
Sharks and rays under threat from overfishing and poor fisheries management
by Mares - 3rd March 2016
A high demand for shark fins from Asian countries has been considered to be a major cause of the overfishing…

Biology: Rays
by Herbert - 6th July 2015
The Art of “Underwater Flight” The dance of mantas in the ocean certainly leaves no diver unmoved. The majesty of…

12 Great Places to go Diving in New Zealand
by kathryn - 23rd May 2022
With more than 1,500 km of coastline and around 600 islands, hosting everything from subtropical islands to dramatic fiords, New…

Classic Thrills In The Maldives
by Alex - 9th May 2022
It is not a secret that the diving around the Maldives’ central atolls, including North and South Male and Ari…

Cayman Reunion
by Alex - 17th March 2022
After two years away, it was fabulous to return to the Cayman Islands this January. I have been running underwater…

Baja California Sur – The Sea of Cortez – A fascinating mystery (Chapter Two)
by Franco and Sabrina - 10th March 2022
Imagine swimming above thousands of small Munk’s Pigmy Devil rays (mobula munkiana) gliding slowly in warm water. You cannot see the…

Underwater Scholar
by Alex - 2nd March 2022
The Our World Underwater Scholarship Society is a unique and fascinating organisation in our community. Founded in 1974 and supported by…

Maldives Underwater Initiative
by Mares - 4th October 2021
The Maldives is world famous for its picturesque turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and rainbow reefs. A vast underwater mountain…

Hammerhead Sharks
by Ivana and Janez - 13th September 2021
Sharks have a bad reputation and are the most feared marine species, even though attacks on humans are rare, with…

The Hidden City – Zabargad
by Ivana and Janez - 2nd August 2021
After diving on Daedalus and Rocky Island I thought that was it, we had seen the best on this safari. However,…

Dan’s Guide To The Perfect Underwater Selfie
by Dan - 15th February 2021
Social media has taken over many people's lives and, as a result, selfies or self portraits are part of our…

Dan’s Dive Destinations: Beqa Lagoon (Fiji)
by Dan - 12th October 2020
With a population of around 900,000, the stunning tropical islands of Fiji (all 332 of them) are home to the most…

The Islands of Socorro
by Damir - 28th September 2020
I believe that most divers have a list of destinations they would like to visit and dive at. Socorro is…

Dan’s Dive Destinations: Niue
by Dan - 14th August 2020
2400km northeast of New Zealand lies a large coral atoll, only 65 kilometres in circumference and with its highest point…

A Windy Day in Paradise
by Dan - 22nd May 2020
Here's the worst case scenario. You've planned a brilliant dive holiday to the dive destination of your dreams. You have…

9 Great Liveaboard Destinations for New Divers
by LiveAboard - 27th January 2020
You’ve got your dive certification and the underwater world awaits you, but where do you dive first? Whether you want…

A unique diving experience in Tuscany
by Florent M. Locatelli - 15th January 2020
Tuscany, in central Italy, is definitely one of my favorite regions. Breathtaking landscapes, thousands of years of history, an artistic…

Revisiting a Classic: Thailand’s 8 Best Dives
by LiveAboard - 20th December 2019
For budget-friendly tropical liveaboard diving and encounters with everything from ocean giants to tiny macro treasures, you can’t beat Thailand.…

Destination New Zealand: Goat Island, Auckland
by Dan - 8th November 2019
New Zealand is a destination full of exciting diving; from the deep fiords of the south island to the subtropical…

Love Bull Sharks? Try These 5 Top Dive Destinations
by LiveAboard - 11th October 2019
Bull sharks might have a bad reputation as being aggressive but diving with these sharks is a truly magical experience.…

Spots in the Ocean
by Ivana and Janez - 13th August 2019
Palm trees, crystal clear water, white sand…the Maldives. Reethi Faru Resort, a hidden ocean paradise. This time, our host was…

Eye to eye with the Tiger Shark!
by Gerald - 2nd August 2019
Cocos Island is an island far off the Pacific coast of America. The island belongs to a trio of islands…

Professionals in Paradise
by Ivana and Janez - 17th July 2019
What diver doesn’t dream of diving in the Maldives? And what scuba instructor doesn’t dream of working there? This one…

Introducing Dan
by Dan - 16th May 2019
Kia ora! (Hello) My name is Dan and I am an underwater photographer and proud Mares Ambassador from Auckland, New…

