The Scuba Diving Blog: See What's New

May 9, Scuba Diving Mask And Snorkel: A Guide To Help Fit And Buy The Best Dive Masks

Wed, 09 May 2012 01:00:24 GMT

Our scuba diving mask guide gives you tips on styles, types, fit, choosing, maintaining and buying the best dive mask and snorkel for you. Also our picks for best scuba mask and snorkel.

May 8, Scuba Diving Special Reports: Tips And Techniques To Improve Your Dive Skills

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:25:36 GMT

We have several Special Reports on scuba diving to help you improve your dive skills. These reports are full of tips and are the 100% practical real-life side of diving. Check them out here...

Apr 14, Pictures of Roatan, Honduras

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:19:00 GMT

I just added an album of some pictures from our trip to Roatan, Honduras on our Facebook page. You can find the pictures and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/scubadivingsmiles. The album includes pictures of West End and West Bay, probably the two most popular spots on Roatan. So go on over and have a look and let us know what you think!

Apr 4, Beautiful Underwater Photos

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:25:07 GMT

Some amazing underwater photos. Makes me want to go diving right now (but then, what doesn't?). (Note: Ignore the sidebar - I still had to share these though). Underwater Shots

Mar 27, We Are Now On Twitter!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:17:51 GMT

We finally made the leap and have started on Twitter. We are still getting our hands around it. It is a bit of a learning curve there though it is not too bad. That's where I saw the breaking news of James Cameron making it to the bottom of the ocean. And he tweeted from there! It is amazing what you can do these days. So if you are on Twitter. Come connect with us. We would love to touch base with you and get to know you over there. You can find us @ScubaSmiles. Hope to see you there!

Mar 19, Back From Our Trip

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:50:12 GMT

We have just returned from our trip to Roatan and Mexico. We had a great time and saw some beautiful areas. While we did some diving in Roatan, we didn't get underwater as much as we wanted to. Oh well, there is always next time. I will be writing about our trip and the diving very soon so stay tuned. We were a little lax about doing work during this trip but we are refreshed and ready to go now. We will be getting an issue of our long overdue newsletter out and hope to catch up with many of you. Hopefully some of you were able to get away during this past season and do some diving yourselves. If so, why don't you tell us about it? We have a new contest going so drop us a line and you could be our next winner. You can enter your scuba diving related story here. Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy spring - and some great diving!

Mar 19, Read Scuba Dive Stories Here - You Could Even Win a Gift Card With Yours

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:52:58 GMT

Here's your chance to win an Amazon gift certificate. It's easy and fun. Just share your scuba dive stories with us. It can be a rant or rave or anything in between...

Feb 21, Snorkeling Off The Pacific Coast Of Southern Mexico

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:34:34 GMT

Last week we went snorkeling off the southern coast of Mexico, near Puerto Angel. We were staying in Zipolite, Mexico and decided to take the short trip over to Puerto Angel to get in the water and see some sites. The snorkeling was OK, nothing spectacular. However, it was interesting to us since there are different fish in the Pacific than what we are used to seeing in the Caribbean. It always amazes me to think of all the different types of marine life out there. On the way to the snorkeling spot we saw lots of turtles swimming along in the water. That is a great thing to see especially in this area which used to be a big turtle harvesting location. Has anyone else been snorkeling/diving in this area? What was your experience?

Jan 26, More Scuba Diving In Roatan, Honduras

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:30:33 GMT

Had another 2 good dives in Roatan. We dove at the divesites Spooky Channel and Bikini Bottom. Don't you just love those names? You can read our writeup on our facebook page - www.facebook.com/scubadivingsmiles. And while you are there, why don't you "like" us? We will be posting pictures of Roatan and updating scuba news.

Jan 21, Scuba Diving in Roatan, Honduras

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:42:54 GMT

Had a very nice dive yesterday in Roatan. You can read my writeup over at our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/scubadivingsmiles.

Jan 10, Back In Roatan, Honduras

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:02:49 GMT

I hope everyone is having a great start to the New Year. After an unseasonably warm December and getting our housesitter situated, we took off for Roatan once again. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Roatan is an island off the coast of Honduras. It is well known for diving and there are lots of dive shops offering reasonable prices for diving and courses. We spent 3 months here last winter and will be here for about a month this year before taking off for Mexico. If any of you find yourself in Roatan during January, please get in touch and maybe we can get together while you are here. We haven't dove yet (will start later in the week) but we have done some snorkeling in front of our place. Saw an octopus, lobster out in the open seagrass, a couple of eels, some nice size grouper and hogsnapper (a good sign), drumfish and more. All in all, a good start to the trip. Before I left, I had to get a new mask and ordered the Atomic mask I recommend here. (I ordered the second model in my list). While I haven't dove with it yet, I loved it while snorkeling. The fit is easy, no leaks and the field of vision is wonderful. I am hooked. I will let you know how it goes once I go diving. Stay in touch and have fun diving!

