Stories of Incan Cities of Gold first were first told in the mid-16th Century by Spanish Conquistadores returning from the New World. Ever since they have captured the imagination of anyone with a sense of adventure. These tales told of elusive, prosperous mountain strongholds where, if legends were to be believed, the streets were literally paved with gold.
Our wetnotes section is full of stories from above and below the sea, with many contributions from valuable members of the diving community and beyond. We bring you the latest news on what really matters to you, and to us.
Nadia Aswani is a Pakistani Marine Zoologist and PADI Instructor passionate about ocean conservation. Having worked as a marine researcher and in the dive industry for several years she is now turning to science communication as the future of conservation.
Diving in a wetsuit is all very well but where do you keep all your stuff? There are many of us that just don’t feel comfortable diving without a spare mask, line cutter, SMB and reel, not to mention our wetnotes and the proverbial kitchen sink. But in a wetsuit, where do we keep it so it’s easy to grab but doesn’t get in the way of our gear?
Hitting the mainstream news headlines this past year, the term ‘reef safe’ has become common place when we are considering our sunscreen purchases. What is lesser known is that ‘reef safe’ is currently a fairly unregulated description as there are no official, approved tests
The waters of the Caribbean are littered with archaeological remains, from small artifacts such as pieces of pottery to large shipwrecks and even entire sunken cities.
My fight against the ghost nets at the deep wrecks of the Eastern Baltic Sea began 3 years ago. At first, I just wanted to draw attention to the problem with pictures and videos. Very quickly, however, I realized that this was not enough.
We all know that single-use plastic is a big issue. Divers are perhaps more conscious because we see the damage and have a passion for the natural world. I’ve seen first hand how the smallest, most seemingly insignificant plastics can destroy life in the ocean.
Corals rank as one of the most important animals on the planet. The “underwater cities” they build — coral reefs — dwarf the cities that humans have built.
Currently an estimated 1 million new divers are certified each year with millions more snorkelling worldwide on coral reefs. While well-managed tourism can present an economic opportunity, expansion of global coral reef tourism has resulted in growing concern about associated environmental impacts.
On New Year’s Eve 2018, ninety excited women boarded a ship to Antarctica for three weeks as part of a global leadership programme for women in science.
These caves are underwater, their formations stopped in time by the rising of the ocean levels, their growth resumed following another ice-age, in tune with the worlds’ passing of time. They are the history of this planet carved in underwater passageways and reveal how it was and how it came to be. They might be considered as an ancient piece of knowledge, but they also teach us about the present, the actions and inactions we might take as human species.
