The Best Scuba Diving Gear

Diving Resources You Need To Know

Last Updated on June 24, 2022 by Dan

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

The National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center is the bible for divers, residents and vacationers in this area of the world, with a special focus on hurricanes, tropical storms and cyclones that typically affect this region.

https://www.kristv.com/weather/hurricane-center

Another essential guide to hurricane readiness resources, including evacuation routes, storm surge maps and emergency information, mostly based in the area of Corpus Christi, TX, but still involved in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

https://flhurricane.com/

Focused on the Florida area, with its tropical storms and hurricane season, definitely an indispensable resource for divers in this area, especially in the months going from June to November.

www.radar.weather.gov

An incredibly useful resource in images and maps, highlighting the weather in the United States both on land and at sea. In collaboration with NOAA and NWS, it focuses mostly on winds and temperatures.

https://metservice.gov.jm/local-forecast/

Weather forecast in Jamaica, including local, aviation, marine and international forecast. The website is a division within the Jamaican Ministry of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change: an extremely reliable source for weather issues in the country.

www.dresseldivers.com/dive/jamaica/montego-bay-scuba-diving/

This international dive centre is located in the middle of the North coast of sunny Jamaica, in the fancy area of Rose Hall. Dressel Divers, that also operates in the Caribbean region with locations in
Mexico, Dominican Republic and Spain, has a reputation for high standards, the best dive sites choices and a lovely staff.

www.reefexplorerdive.com

With its absolutely perfect location on the world-famous 7 Miles Beach, this local dive centre, managed by experienced dive instructor Mr Diego Daina Heaven, will take you to the best dive sites in Negril, including The Arches, the Cessna Plane, Kingfish Point, the Throne Room and the Booby Cay reef.

www.emperordivers.com

With daily boats and liveaboards in the Maldives, in Indonesia and throughout the Red Sea, the top notch quality of their service and the perfect organization of Emperor Divers will allow you to enjoy the most perfect diving holiday. Explore the magnificent reefs of Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Hamata, the numerous atolls of the Maldives, or the spectacular underwater seascapes of Indonesia, for the dive experience of a lifetime.

www.bom.gov.au/tides

A comprehensive website with live predictions about weather, tides, sea levels, sea temperatures, but also tropical cyclones and tsunamis forecast. Definitely a must-have if diving in or travelling to Australia, South Pacific and Antarctica.

www.magicseaweed.com

Offering a detailed surf forecast for winds, waves and swell, with specific weather station reports and a network of live webcams, this website and app are to go-to resource for divers and boaters in the United States.

www.deepzoom.com

This is the absolute best website for detailed nautical maps for rivers, lakes, seas and oceans in the North American region.

www.tides.net

The go-to website for tides charts and graphs, with saltwater tide tables and charts in the entire United States area but also main areas out of the US such as Puerto Rico, Pacific Islands, Canada and England. The website shows, for each selected location, a history of tides and the current forecast for the day, with specific times for low and high tide and exact water level measured in feet.

www.projectnoah.org

A stunning collection of photographs taken by the global community and posted in this comprehensive website with the goal of extensive land and marine life education. Sea birds, slugs, mammals, rays and fish can all be found on this interesting website and studied, promoting local nature and wildlife discoveries.

First Choice Guide – Where Can I Go on Holiday Based on Vaccination Status

TUI have created a comprehensive tool to show visitors where they can go on holiday based on vaccination status

www.fla-keys.com

Planning on a dive vacation in the world-famous Florida Keys? Find here all the information you need! From history and particulars of each Key, to weather and directions information, from accommodations to tides and storm trackers, this website simply has it all.

www.florida-backroads-travel.com

While diving the magnificent Florida Keys, explore this website to get hints and suggestions on where to stay, how to reach, or about camping, dining and vacationing in general. The Florida Keys top picks in terms of restaurants, bars, attractions to keep the family together and satisfy also the non-divers. It also includes detailed maps and directions, sections about history and travel tips.

www.mass.gov/service-details/cz-tip-scuba-diving-in-massachusetts

Massachusetts has many underwater attractions for divers of all levels, with numerous shipwrecks, sightings of the endangered North Atlantic right whale, and w hopping 12 National Historical sites. On this website, divers can find hints and suggestions, provided by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, for them to enjoy this area to the fullest.

https://www.diveonit.com/

Covered in shallow and deep-water wrecks, merchant ship, steamboats, submarines and tugs, the bottom of Rhode Island is a truly magnificent one to explore. Dive On It is Rhode Island’s ONLY PADI 5-star IDC center, offers great resources to start or continue your dive training and explore the beauty of these reefs.

www.diverscovefl.com

For safe learning and exciting dives in the largest collection of warm water wrecks in the United States, Divers Cove had daily dives, charter boats, courses and special events that you definitely don’t want to miss. You will dive the Mercedes I, the Hog Heaven, the Copenhagen and the famous Lady Luck.

www.divetosurvive.com

Offering extensive dive training and dive tours in the National Marine Sanctuary of Monterey Bay, in California, this dive center takes you to the best dive sites of the area, with majestic kelp forests and a rich underwater life which includes encounters with groupers and cods, but also seals, otters and sea lions.

www.flowergarden.noaa.gov

The Flower Garden Banks are a US National Marine Sanctuary situated in Galveston, Texas: we are in the north western area of the Gulf of Mexico. Here, shoals of barracudas, chubs and jacks and even manta rays can be seen in the open water, while descending on the reefs, divers will be amazed by the colors of the reef and the banks thriving with marine life.

