scuba diving - december 2014 usa

OUR FAVORITE DIVE SPOTS, ADVENTURES, & MORE PAGE 29

D I V I N GSCUBA

scubadiving.com // November/December 2014

DIVE COMPUTERS PAGE 62

DIVING NAKED

IN LITTLE CAYMAN

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THE SEA HERO

OF THE YEAR IS

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COLD-WATER WETSUITS

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WIN A MASK PAGE 9

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Scuba Diving (ISSN 1553-7919) is published eight times per year (J/F, M/A, May, Jul, S/O, N/D, w/ bonus issues in June and August) by Bonnier Corp., 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Vol. 23, No. 8, Nov/Dec 2014. Periodicals postage paid in Winter Park, FL, and additional of ces. Subscription rate for one year (eight issues): U.S., $21.97; Canada, $30.97; all other foreign countries, $39.97. U.S. funds only. Contents copyright 2014 by Bonnier Corp. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Scuba Diving, P.O. 6364, Harlan, IA 51593-1864. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. For subscription questions, email: SCDcustserv@cdsful llment.com.

TALK

Editors Letter 8

Win This 9

SECRET SPOT 10

CURRENTS 13

What Its Like 20

DRIVE AND DIVE 22

TRAINING

Imaging+ 70

Lessons for Life 72

Ask an Expert 74

LOOK 82

ON THE COVER Heres our idea of a

dream diver, out tted in ScubaLabs 2014

Gear of the Year. Look inside for the lowdown

on these pieces and more.

Photograph by Zach Stovall

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scubadiving.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 / 4

CONTENTS N OV/ D EC 2014 VO L . 2 3 ISSUE 8 s c u b ad i v i n g .co m

Advanced Adventure: Cave Country Sidemount diving in the Dominican Republics secret cenotes is no easy feat but if youre up to the challenge, the risk is worth the reward.

Best of Scuba Diving 2014 From travel and advanced adventures to innovation and conservation, were taking a look back at our favorite stories and photos from the past year.

84

1

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5460ScubaLab:

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Year After a year of rigorous testing, we present the best gear 2014 had to o er. A BY ROGER ROY

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Website scubadiving.comEditorial Email [email protected]

EditorialPatricia Wuest E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F Mary Frances Emmons D E P U T Y E D I T O RAshley Annin M A N A G I N G E D I T O RRoger Roy S C U B A L A B D I R E C T O R Cindy Martin C O P Y E D I T O R Caroline Glenn, Samantha Henry E D I T O R I A L I N T E R N S

ContributorsJori Bolton, Jim Decker, Anna DeLoach, Ned DeLoach, Eric Douglas, Lila Harris, Michael Kraus, Lea Lee, Travis Marshall, Eric Michael, Brooke Morton, Zach Stovall

ArtMonica Alberta A R T D I R E C T O RKristen McClarty P H O T O E D I T O R

Digital Steve Spears D I G I TA L C O N T E N T D I R E C T O RAlex Bean D I G I TA L E D I T O RBecca Hurley D I G I TA L P R O D U C E RJake Lamb D I G I TA L I N T E R N

SalesLaura Walker G R O U P P U B L I S H E [email protected]

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Matt Hickman VICE PRESIDENT, DIREC TOR OF BRAND STRATEGIESDavid Butler V I C E P R E S I D E N T, D I G I TA L O P E R AT I O N SShawn Bean E D I T O R I A L D I R E C T O RDave Weaver C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O RLeigh Bingham C O N S U M E R M A R K E T I N G D I R E C T O RHaley Bischof G R O U P M A R K E T I N G D I R E C T O R Jeff Cassell C O R P O R AT E P R O D U C T I O N D I R E C T O RMichelle Doster G R O U P P R O D U C T I O N D I R E C T O RAlicia Rivera P R O D U C T I O N M A N A G E [email protected] Oberholtzer D E S I G N S E R V I C E S D I R E C T O RJulia Arana, Jennifer Remias G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R SSheri Bass H U M A N R E S O U R C E S D I R E C T O R

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TALK EDITO R S N OT E L E T T ERS WIN TH IS s c u b ad i v i n g .co m

A Labor of LoveTHE EDITORS OF SCUBA DIVING BRING YOU THE BEST OF 2014

For the 17th annual publication of Best Gear of the Year, we decided to celebrate an entire year of bests. Creating the con-

tent became a labor of love for Scubas talented, indefatigable not to men-tion fun-loving sta . In fact, this team stamps its passion for diving on every issue it produces. Th ere is not one piece of content that 1 Deputy Editor Mary Frances Emmons does not touch, from writing many of the features to editing the rest of them. Th e amazing choices in design and pho-tography made by 2 Art Director Monica Alberta and 3 Photo Edi-tor Kristen McClarty make us wish we were diving instead of looking at our computer screens. 4 Managing Edi-tor Ashley Annin is the glue who holds it all together and a jack-of-all-trades, from tweeting (@scubadivingmag) to ensuring every headline, caption, and image is in place. 5 Roger Roy and his test team bring a meticulous, rig-orous approach to gear testing that is ScubaLabs hallmark. 6 Digital Content Editor Alex Bean along with 7 Becca Hurley and 8 Martin Kuss makes scubadiving.com shine, and produces our four monthly e-newsletters. Copy Editor Cindy Martin (not pictured) has a graceful touch as our grammar cop, and Pro-duction Director Alicia Rivera (not pictured) manages to keep a sense of humor while making printing deadlines. Th ey are the best in the business, and Im grateful for their contributions in creating another stellar issue.

9 Patricia Wuest, Editor-in-Chief

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> L E T T E R S Tyumen, Russia

Joel, we loved your letter, and we

hope you and your daughter enjoy

many more dives together and the

Jaws Blu-ray disc were sending you.

A Readers Lessons for Life I have been diving in Cozumel for more than 30 years, have 500 dives, and started solo diving about seven years ago. Before my last trip to Coz, I decided to order a Spare Air.

On my rst solo dive, I swam to a ledge known for eagle rays. As I hov-ered above the ledge, the rays appeared, but as I dropped down, I was swept over the edge by a down-draft current. I inated my BC to slow my descent, but nothing helped. I had no time to dump my weights. I knew I had to stop

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my descent, so I started clawing my way up the wall. I took a breath and felt that terrible feeling when you realize you have no air left. I grabbed my Spare Air and took my rst breath from it. At that point, I was still 120 feet down I would have only one or two more breaths. My last breath was at 60 feet, and then I kicked for my life, popped to the surface and took a huge breath.

I was lucky no DCS. My computer showed a max depth of 205 feet. I lost all my air because as I inated my BC to stop the descent, all the air was pouring out the dump valve.

Thank you, Spare Air. MARK KAY > Pinellas County, Florida

IST SPORTS SPEAR MASK

Let us know what you think about this issue,

and you could win an IST Sports SMP204

Spear dual-lens mask with an excep-

tional field of view and soft skirt. Write to

us at [email protected] or post on our

Facebook wall.

Win This!

Mystic WorldUNIQUE BEAUTY AWAITS AT THE

PEARL OF TYROL

Located not far from Sameranger

Lake in Tyrol, Austria, is the

otherworldly Lake Fernsteinsee.

The delicate algae and plants cov-

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grow, so diving is strictly limited

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control. The crystal-clear water

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allowing divers to appreciate the

logs, fallen trees and plants that

make up this mystical world. Its an

underwater experience unlike

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GO NOW FERNSTEINSEE.AT

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEA LEE


GET INVOLVED Coralrestoration.org is the place to find out more about who we are, what we do and where were going, says Sea Hero of the Year

Ken Nedimyer. From there you can connect with us on Facebook or Twitter,

and for some of the more traditional people (like me), you can sign up for our

monthly newsletter. For divers who want to get more involved, Coral Restoration

Foundation has limited space available at Bonaires Buddy Dive Resort for a coral

planting in December. Contact coralrestoration.org for details.

People of action, devoted to

protecting the planets oceans

and marine life through conser-

vation, technology or by simply

helping others. If you spot a Sea

Hero, join Scuba Diving, Oris and

the 2014 Sea Heroes program

by nominating him or her at

scubadiving.com/seaheroes

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Ken Nedimyer is no stranger to awards. The lanky, laconic former sh collector was named a CNN Hero in 2012 for his success in fostering and transplant-ing baby corals as a way to conserve Floridas threatened reefs.

