Sewage disposal into Baltic Sea banned from 2019 onwards
by Mares - 4th May 2016
The Baltic Sea can breathe easy in the future. From 2019 onwards, cruise ships and passenger ferries are no longer…
Tremiti Islands: a paradise for freedivers
by Gianluca - 14th July 2016
The Tremti Islands are one of the most beautiful places in the Adriatic Sea for freediving and scuba diving and…
Umrundung des Bodensees
by Nik - 26th October 2022
Es schien eine gute Idee zu sein, den Bodensee schwimmend zu umrunden. Bislang hat das niemand gemacht und da ich…
For all things ‘freediving’ check out Gianluca Genoni – on board with the Mares blog!
by Mares - 14th July 2016
Gianluca Genoni has been a Mares testimonial since 1996, has established 18 world records in numerous freediving specialties and is…
Land of Ice and Fire
by Alex - 6th July 2023
I've been to Iceland 5 times before, but it was almost 15 years since my last visit, and in a…
Pretty birds from the Red Sea
by Ivana and Janez - 12th September 2024
I love all the different species of wrasse, and I thought I knew them well, but this one was a…
Red Bull Cliff Diving and Mares Freediving come together
by Marcel - 16th June 2016
Only very occasionally does a jump from the pool side look so graceful – I had the great pleasure of joining freediving world…
Get to know the Batfish
by Ivana and Janez - 15th April 2022
True batfish belong to the order Platax, coming from the Greek word 'Platys', meaning 'flat', due to their distinct body…
The Discovery of the Rio de Janeiro
by Herbert - 16th June 2016
The Search For A WWII Shipwreck On 14 June 2015, after a seven-year search, the wreck of the Rio de…
5 reasons to start freediving!
by Gianluca - 13th September 2016
Why should you get in to freediving? Here are 5 great reasons to try out this wonderful discipline! 1. Freediving…
Humpback whale spotted in Bay of Greifswald
by Herbert - 2nd August 2016
Public requested to report sightings to German Oceanographic Museum On the mornings of July 27th and 28th, a whale was…
Cabo Pulmo and endless vortexes of fish (Chapter Five)
by Franco and Sabrina - 22nd November 2022
If your diving wish list includes finding yourself finning inside vortexes of different species of fish so dense as to darken…
El Hierro – Diver’s Paradise In The Atlantic
by Herbert - 12th August 2015
Go Diving On The Smallest Canary Island Dive in the town of La Restinga, on the smallest Canary Island of…
Proportion of unicellular plankton much higher than previously thought
by Mares - 29th April 2016
Unicellular planktonic organisms play a more important role in the marine ecosystem than previously thought. This was the conclusion drawn…
Blue Holes – the freediver’s paradise
by Gianluca - 25th October 2016
Blue holes are chasms which fall into deep abysses, some of which are very close to the coast, and they…
Dances with Stingrays
by Alex - 7th April 2023
Crystal clear turquoise water crammed with circling stingrays - there can be few more iconic images of the Cayman Islands.…
Freediving week in Malta
by Gianluca - 20th June 2016
My freediving week in Malta is over. Malta and Gozo were a pleasant surprise and are ideal for all freedivers.…
Jackfish
by Ivana and Janez - 17th September 2019
Why so blue, Jack? Jackfish, also known as Bluefin trevally or blue jack, are one of the most common fish…
In the heart of Dalmatia
by Ivana and Janez - 24th September 2019
The region of Dalmatia is located on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, stretching from Rab in the north…
Caymaniac
by Alex - 14th April 2023
I head to Grand Cayman most years because it serves up such classic underwater delights: reliably excellent visibility, warm water,…
Pro’s like a Pro Therm
by Ivana and Janez - 28th March 2023
Since scuba diving is my profession, the right choice of equipment while being in my underwater office is very important.…
Swedish mine diving – What’s the deal?
by Sara Banderby - 3rd April 2023
What comes to mind when you think of Sweden? Alexander Skarsgård? Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Or Ingmar Bergman and Alfred Nobel? But did…
Sun Boat – An artificial reef in its full glory
by Ivana and Janez - 18th April 2023
It is a well-known fact that deliberately sunk vessels become an integral part of the seabed over time. When we…
Eilat, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea – A winter adventure in Israel
by Ivana and Janez - 11th April 2023
This year's first diving expedition took us to the Israeli resort of Eilat, on the coast of the Red Sea.…
Een zeer harig fotomodel!
