Traces of the Past
In 2022, the Managing Editor of Scuba Diving magazine asked if I wanted to head out on a trip to the Caribbean
Keeping a Log Book: Your Essential Tool for Writing Compelling Travel Articles
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Though it’s very little, I appreciate the help. I do not recommend anything
Perfect is the Enemy
Aiming for perfection and then not achieving it is bound to make you feel more like a failure than chipping away at
Scuba Diving Sund Rock Marine Preserve: Dive Site Review
If you hate wolf eels, giant pacific octopus, epic wall dives and schooling rock fish, absolutely do not visit Sund Rock. It's
I’m in Love with Ray-Ban Stories Because POV!
If there’s anything that’s becoming popular on social these days it’s a first person POV. Your feet moving below you as you
Getting Fishy, or Why I Had to Buy a Fisheye Lens
If you've ever wanted to know why you should purchase a fisheye lens, here are the reasons. Now tell me you didn't
Love Scuba Diving? Buy a Microscope
When the COVID-19 lockdown began, much like everyone else, I found myself looking for ways to keep busy. I "covid baked." I
Vegan Caviar—A Pain-Free Recipe
What I remember of caviar has more to do with the emotions of childhood—joy and carefree abandon, playing at sophistication—than anything related
A Solution to All Your SD Card Storage and Carry-Case Woes
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Though it’s very little, I appreciate the help. I do not recommend anything
Plant-Based Seafood Alternatives: Delicious Recipes for Divers & Ocean Lovers
Recipes you should know if you love the taste of fish but don't want to be a part of the huge problem
Scuba Diving the Wreck of the Comet: Dive Site Review
The Comet is a shallow tug boat wreck located just out of Port Hadlock. It's an easy shore dive in no more
Scuba Diving Titlow Beach: Dive Site Review
I wanted to dive Titlow before I even knew it was a Washington State dive destination. It's a stone's throw away from
Scuba Diving Fox Island West Wall: Dive Site Review
Fox Island West Wall is a great dive site for beginners and advanced divers alike. Although the site is easy to get
Dive Kind: My Diving Philosophy
When you Dive Kind you’ll not only be bringing light to the problems you see, but be taking action toward making changes.
From South African Meat Eater to Plant-Based Scuba Diver
If you eat meat, this essay is not here to make you feel bad. I loved the taste of meat and ate
The Ultimate Cold Water Diving Packing List
A couple of years ago I made my own packing list for cold water diving trips because I noticed that most packing
Would an Alien “Conservationist” Kill Us, Eat Us, or Something Else?
Any alien species with conservationists as we define them today, would kill us or eat us. But, what if they weren't like
Scuba Diving Clear Lake, Oregon
Whether you're from Oregon or traveling from further afield, Clear Lake is one dive site you're bound to have heard of—a tropical
How to Perform a Few Basic Scuba Skills
When you take a Discover Scuba Diving course or the PADI Open Water Course, these are some of the first few skills
7 Things That Blew My Mind When I Learned to Scuba Dive
When I registered for my Open Water Course in 2016, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that
Marketing Your Scuba Services During COVID-19
If you teach scuba diving, work at a dive shop, run a dive shop, sell scuba diving equipment, or are in any
Gear Review: BARE XCS2 Drysuit
I have been diving a BARE drysuit for three years and have never once regretted purchasing it as my primary means of
Cold Water Dive Gear: A Shopping List for New Divers [INFOGRAPHIC]
For many people entering the cold water diving world for the first time, knowing what gear to purchase can seem overwhelming. This
Becoming an Oregon Marine Reserves Diver
The Oregon Marine Reserves Diver is an achievable goal. All you have to do to get there is love learning, have an
Diving the Kehloken Possession Point Ferry
This article is about a dive trip I did in 2018 out to the Kehloken Possession Point Ferry. The ferry burned in
Scuba Diving in Oregon: Dive Sites For Anyone
A list of the sites I have personally dived in Oregon. Most sites are suitable for beginners and all sites can be
North Jetty Dive Park Dive Site, Florence, Oregon
Of the many beautiful dive sites in Oregon, perhaps the most popular is the Florence North Jetty. In 2003 this site was
On Becoming an Inadvertent Naturalist
The more time you spend in one area examining just one rock or tide pool, the more there is that reveals itself.
