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Courses   PADI eCards   Go Diving   Join PADI Club   Hello Fellow Underwater Explorers! With 2026 on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to set intentions for the year ahead. 2025 literally started with a WTF (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), and we all had many of our own WTF moments throughout the year. But it was also the year scientists announced the ozone layer is healing faster than expected, the year researchers filmed the collossal squid in its natural habitat for the first time ever, the year thousands of divers added their voice to a global petition calling for stronger protections for sharks and rays through CITES, and the year we finally came to terms with AI and its role in our everyday lives. Yet, one thing AI will never replace is our connection to the underwater world. It simply can't replicate the feeling of seeing, hearing and experiencing life beneath the waves. As divers, we know the true powers of our blue planet. It calms the mind, offers unique adventures and acts as a classroom where we can learn new skills and grow, both as divers and as people. Make connecting with this magical place a priority next year. Let this email be your sign to get out there and go diving. Whether you take the next step in your diving education and become a Rescue Diver, learn to handle a DPV or return to the water after a break, every PADI course is a ticket to unforgettable underwater adventures. As we celebrate PADI’s 60th anniversary, join us in making 2026 a year to remember. Take care and safe diving, Sarah Morlock | Marketing Communications Specialist     What It Takes To Become a Master Scuba Diver — According to Real Divers   These inspiring divers earned the prestigious Master Scuba Diver rating, through dedication and drive. From an active firefighter to a retiree, see what motivated them and what it takes to join the top 2% of recreational divers.   Get Inspired       7 Reasons To Do Your Advanced Open Water Diver Course   The Open Water Diver course changes your life. The Advanced Open Water Diver course changes your life underwater. Through new skills and new confidence, you'll unlock access to some of the world's most exciting dive sites.   Dive Deeper       How Hard Is the Rescue Diver Course?   The Rescue Diver course is one of PADI’s most rewarding courses, developing you into a diver other divers can rely on. Most divers who have completed it also say its their favorite course.   Take the Next Step       Share the Joy of Scuba Diving: Refer a Friend!   You already know how incredible scuba diving is, now share it with your friends and family and get rewarded. When you refer a friend to diving, both you and your buddy receive an exclusive 20% discount!   Refer a Friend       The 17 Best Dive Sites in the World   Take your diving to the next level, then explore some of the world’s most incredible dive sites. What better way to spend a vacation?   Plan Your Trip       Our 2025 Certification Cards: Which One Is You?   Replacing a lost card or just ready for a new look? This year’s limited edition designs feature artist illustrations for the first time ever, as well as photographs of underwater icons.   Learn More     Ready to seek adventure and save the ocean? Discover more blogs to fuel your passion and inspire your next adventure. Keep Reading       Unsubscribe from dive education emails | 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. © 2025 PADI

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Don't miss out  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    Courses   PADI eCards   Go Diving   Join PADI Club     Save 25%* on All Physical Certification Cards!   Express your inner adventurer and love for the ocean. For a limited time, save 25% on all PADI physical certification cards and showcase your diving skills with a new design made from recycled materials, perfect for remote destinations. Use code LIMITED25 to claim your 25% off. Don't wait—this special deal is only available until 3 January! Get Yours Now   Check Out Our Bestseller Designs   Whale Shark by Francesca Page Diving with Sharks by Francesca Page   PADI Aware Sea Turtle Legend PADI AWARE Great Hammerhead Shark See all Designs   *Get 25% off all PADI physical Certification Cards. Use code LIMITED25. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Does not apply to Combo Card discount. This promotion is valid until 11:59pm PDT on 3 January 2026.       Contact | Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe | 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. © 2025 PADI