Today hes being named Sea Hero of the Year by Scuba Diving and Oris Watches USA and that simple, origi-nal idea has taken root beyond his wildest imaginings. Nurseries created using Ned-imyers techniques have birthed more than 50,000 new corals from Florida to Bonaire to Colombia and soon, Nedimyer hopes well beyond.

Pretty impressive for an idea that began as a high school project for

Nedimyer and his daughter. It became a consuming passion, to

try to nd ways to protect and restore coral reefs, Nedimyer told Scuba Diving in 2012. He founded the Coral Restora-tion Foundation (coralrestoration.org) as a result of that passion.

Divers whove experienced a nursery which includes pretty much any diver willing to come to Key Largo or one of the satellite nurseries and be trained to participate will nd that easy to understand. Helping Nedimyer prune teenage corals at a nursery site and transport them to nearby reefs for planting feels like a sacred act, an almost religious experience for those

> 2 0 1 4 W I N N E R C R I T T E R H U N T <

Little Fish, Big SplashFinding a new species of goby leads to more marine discoveries

Before scuba diving, the study of marine life revolved around bot-tled specimens obtained by line, net

and dredge. These primitive techniques left behind all types of animals for todays explorers. More and more often, divers and cameras are playing important roles in locating new species.

As an example, Anna received an email with a sh photo just taken in Ambon, Indonesia, by a diver request-ing identication help. His image of a nifty little goby perched in the folds of a lacy bryozoan immediately got our attention. It was a species we had nei-ther encountered underwater nor seen in guidebooks. By chance, we received

the message while en route to Ambon on a liveaboard. It is always a thrill to have a new animal to hunt for, especially such a unique creature. The critter hunt-ers on board inspected every colony of

lacy bryozoan they sighted during our voyage to Ambon, but without success.

Things changed after we sailed into Ambon Harbor. On our rst dive in the famed muck sites lining the harbors northern shore, we found the tennis-ball-size bryozoan colonies far more common than during our trip. And sure enough, almost immediately we began spying tiny heads of half-inch gobies peeking out from the lace. Photos were forwarded to an ichthyologist in Aus-tralia, who conrmed that the goby was probably not only scientically unde-scribed, but also possibly represented a new genus a big deal in the sh world.

From the gobies matching colors and markings, it appears to be a symbiotic species living only in association with lacy bryozoans. Often discoveries lead to discoveries. Our poking around for gobies led us to three symbiotic inverte-brates also living within the convoluted colonies: a snapping shrimp, a top snail and a crab with Joe Palooka claws like the goby, all three possibly new to science. By Ned and Anna DeLoach

CURRENTS

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GEAR UP & GO!


CURRENTS

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Diving naked didnt start as my idea. I was working on a Belize-based

liveaboard when two female custom-ers asked if Id help them skinny dive. I said, Sure, I guess we could gure out a way to do it.

As I said this, I was thinking, Shoot, that sounds like fun. So I joined them.

We waited for all the other customers to nish their normal dive, and when they were back on the boat, we jumped in. We skipped the wetsuits, wearing just swimsuits, until we reached the sandy bottom. There, we took o ns and BCs, stripped naked, then put our BCs and ns back on. That was a hoot. Its fun youre naked, and the sh are naked.

Then I came to work at Reef Divers at the Little Cayman Beach Resort. There was already a standing joke among the divemasters that when you reach a 100th dive, youre supposed to plunge in naked. Id seen a few guests follow the tradition, so I gured, Shoot, if they can, so can I.

But I dont celebrate every 100th that would be too many. I show skin every 1,000 dives. And there was cer-tainly a learning curve. The rst time, Im hanging o the wall with my full-foot ns tucked under my arm. I got my bottoms o no problem, but I couldnt get them back on. I couldnt stop laugh-ing hysterically, but I was also nervous that if anything happened, I would be in so much trouble with my mother. I pictured headlines about a naked girl found in the Caymans! From then on, I made sure that my skinny dives were at sites with sandy patches where re-dressing is much easier.

Then one year, I asked a female guest to snap my photo. I did my thing and appeared around a coral head. I ashed open my Diva BC to show my ladies. This woman taking the photo signaled that I should pose one more time. Again I open the jacket, and the next thing I know, my boobs are being squeezed so hard! The photo captured just how shocked I was and how tightly this guy had grabbed me. Unbeknownst to me, a 70-something customer had snuck up behind to goose me. When we were back on the boat, he tipped me a $100 bill. Then he thanked me for the best dive of his life.

W H A T I T S L I K E

... To Dive NakedA BY DOTTIE BENJAMIN, AS TOLD TO BROOKE MORTON

A WORLD AWAY. JUST ONE HOUR FROM MIAMI.

WWW.DIVECAYMAN.KY GRAND CAYMAN LITTLE CAYMANCAYMAN BRAC

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GIVING YOU A DIFFERENT DIVE SITE FOR

EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. THATS CAYMANKIND.


DRIVE AND DIVE

Divemasters John Rice and Cheynne Milan are as excited as two Alabama football fans who have just been told that the Crimson Tide has rolled to its 16th national championship.

I was on the rst trip we took cus-tomers to the LuLu, Rice says. I had opening-day jitters. I probably have about 80 dives on her, and theres always something surprising to see. I cant wait to dive it today.

I got to see it right after the day it was put down, Milan chimes in. We get to see it grow.

Despite the gray skies, their enthusiasm is contagious. Were aboard

the 46-foot Down Under and have just pulled out from SanRoc Cay Marina in Orange Beach, Alabama. Down Under also puts divers on the Oriskany o Pensacola, Florida. Rice loves that wreck too, but I love the LuLus shallow depth and the shorter trip to get to it, he says of our 90-minute ride. Shes just a great all-around dive.

With the 888-foot Mighty O in 200 feet of water the ight deck is at 145 Alabama dive operators wanted to sink a ship that was less daunting to open-water divers. They got what they hoped for in LuLu, a 271-foot, steel-hulled former coastal freighter originally

Bama Girl

The freighter LuLu off Orange Beach has local divers

cheering for their artificial reefs

BY PATRICIA WUEST

PHOTOS BY LILA HARRIS

The wheelhouse of the artificial reef LuLu, sunk in 2013, is an interesting mix of structure and fish aquarium.


DRIVE AND DIVE

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DAY

1Rent tanks

from Down

Under Dive Shop

(downunder

diveshop.com)

and make a

shore dive on

the Perdido

Pass Jetties at

Alabama Point.

After the dive,

check in at the

Fairfield Inn &

Suites Orange

Beach (starting

at $99 per night,

depending on

season; fairfield

orangebeach

.com). Book a

90-minute

sunset dolphin

cruise with

Cetacean

Cruises

(cetaceancruises

.com) for $15 per

person. Then

eat dinner

at Nolans

Restaurant &

Lounge on Gulf

Shores Parkway

in Gulf Shores

(nolans

restaurant.com).

DAY

2After

making a

two-tank morn-

ing dive on LuLu,

plan lunch at the

laid-back mari-

na bar and grill

Tacky Jacks

(tackyjacks

.com). You cant

go wrong when

you can get

shrimp every

way (peel-

em-yourself,

firecracker,

pickled and in a

salad). Just

before sunset,

dive the Whiskey

Wreck, approxi-

mately 150 yards

from the public

beach.

Make late-

evening

dinner res-

ervations

at Fishers

at Orange

Beach

Marina

(fishersobm

.com). This is

casual, open-air

dining with a

view of the

water or gar-

dens, and the

fish tacos rock.

DAY

3Eat brunch

at the Brick

& Spoon

r estaurant on

Canal Road in

Orange Beach

(brickandspoon

restaurant.com)

for inventive

Cajun- and

Creole-inspired

dishes. Then

make a relaxing

afternoon dive

on 3 Mile Barge,

or schedule

a zip-lining,

paddle-board-

ing or kayaking

excursion with

Gulf Adventure

Center at Gulf

State Park

(gulfadventure

center.com).

named Yokamu. Purpose-sunk on May 26, 2013, LuLu sits upright on a 115-foot sand bottom; its picturesque wheelhouse tops out at a rec-diver-friendly 60 feet.

