![Andi](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Andi-Cross-150x150.jpg)
Blue Whales in the Balance – Mirissa, Sri Lanka
by Andi - 28th May 2024
Off the coast of Mirissa, Sri Lanka, it felt like we had the whole ocean to ourselves. It was barely…
![Robert](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/D_DESK_BAN_WILPERNIG_-150x150.jpg)
The Azores – In the realm of the whales
by Robert - 25th March 2019
The unique location of the Azores, in a transition zone between the cold, nutrient-rich currents from the north and the…
![Herbert](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Herbert-150x150.jpg)
Japan allowed to continue trade in threatened whales’ meat
by Herbert - 4th December 2017
CITIES meeting misses historic opportunity Last week, on 27 November 2017, the Standing Committee of CITES missed the opportunity to…
![Herbert](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Herbert-150x150.jpg)
What do whales have to do with homeopathy?
by Herbert - 18th August 2017
EU prohibits whaling, but not trade in whale productsIf we think of sperm whales, we think of Moby Dick, and…
![Mares](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mares_blog-2-150x150.jpg)
How are whales and dolphins doing in Europe?
by Mares - 24th May 2017
New population estimates released Ten EU Member States have carried out a survey of the distribution and abundance of whales…
![Herbert](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Herbert-150x150.jpg)
Japan kills 333 whales in annual hunt
by Herbert - 1st April 2017
Whales supposedly killed for "research" purposes After four months at sea, the Japanese whaling fleet has returned from its controversial…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
Moments of a lifetime caught on camera : Snorkelling side by side with the sperm whales of the eastern Caribbean Sea
by Franco and Sabrina - 29th November 2016
This post starts our contribution to the Mares blog, to which we are absolutely grateful, and our first post is about the…
![Herbert](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Herbert-150x150.jpg)
Whales: The killing continues…
by Herbert - 28th November 2016
Japanese whaling ships set off on lethal missionDespite having adopted a new method to control their scientific whaling activities at…
![Mares](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mares_blog-2-150x150.jpg)
Cruise Ships Boycott Faroe Islands To Protest Annual Slaughter Of Pilot Whales
by Mares - 14th August 2015
Both AIDA Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises have suspended their trips to the Faroe Islands in response to the new law…
![Kathryn](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SSI-Grey-Logo-150x150.jpg)
5 great reasons to go diving in Japan
by Kathryn - 9th May 2024
With its rich culture, stunning landscapes, and diverse underwater ecosystems, Japan offers an unparalleled diving experience that beckons adventurers from…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024
by Alex - 24th April 2024
One of the highlights of my year is chairing the judging panel and presenting the winners of the Underwater Photographer…
![Kathryn](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SSI-Grey-Logo-150x150.jpg)
Diving in the Pacific: 7 Idyllic Islands for Scuba Divers
by Kathryn - 27th March 2024
Diving in the Pacific Islands is a bucket list vacation for many scuba divers and unsurprisingly so. Idyllic islands surrounded…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
Baja California Sur Safari – 2023 season
by Franco and Sabrina - 28th November 2023
It’s easy to understand why we return to Mexico's Baja California Sur almost every year. The five destinations we visit…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Arctic Aur-Orca
by Alex - 26th December 2022
It is definitely the best snorkelling experience in Europe, and it is probably the best underwater experience too. Each winter,…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Canada: Cold and Golden
by Alex - 7th November 2022
Sitting in Europe and dreaming of Pacific diving destinations, Canada won’t instantly be at the top of most people’s lists, but…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
The elusive Basking Shark
by Alex - 30th September 2022
Last summer I headed to the tiny island of Coll, out in the Atlantic, off the west coast of Scotland.…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
Bahia Magdalena: Where giant travellers rest (Chapter Four)
by Franco and Sabrina - 12th September 2022
The Baja California peninsula is another world, another universe, and inside this bewitching world there is a stretch of Pacific…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Marvellous Mexican Mantas
by Alex - 4th July 2022
There isn’t a more wonderful ocean creature to spend time with than the manta. Despite their huge size, these graceful…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
Baja California Sur – Pacific Coast, Offshore Adventure (Chapter Three)
by Franco and Sabrina - 28th June 2022
In the southern part of Baja California Sur, on the Pacific Coast, the offshore high sea is a place of…
![Ivana and Janez](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ivana-i-janez-Medium-550x367-1-150x150.jpg)
Run…Sardine Run
by Ivana and Janez - 20th June 2022
I am well aware of how privileged we are to be doing this job. This time, our passion for scuba…
![Kathryn](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SSI-Grey-Logo-150x150.jpg)
7 easy ways to be an eco-friendly diver
by Kathryn - 6th June 2022
Whether you are diving close to home or venturing overseas, there are many easy ways you can become a more…