SCUBA News - #305 - December 2025

SCUBA News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011) Issue 305 - December 2025 https://www.scubatravel.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A very happy Boxing Day to you. Planning your diving trips for next year? Read on for ideas. Contents: What's new at SCUBA Travel? The Wonderful World of Christmas Tree Worms Dive for less: Liveaboard diving offers Diving news from around the World You can download SCUBA News as a pdf. What's New at SCUBA Travel? Unspoiled Dives, Vanuatu Vanuatu is a diver's paradise, offering crystal-clear waters, vibrant reefs and spectacular wreck dives. Unspoiled, uncrowded, and full of marine life DIVE IN Colombia Dive Adventure From shark-filled seamounts like Malpelo in the Pacific to biosphere-reserve reefs in the Caribbean: excellent diving both sides of Colombia. LEARN MORE Liveaboard Diving Offers: Dive for Less Get up to 31% off at some of the best diving spots in the world. Plus, automatically get 5% off any subsequent trip. Freedom III, Egypt, SAVE 15%: Prices from just £426. For those wanting a shorter trip, dive the famous Straits of Tiran, Gordon Reef, Thomas Reef, Woodhouse Reef, Ras Mohammed and the Dunraven. Just £426 Unlimited Shark Diving in the Bahamas with Shear Water. SAVE 10%. This steel liveaboard is the only one in the region offering unlimited diving - thanks to high-capacity tanks, a full Nitrox supply, and a dive-anytime approach. She is also the fastest liveaboard to Tiger Beach and Bimini, giving you more time where it matters most: underwater with sharks. The experience is made even more special with Jim Abernethy, renowned marine conservationist, photographer, and advocate for cage-free shark diving. READ MORE Resolute, Philippines, SAVE 31%. Exceptional value for money, the Resolute visits the renowned Tubbataha Reef, Apo Reef, Coron and Anilao. The ultimate bucket list classic. CHECK AVAILABILITY Gentle Giant, Thailand, SAVE 15% Diving across the Andaman Sea, including the fabulous Hin Daeng and Hin Muang in the south and the Similans in the north. More Info & Book Calipso, Galapagos, Save $1439. The top destination on the planet for pelagic species and a healthy marine environment. Swept by both the cold and warm water currents, the Galapagos is where polar meets tropical which is reflected in the marine life. The northern islands of Darwin and Wolf have the largest shark biomass in the world. A must-visit destination for experienced divers. Save $1439 Malaillo, Indonesia. Visit Indonesia's finest dive sites such as Raja Ampat, Komodo, Alor and Banda. SAVE 30% SAVE 30% Dune Silky, Egypt, SAVE 20%. Newly constructed liveaboard with a steel hull. Free nitrox. Choice of Brothers, Daedelus, Elphinstone or northern wrecks. BOOK NOW, PAY LATER See more liveaboard deals to some of the best diving in the world - Micronesia, Philippines, Galapagos, Indonesia, Cocos Islands... Wonderful World of Christmas Tree Worms Colourful Christmas tree worms are captivating during any dive, adding a touch of festive magic to coral reefs around the world. What are Christmas tree worms? They might look like colourful Christmas trees but they're actually segmented worms. Most of their structure is hidden in tubes within the coral with only their crowns or Christmas trees protruding. These creatures can live for 40 years! Christmas Tree Worm, Spirobranchus giganteus Giant Spiral-Gills Their scientific name is Spirobranchus giganteus, meaning Giant Spiral-Gills. Although the visible part is only 1.5 cm long, together with its hidden part it is in fact one of the largest worms in its family. The branching crown is important for respiration, hence the "spiral-gills" name. Christmas Tree Worm by Tim Nicholson 2 Trees; 1 Worm Each worm has two crowns or Christmas Trees. The worms come in a myriad of colours, but an individual's two crowns are always the same colour. As well as being used in respiration, the the feathery Christmas Tree gathers food, wafting it down to the worm's mouth. Carol Buchannon Disappear when danger threatens On sensing danger, the worm quickly retracts its crown into its tube in the coral and closes the entrance with a trapdoor called an operculum. It will stay down there for about a minute, before re-emerging very slowly to check that the danger has gone. Christmas Tree Worm with operculum clearly showing, by Jill Studholme Males and Females There are both male and female Christmas tree worms and they are choosy; spending their entire life on the same coral – often massive porites. They are important for the health of coral reefs and help protect corals from invasive sea stars whilst also preventing the coral being overgrown with algae. Close up to Christmas in Bonaire. John A. Anderson/DepositPhotos Where to see them? The great thing about Christmas tree worms is that you can see them around the world on most tropical reefs. They're easy to find and very photogenic, making them great subjects for macro photography. As long as you have the patience to wait and not disturb them into shooting back into their tubes. You might see them down to depths of 30 m. John A. Anderson Class: Polychaeta > Order: Sabellida > Family: Serpulidae > Genus: Spirobranchus Diving news from around the World Another Dive Pro Liveaboard Accident Yet another Dive Pro Liveaboard has had to have its divers rescued. MV Seaphoria ran aground near Daedelus reef in Egypt. This is the 4th Dive Pro liveaboard incident in 3 years. Best avoid this company. Widespread rule-breaking in Mexico whale shark tourism Drone footage revealed constant violations of Mexico's whale shark tourism rules, even when far fewer boats were on the water than regulations allow. Pandemic beneath the surface has been quietly wiping out sea urchins around the world Canary Islands are the missing link in a global sea urchin killer pandemic which kills off urchins in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean. Healthy oceans are a human right The idea is straightforward: people's fundamental human rights to health, food, security and even life rely on a healthy environment. Stress caused by hurricane rainfall overwhelms reefs When freshwater from rainfall and runoff enters the ocean, it can significantly reduce the salinity of the seawater. This causes osmotic stress, which leads to bleaching and even death for entire coral reef systems For Australia's marine life, safe zones from climate change may disappear within 15 years Even the nation's most protected marine areas will likely face the same climate shocks as unprotected zones, a new study finds Oyster larvae on drugs move slowly and are stressed Study finds that exposure to addictive drugs like fentanyl and ketamine, prevalent in surface waters, affect the behavior and survival rates of oyster larvae. Potential risks to humans. Connection and protection boost health in coral reefs A dual approach - improving conditions on both land and sea - may be the best way to protect these crucial ecosystems Underwater photography stresses seahorses Seahorses highly sought by divers and underwater photographers, but are we inadvertently stressing these beautiful fish? How to approach them safely.

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, CC BY 4.0, John A. Anderson, Carol Buchanan/DepositPhotos, Robinson/Bigstock, divebooker.com UNSUBSCRIBING Visit https://news-t.scubatravel.co.uk/profile/S-48694@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