The Eternal Search for the Perfect Dive Log Book
In June, when I hit the 180 dives mark, I stopped logging my dives. Since then I haven't been able to get
13 True Adventure Books for Aspiring Tech Divers (Published by TDI)
Because I am a hopeless wreck diving romantic, I've compiled a list of the great nail-biting reads that over the years have
The Woefully Misunderstood Wolf Eel
If sea lions are the dogs of the sea then the wolf eel is the cat of the sea. Curious, moody, affectionate,
Scuba Professionals Should Cultivate a Learning Mindset
What do bungee chairs, ambient light, essay-style answers, good habits, and how the brain processes information have in common?
Book Review—Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits
When I started reading Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits, I thought I was in for another slog through psychology studies
A Student’s Perspective
Every now and then it’s good to step outside of the comfort zone of your own well-fitted scuba gear and don the
Diving Doubles in Open Water For the First Time
On Wednesday I tried doubles in open water for the first time. While this has been a long time coming, I have
Book Review—Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria
Given there is indeed an "Everest-like" obsession surrounding diving this wreck I felt this one merited a book of its own, if
The Honor of Being Eyed by a Starry Flounder
The best part of diving at the Oregon Coast Aquarium is that I'm in close contact with marine life. As I continue
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Reminders from This Week’s Rescue Course
While one hopes that one will remember what one learned in class, unless you’re reviewing the skills day in and day out,
The Never-Ending Question: Why Do You Want to Do Technical Diving?
If I could count on my hands, the number of times people have asked me why I want to do technical diving,
Book Review: Pirate Hunters
Having read "Shadow Divers," I was expecting another gripping read in "Pirate Hunters." Unfortunately, this book is nothing like "Shadow Divers." It
Host the Best Birthday Party Ever: A Discover Scuba Diving Party! (Published on PADI)
When Margaret McKenney, an Oregon-based scuba instructor, asked if I wanted to help out with a scuba diving party, I have to
Take PADI Women’s Dive Day Into Your Own Hands This Year (Published on PADI)
The PADI Women’s Dive Day event calendar is now open to all PADI Members. Now, for the first time, you can register
Book Review: Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
While I found the subject matter of this book very interesting, a lot of it was not new information. If you don't
Scuba Diving Crater Lake Still Not Allowed in 2021
On a quest to find out whether or not Crater Lake was still "diveable" (I'd heard otherwise though no one was 100%
Sharks, Salt and Surf: Reenvisioning the Sea
What happens when a non-surfing South African gives surfing a try for the first time? It's quite simple, really: Addiction. Here's my
Abort: When Not Diving is the Best Option
Until Saturday October 28th, I had never considered the Newport Fingers a potentially dangerous dive site. They were, after all, fairly far
Book Review: Fatally Flawed
If you're a woman participating in extreme sports, read this book -- you'll realize you're not alone. If you're a man, read
Guide to PADI Divemaster: The Rescue Scenario (Published on PADI)
One of the great things about diving in the Pacific Northwest is that I am part of a subset of people who
Divemaster Training: 11 Reasons to Become a “Tank Monkey” (Published on PADI)
In my latest article on PADI's blog, you'll learn more about the value of being a tank monkey (AKA a Divemaster in
Back to Swimming
Where some people find swimming mundane, I find it both soothing and challenging. It's the one activity that allows me to totally
Bay Pipefish
If you’ve ever seen a Pipefish, chances are you initially thought it was a stray frond of seaweed, wafting in the swash.
