SCUBA News - #309 - April 2026

SCUBA News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011) Issue 309 - April 2026 https://www.scubatravel.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome. Are your holiday costs rising because of the Iran war? We discuss which diving holidays are promising no fuel surcharges and where you might have to pay more. Contents: What's new at SCUBA Travel? What the Middle-East crisis means for divers Diving news from around the World You can download SCUBA News as a pdf. What's New at SCUBA Travel? 7 Under-Rated Dive Destinations for Spring Many destinations are quieter, offering excellent conditions without the crowds or high-season prices. A personal view by Kathryn Curzon. READ MORE Best dives in the Mediterranean in 2026 From fantastic wrecks to gorgeous sealife and underwater tunnels, as voted for by scuba divers. How many have you dived? SEE THE LIST What the Middle-East crisis means for divers When planning a 2026 getaway, there is one practical factor to talk about: the rising cost of fuel and its implications for divers. Liveaboards are especially exposed to fuel cost shifts. Fuel powers more than just the long crossings between remote dive sites; it also runs the generators, air-conditioning, compressors, tenders and desalination systems that make life at sea comfortable. When oil prices climb quickly, the impact on a dive holiday budget is immediate. and many liveaboards have introduced fuel surcharges. However, there are also liveaboards that haven't introduced any surcharges – good news for divers. No surcharges guaranteed for Nautilus Baja California expeditions, Mexico Good News: Fleets Holding Steady with no surcharges If you're looking for a liveaboard holiday with no surprise surcharges, check out these fantastic fleets: Scubaspa (Maldives): No fuel surcharge, plus flexible credit notes for cancellations. Amba (Maldives): No surcharges for trips departing through June 2026. Nautilus / Baja Expeditions (Mexico) “In 34 years of running expeditions, we have never issued a single fuel surcharge - and we are not about to start now. Your charter fee will not change post-booking, regardless of fuel price fluctuations. You have my word on that.” Captain Mike, Nautilus / Baja Expeditions We've gathered all boats that are currently not charging extra fees on a dedicated page to help you plan a more budget-friendly trip. View all Liveaboards with No Fuel Surcharge What about those that are passing on some of the cost of fuel? Find out exactly how much more you will be paying with our comprehensive list of new charges in the Maldives, Red Sea, Palau, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Mexico and elsewhere. Around the world, liveaboards are adjusting to a new operating reality. Don’t let fuel uncertainty spoil your plans! Personalised scuba diving itineraries, just for you: choose Turkey or Italy And not just diving, visit Pompei or other historical sites. Everything tailored to your requirements. Talk to Aldo today, asbruno11@aol.com or WhatsApp 07713 611206, and plan your perfect trip. Diving news from around the World Take the scuba diving survey today The barriers and motivations of both divers and non-divers are currently unknown. Take this short survey to help research Join the great underwater shark Egg Case Hunt Report your sightings to the Shark Trust in this worldwide citizen science initiative Should potentially harmful chemicals be appraised by class, not one at a time? Even when one synthetic chemical is proven harmful in the home, manufacturers often quickly replace it with a similar substitute that is often found to be equally dangerous, a cycle scientists call "toxic treadmill". Global strategies to protect seals and sea lions from bird flu Seals and sea lions, have been hit unusually hard by the virus. Oyster reefs restore water quality more than previously thought Oyster reefs remove more nitrogen and provide greater economic value than previously thought, and their restoration may maintain water quality and improve marine ecosystems Oceans are darkening all over the planet, what's going on? In a shift that is reshaping entire ecosystems, the open oceans are letting less light in. We don't fully understand the consequences yet, but there is still hope, says oceanographer Tim Smyth 8 Fascinating facts about the Snakelocks Anemone They are active predators but provide safe harbour for some shrimps and crabs. They change colour depending how deep they are. They turn to face the sun. Plus you can eat them. One in five grey whales entering San Francisco Bay die there Grey whales displaced by climate change are foraging in San Francisco Bay's busy shipping waters - and new research reveals that nearly one in five individuals did not survive. 24 new species found in ocean zone eyed for battery metals mining A 2025 study found that a commercial mining test in the zone reduced animal abundance by 37%, highlighting the ecological cost of extraction in a region science is only beginning to understand. Five years of the trawling ban and there are signs of recovery The UK's largest marine rewilding initiative is witnessing a powerful comeback under the waves. Mussel beds are rebuilding the seabed and black sea bream are returning in force. 5 Scuba Skills every Diver should Refresh this Spring Spring marks the start of a new dive season for many of us, and while excitement levels are usually high, skills can get a little rusty. What to do about it?

