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OceanThe DeeperBlue.com Top Stories of 2018

The DeeperBlue.com Top Stories of 2018

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The DeeperBlue.com team have been working hard all year round to bring you the latest news and features from around the diving world.  Collectively there have been a lot of dive hours as well as many more spent on the keyboard as the team published over 1,000 articles in the last 12 months.

As we come to the end of the year we have gone back into the archives for the year and drawn out the top post for each month in 2018.

January – 4 Reasons You Should NOT Become a Scuba Diving Instructor

Instructor and students during scuba diving lessons
Instructor and students during scuba diving lessons

That is correct, there is a NOT in the title. We are always being bombarded with advertising suggesting that, as divers, it is natural for us to want to become a scuba diving instructor.  Staff writer Charles Davis takes a quirky look at why you shouldn’t always be chasing that instructor badge.

Read 4 Reasons You Should NOT Become a Scuba Diving Instructor

February – How Freediving With Baited Whale Sharks Is Actually Killing Them

woman freediving underwater looking at a large whale shark in the Philippines
woman freediving underwater looking at a large whale shark in the Philippines

Staff writer Kristina Zvaritch takes an important look at why we as conscientious divers who respect and love the ocean, there is a thin line between an organic, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and knowingly participating in unethical behavior that harms our beloved sea.

Read How Freediving With Baited Whale Sharks Is Actually Killing Them

March – Why Uddiyana Bandha Is A Game-Changer For Freedivers

Uddiyana Bandha
Uddiyana Bandha

Between all of the various stretching routines, yoga poses, diets, and cross-training variations, there are extensive discussions between freedivers concerning what is BEST for increasing performance. Staff Writer Kristina Zvaritch help cut through the noise to highlight one technique of Hatha Yoga that undeniably positively impacts a freediver’s depth performance.

Read Why Uddiyana Bandha Is A Game-Changer For Freedivers

April – International Diving Community Rallies To Support One Of Their Own

Gemma Smith
Gemma Smith

Gemma Smith is one of the leading women in technical and cave diving and has become an inspiration to many.  Sadly in March 2018, she suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by an automobile as she walked on the side of a road.  She was very lucky to be alive and we highlight the incredible global effort to support this diving hero.

Read International Diving Community Rallies To Support One Of Their Own

May – The Science Behind The Freediving Breath-Hold

Monofin Underwater. Photo by The Freediving Club. https://flic.kr/p/s1Rhnz
Monofin Underwater. Photo by The Freediving Club. https://flic.kr/p/s1Rhnz

The breath-hold times that many freedivers can achieve sound impossible to non-freedivers, but the science behind this ability is actually quite straightforward. Staff Writer Kristina Zvaritch shows you how.

Read The Science Behind The Freediving Breath-Hold

June – How Freedivers Can Help in Conserving the Oceans

Hanli Prinsloo - Ryan Murray Photo (www.ryanmurrayphoto.com)
Hanli Prinsloo – Ryan Murray Photo (www.ryanmurrayphoto.com)

For conservationists and freedivers, underwater pictures are not just for keepsakes and souvenirs. Gert Leroy shows you how these are vital tools to spread awareness of marine biology and its needs, as visual promotion is always an important key in any campaign.

Read How Freedivers Can Help in Conserving the Oceans

July – New Details Are Alleged About The Death Of Filmmaker Rob Stewart

Rob Stewart, Sharkwater Director
Rob Stewart, Sharkwater Director

One of the saddest stories of 2017 was the ocean community losing one of its visionary filmmakers – Rob Stewart.  The sad truth behind his death is still unraveling even today, and back in July new details had started to emerge.  News Editor John Liang takes a closer look.

Read New Details Are Alleged About The Death Of Filmmaker Rob Stewart

August – Idiot Divers Arrested For Riding Whale Shark

Idiot Divers Arrested For Riding Whale Shark
Idiot Divers Arrested For Riding Whale Shark

On the back of a viral video on social media, a group of divers seen riding a whale shark in Indonesia got justice with a swift arrest by local police after help from the local dive center.  News Editor John Liang reports.

Read Idiot Divers Arrested For Riding Whale Shark

September – British Diver Breaks Record For Oldest Male Scuba Diver

Ray Woolley preparing to dive
Ray Woolley preparing to dive

If you thought age was an impediment to diving, think again. British diver Ray Woolley turned 95 on August 28th and then plunged to a depth of 40.6m/130ft for 44 minutes to break his world record as the oldest male scuba diver as Staff Writer Sam Helmy reported.

Read British Diver Breaks Record For Oldest Male Scuba Diver

October – CMAS World Championships Delayed for Safety Issues

Ramon Carreno Paz meets his safety at 35m who then leaves him
Ramon Carreno Paz meets his safety at 35m who then leaves him

The freediving world watched in horror as a live stream showed a competitor at the third annual CMAS Freediving World Championships in Kas, Turkey blackout moments after he was seemingly left by his safety diver.  Editor-at-large Francesca Koe reported on the incident and its impact on the event.

Read CMAS World Championships Delayed for Safety Issues

November – Suunto Unveils New D5 Dive Computer

Suunto Unveils D5 Dive Computer At DEMA Show 2018
Suunto Unveils D5 Dive Computer At DEMA Show 2018

The penultimate month of the year sees one of the largest trade shows in the diving calendar – DEMA Show.  This year Suunto invited the press to see the brand new D5 wrist dive computer at the event.  Victoria Brown was a the press event and reported on it as part of our extensive coverage of the show.

Read Suunto Unveils New D5 Dive Computer

December – Blue Element 2018 Buoys Up Dominica In Its On-going Recovery

Blue Element athletes and crew lend a hand (or two!) for an annual beach clean up in Dominica (photo by Rajiv Smith-Mahabir)
Blue Element athletes and crew lend a hand (or two!) for an annual beach clean up in Dominica (photo by Rajiv Smith-Mahabir)

The year ends with a great story from Editor-at-large Francesca Koe as she reports on both the success of the second Blue Element freediving competition as well as efforts to help the host island of Dominica in the wake of the 2017 hurricane Maria.

Read Blue Element 2018 Buoys Up Dominica In Its On-going Recovery

Stephan Whelan
Stephan Whelanhttps://www.deeperblue.com
Stephan is the Founder of DeeperBlue.com. His passion for the underwater world started at 8 years old with a try-dive in a hotel pool on holiday that soon formulated into a lifelong love affair with the oceans. In 1996 he set up DeeperBlue.com and has grown the site to be the most popular diving website and community in the world.

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