Join me as I go diving in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico and discover the twin benefits of ocean conservation and ecotourism. As we face the global climate and biodiversity crises, you need look no further than this small, unassuming community to find hope for a future where nature and humanity can thrive.
Read my latest article for Forest and Bird Magazine to find out more.
With an abundance of marine megafauna, the Socorro Islands are on the wish lists of many divers. But being remote and surrounded by the open ocean, these islands can be challenging to dive. So, how do you prepare for a trip to the Socorro Islands? Find out here.
Read MoreWith its lush emerald islands, bucket-list pelagics, and spectacular coral reefs, French Polynesia diving is some of the best in the world. But with so many islands to choose from, where do you start? Get the essentials you need to go diving in French Polynesia here.
Read MoreEurope is jam-packed with iconic destinations to visit but it can also be bursting at the seams with tourists.
If you’re heading there and want somewhere quiet to explore before you tackle the busier tourist hotspots, look no further than these crowd-free places to visit in Europe.
Read MoreThese incredible animals are able to modify the environment around them and help:
Minimise the effects of climate change.
Support healthy commercial fisheries.
Support thriving marine tourism industries.
In the Southern Ocean alone, the 12,000 or so sperm whales found there enrich the iron-poor waters with their poop, allowing phytoplankton to bloom and minimising the impacts of climate change. These sperm whales remove 200 000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year!
Find our more about whales in my latest infographic for LiveAboard.com.
It’s a great resource for adults and children to learn about:
How whales support the health of our oceans and minimise climate change.
Current threats to whales.
How you can contribute to whale conservation from home.
Click on the image below to get your copy now.
I've always been a fan of solo travel and it is fast gaining popularity in the travel industry.
Once you get over the initial leap and fear, there are many benefits to solo travel.
It's one of the best ways to meet new people!
You can experience dive and travel highlights from other people's perspectives
Pushing outside your comfort zone will literally change your life!
It can be challenging to find facilities tailored for solo travelers but thankfully more and more liveaboards are providing single cabins. YES!
Here are my top picks for solo liveaboard diving:
French Polynesia diving
Dive with walls of grey reef sharks at French Polynesia's Fakarava atoll
French Polynesia Master, French Polynesia
This gorgeous liveaboard is the ultimate for shark diving fans. Go French Polynesia diving and you'll be surrounded by more sharks than you could wish for.
Thailand
Experience Thailand's incredible beaches and landscapes
This comfortable, large liveaboard visits some of Thailand's best dive highlights, including diving with mantas at Koh Bon and the whale sharks and macro life of Richelieu Rock.
In the heart of the Coral Triangle, Indonesia is home to exceptional marine biodiversity and flourishing coral reefs.
Empress II, Indonesia
Komodo and Raja Ampat are two of Indonesia’ best-known dive destinations and the Empress II takes you to experience them.
Imagine diving with thousands of fish, plus mantas, sharks and tiny colourful critters....Indonesia diving is rightly known as some of the best in the world. Don't miss it!
The Maldives
This luxurious new liveaboard visits a variety of the Maldives best atolls, including these liveaboard diving highlights:
Quiet dive sites and well-preserved reefs at North Male Atoll
Undiscovered dive sites at Laamu and Thaa atolls
South Ari Atoll’s whale sharks
Numerous nurse sharks and stingrays at Vaavu Atoll
A mix of easy and challenging dives at Meemu Atoll, plus mantas and reef sharks
Rasdhoo Atoll's deep drop-off and hammerhead sharks at dawn
Find out more in my latest article for Dive News Wire.
Mako sharks have fascinated divers and shark fans for many years. But having recently been listed as endangered, will we still be able to dive with them in years to come? And more importantly, what will happen if we lost these vital apex predators for good?
The Shark Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recently announced that both the Shortfin and Longfin Mako shark are now classified as Endangered.
Previously listed as Vulnerable, they have been downgraded to Endangered and are now officially at risk of going extinct.
As an apex predator, mako sharks play a vital role in sustaining the health of ocean ecosystems.
They are one of the most efficient hunters of all shark species and eat mostly bony fish such as tuna, mackerel, swordfish, plus cephalopods, other sharks, porpoises, sea turtles and sea birds.
They control the populations of those species they feed on – ensuring ocean food webs remain in balance and no single population gets out of control.
Apex predators also feed on vulnerable prey, such as old, injured and sick animals; which leaves more food for the healthy prey animals to survive on.
Prey populations explode in numbers when you remove apex predators such as mako sharks. As those prey populations increase unchecked, the prey animals they feed upon then decrease and eventually collapse.
What happens then? The prey populations that boomed in the first place have nothing to feed on and also eventually collapse.
In short, oceanic food webs collapse and ocean biodiversity is lost.
Apex predators prevent that cycle from occurring by keeping prey numbers balanced and under control at all times. They improve the health of ocean ecosystems and ensure marine biodiversity is sustained for all.
shark diving
If we act now, it is not too late to save mako sharks. The latest news on mako shark conservation is cause for hope:
The EU is facing pressure to announce catch quotas for mako sharks in its waters.
Numerous sharks and rays, including makos, are being proposed for listing at the next meeting of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in late May 2019.
Don’t purchase products made from sharks.
