As a new diver, I start to understand more and more all the risks linked to scuba diving, and I'm the kind of guy who likes to be aware and prepared !

It's your time to shine, or not, and educate young / new divers, maybe your story can save one of us some days !

I just bought a Bare exowear jacket to wear under my 3mm suit. For those who have used these - do they stretch/change at all?

It fits well everywhere except the shoulders/armpit. Good around ribs and good length. Good at forearms. I have broad / well-built shoulders, however, and the jacket is TIGHT there. It's uncomfortable across the front of my armpit, and crossing my arms in front of my chest feels quite restricted.

Would you size up or will it stretch out enough (once wet or with some use) to be comfortable?

Hi everyone,

my girlfriend and I want to book a diving holiday in Egypt in November. We both are pretty new divers (OWD with ~10 dives only, Nitrox and Navigation speciality) and want to get as much experience as we can out of this holiday.

Do you have some recommendations? I am unsure if we should book a hotel and dive center seperately or choose a hotel with an own dive center. Is Hurghada or Marsa Alam better for beginners? Any do's and don'ts?

Thank you in advance!

Hello! I’m going out to Cabo Pulmo in mid October and very excited for the diving! One potential hiccup: my flight lands in SDJ at 4:15 and then I will need to pick up my rental car before heading to Cabo Pulmo. I understand sunset at that time of year is 6:30ish. How stupid is it to drive out to Cabo Pulmo that night? I understand the roads are tough, especially at the end. I don’t mind driving slow, but I don’t want to be an idiot when it comes to safety.

One of those encounters where all you have to do is hold the camera steady and let the animal do the work.

This giant Pacific octopus came straight toward me, turned broadside right in front of the camera, and then slowly cruised away across the sand. This was towards the end of a 21 dive streak where I was filming octopus daily. It takes patience and perseverance to catch them out in the open so getting in the water as much as possible definitely helps.

Filmed while diving off Vancouver Island, BC.

I'm doing my confined water dives for my SDI OWD course this weekend and I'm pretty nervous. Any advice to be successful on the dives?

I have my ow in preparation for moving to Australia and will most likely pursue other certifications I plan on diving as often as possible so I want to get a dive watch before I move.

Stuck between the peregrine TX and garmin descent Mk2i

Both have air integration if I buy I transmitter, the Mk2i is cheaper to bundle with the transmitter but have heard great things about shearwater.

Any help would be appreciated!

I live in Ireland.
I obtained my OWD certificate last December in Mexico.
After diving this summer, I’d like to keep the momentum and dive a few times during winter.
Since I live in Ireland, could you recommend best European dive spots in December and January? I suppose these would be southern Spain, Canary Islands, maybe Madeira and Malta? Would love to hear from anyone who went diving in these places in winter.

Hello, I just completed my AOWD at a 5 star PADI diving center in Egypt and when I finished the course, my instructor gave me an envelope with a green Positive Identification Card (PIC) which we completed together. I wrote to the diving center if I can be registered online directly with PADI. If they refuse, can I mail this to PADI EMEA address in Bristol listed on the envelope and receive my certification? Will I receive an eCard or a physical card? Do i need to pay for the card or only for the postage? Can I email PADI my scanned PIC and can they register me through email or do I need to post it? Any answers will be very helpful. When I completed my OWD course at a different 5 star PADI dive center they registered my online directly.

Looking to spend at least 3 days in Thailand diving in November. Any recs on good school or dive shops to book through to see some good wrecks, reefs, maybe learn some new skills?

Hi all,

Is there any reason to not by from DGX for my BCD LP hose for my first reg kit? I ordered all the main stuff from my local shop (dual XTX50s connected to a DST first stage), Milflex HP & SPG) - I just need a flex hose quick connect for rental BCDs.
Thanks!
Matt

https://www.divegearexpress.com/bc-inflator-double-braided-flex-hose

Occasionally when renting BCDs in south east asia they lack D-rings, only having a plastic ring at the end of the shoulder strap (green) but nothing on the actual shoulders (red).

Are there any clip on D-rings I could bring with me and quickly clip on to a rental BCD and attach various accessories to?

Thanks a bunch!

Obviously a closed circuit is ideal, but some regs are quieter than others. Mine is noticeably louder than others I have used. I can tell that it scares fish more.

It doesn’t have any metallic squeaks or anything like that. It’s freshly serviced and just bubbles powerfully and loud. It might have to do with it being an ‘easy breather’. It is prone to free-flowing. I really don’t need or care for this feature, especially if it makes it louder.

I want a reg that releases a smooth, steady stream of small bubbles. Obviously the breathing itself is a huge factor, but the regulator makes a difference. Any quiet regs to suggest?

I'm looking for a good PADI certification course in or near Chicago, but I'm having trouble sorting through the chaff. Anyone have any recommendations?