SCUBA News is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. This means we are happy for you to reuse our material for both commercial and non-commercial use as long as you: credit the name of the author, link back to the SCUBA Travel website and say if you have made any changes. Most photos though, are copyright the photographer. Please get in touch for details. Photo credits: Tim Nicholson, Jill Studholme, NOAA Ocean Exploration, CC BY-NC 2.0, DepositPhotos, SSI, divebooker.com UNSUBSCRIBING Visit https://c.emailsend20.co.uk/profile/S-54012@J7sllRUwYQNkRwrI93C6yQ4F0xqxNQi6gZV3_N2Z6zU.@1 to remove yourself from the mailing list. Any problems contact news@scubatravel.co.uk. ADVERTISING Should you wish to advertise in SCUBA News, please see the special offers at https://www.scubatravel.co.uk/newsad.html Other advertising opportunities are at https://www.scubatravel.co.uk/diving-advertising.html CONTACTING THE EDITOR Please send your letters or press releases to: Jill Studholme SCUBA News The Cliff DE6 2HR UK news@scubatravel.co.uk

Refer a Friend, Win a Garmin Dive Computer! 🤿

Want your very own Garmin Descent G2 Dive Computer?  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Join PADI Club™ to Win a $4,999 Dive Gaia Liveaboard Voucher >     Help your friends SAVE on diving & UNLOCK rewards for yourself!  Refer a Friend to Diving      Know Someone Who Belongs Beneath the Surface? Just share your unique referral link with them – they'll get 20% off their PADI Open Water Diver eLearning, and you'll get a chance to win a Garmin Descent G2 Dive Computer! All you have to do is: Get your referral link Enter the Challenge before 30 June, 2026 Share with all your friends! Each referral gives you another chance to win a bucket-list dive trip for two with Coraya Divers in Marsa Alam, Egypt! 🤿    Share To Win    *Refer-a-Friend Challenge - Terms & Conditions        Unsubscribe from emails about the Refer-A-Friend Challenge | Unsubscribe from all PADI emails Contact | Manage Preferences | View Online PADI Americas | 30151 Tomas, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, 92688 USA Europe, Middle East, Africa | Pavilion 1, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS13 8AE, UK Asia Pacific | Level 4, 120 Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale NSW 2100, Australia This email was sent to nop1002.987654@blogger.com by PADI. Add padi@mail.padidiver.com to your email address book to ensure that you receive PADI emails to your inbox. © 2026 PADI

Tested under ice. Built for your next dive.

The new Suunto Nautic dive computers.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  No images? View the online version   Built in the Cold. Made for Every Dive   Nautic and Nautic S are designed and tested in Finland’s demanding waters — from cold and low visibility to under ice. When performance is proven there, it carries into every dive you make. That’s confidence you can rely on in every dive.     Four Reasons to Dive with Nautic   Grows with you From single gas to multi-gas and sidemount — Suunto Nautic adapts as your diving evolves. Excellent readability Large, bright AMOLED display keeps critical dive data easy to read at every depth. Extended battery Up to 120 hours of dive time — built for long trips and repetitive dives. Built to handle demanding dives Rugged, reliable construction designed to perform in all conditions — from cold water to challenging environments.        Explore More >      Four Reasons to Dive with Nautic S   Compact comfort Lightweight design with an elastic textile strap that fits perfectly to bare skin or any exposure suit. Clear and easy to use Bright AMOLED display and intuitive controls make critical dive data easy to read and simple to access. Long-lasting battery Up to 60 hours of dive time on a single charge — ready for multiple dive days and travel. Tank pressure at a glance With the Suunto Tank POD, monitor your gas pressure and consumption in real time, directly on your wrist.        Explore More >      Your Dive is Just the Beginning   Relive your dive after you surface. See where you explored, review your underwater route, and save the details — marine life, conditions, and the spots you want to remember. Everything comes together in one place — ready to revisit, share, and plan your next dive. Visit your dive with Suunto Nautic www.suunto.com/suuntonautic     nop1002.987654@blogger.com is subscribed to receive newsletters from Scuba Diving. Unsubscribe   |  Manage My Preferences   |   Privacy Policy Add partners@mail.padidiver.com to your address book to ensure delivery. Copyright © PADI, 30151 Tomas, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688      Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the sponsors and are not an endorsement nor do they reflect the opinions of PADI or any of its publications.