Testimonials about Undercurrent

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For Divers since 1975 The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975

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"Best of the Web: scuba tips no other
source dares to publish" -- Forbes

What Our Readers Say About Us

You've heard enough from us,
so let our reader's tell you

Ben, I want to let you know how much I enjoy every one of your issues. Even when I am stuck in Ohio, with kids in school, bolted to my desk, I look forward to the next issue. It is my time to do what I call cerebral diving. Keep up the great work. You love what you do -- it shows.

HL Glick
Columbus, OH

I've just received my third issue of Undercurrent and I compliment you on your fine publication. I must admit that when I got the initial order form, I was skeptical of your claim of unbiased reporting, yet that is exactly what I received. THANK YOU. What a breath of fresh air. Keep up the good work. The Chapbook is the one resource I wouldn't want to do without when planning a trip. I used it for my trip to Cozumel and it alone was worth the price of my whole subscription.

B Raines
Charlotte, NY

I want to thank you for your series on "Why Divers Die". I'm an instructor and keep this series. I go through and read most of these to my students and stress why and how most of these situations could be avoided. Your magazine is really appreciated in our household and read cover to cover when we receive it. Thanks again for a great job!

G Thomas
Seminole, FL

Thanks for the rundown on Cayman dive operators. We just returned from our third trip to GC, but since the others were on the Aggressor we appreciated your advice. We chose "Dive 'n Stuff" and found them very much as described: flexible, helpful, knowledgeable. It's nice to hear a dive operator start a conversation with "What would you like to do?" and follow it with "When would you like to do it?" We couldn't have been happier with their service.

The Irwins
San Jose, CA

I read the Chapbook before leaving, so anticipated lost luggage on the way to Bonaire -- I packed a full change of clothes in handbags. ALM lived up to reputation, but delivered bags to lobby the following morning (contact the airline rep before leaving the airport).

The O'Connell's
Colorado Springs, CO

How grateful I am to discover you online. Am traveling back to Indonesia next fall, this time to the Tukang Besis, and was delighted to find your article on the area. You do the industry a valuable service and we are indebted to you. Thanks.

L. Wells

I read in Undercurrent's June issue the Article "Sea Safaris Owners Convicted." We were one of the companies who were cheated out of $3,900. I take the opportunity to congratulate Undercurrent for your information that is so valuable for everyone who is involved in the dive business in one way or another.

D De Diez
Galapagos Expeditions

We dove Ambergris Caye and were disappointed. The reef was all brown, lacking in the colors I remembered on other Caribbean dives. Also not as many fish as other places. We went to Turneffe Reef in Miss Gina and all three dives were great. If we had known the diving was so much better out there we would have stayed on the islands closer to them, but we had not been subscribing to Undercurrent then (too cheap to pay the price). Now we will always subscribe to your news-letter. Your Chapbook arrived a month after we returned and after reading others' opinions about Ambergris Caye dives, I was mad at myself for being so cheap.

The Grahams
Puyallup, WA.

Let me compliment you on a fine publication.....it's great to get straight answers and straight reviews of dive destinations and equipment.

The Nighs
Arvada, Colorado

My subscription to Undercurrent has paid off big (again). I spotted your email notice on the SB-103 recall and figuring that Nikon would shortly be overwhelmed by the program (who wouldn't trade in a used Buick, no charge, on a new Cadillac?), I shipped my strobe to Nikon the same day. My new SB-105 was soon delivered. Despite Nikon's best intentions, I expect that those who get the word late faced significant delays. Thanks to you, I will be able to test my new strobe before my next big trip.

J Krupka
Wilmette, IL

Because of reading your "Grown Up Diving with Aldora Divers" my partner and I booked with them for our Cozumel trip. We were looking for "grown up" diving and both of us bring a naturalist's interest in reef ecology. Your rave review may have exaggerated, but I think you were basically right....as usual!

K Paff,
Detroit, MI

Just checked out your web site and it is everything your loyal subscribers could have hoped for -- easy to read, easy to navigate, and, thank you, no long waits for pretty but non informative graphics to download. I'm especially pleased with the index, making it easy to refer to my six or seven years' worth of issues. Indispensable as the Chapbook is (it sits permanently on my bedside table for nighttime reading and fantasizing), sometimes you want the long story from someone whose experience can be implicitly trusted.

J Nagy, a loyal subscriber and fan
New York City

Your reports on equipment, locations and experiences are excellent. Turned a few people on to your publication after passing the latest issue on the Yucatan peninsula to fellow divers. Sixty-eight years old and still blowing bubbles. Yeah!

The Wentz's
Bethlehem, PA

Dear Undercurrent,

I took a Blackbeard's Cruises in the Bahamas. Having read Undercurrent, I knew what to expect: tight quarters, your bunk is your closet, no privacy. Don't go if you're shy! Limited fresh water showers. Despite inconveniences, I loved every minute.

D Lamb,
Salt Lake City, UT

Thanks for producing a great product. We enjoy reading Undercurrent and the Chapbooks. Having been subjected to poor treatment on a dive trip in the past, I think your newsletter is a must for anyone planning a dive trip!

