Current Online Updates*
The Latest Dive News   What's this?

Lost Diver Drifts from One Continent to Another
Call For Submissions
A Shark-Handling Controversy
The Five Images of Two Decades
Trashed at Their Age?
Free-diving Decompression Sickness?
The U.S. Increases Marine Mammal Conservation
Spearfisher Attacked by Florida Shark
Share with Your Fellow Divers Where You Have Been Diving

Lost Diver Drifts from One Continent to Another.   September 19, 2025

An unnamed 23-year-old diver lost off Morocco’s coast near Fnideq was found two days later by the crew of a merchant ship off Portugal’s coast, 100 miles from where he first started. Medics hoisted the diver to safety 24 miles off Caleta de Velez on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Semi-conscious and wearing only a wetsuit, he showed signs of hypothermia and was dehydrated, but was in stable condition after reaching the hospital. A current had swept him away from the group he was diving with, and when he resurfaced, there was no sight of them. The tide then carried him into open water.

Call For Submissions.   September 19, 2025

The 23rd annual International Ocean Film Festival, scheduled for the second week of April 2026, is seeking submissions to help tell the story of our oceans. Marine conservation and endangered marine life are typical subjects presented, but others are encouraged. The IOFF considers documentaries covering varied aspects of our big, blue ocean and in various genres: short, animation, full-length, and more. For more information about submitting a film, visit its website. The deadline is December 31.

A Shark-Handling Controversy:   September 19, 2025

The Netflix production Shark Whisperer has undoubtedly raised awareness of Ocean Ramsey’s interaction with sharks; many people believe that revealing sharks not as mindless predators is a good thing. However, many in the scientific community and diving community accuse her of harassing the sharks. In September’s Undercurrent, we ask the questions, is what Ocean Ramsey is doing harmful to the sharks? Is she using the sharks to her own end? We want your opinion. Watch the production and tell us what you think. Write to BenDDavison@undercurrent.org, not forgetting to add your name, town, and state.

The Five Images of Two Decades:   September 19, 2025

World Shootout, the prestigious underwater photography competition, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special retrospective event, The Five Images of Two Decades, to honor the most iconic photographs from the competition's history. The international judging panel will select the top 100 images from thousands of submissions received over the last two decades. Twenty finalists will be chosen to compete. There is still time to enter your best underwater photograph. www.worldshootout.org

Trashed at Their Age?   September 19, 2025

Susan Baur, an 85-year-old retired psychologist and founder of the group Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage, regularly leads a squad of women to dive deep for litter in Massachusetts’ ponds. All of them are women between 65 and 85 years old, and are enthusiastic about trash collecting. They were astounded at how much garbage was in local waterways and ponds and thought they could use more hands. Initially, they had a try-out, checking for volunteers who could swim half a mile within 30 minutes and dive repeatedly to 10 feet. With 30 divers, they have made 20 formal dives since May. The women compare diving for trash to being on a treasure hunt as a child.

Free-diving Decompression Sickness?  September 19, 2025

It's a strange sport, seeing how close to death you can get while still surviving, but Russian free-diver Andrey Matveenko brought the message home to all those participating in the 2025 CMAS free-diving competition in Lefkada, Greece, when he suffered a medical emergency. During official training on September 6th, Matveenko attempted a breath-hold dive to approximately 415 feet deep. He then reached the surface but suffered a blackout just meters from completing the dive. After initial rescue, he presented with neurological symptoms, including paralysis on the right side of his body. CMAS has not released an official statement regarding Matveenko’s condition or the broader circumstances of the incident. It also remains unclear whether his injury was the result of decompression sickness (DCS) or cerebral arterial gas embolism.

The U.S. Increases Marine Mammal Conservation:   September 19, 2025

The 53-year-old Marine Mammals Protection Act provides safeguards for animals such as whales, seals, and otters from the negative aspects of fishing, pollution and overfishing, and, as such, it is widely agreed that the U.S. has the most aggressive and successful regulations. But it doesn’t affect the well-being of mammals outside the American sphere of influence. More than 40 nations do not meet these standards. Now the Trump administration will be deny these nations the opportunity to export certain fish catches to the U.S. until they do. As the biggest importer of fish, the U.S. holds significant sway over the global seafood market making this decision is a win for marine mammal conservation.

Spearfisher Attacked by Florida Shark:   September 19, 2025

Chance Armand was spearfishing 20 miles off Pensacola Pass on August 2 when an eight-foot bull shark charged him. It bit into his leg, leaving him with a bloody wound. He was given first-aid by others aboard his boat and he was treated at a local hospital once they got back to shore. Dead and dying fish ring the dinner bell for sharks, so those spearfishing run a specific risk once they make a kill. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends avoiding fishing or swimming in areas where sharks are known to hunt and staying out of the water at dawn or dusk.

Share with Your Fellow Divers Where You Have Been Diving.   September 19, 2025

Your independent Readers' Reports are the lifeblood of Undercurrent. They are essential reading for anyone booking a dive trip and provide an opportunity to share your experience with others. You can convey both the good and the bad, as well as everything in between. Unedited and unmoderated, your reports will brief other subscribers about the dive resorts you've visited and the liveaboards you've taken. Don't hold back. Over 11,000 entries have now become essential reading for traveling divers. You can post photos too. It's easy to post a report of your last dive trip. And your fellow divers will be thankful. File your report at www.undercurrent.org/SubRR, and we will also include it in the year's Chapbook, which will be sent to readers next December.

Ben Davison, editor/publisher
BenDDavison@undercurrent.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Undercurrent is a registered 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization donating funds to help preserve coral reefs. Our travel writers never announce their purpose, are unknown to the destination, and receive no complimentary services or compensation from the dive operators or resort.

Highlights of Previous Online Updates*

Here are past Online Update emails sent out . You can sign-up for free to receive these in the future here.

Online Updates* Archive, 2000-2019

* Sometimes referred to as Upwellings