
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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

7 easy ways to be an eco-friendly diver in 2022
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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

‘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…

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…

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’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…

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’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…

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’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…

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’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’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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.…

Mares Freediving Expedition – Sailing to the north of the Tyrrhenian Sea!
by Carlo - 24th June 2019
This time on the Mares Freediving Expedition we have chosen a sailboat to take us to the north of the…

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…

Mauritius Freediving
by Fred Buyle - 10th May 2019
In April, Orca Diving Center organized a two-week freediving event in Mauritius, bringing together freedivers for exploration and technical workshops.…

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 Sardine Run – The greatest show on Earth!
by Noam - 7th March 2019
Last year I fulfilled my biggest dream by witnessing one of the greatest natural events that our planet has to…

Von Killerwalen und Primaten – Teil 2
by Peter - 25th February 2019
...oder wie man vom Warmduscher zum Eistaucher wird. Teil 2 Plötzlich war dann wieder Ruhe und die Orcas verliessen die…

Von Killerwalen und Primaten – Teil1
by Peter - 18th February 2019
... oder wie man vom Warmdusche zum Eistauchern wird. Buckelwale in Tahiti, bei 28°C Wassertemperatur, das war bisher meine Welt.…

Breathtaking Moments – The Great White Sharks of Guadalupe, August 2018
by Robert - 29th August 2018
MARES - WIRODIVE - NAUTILUS LIVEABOARDS See photos from the experience here. At DEMA 2017 I met up with Mike…

Octopuses – They have it all!
by Ivana and Janez - 22nd June 2018
Who doesn’t like octopuses? They have it all: beautiful, smart and unique. These molluscs are part of the order ‘Octopoda’…

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…

Blackwater Night Dive
by Ivana and Janez - 24th January 2018
To most divers, a night dive is their favourite kind of dive. Everything becomes pacified at night. The lamps we…