Dec 24, Happy Holidays And Merry Christmas Everyone

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:10:09 GMT

I would just like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy holiday season. And to all who celebrate it, a very Merry Christmas tomorrow. I hope everyone has a wonderful time with friends and family. Head on over to our Facebook page for a little Christmas humor as we lead into the big day. Enjoy!

Dec 19, Best Scuba Diving Regulator Reviews: Top Rated Regulators Make Your Dive Easier

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:28:51 GMT

Updated for 2012: Which is the best scuba diving regulator to buy? Our picks for best dive regulators - from entry level/budget to midrange to high end. Top rated and reviewed dive regulators...

Dec 19, Scuba Diving Christmas Cartoon

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:58:09 GMT

Need a little Christmas cheer? Head on over to our Facebook page for our latest scuba diving cartoon. Check it out here. While you are at it - can we suggest you "Like us" while you are there? :)

Dec 19, Best Scuba Gear: Top Rated and Reviewed Diving Equipment

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:42:49 GMT

Looking for the best scuba gear to buy? See our picks for the top rated and reviewed diving equipment to make your choice easier. We cover BC's, dive watches, regulators, masks/snorkels, computers...

Dec 12, Best Snorkel: Guide To Choosing Snorkels; Our Picks For Top Snorkel And Sets...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:18:02 GMT

Get the best snorkel and snorkel set for you. Our guide tells you what to look for - whether it's for scuba diving or snorkeling only. Choices for top rated and reviewed snorkels and snorkel gear sets

Dec 9, Scuba Diving: Your Fun Guide To Diving In The Caribbean And All Things Scuba

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:47:04 GMT

A fun and practical scuba diving guide: Reviews of Caribbean dive trips, picks for best scuba gear, best dive destinations and dives; scuba diving tips, certification information, vacation planning...

Dec 8, Where Is The Best Place To Scuba Dive? Our Picks For Top Diving Destinations

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:48:30 GMT

Where is the best place to scuba dive? Find our top places for scuba diving in the Caribbean including information on the destination, water temperature, weather, dive sites and more...

Dec 3, Disappointed in Blackbeards Cruises Liveaboard

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:07:34 GMT

We left on the Morning Star 8-20-11 at about 3pm. The seas were a little rough and I suffered from some sea sickness that afternoon. I felt better on

Dec 3, Socorro / Mexico in January 2011

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:00:55 GMT

Dive safari - lots of Mantas to interact with (see pic) In January, whales around the boat (see pic) Lots of reef sharks, big groups of female Hammerheads

Dec 3, S.S. Yongala Wreck In Australia: Wreck Dive Extraordinaire

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:56:06 GMT

“I CANNOT IMAGINE A MUCH BETTER DIVE ANYWHERE, NOR CREW” One of the top-ten wreck dives in the world was a big brag to measure up to--BUT from the super

Dec 3, Key Largo, Florida: The Best Scuba Diving Location

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:49:43 GMT

The Florida Keys, especially Key Largo, has the most stunningly breathtaking reef system. Countless sites to dive are filled with diverse wildlife. These

Nov 28, Best Dive Watches: Top Rated and Reviewed Moderately Priced Scuba Diving Watches

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:12:15 GMT

Updated for 2011-2012: Which are the best dive watches to buy? We show you our picks for the best scuba watches in the mid-range, inexpensive, budget, cheap and very cheap (yes!) categories...

Nov 17, Best Dive Watch: Top Rated and Reviewed High End Scuba Diving Watches

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:13:17 GMT

Updated for 2011-2012; Which is the best dive watch to buy? We give your our picks of scuba diver watches in the luxury, high end and top end categories..Plus mid-range, budget and inexpensive picks

Nov 15, Best Dive Computer: Top Reviewed and Rated Scuba Diving Computers At All Prices

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:50:42 GMT

Updated for 2011-2012. Here are our picks for best dive computer - including budget-entry level, midrange, high end and top of the line...

Nov 15, Best BCD - Which Top Rated And Reviewed Scuba Diving BC Is Best For You?

