URGENT ROATAN NEWS Luca Pagliaro, an Italian native, has disappeared in Roatan, Honduras last week, probably on 16th March 2010, with Mauriliuo Mirabella, owner of a diveshop who has also disappeared. Everybody who has useful news about him please contact me and my mother without hesitation. Please let me know also when is the last time you have seen him. Thanks. Licia and Francesca liciapagliaro@hotmail.com francesca.vcr@libero.it

It should come as no surprise to my readers that I love rum. Burbons I hate; tequila makes me loco; vodka reminds me too much of college hangovers; gin can be refreshing; but rum— ah, rum!— the primero choice of scuba divers and pirates alike. As I’ve mentioned before, The Kraken is my new favorite rum (at least since I can’t get my hands on the nectar that is Flor de Caña in Hawaii). I love a nice glass of this delicious dark spiced rum on the rocks, but  my liver does object to consuming such a stout drink on a routine basis. As such, I’ve tried blending The Kraken with a variety of diluents with mixed results. Kraken and » read more «

Dive No.: 1999 Dive Site: Hawaii Loa, Oahu, Hawaii Max Depth: 45ft/13m Total Time: 36 mins Air: 200bar – 120 bar Mix: EANx36 Tank: 80cu Weight: 8lbs Visibility: 40ft/12m Water: 73F/23C Exposure: rash guard, 5mm full wet suit (busted zipper), 3mm shorty, 3mm skull cap Comments: Autumn had just arrived in Oahu after a long series of flights from Haiti. I had been roped into working the morning charter. Nothing like a 5am start time to say “aloha!” Conditions were choppy as a fierce tradewinde pressed down on Koko Marina. The air was Hawaiian cold (65F/18C) and the water wasn’t much warmer (73F/23C). We dropped anchor and explored the crater rims of Hawaii Loa. There was a nice diversity of » read more «

Dive No.: 1997 Dive Site: Koko Craters, Oahu, Hawaii Max Depth: 35ft/11m Total Time: 38 mins Air: 200bar – 130 bar Mix: EANx36 Tank: 80cu Weight: 8lbs Visibility: 80ft/24m Water: 73F/23C Exposure: rash guard, 5mm full wet suit (busted zipper), 3mm shorty, 3mm skull cap Comments: Took a group of college-aged girls out on a turtle-finding expedition around Koko Craters in celebration of one girl’s 21st birthday. The turtles didn’t disappoint, as over half a dozen of the beautiful Hawaiian reptiles glided past us towards the wrasse cleaning stations. Several other turtles were sighted snuggled under the crater rim. Dive No.: 1997 Dive Site: Koko Craters, Oahu, Hawaii Max Depth: 35ft/11m Total Time: 43 mins Air: 200bar – 120 bar » read more «