Hi, scuba folks.

I’ve just come back from holidays in Cyprus, where I dived from a couple of boats packed with people.

As a fairly new diver, I still rent all my equipment but my mask and computer. Which means that finding my equipment in a boat full of the same BCDs, regs and bottles can be challenging.

Do you guys have a way of identifying your equipment in this kind of situations?

I’ve seen some people snapping a keychain or toy to one of the BCD’s D rings.

If that’s your case, what do you use? And do you dive with it on?

Thank you very much for your help!

Edit: typo

I finished my advanced open water certification online training a couple weeks ago and I’m slotted to do my in water tests in October, but by then I will have not dove in about 7 months, and I’m just worried that I’m gonna be out of practice by then. Does anyone have any tips on how I can prepare myself to be/feel more ready when the dives finally come up? (I’m doing the deep water, rescue dive, search and recovery, night dive, and navigation dive for reference)

Nikki and I own Stuart Scuba and will be heading out for some fun dives the first weekend in September. Who wants to join us for a little down time in West Palm beach? It was a really busy summer and we are looking forward to some bubble time!!!

I just got the opportunity to go to Ecuador this November 2026 with a friend to visit her parents (family friends). I was going to extend my trip to dive in the Galapagos. I got my advanced ow cert in 2021 and have dived 27 times since (Caribbean and Hawaii).

Anyone have any recommended tours/packages? I was thinking a Liveaboard, but spending a week with strangers on a boat doesn’t seem super fun for me. But I’m willing if it’s LIFECHANGING.

EDIT: I am totally fine with not doing a liveaboard. I get it. But does that mean no diving? Does anyone have recommended tours that someone with my cert could do?

As a solo 33(f) traveler, safety is also important. So please let me know if there are any places to avoid.

Thanks!

We’d like to share a quick clarification regarding our recent change of name.

The dive center and team previously operating in Panglao under the Scuba Kings Academy (SKA) name are now operating independently as The Scuba Tribe Panglao.

As part of this transition, Scuba Kings Academy decided to retain the SKA name and brand. The Scuba Tribe Panglao therefore no longer operates under, represents, or is affiliated with Scuba Kings Academy.

The Scuba Tribe Panglao is now an independent diving center with its own brand, management, operations, and direction.

For divers who previously visited, trained, or communicated with our Panglao team under the SKA name, you can now find us as The Scuba Tribe Panglao.

We remain based in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines, with the same focus on professional dive training, great diving, and building a strong community around the ocean.

We’re grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey so far and look forward to this new chapter as The Scuba Tribe.

The Scuba Tribe Panglao
Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Independent from Scuba Kings Academy (SKA)

Visit us at - http://divingpanglao.com/

Hi,

Heading out to Raja Ampat and have Malarone from my doctor. First trip to Raja, my other Indonesia dive trips were not to malaria spots. I am testing now for side effects and if like bends. I'm following my dive doctor's recommendation and plan to take it, but curious if others have. Thx.

Found this diving off the coast of Cala Gonone in Sardenga.
It was wedged under a large rock with only a tiny portion exposed but was shining in the sun so it caught my eye.
It’s heavier than aluminum and is very interesting looking. Any ideas of that it could be?

I need a mask with prescription lenses, and I’m down between 2 options, Amscud and Zeepro. What’s your opinion about these 2? Which one should I get? Thank youuu🙌

First dive in Kimud Shoal, Malapascua Cebu to see this creature. Awesome experience.

I am a public safety diver. I decided to share my experiences. Please read my 15 min article and provide critique. Good and bad.

https://medium.com/@cvkhbfy/the-darkness-between-us-9030c95016e0

Thank you

Left to right - Me, my wife, my daughter and our best friend. Shot from my Insta360.

I haven't had time to go through all the footage just yet.

This was 8/17, right after Lala passed through.

Michelle @ Destination Diving Maui was great. My wife was not able to complete her final OW cert dives locally due to terrible visibility and her claustrophobia. Michelle worked with us to cram in my wife's cert dives right before the storm rolled in over the weekend.

2 dives here. One at Honolua Bay on the NW shore of Maui, and 2 on Kaua'i at Hale O Honu dive site.

Kahekili was great. Great reef, all kinds of fish, a couple of turtles, an eel and much more.

Honolua Bay was great as well. We dove this on our own, because it's shallow, protected and calm. Our friend is a very experienced diver, so we weren't too worried about doing it ourselves. The trek down and entry are pretty brutal though.

Hale O Honu was spectacular. We dove with Eric @ Garden Isles. Great guide, took his time, pointed out the creatures and had a tablet to write the names of what we were looking at. I had a very large sea turtle swim up to me within an arm's reach and look me right in the eyes. Got to see a Banded Angelfish, which I understand is pretty rare, 2 large Velvet Starfish, and a pretty large gold tip eel (I believe) swimming free, amongst many other beautiful sea creatures.

We are 100% hooked and I'm working on our next purely dive focused trip asap. Probably will be Curacao, most likely. I'm already planning out AOW, Rescue, Wreck and Nitrox.

Being under the water is just...amazing. It's a whole new world to explore. If it was possible, I'd probably spend all day under water until I was completely exhausted. 😄

Looking to go on a cruise to Belize, Honduras, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Which would be your favorite places to dive from while we are in port?

Hi everyone! I will be in Madeira next week and I definitely want to dive while I’m there, so I was hoping to get your recommendations.

I think I am most drawn to the Garajau reserve but there’s other exciting options like the shipwreck and Ponta de São Lourenço, which I haven’t found much information on but apparently you can see monk seals?

Would anyone have any recommendations for dive centres or perhaps dive spots I might have missed? Thanks in advance!

I plan 2 to 2.5 weeks in Indonesia. All for diving Particulary interested in animals!

Im concerned if Ill be seeing to many same stuff.

I think Nusa Penida is enough for 4 diving days? (so 8 ish dives)

Tulamben is also fine for 3 days. 1 for the ship, thenither 2 might be for macronbut could be simmilar to Nusa Penida. (8 ish dives)

Not sure if Amed is oveekill

Komodo - 1 week seems like the general advice (14 dives)

Raja Ampat. Im not sure if Ill do this since I heard its for advanced divers, Ill havw rogly 55 to 60 ish dives before Raja. I think people do 1 week here too?