![Kathryn](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SSI-Grey-Logo-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Ivana and Janez](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ivana-i-janez-Medium-550x367-1-150x150.jpg)
Tiger Sharks
by Ivana and Janez - 15th December 2021
Tiger Sharks are one of the largest predatory sharks, shadowed only by the Great White. Female Tiger Sharks are larger…
![Nik](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/admin-ajax.php_-150x150.jpg)
Freediving with Orcas in Norway
by Nik - 10th November 2021
If anyone had asked me some years ago which tour I would be most interested in doing, I would have…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Scottish Freediving Photography
by Alex - 30th August 2021
The chilly waters of Scotland do not attract many visiting divers but they should. Scotland’s geologically splintered coastline means that…
![Alex](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UK21_am-19240-copy-150x150.jpg)
Stamp of approval
by Alex - 23rd August 2021
As divers, we get to see part of the world that the majority of people don’t. And if you are…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
Whale Memories
by Dan - 19th August 2021
About this time every year, humpback whales travel from Antarctica to the warm waters of the Pacific to calve. Sadly,…
![Gerald](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Gerald-Novak-150x150.jpg)
‘Baitball’ watching in the open sea
by Gerald - 12th July 2021
"May the god of the sea spoil you with happiness and let a mighty school of fish slide over your…
![Mares](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mares_blog-2-150x150.jpg)
Capturing the moment: Franco Banfi
by Mares - 7th July 2021
I’m extremely grateful to call the vast blue expanse off Dominica Island, in the Caribbean Sea, home. Its unfathomable sapphire…
![Ivana and Janez](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ivana-i-janez-Medium-550x367-1-150x150.jpg)
The gentle giants
by Ivana and Janez - 2nd April 2021
Whale sharks are on many diver's bucket lists. I envy any diver that has been lucky enough to see one while diving.…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Ivana and Janez](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ivana-i-janez-Medium-550x367-1-150x150.jpg)
Most loved marine mammals
by Ivana and Janez - 15th January 2021
Everyone loves dolphins, and it is probably the dream of most divers to dive with dolphins, the most loved cetaceans.…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
Dan’s Dive Destinations: Shark Diving
by Dan - 31st December 2020
Diving with sharks in Fiji In my opinion, every single person should experience a shark dive just once. It can…
![Franco and Sabrina](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1216329-Franco-e-Sabrina-150x150.jpg)
The largest animals ever to have lived on Earth!
by Franco and Sabrina - 17th December 2020
The southern coast of Sri Lanka may turn out to be one of the best international hotspots for seeing blue…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Damir](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Damir-Zurub-150x150.jpg)
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](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
Motivation For Winter Diving
by Dan - 24th August 2020
Winter. Is. Here. Any diver dreads these 3 words, especially if you live in a colder climate. New Zealand, although…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
Dan’s Dive Destinations: Marlborough Sounds (NZ)
by Dan - 4th August 2020
Located at the north eastern point of the South Island and making up 150km or ⅕ of New Zealand's coastline,…
![Ivana and Janez](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ivana-i-janez-Medium-550x367-1-150x150.jpg)
Marine Guide to Long-term Relationships
by Ivana and Janez - 8th June 2020
Do you remember the term 'symbiosis' from your biology classes? To refresh your memory, these are interactions between organisms that…
![LiveAboard](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/logo1200x1200_Liveaboard-150x150.jpg)
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…
![Imran](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IA-150x150.jpg)
Spicy as always
by Imran - 8th January 2020
Banda Neira is one of ten volcanic islands in the Banda Archipelago, in the Maluku province, eastern Indonesia. On our…
![Gerald](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Gerald-Novak-150x150.jpg)
Nestled in the seventh continent – Iceberg diving in the Antarctic
by Gerald - 17th December 2019
Being in the Antarctic has always been my dream. In an unforeseen way, it has now come true. As a…
![Dan](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/107609215_3999721133433839_4862193931765128460_o-1-150x150.jpg)
Clowning around in Tahiti
by Dan - 13th December 2019
Tahiti is an incredible place famous for its sharks, whales and great diving. One of my goals for this trip…
![LiveAboard](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/logo1200x1200_Liveaboard-150x150.jpg)
14 Marine Protected Areas to Dive in 2020
by LiveAboard - 22nd November 2019
Looking for a new dive destination for 2020? We’ve got you covered with 14 of the best marine protected areas…
![LiveAboard](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/logo1200x1200_Liveaboard-150x150.jpg)
Love to swim with orcas? 12 reasons to go Arctic liveaboard diving now!
by LiveAboard - 5th November 2019
The Arctic has long been known for its outstanding wildlife watching and dramatic landscapes. It offers numerous diving opportunities, but…
![LiveAboard](https://blog.mares.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/logo1200x1200_Liveaboard-150x150.jpg)
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.…