underwater between colorful 20.1 megapixel stills and high-resolution HD 720p video with a single package. Be ready for anything you come across with the possibility of shooting wide angle, portrait, and …

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 …

Text By Russell Clark  Scuba diving in the waters of Vancouver, British Columbia can be a chilling adventure. Not only are our waters pretty cold all year round, but the Emerald Seas of the Great White North are also fed by icy waters from snow capped mountains. All in …

  Scientists gave the rebuilt Alvin submarine two thumbs up after field-testing the nation’s only human-occupied deep-sea research vehicle for the first time after a major $42-million overhaul that dramatically upgraded the sub’s capabilities. “We’ve tested the core functions of the new Alvin, and we believe we have a great new tool for the scientific community,” said …

Five pieces of awesome dive gear, untested but worthy of your dive time Oceanic Omega 3 / FDX-I $699 Side exhausts are making a come back and March 2014 sees the release of this Oceanic first and second stage unit. Effortless breathing thanks to a unique levered pilot valve, plus …

Canon calls the EOS Rebel SL1 100D camera “The World’s Smallest and Lightest Digital SLR Camera.” We can believe it, it’s tiny. Pared with a small, fully functioning Ikelite housing with an 8 inch dome, what you get, may just be on the most versatile and practical underwater DSLRs you can …

Five pieces of awesome dive gear, untested but worthy of your dive time Waterproof D6 Lite ISS $1995 Available late Spring 2014, this lightweight version of the popular D7 is ideal for travelers.  Flexible and light trilaminate, comfy FlexBoots and a front entry TZIP. Looks damn cool.  www.waterproof.eu Sherwood amphos $550 …

Text by Michael McAllister and Ian Kerr-Wilson Following publication of Civil Disobedience Wreck Diving in DIVER Volume 38 Number 7 the City of Hamilton expressed interest in outlining its initiatives and future plans for the Hamilton and Scourge historical site in its charge. This post is the FULL City …

Following distribution of our Gear Guide issue (Volume 39 Issue 1) we were contacted by Scuba One, an Italian manufacturer of scuba goods included in that feature. This European company has the same name as a United States based dive travel operation, which asked if we would help distinguish between the …

An explorer begets the Explorer, the new Hollis Gear semi-closed unit that just may change and reinvigorate sport diving  Text by Michael Menduno   Kevin Gurr has been passionate about computing and rebreathers since his first rebreather dive in 1987. The prolific 54-year old British explorer, tech instructor and …

Product: CO-Pro Recommend Retail Price: Single $7.95 Pack $37.50 Website  Carbon Monoxide can be a big killer; odourless, colourless and impossible to detect using just your senses. Adventurous dive travellers may have encountered questionable fill stations in various corners of the globe. Maybe the compressor was situated too close to a …

Manufacturer: EezyCut Product: Trilobite Recommend Retail Price: $24.95 Website  Cutting devices have seen little change since man first crafted them, but the Trilobite is made specifically for emergency uses, and has a host of applications; rock climbing, kayaking, skydiving, fishing and of course scuba diving. EezyCut have managed to successfully reinvent the …

Manufacturer: Maxtec Product: Handi+ Recommend Retail Price: $225 Website Having an O2 analyzer on hand is an excellent addition to your gear bag. For some, checking your O2 level pre-dive is an essential requirement, for others it can be a great habit to get into. After all, no harm …

Dive industry pro Bret Gilliam offers the historical perspective The first research work in decompression physiology was not directed at scuba divers. Records from 1841 show that construction workers working at elevated pressures in either caissons (water-tight boxes inside which workers did construction underwater) or construction tunnels beneath rivers …

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 …