Orange Beach is my home, and Im proud when I hear divers talk about their experience on LuLu, says Vince Lucido, president of the Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foun-dation. Th e foundation, the state of Alabama, the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Baldwin County Commissioners and private investor Mac McAleer were instrumental in raising and donating the $500,000 nec-essary for successfully sinking the ship 17 nautical miles o Perdido Pass.

A sprinkly rain has started, but the seas are calm on the October morning we make our dives. On the ride out, as divers and crew settle into conversa-tions, I ask Rice about the dive pro le. Well tie up to the bow, he says. On your rst dive, you can start inside the cargo hold, but on your second, youll want to head to the wheelhouse where there are lots of levels to explore.

Chandra Wright, a former attorney who is now the nature tourism special-ist at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

T ourism, is making the dive with us. Having played a part in sinking the LuLu, shell always have a special place in my heart, Wright tells me. I walked that ship from bow to stern while she was topside, and now I have the privilege of seeing her grow as a dive site with new marine life on each trip. Shes getting

tons of snapper of all sorts. Wright is not just whistling Dixie.

After tying up, we drop down and nd the wreck smothered in schools of sh. On our way to the wheelhouse, we pop into the cargo hold, which is in about 90 feet of water, and measures 200 feet long and 28 feet deep. We watch a moon

Marine life abounds on LuLu, including

schooling spadefish (opposite).

Orange Beach and Gulf

Shores, Ala.

ITINERARY


DRIVE AND DIVE

rst put down, but its still discernible.

B E YO N D LU LU

Alabama is home to one of the largest articial-reef programs in the world, with more than 17,000 reefs covering 1,200 square miles. There are hundreds of barges, army tanks from the Vietnam War era, oil rigs, and limestone reef pyramids o its coast.

Typical among the sites visited by Orange Beach dive-charter companies is 3 Mile Barge, named for its loca-tion 3 miles south of Perdido Pass. This inshore artificial reef lies in just 37 feet of water. Although it lacks the drama of LuLu, the barge provides structure for small sea fans. If youve got keen eyesight, you might see a amingo tongue hiding in the branches, Chandra Wright says. Theres an abundance of sh species, from juveniles to adults, so be prepared to spend your surface interval debat-ing your buddy on sh ID. Indeed, the variety of sh in Alabama waters rivals the Caribbean amberjack, Atlan-tic spadesh, queen angelsh, spotted drum, gag grouper and red snapper were among the sh we saw.

With 32 miles of gorgeous stretches

of white sand and clear waters, and a delightfully fun wreck to explore, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores is poised to become a hot spot for Southeast divers. And LuLu is just the beginning: The state plans to establish

more nearshore snorkeling opportunities and will sink another ship by 2016. Though no agreements have been made yet, were looking at another vessel now, says Lucido.

Now that were Bama wreck-diving fans, we cant wait for it to become reality and help celebrate its sinking.

To nd the best dive sites, shops, operators and more near you all on a handy locator

map visit scubadiving.com/dive-local.

NEED TO KNOWWHEN TO GO

Alabama is great to

visit year-round,

though the diving is

most comfortable

between April and

October. Air temps

are in the 90s during

summer months;

September offers a

combination of

warm water, fewer

tourists and lower

hotel rates.

DIVE

CONDITIONS When

we visited in

October, the water

was remarkably

warm and

there was

no noticeable

current. In

summer, water

temperatures

average in the

mid- to upper

80s; December

through March

temps are from low

60s to low 70s.

Water clarity tends

to be better on

deeper sites, with an

average of about

50 feet.

OPERATOR

Down Under Dive

Shop (downunder

diveshop.com)

offers charters

aboard a 46-foot

Newton with two

large dive ladders,

plenty of storage,

upper-deck seating,

freshwater showers,

two camera tables,

and a roomy dive

deck. Down Unders

marina, SanRoc Cay,

is on Perdido Beach

Boulevard in

Orange Beach.

Three miles offshore is the

aptly named 3 Mile Barge.

3 Mile Barge

LuLu

Whiskey Wreck

Gulf ShoresOrange Beach

ALABAMA

Gulf of Mexico

KEY WEST B IG P INE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS M

ARATHON

ISL

AMOR

ADA

K

EY L

ARGO

Dive Key West, Inc.Keys premiere dive shop. 44th year.

Custom dive pkgs. Call today.800-426-0707 or 305-296-3823

divekeywest.com

Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost, IslamoradaBeachside Resort & Bayside Townhomes with boat slips. Full kitchens & free WIFI.

800-753-6002 or 305-664-2031guyharveyoutpostislamorada.com

Amy Slates Amoray Dive Resort, Key LargoWaterfront rooms/pool/beach/scuba/snorkel instr. & boat charters. 3/nt, 2/dive pkgs from $285 ppdo.

305-451-3595 or 800-426-6729 amoray.com

Hilton Key Largo ResortA secluded island retreat with breathtaking

surroundings, an hour from Miami.888-871-3437 or 305-852-5553

keylargoresort.com

Holiday Inn Key LargoLocated next to deep-water marina.

Spacious guest rooms. Restaurant on-site.866-733-8554 or 305-451-2121

holidayinn.com/keylargo

Halls Diving Center & Career Institute, MarathonBeautiful Wreck and Reef diving. Lessons for

starters and Career Training for professionals. Great fun at Halls. Come see us.800-331-4255 or 305-743-5929

hallsdiving.com

Dive at least one designated reef in each of the five regions in The Florida Keys, and youll receive a poster certifying that youre an official Florida Keys Reef Explorer. Whether youre a novice or experienced diver, it never hurts to toot your own horn. fla-keys.com/diving

The Reef Explorer Challenge.Sound the trumpets.

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Oh, the places weve been! (And the places weve sent you, dear divers.) For our nal issue of 2014, we wanted to take one last look

at all the fabulous diving that was from wrecks to reefs to critters galore, from Baja to Bali to Bonaire, through the lenses of the worlds best shooters. Turn the page to see if our favorite dive stories were yours too.

CURRENTS p . 30 // LIVE ABOARDS p . 3 2 // COVERS p . 36 // ADVANCED ADVENTURE S p . 38 // PHOTOGR APH Y p . 4 2 // TOP 100 p . 51

2014

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D I V I N G

SCUBA

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CURRENTS

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BEST

1 L A DY T H E T I S ,

L I M A S S O L , C Y P R U S

On Feb. 22, the south

coast of Cyprus gained

the 99-foot-long

pleasure cruiser, Lady

Thetis. The vessel sits at

an average depth of 70

feet, making it accessible

to most divers.

2 H T M S K L E D K A E O,

P H I P H I , T H A I L A N D

The HTMS Kledkaeo

served nearly 60 years

as a supply ship in the

Royal Thai Navy before

being sunk on March 19.

The 155-foot vessel sits

in 39 to 85 feet of water

and is prone to currents.

3 H A I L E Y G L A S R U D,

S T U A R T, F L O R I D A

Formerly the cargo ship

Dm One, the 220-foot

freighter Hailey Glasrud

was sunk off the coast of

Stuart, Florida, on April

24. Its for tec divers,

though the smokestack

is at 103 feet.

4 V O O D O O J E T S ,

PA N A M A C I T Y

B E A C H , F L O R I D A

On June 27, two F101

Voodoo Air Force jets

were sunk as artificial

reefs off Panama

City Beach, Florida, at

76 feet. One of the jets is

upright as planned; the

other flipped during the

underwater landing.

5 S U P E R R E E F S ,

M E X I C O C I T Y

B E A C H , F L O R I D A On

April 1, six super-reefs

concrete-and-limestone

structures that mimic

real reefs were sunk by

Walter Marine in Mexico

City Beach, Florida.

SUNK IN 2014 B Y B R O O K E M O R T O NT h e n e w e s t a r ti f i c ia l r e e f s a c r o s s th e g lo b e

CONSERVATION

Sea ChangeIt is estimated that during the course

of its lifetime, a single manta ray can

generate $1 million in eco-tourism. Yet

at Indonesias largest fishery, Tanjung

Luar, mantas relatives of sharks are

being butchered and sold for $365. For-

tunately, conservationists are working to

collect data on the devastating effects of

the fishery while educating local villag-

ers about the profitability of aquaculture

and tourism. Peter Bassett, co-founder

of Project Momentum a collaboration

between Gili Eco Trust and Aquatic Alli-

ance is optimistic that villagers can

be taught to protect the rays. Through

education, a true appreciation for the

intrinsic value of their seas can be cul-

tivated, along with the awareness of the

need for management, preservation and

protection, Bassett says.

