SCUBA News 301
(ISSN 1476-8011)
August 2025

What's New at SCUBA Travel?

Diving Mozambique: Whale Sharks, Mantas and Untouched Reefs A combination of megafauna (whale sharks, manta rays, humpback whales), untouched coral reefs and abundance of marine protected areas, all set along a warm, 2,500 km Indian Ocean coastline. READ MORE...

Scuba Diving Oman: Where Desert Meets the Sea The Sultanate of Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world. Tourism is on the rise, with diving being one of Oman's major attractions. SEE WHY...

When to Dive in Mexico: A Seasonal Guide for Liveaboard Adventures When's the best time of year to dive Mexico? What sealife will you see and when: humpback whales, hammerheads, sealions, manta rays... SEE WHEN...

Win a pair tickets to The Ocean Film Festival World Tour

We are delighted to offer you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the fantastic Ocean Film Festival which will be touring the UK from September to November.

Film Festival Highlights

One not to miss is Diving into Darkness by Jill Heinarth. Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest living cave divers, Jill Heinerth has been involved in the most legendary diving expeditions of all time, from surveying the world's longest caves in Mexico to discovering giant iceberg caves in Antarctica. Juxtaposed with these hair-raising dives are candid interviews and flashbacks, revealing that Jill's journey is as much about inner exploration as it is about pushing the boundaries of the known world.

Orcas in the Arctic

Deep in the Arctic Circle, a team of researchers are following the largest gathering of killer whales in the world. Narrator Alexandra Johnston joins marine conservationists and whale-watching vessels in their exploration of these magnificent creatures, aiming to understand what makes this population so unique, and their critical role in the Arctic ecosystem.

Win tickets to the Ocean Film Festival

Just email [email protected] to be entered into a prize draw, drawn Tuesday 26 August. You've an excellent chance of winning some tickets. Don't forget to state where you want the tickets for. For locations available see https://www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk/tickets

Liveaboard Diving Offers: Dive for Less

Get up to 40% off at some of the best diving spots in the world. Plus, we have a 5% discount code just for our subscribers! Just use the SCUBATRAVEL5 when making a booking - expires 31 October 2025.

1. Vision, Oman. SAVE 30%. Newly-built, this luxury liveaboard accommodates up to 12 divers. Includes a three-bed cabin suitable for families. Kayaking also an option.

   

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2. Pindito, Indonesia. From 11 to 13 nights from Komodo to East Timor, Alor and Wetar and Banda islands. SAVE 20%



BOOK NOW, PAY LATER

3. Sea Hunter, Costa Rica, Cocos Island, SAVE 25% in November and December. 300 miles off the mainland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this world class diving destination is a great place to see pelagic species like marlin, sailfish and sharks

   

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4. Nautilus 2, Maldives. SAVE 40% in September. Visits the central atolls, renowned for their manta cleaning stations, encounters with whale sharks and thrilling drift dives.

   

   40% OFF

5. Akomo Isseki , Indonesia. Just four cabins so guaranteed few divers in the water. Visits Komodo or Raja Ampat from just $1165! SAVE 10%



JUST 8 DIVERS

6. Black Pearl, Palau. Snapper or Bumphead Spawning Special - Full Moon, SAVE up to USD 890.

   

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7. Blue Melody, Egypt, Northern Wrecks and Reefs. SAVE 30% December until March. Northern wrecks and reefs including Thistlegorm, Ghiannis D, Carnatic and Rosalie Moller.

   

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See more liveaboard deals to some of the best diving in the world - Micronesia, Philippines, Galapagos...

Diving news from around the World

Scuba diving generates up to $20 billion each year Scuba diving supports up to 124,000 jobs across 170 countries. As divers prefer to dive in marine reserves, they are an economic incentive for marine conservation.

Legal protection for Scapa Flow shipwreck sites It is now a criminal offence to remove items from the sites. Although divers have already taken most things that could be removed

Chagos study highlights value of vast Marine Protected Areas Large ocean animals can be protected throughout much of their lifecycle by huge Marine Protected Areas, new research shows.

New research reveals diverse survival strategies of reef-building corals in response to ocean acidification Ocean acidification is becoming a relentless killer threatening coral reef ecosystems.

'Feast and fast' migration sees whales lose 36% body fat Humpback whales lose 11,000kg of blubber during their annual migration, equal to feeding on 57,000 kg of Antarctic krill - highlighting the importance of managing their krill-rich feeding grounds.

Are scuba divers an overlooked at-risk group for age-related macular degeneration? Every day, across the world's coastlines, millions of individuals enter the ocean in pursuit of recreation. However, they may be adversely affecting their eye health

Spying on stingrays First-ever tags reveal elusive behaviours and habitats. The custom-built tag integrates a motion sensor, video camera, underwater microphone, satellite transmitter and acoustic tracker.

Playtime a mostly mutual activity between dolphins and whales Study analysed baleen whale and dolphin interactions and finds that a quarter of these interactions can be defined as a mutual.

Deep diving: gateway to the ocean When you're planning deep dives, understanding what happens to your body and equipment as you descend becomes crucial - find out more about deep diving.

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Photo credits: Tim Nicholson, Jill Studholme, Tatiana Ivkovich, Rob Atherton/DepositPhotos, divebooker.com.

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CONTACTING THE EDITOR
Please send your letters or press releases to:
Jill Studholme
SCUBA News
The Cliff

DE6 2HR
UK
[email protected]

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SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011)

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