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:56:15 GMT

UPDATED for 2011/2012 models; The best BCD varies according to your needs and/or budget. I give my picks in several categories - including budget-entry level, midrange, high end, best for females...

Nov 2, New Winner In Our Scuba Diving Story Contest

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:55:22 GMT

We are happy to announce our latest winner in our scuba diving story contest. The latest winner is Ewald from the Netherlands for his story about scuba diving with turtles in Egypt. I have to say this was a tough choice since we had many good entries this quarter. Lots of you doing some interesting diving out there! Keep the stories coming, it is great to read them. The prize is a $50 gift card to Amazon.com. Our new contest is gong on now. You just have to share a story, pictures, etc. and you will be automatically entered. Why not give it a shot, you could be our next winner. Tell us your experience here.

Oct 25, Scuba Diving In Grenada

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:32:51 GMT

We are looking into going scuba diving in Grenada. Wanted to know if anyone out there has been diving in Grenada and has any recommendations to share. What dive sites did you like or not like? Is the Bianca C a "must do" dive? Can you recomend a dive shop? Thanks for any of your opinions in advance. We appreciate it and we will let you know how the diving went. You can contact us here.

Sep 29, Sandals Montego Bay Jamaica: Review Of This All-inclusive Couples Only Resort

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:50:37 GMT

Sandals Montego Bay Jamaica is an adults only resort located right next to the airport. We had a great time here and this is our detailed review-including the good and the not so good...

Sep 29, My Scuba Diving Story: STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:52:05 GMT

FIRST INTRODUCTORY SCUBA DIVE on the Great Barrier Reef. Whilst Instructor is taking time to calm down a newby scardy diver, I thought I would just say

Sep 22, Sandals Resort In Jamaica: Review of Sandals Grande Riviera, Ocho Rios

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:08:46 GMT

We stayed at this Sandals Resort in Jamaica (formerly known as Sandals Grande Ocho Rios). It is one of the more popular Jamaica all inclusive vacation packages. Read our review of what we thought of t

Sep 19, My First Night Dive: A Scuba Diving Experience

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:37:42 GMT

I stepped out into the black void and was met with a feeling of falling. I am aware of my own breaths as the compressed air from the 80cf tank which is

Sep 7, Scuba Gear Review: Oceanic Pro Plus 2

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:24:52 GMT

Here is a new scuba diving equipment review from one of our readers: I have 30 dives on the Oceanic Pro Plus 2 and have found it's a great computer for

Sep 7, Scuba Diving With Turtles At Shaab Abu Dabab, Egypt

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:17:22 GMT

A year ago I was in Marsa Shagra (Egypt) for a nice weeklong holiday with the club. We were at the Ecolodge Villages where you can sleep in tents at the

Aug 21, A Scuba Diver's Worst Nightmare

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:35:12 GMT

This story caught my eye - no pun intended. A man was fishing from the shore in the UK when he caught what he thought was the biggest fish of his life. Turns out he hooked a scuba diver's wetsuit between the legs. The diver wasn't using a surface marker, which is a requirement according to the story. The story is from the Daily Mail in the UK. OK, the source isn't the New York Times, but what do you think? Is this a true story? It sounds like it could be true - or maybe I am just gullible. I am interested in what other people think of the story so I am going to take a poll. Is this a true story or not? GET MORE DETAILS AND CAST YOUR VOTE HERE

Aug 16, Opinions On Shark Feeding Dives

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:03:03 GMT

What do you think of shark feeding dives? Should they be banned or not?

Aug 16, My Top Dive Site: Sand Chute, Grand Cayman

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:54:34 GMT

Imagine a ski slope with freshly fallen powder. The slope is steep - perhaps 45-degrees. Bordering both sides of the slope aren't trees however, but coral

Aug 10, My Opinion On Shark Feeding Dives

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:22:58 GMT

How smart is it to train sharks to associate food with divers? It is obvious that they are learning that association by the warnings when you are on a

Aug 10, Shark Feeding Dive with Stuart Cove in Nassau, Bahamas

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:12:27 GMT

In 2006 on Christmas Day mid-afternoon I did the Stuart Cove shark feeding dive. It was great and scary at the same time, considering I had only gotten

Aug 10, Shark Feeding In Shark Junction, Grand Bahama

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:53:15 GMT

I have dove the Shark Junction site in Grand Bahama over 20 times and it is a very safe dive as long as there is no feeding or chumming going on. I