5

To read more, visit our site at scubadiving.com.

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N E W Z E A L A N DNew Zealands sub-

Antarctic waters

include three new

marine parks as of

March 2. In these

new areas (which

are nesting sites

for penguins), fish-

ing, mining, marine

farming and

petroleum

exploration are

all banned.

S A R G A S S O S E A On March 12,

government offi-

cials from around

the world met to

sign the Hamilton

Declaration on

Collaboration for

the Conservation of

the Sargasso Sea.

This gyre is a hotbed

for free-floating

seaweed, which

nurtures hatchling

loggerhead turtles.

C H I L E

On Feb. 26, the

pristine waters of

Tic Toc Marine Park

became Chiles

largest marine

protected area at

90,000 hectares.

N E W C A L E D O N I AOn April 23, New

Caledonia created

the Natural Park of

the Coral Sea. The

500,000-square-

mile area is the

biggest in the world.

S C O T L A N D

To preserve its

prolific marine life,

Scotland doubled

the size of its

MPAs, which now

cover 12 percent of

Scottish seas.

P H O E N I X I S L A N D S

The government

of Kiribati decided

on Jan. 29 to close

its Phoenix Islands

Protected Area to

commercial fishing,

effective late 2014.

PR OTEC TED IN 2014N e w m a r in e co n s e r v ati o n a r e a s

o f f e r h o p e B Y B R O O K E M O R T O N

The Superdivers SupersuitIN

NO

VA

TIO

N Capable of reaching depths of 1,000 feet in minutes

and eff ectively eliminating all symptoms of decom-

pression, the Exosuit is a game-changer for

underwater explorers. The 600-pound metal suit is

basically a submarine that a diver wears, and its next

mission is an archeological dig 200 feet below the

surface in the Aegean Sea.

Off the Greek island Antikythera lies a 2,000-year-old

shipwreck thought to carry artifacts from the era of

Julius Caesar. Working with the Greek Ephorate of

Underwater Antiquities, archeologists from the Woods

Hole Oceanographic Institution will don the suit to bring

the ships treasures to the surface. Exosuit is equipped

with claws that will allow the wearer to sift through sedi-

ment and locate ancient artifacts. The wearer can spend

fi ve hours at the site and resurface without decompres-

sion. (It would normally take hours to ascend from that

depth, plus recovery time in a decompression chamber.)

MPAs

LIVEABOARDS

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BESTTo read more, visit our site at scubadiving.com.


1 T U R T L E S Whether at a cleaning station, having a bite to eat or soaring over-head, hawksbill and green sea turtles abound on almost every dive from Siren.

2 D E N S E M A R I N E L I F E The Eden that is Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is teeming with schooling fish, whitetip reef sharks and, if youre lucky, the o ccasional

whale shark.

3 C O M F Y C A B I N S Both twin and double-configuration berths have plenty of room, soft cotton robes, fresh towels, and an in-room computer loaded with movies youll

likely not find time to watch.

4 E X C E L L E N T S E R V I C E Whether its ordering a hot cappuccino, getting a mas-sage on the aft deck or making sure your laundry is clean, the crew is ready to help.

5 F R E E B I E S Among the ships many perks, nitrox, soft drinks and beer are always free aboard Siren.

Book now: sirenfleet.com

1 M I N K E S Spoilsport has

a 98 percent success

rate of providing guests

in-water encounters

with dwarf minke

whales during June and

July expeditions.

2 R E E F C R I T T E R S

Divers have the option

to choose between blub-

ber and reef life, and the

GBR delivers beautifully in

both categories.

3 S U P E R B S TA F F

Professional,

personable and flexible,

the 12-person crew is

lauded as one of the best

in the business.

4 P H O T O F A C I L I T I E S

Mike Ball has a

passion for underwater

photography, so the ship

is stocked with resources

catering to photographers.

5 C I T I Z E N S C I E N C E

Divers can contribute

to research on dwarf

minke whales by sharing

photos and observations.

Book now: mikeball.com

5

5 Reasons to Dive Philippine Siren

R E A S O N S T O D I V E

S P O I L S P O R T

G R E A T B A R R I E R

R E E F , A U S T R A L I A // S E P T / O C T

T U B B A T A H A A T O L L ,

P H I L I P P I N E S

// A U G U S T

TA

NY

A G

. BU

RN

ET

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2),

OP

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BR

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2)


LIVEABOARDS

51

H A M M E R S Watching

hundreds of

hammerhead sharks

congregate on the ocean

floor will mesmerize

you, but when dozens

of these curvy, sexy

creatures glide through

the water just below

your fins, it will take your

breath away.

2 P L AY F U L S E A L I O N S

At Los Islotes, the

friendly critters put on

a show full of flips and

pirouettes. If youre

lucky or your tender

captain gives you a

rope the younger

ones will play with you

while their mothers

watch unconcerned.

3 B R E AT H I N G R O O M A

former cruise ship,

the 130-foot Valentina

has 10 cabins and three

generous decks more

than enough space for the

20 passengers on board.

4 C U L I N A R Y C R E AT I O N S

Traditional Mexican

specialties and succulent

R E A S O N S T O

D I V E M / V

VALENTINA

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BEST

S E A O F C O R T E Z ,

M E X I C O // M A Y


More Liveaboards

Featured in 2014

seafood are often found

on the chefs menu its

not just food, its cuisine.

5 S N O R K E L I N G Look

forward to whale-

shark encounters

sightings in La Paz bay

are nearly guaranteed.

Book now:

fun-azulfleet .net

The Sea of Cortez is a

playground for sea lions,

hammerheads and more.

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LIVE-ABOARD

Hiding in plain sight is my goal as I slowly slip beneath swarming blue-and-gold snappers and big-scale soldiersh that carpet the boulders on the sloping outer wall of Manuelita Island. A living camouage of sh swirls about my head, while the barnacle-laced rock both shields me from the strong current and serves as the front wall of my makeshift blind. I am not on a rebreather, but the 2-knot current dissipates my noisy bubbles and quickly carries them away from my quarry.

The objects of my desire are the 100-plus muscular scalloped hammerhead sharks that are combing the sand at 110 feet, then circling back to busy cleaning stations near my position at 70 feet. Stealth is essential if I am to ll my viewnder with the elon-gated head of one of these otherworldly creatures as it stops for industrious barbersh and king angels to clean mating wounds and similar sensitive areas.

Distractions abound as the minutes tick past. Countless creolesh extend to the surface, each seeming to dance to its own melody. A ne spotted moray hunts with

four leather bass that stop to investigate a prickly black sea urchin. Large marble rays and patrolling whitetip reef sharks repeatedly cruise past. Just when I start to feel at ease with the abundant life encircling me, chaos reigns supreme.

Scalloped hammerheads sweep over the reef en masse. I re in bursts of two to three shots as I pan my camera from one shark to another. The unrelenting action momentarily overwhelms my senses and leaves me in awe. Then, emerging from the haze of the nutrient-rich water, a 25-foot juvenile whale shark takes center stage. Suddenly heedless, I leave the secu-rity of my VIP seating to swim alongside the largest species of sh in the sea.

This massive whale shark hosts an astounding number of groupies that actually resemble the handiwork of some deranged fashion designer. Remoras clinging to its prodigious tail look like

Hammered!Okeanos Aggressor takes you on extraordinary dives where the wild things roam

Suddenly,

youre in a whole different state of Pools open!

Talk about decompressing!

Looks like Happy Hour!

You dont have to travel to an exotic locale to nd some of the most unique diving. Just venture out about 17 nautical miles off Orange Beach into the Gulf to experience the 271-foot freighter, LuLu, resting at depths accessible enough for beginners, yet challenging enough for advanced divers. Here, youll nd a whole different state of adventure.

877-852-3615

NEED TO KNOW >

>

>

>

>

Legends of buried pirate booty have clung to Cocos through the ages. Though no golden doubloons have ever been found or, at least, not publicized small natural treasures abound on every site. Its so easy to be xated on the big prizes here that smaller jewels lie in anonymity. For instance, Manuelitas protected coral gardens are home to stately Commersons frogsh and endemic red or rosy-lipped batsh.

decorative ags, while others form a pseudo mustache and goatee as they are either packed inside the sharks wide maw or riding upside down underneath it. There are even remoras stued inside its spiracles like radical head piercings.

