Polly is a published writer, underwater photographer and PADI Master Instructor. Specialising in Caribbean marine creature and coral identification, she currently resides in the Lesser Antilles. Previously a cold water UK diver, she now delights in diving the tropical islands throughout the Caribbean. Polly seamlessly blends her passion for scuba diving, and interest in marine identification, with her exemplary talent at capturing underwater experiences in the written form.
Tobago's marine diversity transcends what many other Caribbean islands have to offer. Some of the most distinctive Caribbean fish and creatures exist here. As a dive vacation destination, what Tobago lacks in finesse, it makes up for in natural beauty.
Lost your mojo? Get back into the water and re-awaken your lust for scuba diving! From discovering new dive sites to meeting new dive buddies, shake the dust off those fins and get wet again.
Known as the "Critter Capital of the Caribbean", St. Vincent and the Grenadines brims with unusual and fanciful creatures. Few places in the Caribbean have such diversity in marine life; SVG offers easy diving and perfect critter hunting conditions.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is a well-known destination for its rare underwater critters. What captivates divers, and entices them to come back, is the discovery of Bequia's colorful and vibrant reef life.
From unexpected encounters with great hammerheads to peacefully swimming next to the gentle giants that are whale sharks, the Caribbean Sea has many experiences for shark-loving divers.
Visitors to the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada will be familiar with the award-winning Grand Anse beach. The stunning white sand bay stretches for miles along the Caribbean coastline of St. George's. However, while the topside landscape is enchanting, all is not well underwater.
Relief. You've just passed your scuba instructor examinations and earned the coveted title of Open Water Instructor. What do you do now? How do you set yourself apart from the crowd to secure the ultimate diving job? Here are some top tips from inside the industry to help you get started.
Do you have the confidence to admit to your personal limitations? Can you recognize and respond to peer pressure? No one likes to be in this position, but everyone has! This blog is not just for beginners or novice divers, but a good reminder for the more experienced.
Fed up of being left alone, with no-one to show that awesome nudibranch you just found to? Look no further for some easy steps to turn you into an irresistible dive buddy!
Trainee divers, as well as experienced divers, can experience pre-dive nerves for a variety of reasons. Focusing on prevention and control methods can help divers turn nervousness into pre-dive excitement!
...n shore, up to 500,000 Magellanic penguins arrive to nest and breed. Another highlight is sea lions calving from December to January; however, this activity also attracts orcas from March, who 'beach' to catch the sea lion pups. A dramatic sight not for the faint hearted. The city of Puerto Madryn i...
...oard, she hit a group of rocks outside of Ushuaia, and started to take on water. All souls were saved, apart from the Captain. She remained lodged on the rocks until 1945, when she was cut in half and towed away. Sadly, she sank undertow and was lost for many years. Local divers re-discovered her up...
...asons to those in the north. On land, summertime is the best season to visit the Patagonia in the south, because of the milder temperatures and longer days. However, underwater the wintertime is best for calmer seas and higher visibility (plankton blooms are common in the summer). The wind can dicta...
...Eels, whiteling, tench, and chub are often sighted in the lakes. Night diving is allowed, although it is highly advisable to dive with one of the local dive centers, which can recommend the best sites and ensure the correct safety procedures are in place. A lively, developing tourism industry means...
...tes to a depth of 30m in this lake, making it a suitable lake for beginners and experienced divers. Wolfgangsee is another lake in Salzkammergut that is highly regarded for scuba diving. There is a naval school on the shore of the lake; the Nazis hid many Hungarian confiscated treasures in the wate...
...king is recommended at weekends. Air fills, equipment rental, and retail are available on site. Ice diving can be arranged in winter months. A 6m training platform is conveniently placed close to the dive center. PADI 5 Star Dive Center and SSI school 'Scubaboard', is based in Salzburg and has the ...
...US, in the Atlantic Sea. Formed by a volcanic peak, the Bermuda Platform is a shallow lagoon surrounded by 181 islands and islets that make up the country. Connected by bridges, the 8 largest islands form the mainland – this is where visitors stay and inhabitants live. The island has plenty of land...
...penetrate the 165-foot long ship to explore the cargo hold, engine room, crew quarters, galley and pilothouse. The dive association stripped the ship of hatches to allow easy entries and exits, and emit light to the interior. The Marie Celeste is one of the most historically famous wrecks in Bermud...
...ication courses and run two custom-made Newton 36' dive boats. Dive Bermuda is a PADI 5 Star IDC Center located within the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. The centre has snorkelling and kayak equipment, wetsuits, retail equipment, and equipment servicing; all PADI certification courses are available on...
...re other popular beachfront areas. Varna is a very popular center of tourism for both land and marine activities. Sources of thermal mineral water are abundant; sulphuric spas and swimming pools line the white sand beaches, and the waterfront promenade is well known for its clubs and music scene. N...
...lific, but interesting when found. Seahorses, pipefish, and scorpion fish are interesting creatures that reside in the shallows. Mackerel, turbot, thornback skate, piked dogfish, and stingrays can also be observed. Luckily, the Black Sea is the final resting place for hundreds of sunken wrecks, rang...
...n the south is home to Angel Divers - a PADI 5 Star Dive Center. Their focus is on high quality, safe certification courses for beginners, as well as offering diving tours to certified divers. They have an on-site custom swimming pool for PADI training with a unique viewing window. Their instructors...
...d seamounts characterize this island. St. Eustatius is also a volcanically formed island, and the underwater scenery is reflective of this. Spur and groove reefs and coral-encrusted lava flow canyons are typical of the “Golden Rocks” diving. Sint Maarten sits on a shallower plateau than Saba and St....
...tegorized into five main areas: The Pinnacles, The Windwardside, Tent Bay, Ladder Bay, and Well's Bay/Torrens Point. Sint Eustatius has around 36 marked dive sites. There are distinct topographical areas to be seen underwater: In the north, lava blocks, boulder slides, and shallow lava flows (calle...
... excursions with many of the dive centers. Saba has three dive shops – Saba Deep Dive Center, Saba Divers, and Sea Saba Dive Center. Saba's dive centers have international diving teams, and very good safety records. The instructors are multilingual with the main languages being Dutch, English, Germ...
An exceptionally friendly dive center where you feel welcome from the moment you are greeted! ScubaTech is a smaller operation that can tailor-make your diving vacation to suit your schedule.
Very accommodating and they offer free collections if you are not staying at the Calabash Hotel. You won't even have to set up your own equipment as everything is ready on the boat for when you arrive.
Very safety conscious, and the only operation on Grenada to use Nautilus Lifelines by all their staff members. The boat was comfortable for 8 divers doing a two tank morning trip.
PADI and TDI courses were available - rebreather and advanced Nitrox qualifications were conducted well.
Other trips available that I enjoyed were the Fish Friday Cruise and Champagne Sunset Cruise. This dive Center wil...
An excellent, full service dive center with a very active group of local divers for social events and fun diving with the team.
PADI Course Director Kim is a great advocate for student diver training, pro career development, and has exceptional safety standards. New divers are always welcomed and made to feel instantly comfortable.
The dive instructors on the team are all very friendly, knowledgable, and good fun!
The 5 Star IDC center offers equipment rental and sales, equipment servicing and gas mixing. Technical training is available too.