The O'Shaughnessy's
Tahoe City, CA

I'm a new subscriber, having just gotten my first two issues as well as my first issue of the Chapbook. The material is first rate --a good mix of subjects, well presented, and answering my important questions in each piece. My compliments to everyone there --I promise you I'll be an early renewal as well as good word of mouth with my diving friends.

C Hartman
Brookline, Mass

Great move on the website! Know I will visit often as questions come up at work and my prior issues of Undercurrent and the Chap Books are at home. Your publications are extremely helpful and beneficial to all divers.

B Hill

I've just returned from diving with Aldora Divers in Cozumel and they were every bit as good as you recommended, even better. Dive operation and divemasters could not have been any better, and they must have been listening to you, all five boats operating when we were there, were equipped with ladders for easy reentry. I've been to Cozumel many times and this is the best, hands down. What diving is supposed to be about. Thanks for the recommendation, and keep up the great work.

G Kane,
Raleigh, NC.

A quick note of gratitude for your article on El Nino. Most of the competing publications have had articles on El Nino, but they generally tell you only what El Nino is, which everybody knows, and don't tell you the effects on diving, which is what everyone wants to know. I'm sure you're getting a lot of grief from the operators down there, and I wanted to let you know what we relatively informed consumers are desperate for the sort of info that you provided. There aren't many people who are willing to step up and express an opinion, unpopular though it might be, and I am personally grateful. Keep up the good work.

P Phillips

You guys are doing a good job and I really enjoy your publication. I swore I would never go back to Grand Cayman because of the unfair dive restrictions. So I was very interested to hear there was one dive operator on Grand Cayman that would treat you like an adult. This is the type of information I can use.

N. Ross
Abilene, TX

Let me thank you for an excellent, objective dive newsletter. I wouldn't plan a dive vacation without consulting what Undercurrent had to say about the operation.

C Boland
Huntington Beach, CA.

Excellent observations by Dr. George Burgess ("About those Shark Feeds). It is quite difficult to report the truth about this "circus" when the shark feeding operators are filling their pockets and so-called "environmental" dive magazines fill their pages with divers feeding sharks to appease advertisers. Thanks for allowing Dr. Burgess to express his concern, as well as that of many others.

F Viola
Roswell, GA

Love your publication. Use it for good reference for all our trips.

The Wetzel's
Saxtons River, VT

Been a subscriber for many years. Undercurrent is a fine provider of information that is not biased by advertisement. The articles provide good and useful information. The product reviews seem to be accurate and to the point. Additionally, when a "watch out for " pops up in diving be it equipment or an operation related they seem to provide accurate information for you to decide what you may want to do if the situation may affect you or your plans. It will stay as a source of information for me as long as it survives.

P Duffee

I've subscribed to Undercurrent for at least the past 15 years so I guess I find it worthwhile. Dive resort reports are certainly more unbiased than the other mags with advertising. The occasional technical reviews are pretty good. Condensations of dive accidents for a year are very informative. And I really use the user feed back book that comes out once a year to check out possible destinations for my next dive trip.

J Gregory
Springfield, OK

Having read and liked the reviews in the Chapbook, three of us went to the Turneffe Island Lodge. Our high expectations were met and surpassed! Diving was superb, sea life was plentiful. Dive staff manager assured we got maximum bottom time by diving multi-levels. Lodge very well run, food delicious.

The Lloyd's
Alexandria, VA

That hotel on South Bimini still gives me chills. Bed bugs (yes!), no clean water rinse tanks (water is changed once per week, "when it is really necessary"), sewage goes from the rooms out to the ocean (which is literally only a few steps from the hotel), the restaurant usually didn't serve ... the cook preferred to go to town to shop. One day they actually served lunch (nearly inedible), and the next morning, breakfast included a "special sausage" (the hot dogs from the previous day's lunch). Wish we had received the Chapbook before the trip! We now tell everyone who is tired of other magazines' perpetual happiness about your excellent publication. Thanks for your honesty.

A Stenger
Portland, Or.

Thanks for the great monthly diving guide. We subscribe to 6 other diving magazines, but yours is the one I sit down with and read cover-to-cover immediately. Excellent, objective evaluation and information.

K Payne
Richland, IN

Great job on the article on Cuba. I am a first generation Cuban-American who was last in Cuba at five yrs old in 1958. My wife is a travel agent and she and I have learned more from you guys in your publication than all of the other mags out there ... We really appreciate the fine work you do and will continue to be loyal subscribers.

D Campos
Grand Rapids, MI

`Our first trip to Cozumel and didn't know what to expect, but used Undercurrent as a research tool. All of the info was accurate. Aldora is a first class operation and treated us very well. We are planning a return next summer and certainly will look forward to updates in your newsletter.

B Oberle,
Norwalk, OH.

Before visiting Plantation Beach Resort on Cayos Cochinos your Undercurrent article was our guidepost, and we found it to be accurate. Reef-life similar to Cocoview (Roatan south side) but more dive variety, and you have easy access to the seamounts. Several days the Aggressor or Dancer was diving at sites to which we'd been. Price comparable to Cocoview if you book direct (10% discount).

K Paff,
Detroit MI