Manuelita is only one of many electrifying dive sites around Costa Ricas Cocos Island. This former pirate haven is 340 miles o the Costa Rican mainland in the eastern Pacic Ocean.

Cocos is the epitome of raw, wilderness diving. No other location oers the same dynamic, heart-pounding opportunities to dive with pelagics such as billsh, marine mammals, rays and sharks year-round. Its not unusual for divers to see six species of shark Galapagos, scali i f sh k G l l-loped hammerhead, silky, tiger, whale and whitetip reef on a single dive. Even marine mammals like bottlenose dolphin, false killer whales, humpback whales, killer whales and pilot whales are no strangers to the underwater play-yyground of Cocos. The most productive pelagic hot spots are usually Alcyone, Dirty Rock, Manuelita and Punta Maria.

LIVE-ABOARD

The excitement is palpable when we come aboard, from the crew as much as the guests. Everywhere around us, as soon as we leave the wharf at Kailua-Kona Village, are humpback whales.

Its mid-February on the Kona Aggressor II, sailing the sheltered western side of the II IIBig Island of Hawaii. This is the time of year when whales come here to calve and mate humpback, pilot, beaked, sperm in an area where they are jealously pro-tected. Boats cannot approach closer than 100 yards. They cannot cut o a calf from its mother. They cannot impede the whales movements in any way, or interfere with their heading. They cannot put divers in the water on top of whales.

But you might just get lucky and see one cruise by while youre underwater. Thats the secret hope of every diver on the Kona Coast.

Our checkout dive is at a site nobody expects to be very special; its mostly a chance for the crew to assess skills. But something comes along that makes everybody forget all about the whales: a 10-foot tiger shark Shirley to the divemas-ters, who recognize her. Meeting a battle-scarred predator face to face

Where the

Whales AreTheir song is the soundtrack to your Kona Aggressor II adventure

will reset your idea of what counts as a shark: This is an animal that commands your full attention. (She didnt share the feeling, deciding after a quick look that we werent worth further investigation.)

Next dive we meander around the same site, until I start hearing a strange squeaky sound in the distance, like squealing rubber. It would drop several registers and sound like a cow, or a wolf, then rise again in pitch, an arpeggio of mournful, beautiful, eerie notes. Every diver rotates slowly in the blue, trying to pinpoint the direction harder than youd think underwater. The noises get loud, then louder.

Suddenly our divemaster, Hale Tomasson, 29, is furiously scribbling on his slate. He ips it around:

THEYRE CLOSEThen he takes o nning madly into

the blue, with most of us swimming hard behind him. But the calls begin to weaken, and we quickly abandon the quest. No whales for us today.

We surface a short while later to a dripping crew with strangely guilty looks. There had been whales all right right under our yacht, in about 50 feet of water. Crew members snorkeled with two until not long before we got back.

Its that possibility of a new adventure every minute that makes everybody jump up from the dining table and rush the bow, cameras in hand, every time whales are sighted, which is more or less constantly. It must be frustrating for chef Chris Mercier, 34.

While every live-aboard will tell you our cook is a chef, on KAII, its theIIIItruth. (Hes also an avid free diver.) From the rst nights teriyaki-marinated grilled steaks with coconut-infused creamed spinach, to black marlin on risotto with lime beurre blanc, to surface-interval snacks laid out like upscale-resort offerings fine cheeses, canaps, spiced and sweetened nuts, tapenade, bruschetta, fruit trays you will eat well and often on KAII.

Its all part of the live-aboard life, Kona-style.

Reading that Hawaii has nearly 700 sh species 25 percent of them found nowhere else is one thing; seeing them is quite another, since you may feel as if you are bumping into several hundred. If you are a sh nut, Hawaii is your tree.

Ellie Briscoe, 62, a dive instructor and retired National Geographic librarian, isctaking what I think of as a game and making something important of it. She has brought blank forms and does sh surveys on several dives, noting sight-ttings and numbers of dozens of kinds of butterysh, surgeonsh, wrasse and more, results shell upload to REEF.org databases on her return home to Alexandria, Virginia I resolve to take a sh-ID specialty after seeing how much fun Ellie is having. She and husband Mel Briscoe, 72, a dive instructor and oceanographer, are pros who lead trips to Bonaire, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Kona, and elsewhere through Blue Octopus Scuba in Alexandria. Theyve pretty much seen it all but appreciate

how thorough KAIIs dive sta is about pointing out sh unique to Hawaii, and to the Kona Coast. Theres stu here you will see nowhere else, Mel says.

Divers actually got possessive of the sh-ID books KAII carries many II theres that much to identify for the logbooks. Some divers were practically sleeping with them, memorizing things seen and things hoped for on the next days dives or the next nights dives.

The mother of all Kona dives is the famed manta night dive, which takes place at Garden Eel Cove and off the Keauhou Sheraton pretty much every evening.

Sixteen boats full of eager divers and snorkelers are arrayed at Garden Eel

SUDDENLY OUR

DIVEMASTER

IS FURIOUSLY

SCRIBBLING ON

HIS SLATE. HE

FLIPS IT AROUND:

THEYRE CLOSE

NEED TO KNOW

LIVE-ABOARD

There are few guarantees in life, fewer still when it involves marine life. Shark feeds are one, but when it comes to natural encounters, nothings a sure thing. Except for the humpback whales of the Dominican Republics Silver Bank.

I guarantee you will see humpbacks, says Rob Smith, second captain of Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, as we settle in for the crossing to Silver Bank, nine hours north of Puerto Plata.

Boats have been coming here for 27 years, and theyve got the whale watching down to a science. North Atlantic humpbacks arrive here on Silver Bank to calve, mate and frolic, says Capt. Amanda Smith. Whales start arriving in late November, depart-tting for the North Atlantic to feed in late April; boats oer a brief 10-week schedule to coincide with the busiest period.

As certain as beach trac in summer, the humpbacks are here. Within minutes, we are treated to half a dozen breaches and tail slaps, a few tail lobs, and a uke display.

My Little

ValentineIn the mood for love, with the humpbacks of Dominican Republics Silver Bank

NEED TO KNOW

Hot and HeavyWe enjoy some brief mother-and-calf engagements our rst afternoon, but were skunked the second day. On the morning of our third day we see a hand-ful of whales, but they are all going somewhere other than where we are.

An hour into the afternoon session, our spirits are lagging. The mother-and-calf pairs have disappeared, and the possibil-ity of another day without an in-water encounter looms when a pair of whales pops up beneath the tender. They forge ahead, circle back and swim under the tender. Smith tells us to get our ns on; weve stumbled upon a Valentine.

It is a marvelous courtship: The female is in a fuguelike state slow moving and with a glaze in her eyes. The male swims beneath her with open pectorals before surfacing to slap the water with his pectoral ns, or uke.

An hour in, two new males appear. Smith calls us out of the water; we watch as the original suitor battles his rivals using an array of bubble screens, pec slaps and tail lobs. Just 20 minutes in, and the interlopers are defeated. Our Valentine couple re-emerges, inviting us once again to watch their amorous dalliance.

I wouldnt have believed it if I didnt see it with my own eyes, but as our tender

H A M M E R E D ! // M A R C H / A P R I L

Okeanos Aggressor

Round-trip excursions from San Jose

to Cocos Island, Costa Rica, year-round

scubadiving.com/okeanosaggressor;

aggressor.com

W H E R E T H E W H A L E S A R E // J U N E

Kona Aggressor II

Cruises on the Kona Coast of Hawaiis

Big Island, year-round

scubadiving.com/konaaggressor;

aggressor.com

M Y L I T T L E V A L E N T I N E // J U L Y

Turks & Caicos Aggressor II

Snorkel cruises in the Silver Bank,

Dominican Republic, January through

early April scubadiving.com/

tcaggressor; aggressor.com


2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA


Our Favorite Fronts

MARCH/APRIL

V I K T O R L Y A G U S H K I N

Orda Cave, Russia

The diving was physically challenging the water temperature was about 41 degrees F inside the cave and -4 degrees F on the surface but we wanted people to see this

beautiful cave.