Use sustainable seafood guides online to ensure the fish you eat doesn’t have bycatch*
*Bycatch commonly includes sharks and marine mammals.
I have been providing French articles for a variety of news, dive and travel outlets this year. Read on to find out more and get your latest scuba diving fix!
Read about my top tips for improving dive fitness and 10 top tips to master perfect buoyancy in my recent article for ZeSea. This upcoming French blog is one of the 'blogs to watch' in 2019 and has an ever-growing following around the world.
Micronesia is paradise for divers with its thriving reefs, impressive drop offs and world-class wreck dives. Find out more in my article for Plongeeonline Micronesia’s must-see wrecks.
In my latest article for Lepetitplongeur I discuss four of my top dive destinations for 2019 including:
A hidden gem in Western Australia
'Walls of sharks' in idyllic French Polynesia
Read 4 Unmissable Dive Destinations for 2019 to find out more.
Cruising Alaska
Alaska is world-class cruising destination with striking landscapes, lush green forests and abundant wildlife. But when is the best time to visit?
It depends on what you want to see. Find out more in my guide to cruising Alaska.
May & September: Ideal for cheap travel deals & fewer mosquitos
Spring: Snow-capped mountains and fresh green foliage
September: Immerse in vivid Fall colours
Mid-summer: The best time for warmth
May & June: Good for wildlife watching ashore
June & July: Best for bear watching
Alaska cruising
You can go Alaskan fishing during any month of Alaska's cruise season.
Prince of Wales Island has sport salmon fishing during summer.
Don't miss Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world!
Alaska cruise
The Inside Passage is ideal for photography
There is an almost-endless list of Alaska cruise destinations to visit. Highlights include the following:
Alaska glacier
The impressive Hubbard Glacier
The Glacier Bay National Park is not to be missed. Unsurprisingly, it's full of glaciers and offers dramatic landscapes.
It's a great place to cruise to enjoy sea kayaking, visiting remote villages and admiring every shape of glacier imaginable.
April to June are the best months to cruise the Glacier Bay National Park for low rainfall.
Alaska cruise Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm is ideal for whale watching in summer
Another popular Alaska cruise choice, Tracy Arm is a narrow fjord over 30 miles long.
It's home to some of Alaska's largest glaciers and offers waterfalls, eagles, whales and seals.
Visit Tracy Arm during summer to spot humpback whales and orcas.
Alaska cruise orca
With over 2600 islands to explore, you'll be spoilt for choice during your Alaska cruise.
Join an Alaska Islands cruise and you'll visit some of the best-known islands.
It's a great destination for photographing plunging fjords, porpoises, whales and numerous birds.
Make sure you visit Baranof Island to bathe in the blissfully-warm hot springs.
Visit the Alaska Islands in April and May to spot grey whales or June to September to see minke whales.
Alaska cruise Juneau
Make time to explore Juneau
Read my full article for Cruise Hive about the best time to cruise Alaska to discover these other top Alaska cruising highlights:
The salmon capital of the world.
The world's largest collection of standing totem poles.
Why you need to visit Juneau.
Are you looking for a new scuba diving destination this May? It is one of the best months for calm conditions, making May ideal for novice divers and those who suffer from sea sickness.
Fans of larger marine life can spot these May scuba diving highlights:
Manta rays
Hammerhead sharks
Basking sharks
Sea lions
Take your pick from my best May dive destinations and enjoy!
The iconic Galapagos are at the top of many divers wish lists and understandably so.
These rugged, remote islands are wildlife-rich and offer spectacular shark diving at Wolfe and Darwin Islands.
Go Galapagos diving in May and you can enjoy calm conditions, sunshine and lower currents than other times of year.
It's also one of the top Galapagos diving months for seeing numerous manta rays and hammerhead sharks.
Galapagos iguana
Discover the Galapagos Islands unique iguanas above and below the waterline
Another top May dive destination, Komodo has calm conditions and offers some of the best Indonesia diving - without crowds.
May is one of the quietest months to dive Komodo.
One of the highlights of Komodo diving is the sheer variety of underwater landscapes. Take your pick from:
Pristine & vibrant reefs
Pinnacles
Dramatic sea mounts
Plunging wall
Swim-throughs & caverns
With over 1000 fish species, turtles, mantas all year and numerous critters, you'll be spoilt for choice!
Indonesia diving
Explore Komodo National Park's rich and varied landscapes as you cruise
If you're up for a real adventure, pack your bags and go Papua New Guinea diving.
Seemingly forgotten by the modern world, Papua New Guinea offers incredible dive sites in the shadow of still-smouldering volcanoes.
Go diving Papua New Guinea and you'll discover underwater lava tubes, colourful reefs and plenty of WWII wrecks.
Wherever you look, the dive sites are teeming with macro life - which is not surprising given Papua New Guinea is known for its black sand muck diving.
Just remember to check out Kimbe Bay. Ranked as one of the best reefs in the world, it is not to be missed for its coral cover and numerous sharks.
Papua New Guinea
Immerse yourself in Papua New Guinea's fascinating cultures
Read my full article about Five Great May Dive Destinations on Scuba Diver Life to discover:
Cornwall's awesome basking shark dives.
Tobago's numerous manta rays & turtle nesting season.