Diving at Pianosa, Italy
by Underwater Tales by Stefano Sibona - 14th May 2019
Legend has it that when Venus emerged from the sea, seven pearls fell from her necklace creating seven islands off…

The Islands Of Tahiti: A Whale’s Paradise
by Dan - 6th May 2019
When someone mentions Tahiti, incredible sunsets and sipping cocktails whilst relaxing on over water bungalows comes to mind. Located in…

The Green Jungle of the Yucatan Cenotes – Mystical Underground Rivers
by Damir - 30th November 2018
There are places on the planet where gods still dwell and there are other places where they used to dwell.…

Mares and MantaFest 2019
by b_rad - 1st October 2018
Mantas, Sharks & UW Photo/Video Workshops in Micronesia at MantaFest 2019 - Small contest, BIG PRIZES! MantaFest is an annual…

“Shark Splits” Photography Workshop in Yap, Micronesia
by b_rad - 13th April 2018
MantaFest photography workshop & image festival is going on it’s 11th year and ever-evolving with new advanced workshops and shooting…

Open Ocean Research
by Submaris - 10th April 2018
The Big Blue! Finally! After three days of travelling via plane, a short delay of one day due to carnival,…

The Island of Santa Maria
by Franco and Sabrina - 27th February 2018
Islands in the current of an endless ocean (Part Two) Read Part 1 here Santa Maria In the Azores' archipelago,…

Raja Ampat, Indonesia
by Ivana and Janez - 20th February 2018
As a Mares Ambassador, I had the honour of being a part of an extraordinary expedition, organised by the Ocean…

Photographer engulfed in manta ray mating dance in Yap, Micronesia
by b_rad - 12th February 2018
One of the greatest shows underwater is seeing Yap's resident manta ray population fully engaged in courtship - "dancing mantas".…

Mantas – the gentle giants of the seas
by Ivana and Janez - 7th February 2018
Manta rays – the diver's dream. Belonging to the family Mobulidae, there are two species of Manta Ray often seen…

Wild Papua – Looking for history
by Damir - 29th January 2018
Raja Ampat, best known for its diversity of marine life, can best be described as a coral reef on steroids:…

Dive into the underwater world of Milford Sound
by Gerald - 22nd January 2018
We are now far at the south end of New Zealand. More specifically in the southwest, in the world of…

An island in the current of an endless ocean
by Franco and Sabrina - 5th January 2018
Nine islands of lava, each one different from the other; some with high coasts and fjords, inlets that seem to…

Diving at the Poor Knights Islands
by Gerald - 3rd January 2018
Even as a teenager, I dreamed of the islands off the New Zealand North Island and always wanted to go…

Successes in fight against dolphin threats in South Africa
by Herbert - 27th September 2017
First shark nets dismantled After the fourth incident earlier in 2017 involving an endangered humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) in a…

Freediving: Seas vs Lakes
by Gianluca - 31st July 2017
Often those who live near the sea don’t even think about the fact that they can go freediving in other…

Diving World Record Attempt in Florida
by Hannah - 21st June 2017
The early morning sun was bright on Saturday, June 17th, casting glaring rays from the east atop the water to…

Master of the coral reef – The Giant Moray Eel
by Mares - 12th May 2017
Sometimes ugly, sometimes frightening, and of imposing size, the Giant Moray Eel is the master of the coral reefs of…

The Scuba Diver Girls meet some curious seals!
by Scuba Diver Girls - 14th April 2017
“What is that?!” I gasped as I felt something tug my fin. I glanced over at Stephanie who was on…

The massive and solitary Sphyrna Mokarran
by Franco and Sabrina - 4th April 2017
A few weeks ago I was leading a micro-group of passionate divers and UW photographers to Bimini Island, a lovely sandy…

Yap: Manta Mania in its third year
by Herbert - 2nd March 2017
Science and fascination within one's reachEvery year, during the mating season of the manta rays in Yap, scientists and interested…

Rare ghost shark filmed for the first time
by Herbert - 3rd January 2017
The ghost shark is a unique species In 2009, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) exploring the seabed at the Gulf…

Taking the plunge at Christmas Island
by Herbert - 30th December 2016
Meeting whale sharks instead of Santa ClausOnce upon a time, there was an island, remote and distant from the rest…

Seismic gun testing threatens world’s second largest barrier reef
by Mares - 25th October 2016
Belize begins seismic surveys at the World Natural Heritage Site of the Belize Barrier Reef In late October 2016, Belize…