MAY

M A S A U S H I O D A

Lahaina, Hawaii

I tried to capture a sense of scale by placing a diver near the Carthaginian II a whaling-ship replica and a sense of forward movement by com-posing the shot from a diagonal perspective.

JUNE

C A R L O S S U A R E Z

Gardens of the Queen, Cuba

I was looking for American crocodiles with marine biologists in Jardines de La Reina. I sneaked up to the croc to take this photo I was just 16 inches away.

AUGUST

V I K T O R L Y A G U S H K I N

White Sea, Russia

You have to wear a thick undergarment and a lot of weight, so you feel like a cosmonaut. A few drops of water in my cable froze, and my strobes started to work sporadically. It was a beautiful place to shoot.

EXPLORE THE WRECKS OF IRELANDS MALIN HEAD

THE BEST OF SoCAL

SHORE DIVING

4 MUST-HAVE

SAFETY TOOLS

SCUBALAB16 NEW COLD-WATER WETSUITS TESTED

YOUVE BEEN LEFT BY THE BOAT. NOW WHAT?

FRESHWATER DIVING

SCUBAD I V I N G

T H E P L A N E T S B E S T

2 5 I N L A N D S E A S , L A K E S , R I V E R S

A N D C E N O T E S

SCUBAD I V I N G

SECRET WORLDS: PIERS, BRIDGES & OIL RIGS

SCUBALAB 16 BRAND-NEW BCs TESTED

BEST IN PALAU: REEFS & WRECKS

GO BIG IN KONA:

HUMPBACKS, MANTAS &

LAVA TUBES

The Caribbeans Next Hot Dive Spot

YOU VOTED!

CUBA!

D I V I N G

5 BUCKET-LIST BAJA

DIVES

SCUBALAB15 NEW DIVE LIGHTS TESTED

MAXIMUM ICE: DIVING IN THE WHITE SEA

WRECK DIVES

TOP 100: MAUI WOWS

PHOTO ETIQUETTE

101

BEST USA

SCUBAD I V I N G

3 CORAL ATOLLS,

1 GREAT BLUE HOLE,

700 MILES OF REEF?

BELIZE IT!5 RULES

FOR WRECK DIVING

WEIRD SCIENCE:

CAN CORALS WALK?

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THE SECRET DIVE SPOT YOU HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE

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TITANIUM 3The latest evolutionof an elite element

atomicaquatics.comSCUB

ALAB 2013

TESTERSCHOICE

PHOTOGRAPHY

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA



Stellar photos are the back-bone of Scuba Diving mag-azine. Heres a look at the images that brought our travel features, photo contest and Secret Spots to life.


T H E W E L L - S T R U C T U R E D L I F E

// J U N E

P H O T O G R A P H E R

Todd Winner

L O C A T I O N

Long Beach, California

C A M E R A S P E C S

Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM lens, Nauticam housing, two Ikelite DS160 strobes ISO 160 F-stop f/9.0 Shutter speed 1/200 sec

W H Y I L O V E T H E S H O T

California sea lions are some of the most playful and mischievous animals on Earth, and Eureka oil platform typically has a frisky group ready to interact with divers.

T O P 1 0 0 // J A N / F E B


Christian Vizl

L O C A T I O N

Quintana Roo, Mexico


Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens ISO 500 F-stop f/5.6 Shutter speed 1/160 sec


I love this shot of The Pit cenote because it repre-sents the internal connection we must have to be connected to the life that surrounds us.


2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BESTPHOTOGRAPHY

C R Y S T A L B L U E P E R S U A S I O N

// M A R C H / A P R I L


Alex Mustard

L O C A T I O N

Husavik, Northern Iceland


Gear Nikon D700, Subal ND700 housing, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm lens, Zen 230mm Superdome ISO 640 F-stop f/16 Shutter speed 1/60 sec


Nes Canyon is a fissure in the Earths crust be-tween the Eurasian and North Ameri-can continental plates. Although its shallow, this loca-tion is amazing because you can see exactly how the rocks fit together before they were ripped apart.

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BESTPHOTOGRAPHY

P R I D E O F T H E D E E P

// M A Y


Jo-Ann Wilkins

L O C A T I O N

Alexandria Bay, New York


Gear Nikon D300, Aquatica housing, Tokina 10-17mm lens ISO 800 F-stop f/9 Shutter speed 1/125 sec


I love how the colors of the American flag contrast with the green water surrounding the Keystorm. The flag, the sunlight and the divers looked perfect, and I rushed to get the shot.


Alex Tyrrell

L O C A T I O N

Cocos Island, Costa Rica


Gear Nikon D7000, Subal housing, AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 12-24mm lens, Inon Z240 and LMI Sola 1200 strobes ISO 1,000 F-stop f/6.3 Shutter speed 1/125 sec


The low camera angle captures the frantic hunting behavior of Cocos whitetip reef sharks in Manualita Garden from a sharks perspective.

A D R E N A L I N E O D

// J U L Y

The islands leading dive school

Saint Lucia simply beautiful

PADI Five Star Dive Centre Purpose-built 15m pool Two spacious, fully-equipped, 30 diver capable dive boats Partnered with London School of Diving (LSD), one of the UKs

top dive centres and a PADI Career Development Centre. Beginner to Instructor level courses and guided dives

conducted in English, French and German State-of-the-art facilities & equipment Big dive and watersport shop

Dive Saint Lucia | P.O. Box GI 2042 | Rodney Bay | Gros-Islet | Saint Lucia

Phone: +1 758 451-DIVE (3483) | [email protected] | www.divesaintlucia.com

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BESTPHOTOGRAPHY P H O T O C O N T E S T // S E P T / O C T

// H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N


Martin Klein

L O C A T I O N

Lembeh Strait, Indonesia


Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Seacam housing, Canon EF 100mm IS USM lens, Kenko 1.5 teleconverter ISO 200 F-stop f/4 Shutter speed 1/200 sec


I wanted to take some pygmy pictures, but at 30 meters down, I noticed some problems with my lens, and I could not change the aperture. So I had to shoot with an f-stop of f/4 to make the best of the situation, which resulted in this shot.



+HPS`+P]PUNPU1\WP[LY7HST)LHJO*V\U[`

;YH]LS-S`SLZZHUK+P]LPU[OL


2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BESTPHOTOGRAPHY

S E C R E T S P O T

// S E P T / O C T

A R T I S T / P H O T O G R A P H E R

Conor Culver

L O C A T I O N

Colorado

W H Y I L O V E T H I S S H O T

Every image has its own meaning ... and I always want to convey something about the animal that is true in the ocean, and then bring that story into a scene above the surface.

S E C R E T S P O T // A U G U S T


Enrico Pati

L O C A T I O N

Bevagna, Italy


I arrived at this hidden gem after drift-diving in the Chidro River and walking through dense Mediterra-nean vegetation. The view from below is amazing its as if youre flying along a snowy mountain.

S E C R E T S P O T // S E P T / O C T


Wayne MacWilliams

L O C A T I O N

Jupiter, Florida


While swimming through the water column between the surface and the reef below, we discovered this swarm of moon jellyfish drifting north in the Gulf Stream.


TOP 100

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA


Sin ce 19 9 4 , th o us a n d s o f r e a d e r s h av e r ate d th e ir d i v e tr ip s to d o z e n s o f

d e s tin ati o n s to d e ter m in e Scu b a D ivi n g s To p 100 Re a d e r s C h o i ce Aw a r d s . T h i s y e a r

w e in tr o d u ce d th e To p 100 Sp o tli g h t , a m o n th ly f e at u r e th at sh o w ca s e s f av o r i te

d e s tin ati o n s th at a r e a m o n g th e to p aw a r d -w in n e r s in o u r a n n u a l r e a d e r s u r v e y.