by Thomas Van Puymbroeck - 7th September 2019
Jaren stond het al op mijn bucketlist. Een honden shoot in en vooral onderwater. Vandaag was het zover! Na een…
The Shark Trust Great Shark Snapshot is back!
by Mares - 28th June 2023
For last week of July, the Shark Trust’s citizen science initiative invites divers and snorkellers around the world to record the…
The 8th Anilao Underwater Shootout
by Franco and Sabrina - 20th June 2023
As divers, we know how difficult it is to describe the beauty and colours of underwater critters to land-based people.…
Lembeh Blackwater
by Alex - 13th June 2023
The Lembeh Strait is famous for its critter-filled muck diving, but in recent years it has become increasing well known…
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Award 2023
by Franco and Sabrina - 9th June 2023
Occasionally I enter prestigious international photo contests. The selected pictures have the power to leave a mark, spread knowledge, foster…
Colourful Forests of the Seas
by Ivana and Janez - 28th July 2023
Gorgonias are my favourite soft corals. In my opinion, they are magical; they look like mini trees or bonsais under…
Choosing the right equipment for a diving instructor
by Ivana and Janez - 6th June 2023
Hi, I’m Yaiza Sanchez, a Spanish diving instructor based in Koh Tao, Thailand, working for Koh Tao divers, an SSI diving…
Freediving – Marjan Radovic photographs Tijana Nikolic
by Marjan Radovic - 4th September 2019
Freediving is an activity as old as humanity itself. More than any other sport, freediving is based on subconscious reflexes…
The Leopards of the Seas
by Ivana and Janez - 24th April 2023
Leopard sharks are one of the most common sharks in the Eastern North Pacific. Their scientific name, Triakis semifasciata, means “half…
Magic Muck
by Alex - 30th May 2023
Lembeh, in Indonesia, is one of the world’s most celebrated dive destinations. This 10 mile long sliver of sea is…
Are you looking for a mermaid?
by Franco and Sabrina - 26th May 2023
Okay then, get ready and hurry up before it's too late. Mermaids? Are you sure? All right, well, let's look…
Get close and then get closer! Underwater photography tips with Dan
by Dan - 9th May 2023
Wide angle photography is difficult to master. Small details make all the difference, it can take years of practise, some…
Introduction to Mike Bolton
by Michael - 4th September 2019
Hi all, I am so stoked and honored to be a new Mares Ambassador! To be part of such a…
Goldfish of the Red Sea
by Ivana and Janez - 2nd May 2023
Every diver who's been to the Red Sea must have a picture with the Pseudanthias squamipinnis – Sea goldies. A very common…
Freediving: Exploring Schieferbergwerk Nuttlar (Germany)
by Mares - 17th May 2023
Freediver Doris Hovermann recently took a trip to the Nuttlar mine in Germany for a special photoshoot. It was the…
Travel tips with a rEvo rebreather or Horizon SCR
by ivan - 17th July 2023
Traveling with diving equipment has always been a calling for divers. With airlines tightening luggage restrictions, packing for a dive…
Simply the best?
by Alex - 20th March 2023
It would be a great conversation topic over dinner with diving friends: What is the world’s best diving resort? I…
Diving in the Mexican Cenotes
by Semra - 19th November 2019
Hello everybody and welcome to my new blog! My last blog was about 5 young Egyptian guys with the shared…
Canada: Bursting with Life
by Alex - 16th December 2022
For my final blog post on my visit to Canada, I want to turn my attention fully to the attraction…
Groupers – The gentle giants of the oceans
by Ivana and Janez - 26th November 2019
Groupers belong to the Serranidae family, which they share with Sea basses, living in the warmer waters of most oceans.…
Canada: Time & Tide
by Alex - 7th December 2022
It is good for humans to take a break from their busy lives and have a reminder that there are bigger…
The white-spotted octopus (Callistoctopus macropus)
by Ivana and Janez - 1st December 2022
The white-spotted octopus lives predominantly in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, but can sometimes be found…
How to find the perfect Christmas gift and also support the environment!
by Semra - 3rd December 2019
Hello everybody and welcome to my new blog! My last blog was about diving in Mexican cenotes - check it…
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…