Jul 29, Introducing Our New Scuba Diving "Course" - Limited Time Offer

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:52:02 GMT

Well, it is finally finished. It has been a long time coming but it is now here. What is it? Our new scuba diving course - "How To Jumpstart The Divemaster In You - Easy Tips And Tricks To Have You Diving Like A Pro". It is full of practical tips and techniques to help you increase your diving skills. It is also the 100% practical, real life side of diving - no technical jargon here. Our "Jumpstart" course contains ALL of our highly popular Special Reports (includes air consumption, buoyancy control, equalization, boat diving and safety) plus much more, available only in our "Jumpstart" course. We think it is a valuable addition to our lineup and will be beneficial to many divers. To introduce the new course and give a bonus to our faithful readers, we are running a Limited Time Offer. For the next week, the course will be offered at a substantial discount. So if you are interested, grab your copy now before the discount ends on midnight on Thursday, August 4. Get all the details and order your copy now at our new site, scubadivetips.com

Jul 26, Cozumel Travel Guide: What To Do, How To Get There, Restaurants, Snorkeling

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:15:26 GMT

Complete Cozumel travel guide with tips on getting the most from your vacation. Covers traveling there, accomodations, top attractions, thing to do, restaurants, diving, snorkeling, shopping and more.

Jul 26, Scuba Diving To Recover A Wedding Ring

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:55:00 GMT

Back in the 1990's I worked for a time share company in southern Florida and we had a lot of sales contests. One of the perks our resort had was a yacht

Jul 23, It Really Can Change Your Life

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:08:37 GMT

SBI is doing it again. They have reached 25,000 fans on Facebook so they are offering a 2 for 1 Special on a SBI package. SBI is the package I use to create this website. I started this website to create an additional source of income. It has really made a difference in my life - and my finances. If you would like more income each month, think about building your own website about a topic you love. I use Site Build It (SBI 2.0) to build scuba-diving-smiles.com. I knew absolutely nothing about building a website when I purchased SBI so it is a perfect package for beginners - and experienced - webmasters alike. SBI usually offers a 2-for-1 Special only once a year. However, they have reached another milestone so they are offering it again. However, the 2 for 1 special is only up for 72 hours - it ends at 11:00 pm ET, July 23rd, 2011. I am a little late on the draw so there is not much time left. (You can read my full review of SBI here.) To get the special you need to go to Sitesell Facebook, like them and then click on the Special Order Form from Facebook. You can use the Special in two ways: You can buy your package and start one site and wait until 9 months to start your second site. Or you could split the cost with a friend or family member and each get your own site. If you have any desire to have an additional source of income, I can't recommend this package enough. To get the Special, go to this special link to get the 2 for 1 deal. If you have any questions about Sitesell (or anything else for that matter), don't hesitate to contact me.

Jul 5, We Have A Winner In Our Scuba Diving Story Contest

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:36:01 GMT

We are happy to announce that we have a new winner in our scuba diving story contest. This quarter's contest winner is Deb Davis for her story about a surprise dive with manatees. You can find the winning entry here. The prize is $50 gift card to Amazon.com. Our new contest is starting now. You just have to share a story, pictures, etc. and you will be automatically entered. Why not give it a shot, you could be our next winner. Tell us your experience here.

Jul 1, The Best Scuba Diving Is Found In Indonesia.

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:42:14 GMT

Indonesia is simply the top location for scuba diving in the world.The reason many people don't know this is that the country's most spectacular reefs

Jun 30, Scuba Diving Safety: Do You Need Dive Guides?

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:30:18 GMT

My dive partner and I planned a fantastic dive trip to Florida. We planned what dive company we would dive with and places to stay. We watched YouTube

Jun 29, Last 2 Days To Win A $50 Gift Card!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:29:08 GMT

Time is drawing to a close to enter this quarter's scuba diving story contest. The prize is a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate. All you have to do is share your scuba diving story, photo, tip, etc. It's easy and fun so give it a go! You can enter here. Good Luck!

Jun 29, Surprise Scuba Dive With Manatees at Boneyard, Venice Beach, Florida

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:22:01 GMT

Recently I went to Venice Beach, Florida to dive for sharks teeth. I don’t claim to be an expert diver. I started diving a little over a year and a half

Jun 29, My Advanced Open Water Certification Dive: The Good, The Bad - Well I Passed!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:12:31 GMT

This is a good example for planning, backup and always expect the unexpected to happen. I was taking my Advanced Open Water dive off the Cape Fear River