D e s ti n a t i o n s h i g h l i g h t e d t h i s y e a r i n c l u d e :

MAY

MauiWinner of five Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, including Best Visibility and Best Shore Diving,

U.S. and North America

scubadiving.com/Top100/maui

CL

OC

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C A R I B B E A N A N D AT L A N T I C

1 Cayman Islands

2 Bonaire

3 Mexico

4 Belize

5 Bahamas

6 Bay Islands,

Honduras

7 Turks and Caicos

8 U.S. Virgin Islands

9 Grenada

10 British Virgin Islands

U . S . A N D N O R T H A M E R I C A

1 Hawaii

2 California

3 Florida

4 North Carolina

5 Canada (British

Columbia)

6 Texas

7 Michigan

8 Washington

9 Alabama

10 New Jersey

P A C I F I C A N D I N D I A N O C E A N S

1 Indonesia

2 Palau

3 Micronesia

4 Philippines

5 Cocos Island,

Costa Rica

6 French Polynesia

7 Thailand

8 Mexico (Baja California)

9 Galapagos Islands

10 Red Sea (Egypt)

T O P 1 0 0 R E A D E R S

C H O I C E AWA R D S

H e r es a lo o k at s o m e

o f th e w in n e r s o f o u r

2 1s t a n n u a l To p 100

c h e c k o u t th e 2 2n d

a n n u a l r e s u lt s i n o u r

J a n u a r y/ F e b r u a r y

201 5 i s s u e .

JUNE

PalauWinner of six Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, including Best

Wall Diving, Pacific and Indian oceans

scubadiving.com/Top100/palau

MARCH/APRIL

Grand CaymanWinner of 11 Top 100 Readers Choice

Awards, including Best Overall

Destination and Best Underwater

Photography, Caribbean and Atlantic

scubadiving.com/Top100/grandcayman

TOP 100

2014

OF

D I V I N G

SCUBA

BEST

B E S T O V E R A L L D E S T I N AT I O N


JULY

BahamasWinner of seven Top 100 Readers Choice

Awards, including Best Overall Diving,

Best Big Animals and Best Advanced

Diving, Caribbean and Atlantic

scubadiving.com/Top100/bahamas

AUGUST

BelizeWinner of four

Top 100 Readers

Choice Awards,

including Best

Overall Desti-

nation, Best Big

Animals, Best

Wall Diving and

Best Underwater

Photography,

Caribbean

and Atlantic

scubadiving.com/

Top100/belize

SEPT/OC T

Raja AmpatWinner of seven Top 100 Readers

Choice Awards (for Indonesia) in

Pacific and Indian oceans, including

Best Marine Environment

scubadiving.com/Top100/rajaampat

CL

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C AVE COUNTRYTHE DOMINICAN REPUBLICS ANCIENT

UNDERGROUND RIVER SYSTEM IS A NEW

FRONTIER IN DIVING

B Y T R A V I S M A R S H A L L

CU

RT

BO

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Our plan is a full-penetration dive into the rst leg of Chicho Cave, a crystal-clear freshwater cenote that lies beneath the arid scrub brush of the DRs Parque Nacional del Este (National Park of the East). Most div-ers know about the cenotes of Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula, but few realize that similar systems can be found elsewhere in the Caribbean. That goes double for the Dominican Republic, where above-ground cave systems boast a wealth of native, pre-colonial Taino cave paint-ings and artifacts, and the underwater rivers that connect them remain largely untouched and unexplored.

Rath is one of only two cave instructor- trainers in the country, and a local cave-diving pioneer who has been an integral member of initial expeditions to explore and name the caves that comprise the Dominican Republics underwater-river network. A past expe-dition turned up a skull and bones from a previously unknown species of ancient mammal, which is now being studied by the Museum of the Dominican Man in Santo Domingo.

Rath is also a gregarious German who has spent more than two decades in the DR, owning and operating dive shops in every corner of the country. His lat-est operation, UweScuba, is a custom dive center that has its storefront in the exclusive Casa de Campo resort, about 14 miles from Bayahibe. But dont worry if, like me and most divers, you cant aord Casa de Campos presidential digs Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush all have vacationed here Rath also makes house calls to meet divers who are down for a person-alized, o-the-beaten-track experience.

Bottom line: If youre an advanced or technical diver looking for an out-of-the-ordinary underwater adventure in the Dominican Republic, Rath is the xer who can make it happen.

As dawn breaks over Bayahibe a once sleepy shing village turned

bustling dive hot spot in southeast

Dominican Republic the usual

suspects begin to stir along the dirt

road outside my apartment. Roosters

warm up their vocal cords across the

street. Dogs op down in patches of

early light. From my balcony, I spot a

rising dust cloud from my ride as

Uwe Rath rolls up, truck bed loaded

with cave-diving gear.

Fantastical forms in Chicho (opposite,

clockwise from top); bones of an extinct

primate, discovered near Chicho; the

author, Juergen Riedl and Rath.

C AV E C O UN T R Y

BE

CK

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AG

AN

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ND

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UR

TE

SY

UW

E R

AT

H


OPERATOR

UweScuba

(uwescuba.com)

is one of a select

few operators

that can arrange

proper technical

dives into DRs

cave systems,

as well as teach

PADI Tec Rec

programs for

Sidemount,

Intro to Cave

and Cave

Diver courses.

WHEN TO GO

Bayahibe and

nearby Punta

Cana are

year-round dive

destinations, with

warm, protected

water. As with

most Caribbean

destinations,

winter is the

high season;

late summer is

the low season.

DIVE CONDITIONS

Ocean conditions

stay calm year-

round in Bayahibe,

with water temps

ranging from high

70s to mid-80s

and visibility from

60 to 120 feet. In

the freshwater

caves, the water

always stays

in the mid-70s,

with a visibility of

150 feet.

PRICE TAG

A single guided

cave dive costs

$110; two dives in

different caves run

$170. If you dont

have cave-diving

experience,

UweScuba offers

classes. PADIs

TecRec Sidemount

course costs $420;

a TDI Intro to

Cave certification

costs $590.NE

ED

TO

KN

OW


Sidemount on

St. G e o rg eBefore we go underground, we plan to make our rst dives together in open ocean, so Rath commandeers a local dive boat, and we head out of Bayahibes bustling loading dock to the DRs signature wreck dive, the St. George.

Were diving sidemount, a technical BCD system that has clips to carry tanks under our arms rather than on our backs. The benets are many, the main one being redundancy every diver has two tanks, each with its own regulator. It also helps us keep a at swimming posi-tion in the water, ideal for penetrating wrecks and caves where we need to avoid kicking up sediment on the bottom. Car-rying the tanks protected under our arms helps reduce snags, and makes us more exible in tight interior spaces.

Less than 10 minutes from the loading ramp at the heart of Bayahibe now buzzing with activity as boats vie to board gaggles of European divers, snor-kelers and sun seekers our boat idles into position, mooring over the wreck.

C AV E C O UN T R Y

We clip our tanks under our arms as we make our nal checks and slip into the water. As I sink beneath the swim step, angling for the down line, I see the tower of the St. George rising proudly from the sandy seaoor about 140 feet below, amid swarms of jack sh that seem like theyre raining upward in slow motion.

The nearly 250-foot steel freighter was sunk as an articial reef in 1999; today it remains intact and upright, with a pro-fusion of sh and corals. Nearing the sandy bottom, we are out with our arms forward and glide into the ships superstructure with methodical frog kicks, exploring deep beneath the deck of the cargo holds, along the exterior walkways, and through the wheelhouse.

We nalize our afternoon plans over pizza on the Bayahibe waterfront before loading into Raths truck and heading inland. Much of the area surrounding Bayahibe on land and in the water

The St. George looms in the deep; the

sponge-encrusted wreck offers explo-

ration-worthy walkways; accessing

Chicho Cave is difficult but worth it.

WH AT IT TA K E SCave diving

requires special

training,

equipment and

experience.

UweScuba

uses side-

mount gear for

cave diving;

a sidemount-

certification

class can

provide you

with all the

necessary skills

and equipment.

Any open-

water diver

who is at least

15 years old

can take a PADI

Sidemount

Diver course;

you can apply

the dives to an

Advanced cer-

tification. You

should also

have a Cave

Diver cert, or

you can join an

Intro to Cave

course to learn

to properly

use guidelines,

line markers,

dive lights and

redundant-

air supplies.

Prerequisites

for Intro to Cave

are a Cavern

Diver certifi-

cation and a

minimum of

25 logged dives.

CL

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2)


is the protected National Park of the East. This includes oshore dive favor-ites at Saona and Catalina islands, as well as the inland Padre Nuestro area, a hot, arid jungle of scrub brush atop karst limestone, which is where were headed.

In t o C hi c h o C av e

We pull o the main road at a gate that opens onto a steeply inclined, rut-ted dirt track. As we bounce our way up the road, men materialize from the forest and approach the truck. Rath ges-tures for them to hop in back once we arrive at the dive site, I understand why.