Skeleton Shrimp
The first time I saw a skeleton shrimp, I could have sworn I was looking at an alien. Rising, up and down,
Why Slow Divers are the Best Kind of Diver (Published on PADI)
This article is about the benefits of slow diving, and of course, bears reference again to the life I see below, no
Gear Review: OMS Slipstream Fin
When I first got my OMS Slipstreams, I had a love-hate relationship with them. They were awesome for frog kick, but not
Guide to PADI Divemaster: Equipment Exchange Test (Published on PADI)
Apart from getting to dive even more, one of the best things about going through the Divemaster training is that I'm never
Book Review: What a Fish Knows
Aside from the fact that this was a New York Times Bestseller, longlisted for the PEN award, and one of the 10
Book Review: Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest
I had this book in my Amazon cart months before I placed the order. Why? Well, I simply couldn't justify the price
Red Flabellina
I’ve started writing about what is possibly one of my favorite marine creatures: the nudibranch, and more specifically, the Red Flabellina that
Cataloging the World Below
Because I am increasingly fascinated by the life I see when diving, I am making a concerted effort to learn more about
A Tribute to the Ocean and Days Spent Diving
This weekend I helped out with Mike Allen’s Open Water checkout and it was wonderful. Yes, that very British word. Not only
How Many Scuba Units is That?
Of cave diving origin I am sure (Gilly Elor strikes again), this is the most sensible diction to use when referring to
The Less Dusty Version of Archaeology
Because I’m obsessed with diving in every way, shape and form, and because I once had romantic notions of being a globe-hopping
Gear Review: O’Neill Reactor 3/2mm Full Wetsuit – Women’s
I am quite ashamed to say that my quest to find the perfect wetsuit for the swimming pool lasted far too long.
#DiveHairDontCare
Hats off to all those swimmers and divers who can manage long hair. I'm not one of them. One, I don't have
PADI Totally Justifies Sailing Fun
In accordance with the PADI Divemaster Manual (page 165 to be precise), there are six skills outside of diver training that will
Book Review: Deep
Before reading this book, my knowledge of freediving encompassed only those few techniques we're taught in scuba diving. If, like me, you've
Book Review: Scuba Confidential
Alongside Diver Down, this should be required reading for both new and experienced divers. It's not a "fun read" per se but
Scuba Driving
This weekend, Gilly and I decided to dive Clear Lake. Due to a late start and worries about getting parking near enough
Why I Own 101 Tubes of Scuba Goop
The first time I saw scuba goop was at Dive Club. Every new member gets a tube when they join. It looked
Book Review: Diver Down
In my opinion, Diver Down is best read after you've put in few dives but while you are still in the early
ScubaPro’s Seawing Novas
As I begin writing this article, I sit stroking my Seawing Novas. They’re bright yellow and feel a lot like rubbery lawn chairs. I
Inflatable Travel Weights
A few months back I popped into the local dive shop to ask about prices for weights, one of the very last items
What It Feels Like to Scuba Dive
I’ve been standing for a couple of minutes, waiting for my dive buddy to finish getting geared up. I’m weighed down by
Practice Makes Perfect
So long as I am living in Eugene, I have resigned myself to scuba diving in Woahink Lake: a quiet, green lake
The Draw of the Deep
Ever since I first learned to scuba dive, I’ve found a version of myself I’d forgotten existed: the me that is wholly preoccupied with and
Book Review: Diving Into Darkness
It's hard to find a book that can hold you captive when the outcome is not just known from the start, but
Book Review: Shadow Divers
Scuba diver or not, this book will take you 250 feet below the surface, on a journey of suspense. Based on a
Prepping for PADI, Ocean Heebie-Jeebies, and the Next Adventure
On July 11, Eugene Skin Divers Supply’s next PADI Open Water Scuba course begins and… it’s not leaving me behind! Yup, that’s
The Writer’s Relationship with Time
Yesterday, I came across a letter that Charles Dickens wrote to Maria Winter in 1855 – a woman with whom Dickens had
About Me
I'm a South African expat living in the USA and traveling, well, everywhere. Obsessed diver, learner, maker, reader and writer. Follow along as I get you the inside scoop on where to dive, what to eat (and drink) and how to travel better and lighter!