www.hhssoftware.com

An online resource specific to technical divers, this V-Planner is a decompression dive program calculating decompression profiles for your tech dives. It accounts for microbubbles and assists with keeping saturation as low as possible, reducing the decompression times and providing the best dive planning.

www.sportdiver.com

A scientific dive magazine with a rich collection of interesting dive related articles for the scuba diving community. With a section dedicated to the major dive areas of our planet, one about training and a keen eye on marine biology, you will certainly find something exciting to read on the Sports Diver Magazine.

www.sunrise-divers.com

Diving in Thailand is on top of the bucket list for many divers, and the best way to experience it is certainly on a liveaboard. The Similan Islands, a true divers paradise, can be visited and enjoyed fully with Sunrise Divers, on a 4 days and 4 nights long dive cruise including the sites around Koh Tachai, Koh bon, Khao Lak, Hin Daeng and the world-famous Richelieu Rock.

https://www.tmd.go.th/en/shipping_forecast.php

The go-to website for weather and marine forecast in Thailand. It contains sections related to both sides of the Thai gulf, Indochina, the Kotabaru to Singapore trait and the Andaman Sea. Constantly updated and rich in additional information, including weather radar, satellite images and storm tracking, this website will fully assist divers in Thailand.

www.greenfins.net/countries/thailand

Mass tourism is a reality in Thailand, and coral reefs are affected by this. The Green Fins association, implemented locally in the Phuket Marine Biological Centre and supported by local volunteers in Phuket, Koh Tao, Krabi, Pattaya, Khao Lak, Koh Phangan and Koh Phi Phi, aims to sustain marine tourism and the health of the local reefs, through programs dedicated to marine conservation, education and awareness.

www.blueplanetroatan.com

For an excellent and luxurious diving boutique experience in Roatan, Blue Planet Divers is the place to be. With numerous 5-star reviews on Google and Tripadvisor, this dive operator offers daily scuba diving trips for small groups, allowing its clients to enjoy the spectacular marine life of the best area in Honduras. On this website, you will also find suggestions and link to book convenient accommodation, and information about learning to dive.

www.utiladivecenter.com

Probably the most famous dive center in Honduras, known worldwide for its impressive offer of professional courses: divers from all over the world come here to get their Divemaster, Open Water Scuba Instructor and Specialty Instructor training and certifications. The website offers plenty of information for entry level courses as well, including Discover Scuba Diving and Open Water Diver, but also Emergency First Response Diver, Master Scuba Diver and Sidemount Diver. A special focus is given to the Utila Coral Restoration Project and its Coral Nursery, aiming to preserve its magnificent coral reef.

www.um.edu.mt

For students interested in the research and courses related to the dive world in Malta, the Diving Resource Centre – DRC – of the University of Malta, located within its Department of Biology, is a fully licensed PADI dive center offering dive course of all levels to university students and staff alike. On the website, you can navigate through the courses, both entry level and professional level, and take a look at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses offered by the institution.

https://divebasemalta.com/

Scuba diving in Malta is an unforgettable experience, and with Divebase it is even better! This dive operator offers plenty of different experiences, such as snorkeling trips, dive introductions for first timers, and guided dives for certified divers. The sea bottom around Malta presents a unique and extremely rich environment, with numerous shipwrecks, tunnels, caves and reefs. The dive sites of Malta, Gozo and Comino are known as some of the best in the Mediterranean Sea, but the website also recommends some on-land excursions such as Mdina, the Old Capital, or Valletta, the Fortress City.

www.guidemalta.com/en/9-diving-spots-that-make-the-maltese-islands-a-top-diving-destination

The ultimate guide to the best dive sites in Malta and Gozo: a comprehensive list of dive sites, including its best shipwrecks, but also the spectacular Blue Hole and several beautiful reefs. This website is of great help in preparation for your dive trip to Malta!

https://www.bestdivesmaldives.com/

Nothing compares to the luxury service of this dive operator for your dive vacation in the best islands of the Maldives. Best Dives Maldives has been operating in several different areas for several years with great success, offering their services to the most luxurious resorts such as Outrigger, Centara and Fushifaru. Their website offers information about watersports activities but also private yachts charter and fishing trips, all with a social and environmental responsibility mentality

https://www.tide-forecast.com/countries/Maldives

In a country tremendously affected by tides, with its average 1.6-meter altitude above the level of the sea, this website offers incomparable support for all dive operators and divers who intend to dive in this tremendous paradise.

www.scubadoctor.com.au

A comprehensive website with resources about diving in Australia, including special Coronavirus requirements and procedures, a list of Marine Protected areas, the Great Barrier Reef and plenty of diving articles.

www.redboats.com.au

Professional and well-organized dive charter operator located in Melbourne, this is the best way to dive Port Phillip Bay with its pristine reefs and breathtaking shipwrecks. The operation caters also for snorkelers who can swim with fur seals, and schools for educational trips.

www.greenpeace.org.au

The Australian website of the world-famous non-profit organization Greenpeace where divers, snorkelers and sea advocates can find information, events and incoming actions aiming to fight for a healthier world. You can sign up to receive updates and stay connected with the amazing Greenpeace world.

www.marine.uq.edu.au

The official website of the University of Queensland, leader in innovation and research for the marine environment: this website analyzes and explains common solutions being put in place for sustainable environments, industries and everyday lives, combining research and innovative technology to have a strong impact on the protection of global oceans, reefs and coastlines.

www.dan.org

No diver should forget to be fully insured, and DAN – Divers Alert Network – offers the best insurance both for recreational, professional and technical divers. Their website offers also training, videos, resources and interesting information, for a complete network of knowledge. The divers’ health and safety is the main focus of the DAN website, and a mission that DAN pursues since 1980.