We park in a clearing at a trail head that winds steeply down rough steps hewn from logs and rocks. The men who joined us jump into action, mak-ing quick work of carrying our tanks, weights and gear bags down the rugged

path. The nal steps of the trail lead down slick rock into the gaping maw of the cave. From the surface, the electric blue of the water illuminated by the over-head sun beckons like a siren, singing songs of exploration and adventure.

After hiking under the hot Caribbean sun in a 5 mm wetsuit, I relish the cool rush against my skin as I dunk into the cenote and don my gear. As we descend into the freshwater basin beneath us, we turn our dive lights toward the darkness.

The beam of my light picks up the telltale glint of a bright-white cave line, and I see the ghostly string disappear through a hole in the wall: our entrance to Chicho Cave. We make a nal check, then frog-kick inside, hovering just above the guide line that leads the way to the end of the passage.

Inside the tunnel, the water is decep-tively clear, playing tricks with my mind. My bubbles are the only sign that I

havent already come up for air. We wind an undulating path around incredible rock formations. Fat stalagmites sit like half-melted candles, while sections of the ceiling bristle like pincushions, blanketed by spiny stalactites. After 25 minutes, the tunnel angles upward and soon opens into a wide room. I watch Rath above me and see his head disappear as he surfaces into an air chamber above us.

I follow him to the surface, where he explains its safe to remove my regulator though dark, the room is connected to the outside world, and thus theres fresh air for us to breathe. I ash my light on the ceiling above, watching the beam bounce over rock in the humid air. I cant help but feel privileged to be here. Rath and others may have only just started exploring the Dominican Republics cave systems, but if those caves that remain to be found look anything like this one, they wont remain secret for long.


REGULATORSIN OUR JULY ISSUE,

SCUBALAB TESTED

THE PERFORMANCE

AND COMFORT OF

14 NEW REGS ON

AN ANSTI BREATH-

ING MACHINE AND IN

THE WATER. THESE

THREE LET US

BREATHE EASY.

HOG ZENITH $124.95 Zenith second stage,

$209.95 D3 rst stage (hose not included); edge-gear.com

On the breathing machine, the Zenith was rated excellent at max rec depth, and very good well beyond not sur-prising, giving the companys stated

tec orientation. But in real-world con-ditions, our test divers also found the Zenith an exceptionally comfortable, smooth dry-breathing reg, awarding it the highest ergo scores in our test.

The HOG Zenith was our Testers Choice in the Under $500 category.

BEUCHAT VR200 SOFT TOUCH HF

$899 (includes octo and reg bag); spearotek.com

Easy breathing, dry, comfortable, lightweight thats what our test divers had to say about the VR200

Soft Touch, which racked up the best ergo scores in its class. On the breathing machine, the reg dem-

onstrated very good performance well beyond recreational depths and breathing demands. The VR200 Soft Touch was our Testers Choice in the

Over $500 category.

SCUBAPRO MK21/S560$499; scubapro.com

In ergo tests, this reg was a pussycat, delivering smooth, effortless comfort

that earned raves from test divers. It became a lion on the breathing

machine, where it racked up excel-lent scores and performed within

test parameters, even at torturous breathing rates down to 220 feet.

Its performance was unmatched by any other reg in the test despite a midrange price. The MK21/S560

was our Best Buy.

2014 // GEAR OF THE YEAR

T E S T E R S S A I D . . .

THIS IS A SOLID REG EASY BREATHING AND DRY (B E U C H AT V R 2 0 0 S O F T T O U C H H F )

REALLY SMOOTH BREATHER; ZERO BUBBLE INTERFERENCE (S C U B A P R O M K 2 1 / S 5 6 0)

GREAT USER CONTROLS; THE KNURLED KNOB IS SUPER EASY TO GRAB (H O G Z E N I T H)

BCs IN JUNE, SCUBALAB TESTED 16 NEW BCs, FROM FEATHER-WEIGHT TRAVEL MODELS TO TEC WINGS. HERE ARE THREE THAT FLOATED TO THE TOP.



NICE ALL-PURPOSE, FULL-FEATURED BC

(M A R E S P R E S T I G E 2 M R S +)

SNUG AND COMFY; PROVIDES A STABLE AND

WOBBLE-FREE RIDE (A P E K S W T X )

GOOD STABILITY, NICE WEIGHT SYSTEM, COMFY

SURFACE-FLOATING POSITION (CRESSI TRAVELIGHT)

CRESSI TRAVELIGHT$449.95; cressiusa.com

Upgraded with a new in ator and integrated-weight system,

the Travelight offers full-feature performance in a 6-pound package that stows easily in a suitcase. Test divers loved its stable comfort, and appreciated features rare to travel

BCs: roomy pockets, a right-shoulder exhaust and 10 alloy D-rings. The

Travelight earned our Best Buy award.

APEKS WTX$750; aqualung.com

This lightweight rig assembled from Apeks tec-oriented WTX components seemed a little unlikely as a travel BC until we got it in the water. Divers raved

about its stability, comfort, precise valving and secure tank straps, and rated its integrated-weight system

excellent. The WTX was our Testers Choice for travel BCs.

MARES PRESTIGE 2 MRS+$510; mares.com

Competition was tough among this years jacket BCs, but after crunching

the scores, the Prestige 2 won by a nose. Testers praised its stability, no-

fuss integrated weights, excellent in ation and exhaust valving, and

large pockets. The Prestige 2 was our Testers Choice for jacket BCs.


IKELITE GAMMA$120; ikelite.com

Weighing just 5 ounces and measuring less than .75 inches in diameter at its narrowest, Ikelites Gamma ts eas-

ily into a small BC pocket. But it pumps out an impressively bright, wide beam

for its size. Its machined-aluminum body, robust tail switch and 400-foot

depth rating are nice bonuses, considering its modest price. We named the Gamma our Best Buy.

UK VIVID ELED$159.99; uwkinetics.com

Despite its compact size, the Vivid strikes a nice balance between bright-ness and beam diameter to produce

a light pattern thats intense and broad enough to be really effective.

The push-button tail switch is easy to use, and the Vivid has screw mounts

for use as a video or camera light. The Vivid eLED was our Testers Choice for

pocket lights.

IST SPORTS DOLPHIN TECH

T-24040$855; istsports.com

This wrist-mount canister lights white beam recorded the highest meter reading in our test; the dual-light

head is so bright, we were grateful the push-button switch offers three power levels. The battery is compact and rated for 1.9 hours on high power. The T-24040 was our Testers Choice among primary and canister lights.


DIVE LIGHTSIN OUR MAY ISSUE, WE TESTED 15 NEW DIVE

LIGHTS FOR BRIGHTNESS, BEAM DIMENSIONS AND ERGONOMICS. THREE TORCHES HAD

PERFORMANCE THAT SHINED.



PERFORMS AND FEELS LIKE IT SHOULD COST A LOT MORE (I K E L I T E G A M M A)

BLAZINGLY BRIGHT GOOD THING IT HAS THREE POWER LEVELS (I S T S P O R T S D O L P H I N T E C H)

DELIVERS A LOT OF PERFORMANCE IN A SMALL PACKAGE (U K V I V I D E L E D)

DIVE BAGSIN OUR AUGUST ISSUE, SCUBALAB

EVALUATED 14 FULL-SIZE AND CARRY-ON ROLLER TRAVEL BAGS. THESE THREE

WERE OUR WINNING CHOICES.



CRESSI CARGO 145L $249.95; cressiusa.com

Though it was the largest bag in our test, the Cargo 145L has a clever inter-nal folding frame and hinged bottom so it collapses for storage a conve-nient feature in such a big bag. Good

compression straps, rugged construc-tion and protective padding and a relatively modest price made the Cargo 145L our choice for Best Buy.

STAHLSAC RANGI ROLLER$219.95; stahlsac.com

The Rangi Roller provides the kind of protection we want in a carry-on, with rigid sides and back, and a pad-

ded front ap that unzips fully for easy packing. Handles at top, side and bot-tom make it easy to carry, and it rolls

like a dream. Its built to last, with lots of reinforcements. The Rangi was our

Testers Choice for roller carry-ons.

ARMOR API-3R$350; armorba

scuba diving - december 2014 usa

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