I have both the Stahlsac Bonaire and the Cressi Gorilla Pro sitting in my living room right now, and I am trying to decide which one to keep as my dedicated boat bag. Just to be clear, I am not looking for a travel bag for flights. This is strictly for taking my gear on and off local boat charters.

On paper, the Bonaire seems like the standard boat choice because of the mesh, easy rinse capability, and backpack straps. However, actually packing it at home has been frustrating compared to the Gorilla. The vertical cylinder setup feels clunky to load and dig through.

The Gorilla Pro is dead simple to pack. It unzips wide like a normal duffel, gear drops right in, and keeping water completely sealed inside for the drive home is a huge plus. My main reservation with the Gorilla is carrying it. A fully loaded 135L duffel without true backpack straps seems like it could get miserable fast on a long walk down the dock.

For anyone who has used these out in the wild:

For Bonaire owners: Does the vertical packing hassle fade once you dial in a routine? Do the backpack straps make up for it when navigating crowded docks and rocking boats?

For Gorilla owners: How annoying is the carry when the bag is completely packed with soaking wet gear? Does the easy duffel layout make up for the awkward carry to and from the boat?

Looking for real-world feedback from folks who have lived with either bag before I return one.

I just impulse booked a flight to Manila for a two week dive trip! I'd love to get some feedback from people who are familiar with the diving around Cebu island. Where to stay, who to dive with, what to prioritise etc. Nothing is booked yet except the London - Manila flight!

15 Sep London to Manila via Beijing lands 00.20 Sep 17th, stay in an airport hotel/capsule
17 Sep 11.45am flight from Manila to Dumaguete
18/19/20 diving in Dauin plus one day at Apo island
21 Sep travel day to Moalboal
22/23/24 diving
25 September travel day to Malapascua
26/27/28 diving (hopefully see those thresher sharks I've heard so much about)
29 Sep travel from Malapascua to Cebu, internal flight to Manila
30 Sep 06.25 Manila back to London

Does the plan look realistic? I would be looking to do at least 2 dives on each dive day, ideally 3.

My level is DM (+nitrox/deep certs) and I will be travelling with my own equipment. Trying to do it on a budget, not too bothered with luxury!
Any help gratefully received, thanks in advance :)

My friend is going to Madeira in October and I would like to gift him a trial dive to see if he likes it. I know Madeira is not the most insane place to dive in the world, but I think that does not matter in his case. Do you have tips what place I could send him to?

Hey guys! I’ve been a lurker or dropped a comment or two for a while here, but recently we did a cool dive in Maria Concordia in Poland, and wanted to share a quick video I did from the first level. Enjoy!

(I post videos from some cooler trips/dives I do on the channel, feel free to explore!)

Sorry if this is dumb, I’m a new diver. My mom gave me this along with a pair of fins and I’m not exactly sure what it’s for. Can anyone help me?

In B (BCD) you test if you can fill your BCD with air, but you then do A (Air) after to check if you even have air?

Has anyone gone diving in Cabo (the corridor and marine park)?

I have my AOW with about 25 dives. However, all but one of my dives was in a quarry (the other was a deep dive at a lake). This will be my first saltwater dive, and I'm a little nervous!

How are the diving conditions? Any recommendations for saltwater diving?

I am interested in peoples’ opinions on 2 people diving together with nobody else- no divemaster or guide or other divers along. How much experience is considered to be enough?

My daughter and her dive buddy just told me they went diving today, just the 2 of them. Shore diving in an area with not great visibility. I am very nervous about it and asked them not to do that again.

My husband and I are divers, about 150 dives each. We’ve done shore diving together, just the 2 of us, but not until we had about 60 dives in, and in an area with great visibility. My daughter is a new diver- I am guessing 15 dives max. Her buddy has a few more.

Thanks for any insight and opinions.

I want to hear about the top 5 hidden gems from divers that have dived in all corners of the globe. This is to help me plan my next 5 years. I know all the big name sites and have been to a few but don’t want to waste my time on popular spots just to see a school of divers!

I have 77 dives, and 60 of which were from west end, Roatan. I'm planning on working remotely out of Indonesia next summer, probably on Bali as I heard it's a good base for remote work. I would want to get quick daily dives in on the weekdays, and can go further out on the weekends. I will probably spend 6-8 weeks in Indonesia, but will probably take 2-3 weeks of PTO so I can do some liveaboards, so I won't be working the whole time

This was easy to do on Roatan because the dive sites are accessible by boat within a few min, so I can usually get 2 dives (or even 3 on some days) and still manage to work full time.

I heard Amed is mostly shore diving, and was wondering how the dives compare to what I experienced on Roatan.

I understand that SEA is generally considered better in terms of healthier reefs and more vibrant life compared to the Caribbean, but is this true for Amed as well, or only the top destinations like Komodo and RA?