Introducing Puerto Lopez, the town on the coast of Manabí, Ecuador where, every year, the biggest manta ray aggregation arrives looking for cleaning stations.

19th July 2023: After six weeks of eLearning and constant study, I was now ready to take on the challenge of my PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC).

Shark attacks? The deep abyss? The unknown or the general thought of being underwater might bring fear to many non-divers. But for scuba divers, what they are really afraid of is much different. After polling our social media audience and discussing scuba diving fears with certified divers near and far, what scares divers most stems from a more practical side of the sport.

As a certified diver, you might be looking for ways to engage with your local dive community. But how do you go about making connections and creating those life-long diving buddies you have been looking for? In this blog, we aim to guide you toward the easiest and most effective ways of getting connected – joining a dive club near you.