Mesmerising creatures of the sea, yet so vicious – Misadventures with comb jellies
by Mares - 18th November 2015
Looking through the mask, it appears as if an alien lifeform is trying to communicate with the divers, flashing its…
Galloping Through The Sea: The Fascinating Abalone
by Ivana and Janez - 24th October 2024
When you think of oceanic wonders, majestic dolphins or playful sea otters might come to mind. But let’s not overlook…
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…
Red Sea Heat
by Alex - 30th August 2023
We tend to think of coral seas as being close to the equator and therefore changing little through the year.…
“Caution, sea urchins!”
by Ivana and Janez - 9th May 2018
"Caution, sea urchins!" Does this sound familiar? The name ‘sea urchin’ resounds on almost every dive boat. We are always…
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…
Increase in melting sea ice may lead to higher food supply in Arctic
by Herbert - 26th September 2017
In the Arctic, melt ponds are formed every year when snow and sea ice melt at the end of winter.…
Sea Turtle Recovery Center – Croatia
by Marjan Radovic - 7th August 2017
At the Verudela Lighthouse in Pula - Croatia, the release of sea turtles back into the wild was organized by…
The living dinosaurs of the sea
by Mares - 4th August 2017
Out of the seven species of sea turtles, six have made it onto the International Union for Conservation of Nature's…
Tasmania – Seadragon World
by Gerald - 28th June 2017
Kelp forests Not many divers from Europe know this part of the world. The flight from Europe passes over a…
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…
Haliphron atlanticus: Deep-sea octopus feeds on jellyfish
by Herbert - 30th March 2017
Octopus then uses tentacles of jellyfish to defend itself The open ocean is the largest habitat on Earth. Within this…
Can a deep-sea ecosystem recover from human intervention?
by Mares - 26th November 2015
What would the ecological consequences be if the quantity of polymetallic (e.g. manganese) nodules in the deep sea was reduced? Would…
Eilat: In The Sea And On The Sand For Your Fun In The Sun
by Herbert - 17th July 2015
For Your Fun In The Sun When temperatures start to drop during those winter months in Germany, many of us…
Diving the HTMS Sattakut wreck – Thailand
by Ivana and Janez - 17th October 2023
The Gulf of Thailand hides many interesting sites for divers beneath its surface. One of these world-class locations is the…
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,…
How Cara Lost Her Color
by Ivana and Janez - 10th December 2020
Ivana OK: What are you by profession? I’m a marine naturalist. In a complete leap of faith, I moved to…
The Story of Satil
by Ivana and Janez - 4th April 2019
It is often said that ships, just like people, have their destinies. The story of the sunken ship Satil (also…
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…
Compass jellyfish in Boka Bay, Montenegro
by Mares - 13th May 2017
Jellyfish...so graceful and elegant, yet at the same time found in so many different colors and shapes. Their movements remind…
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…
Marine life make themselves at home amongst dropped boulders at reef
by Mares - 6th June 2016
Boulders also prevent fishing activities from taking place. The large boulders dumped into the Sylt Outer Reef in the North…
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…
Meet the Marvelous Brittle Stars: The Underwater Gymnasts of the Echinoderm Family!
by Ivana and Janez - 20th November 2024
Brittle stars belong to the class Ophiuroidea within the phylum Echinodermata, which also includes sea stars, sea urchins and sea…
Porcelain Crabs: The Elegant Eccentrics of the Marine World
by Ivana and Janez - 25th September 2024
Ever heard of a crab that’s more about high fashion than high sea drama? Meet the porcelain crab, the ocean’s…
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…
Life on the Cambodian edge – Koh Ach Seh, Cambodia
by Andi - 30th April 2024
Following a grueling four-hour drive from Phnom Penh, we arrived in Kep, Cambodia. Though exhausted after our journey from Hanoi,…
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…
Our Encounter with the Ocean Tigers – Fiji
by Andi - 21st March 2024
As we descended into the dark and murky waters off the Fijian coast, the weight of anticipation settled in. Immediately…
Diving with Dragons
by Alex - 15th February 2024
The northern islands of Wolf and Darwin are the most famous dive spots in Galapagos, but the highlight of my…
Galapagos – Diving Turned Up To 11
by Alex - 5th February 2024
Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands are an archipelago consisting of 13 main islands (five of which are inhabited), seven minor islands and…
Blackwater in Anilao
by Alex - 26th December 2023
Anilao is a great muck diving destination, particularly famed for nudibranchs, frogfish, octopus and many more A-list critters. It is also…
Love manatees and dugongs? Here’s where you can swim with them
by Kathryn - 21st November 2023
The gentle giants of the sea, manatees and dugongs have captured the hearts of many with their endearing presence and…
Little Cayman – A special diving adventure!
by Alex - 13th October 2023
As I’ve written before, Grand Cayman is one of my favourite places to teach underwater photography. The conditions are inviting…
Hanifaru Bay: In a flying vortex
by Franco and Sabrina - 10th October 2023
Are you looking to be enveloped in a flying vortex of Mantas? Get ready, it doesn't happen often. Have you ever…
0
conservation, diving, fish, freediving, Hanifaru Bay, manta, Mares, ocean, photography, research, SSI, underwater
conservation, diving, fish, freediving, Hanifaru Bay, manta, Mares, ocean, photography, research, SSI, underwater 
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…
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…
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…
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…
Dan’s Dive Destinations – Sydney
by Dan - 1st March 2023
Sydney, Australia, is better known for its fantastic food, nightlife and surfy vibe, but not many people know that it…
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…
The Mediterranean lobster
by Ivana and Janez - 13th October 2022
The Mediterranean lobster, Palinurus elephas, was named after the Roman seaport of Palinurus, known today as Palinuro, in southwestern Italy,…
Planting Corals
by Ivana and Janez - 1st September 2022
The importance of corals and coral reefs for life on our planet is well-known, that's why it's not surprising that the…
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…
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…
The Crocodilefish (Papilloculiceps longiceps)
by Ivana and Janez - 16th June 2022
In Egypt, you can take wonderful boat rides on the Nile and admire the mighty crocodiles, but did you know…
Loving Life in Laamu
by Alex - 9th December 2021
Laamu atoll is in the south of the Maldives, and with only one resort on the island (the beautiful and…
The bearded fireworm
by Ivana and Janez - 25th October 2021
Bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766) The bearded fireworm is a marine bristle worm that lives throughout the tropical coastal waters of…
