Diving with a Purpose, volunteering with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program

by Bill Mashek According to Wikipedia, the whale shark is the largest extant fish species and a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft) Volunteering as a diver for any marine conservation project is a wonderful opportunity for passionate divers. My passion is working as a … Read more

The Raja Ampat Explained

There were so many fishes around me in the water; at times I had trouble getting a clear view. Nothing was arranged in any orderly fashion. There were no neat schools, just thousands of fishes positioned chaotically and darting about without any common factor. I had difficulty concentrating my camera on anything in particular and … Read more

The Perils of Veracity in Dive Reporting:
Undercurrent is unique in diving media

In the early ‘90s, I was so financially secure I gave up my otherwise successful career at the age of 45 to get involved in the diving industry. I was able to manufacture my job as Technical Editor of the British Diver Magazine because I could make them a financial offer they couldn’t refuse, working … Read more

On Diving Deep, Breathing Air
  it’s what we did because that’s all we had

Twenty years ago I met an old French diver at the DEMA show who was displaying oil paintings of various wrecks he’d dived in Bonaire. I didn’t recognize any of them and he told me where they were to be found. They were all very deep. I asked him if he used a helium mix … Read more