Flotsam & Jetsam

CPSC Recalls 2800 SCUBAPRO Monorail BCs. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says, "The D-ring handle that is used to unlock the weight pocket from the Buoyancy Commentator Device can detach during use." If this happens, you would not be able to ditch that weight pocket in an emergency. The recall covers BCs sold between November 2025 and April 2026. For information, contact SCUBAPRO at 800-790-3757, by email at mwpockets@scubapro.com or visit https://tinyurl.com/ywz96865. Owners will receive a free repair at a local authorized dealer or may receive a prepaid shipping label for a free repair.

Dive Alone and Die Alone? A British man went shore-diving unaccompanied on March 24 at Gili Air, one of the three Gili islands off North Lombok, east of Bali. He failed to resurface and was later found unconscious 38 feet deep. Authorities believe he was caught in a strong current, often encountered between the Indonesian islands, and he could not escape from it. One wonders if he had a buddy whether he would be alive today.

Farewell to Komodo Dancer/Aggressor. The once-popular phinisi-rigged liveaboard (registered as the Omak Biru) was once a member of the Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet, and later sailed under the names of Indo Aggressor and Komodo Aggressor. Under change of local ownership and no longer loved, she was left at anchor in Bitung, North Sulawesi, where she slowly took on water and eventually sank. Many Undercurrent readers surely have happy memories of trips on this vessel, around Komodo and the eastern islands of Indonesia.

Cocos Island June Shark Scuba Expedition Deal. Join Turtle Island Restoration Network for a 10-day research-driven liveaboard expedition aboard the Sea Hunter to Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica, one of the world's top dive sites. This mission includes shark monitoring, turtle tagging, and policy-oriented conservation science, with evening discussions with Turtle Island's founder, Todd Steiner, and others. June 25 - July 5, 2026, seven full days of diving (21 dives) with great meals, US$7,804 (much of this may be tax-deductible), and ask about a last-minute discount of $700. Contact Todd at tsteiner@seaturtles.org or call 415-488-7652. https://seaturtles.org/event/cocos2026

A Sperm Whale Gives Birth: And with manyattendants. At first, the researchers on the boats off Dominica didn't understand what they were witnessing in the waves below. A group of 11 sperm whales huddled together at the surface, strangely still and taking occasional shallow dives. After about an hour, the animals started thrashing, and a plume of blood reddened the water. The researchers feared trouble, maybe a shark attack. But it was something else. Watch the video here.

Unattended Cayman Club Dive Boat Capsizes: Cayman Island Divers' boat capsized on April 5 after six divers left it unattended as they made a dive near Ronnie's Nemesis dive site. Two vessels from Captain Marvin's Watersports went to assist the stricken vessel after seeing it overturn. A crew member who entered the water saw scuba tanks dropping to the bottom, and luckily, nobody was injured. The returning divers were helped back into the boats, and some tanks and possessions were recovered. A BSAC branch, Cayman Island Divers was established in 1969. The divers should have known better.

Considering Going Sidemount? Sidemounting your tank instead of toting it on your back can be a godsend to those of us with back problems. And the book Sidemount Diving, by Bob Neto, is a practical guide covering the theory, configuration, and application of sidemount diving in both recreational and technical settings. It's been a standard guide for many years and is now in its third updated edition. In paperback, the 306-page book is $54 from Amazon, and there is a 200-page $37 paperback version (Recreational Sidemount Diving) for those who want to cut to the chase.

Fancy Your Own Dive Resort? The long-established Aqua Marine Diving PADI 5-star dive center on the coast near Denpasar in Bali is for sale. Assets include three boats, five minibuses, all diving equipment (regularly renewed and maintained), full office infrastructure, including computers and furniture, a closed living area with six bedrooms, and staff quarters. https://tinyurl.com/e24kduep

The Winners of the 23rd International Ocean Film Festival include Coral in Focus, Monterey Bay White Sharks', and Interview with a Shark and were shown in San Francisco commencing April 10. You can see their trailers at: https://2026ioff.eventive.org/films

Nine Japanese Divers Go Missing. On April 4, nine divers, including the guide, were reported missing after they failed to return from a dive of Bentenjima, a small rocky island near Japan's northernmost city of Hokkaido. Located at the confluence of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, it's known for its Steller sea lions, cold water corals, and kelp forests. All were wearing drysuits in the brutal 36°F water, and were carried away from their planned exit point by an unexpectedly strong 2-knot current. Japan's Coast Guard launched a search and recovered the group about two hours later. Surprisingly, none suffered hyperthermia.

A Reminder: No May Issue. We don't publish in the month of May to give us a chance to go diving. We'll see you in June.