West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP) --

Ask any shark diver why they do it and the answer is quick and simple — the thrill. From Cape Town to California, Florida and the Bahamas, adventurous divers can slip into the ocean with an experienced guide to observe some of the world's fiercest predators.

But some say the search for a thrill has gone too far: baiting the water with bloody fish parts and getting face-to-face to the most aggressive species without cages or protective gear. An Austrian tourist on this kind of dive was fatally bitten by a shark this week.

Bans on feeding sharks in Florida and federal waters have pushed some shark diving companies to the Bahamas, about 50 miles off the coast, where 49-year-old Austrian lawyer Markus Groh's tour took him Sunday. He was bitten on the leg and died a day later.


Read full article: 'Shark Feeding Questioned After Attack'

Http://www.chinadiveexhibition.com

Read full article: 'China Dive Exhibition 2008'

By Ralph Jennings

GREEN ISLAND, Taiwan (Reuters) - A tropical island off the coast of Taiwan has become a victim of its own success as pollution caused by a recent spike in tourism threatens its reputation as the best diving spot in East Asia.

The aptly named 15-square-kilometre Green Island, an hour's ferry ride from Taiwan's main isle, is fast losing its luster due to garbage and excrement dumped into its azure waters and shrinking reefs plundered by coral-robbing tourists.


Read full article: 'Tourism threatens one of East Asia's top diving spots'

BY TOBY MUSE

MALPELO, Colombia -- With lethargic grace, the hammerhead shark slices through the blue gloom. It flicks its T-shaped head this way and that, surveying its underwater domain with the surety of knowing that the food chain comes to an abrupt end in its mouth.

The shark is cruising some 20 feet beneath me as I snorkel through the turbulent waters surrounding the Pacific islet of Malpelo, a Colombian wildlife sanctuary and gem for scuba divers.


Read full article: 'Swimming with sharks, divers revel in waters around remote Colombian island'

By Cliodhna McGowan, cliodhna@cfp.ky

Future plans to grow the sport of scuba diving in the Cayman Islands, a sport which has had its share of challenges, were discussed this week by the public and private sectors.

The Cayman Islands Tourism Association’s watersports committee met with the Department of Tourism Tuesday in order to refine Cayman’s strategies to grow the sport over the next two years.


Read full article: 'Dive tourism facing challenges'

RATHDRUM -- The search for the perfect waterfront view is over. You don't need a million dollars, but a few thousand couldn't hurt.

A Rathdrum businessman is embarking on a project on a private Fijian island in the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean. The white sand is amazing, but it's what's underwater that will have you grabbing your passport.


Read full article: 'Rathdrum man building first-ever underwater resort in Fiji'

Conch Republic Divers / Spanish Main Treasure / Treasure Divers TV. What do all these companies have in common? They are all owned an operated by Capt Gary and Admiral Brenda Mace of the Florida Keys. The Mace’s bought Conch Republic Divers 4 years ago and in that short time was awarded by the readers of Scuba Diving Magazine as the number one dive shop in the entire Florida Keys for 2006 and 2007.


Read full article: 'Conch Republic Divers Continues to Make a Splash in Key Largo'

Tawali Adventures, which handles Tawali, MY Spirit of Niugini and MV Chertan, is very pleased to announce that John Boozer has joined the team as Director of Sales & Marketing. John has a vast background in the dive industry in positions with Aggressor Fleet, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort, Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers, among others.


Read full article: 'Tawali Announces John Boozer as Director of Sales and Marketing'

By Chris Shott

You don’t have to be Jacques Cousteau to go scuba-diving in shark-infested waters.

Just ask his son, fellow sea-explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau: “I took the Duchess of York, who was afraid of water,” he says. “In three days, this incredible lady learned to scuba dive, put a chain-mail suit on, and went and fed sharks in the Bahamas.”



Read full article: 'Scariest shark dives'

By VIRGINIA WHEELER

TWO British divers were abandoned for FIVE hours in shark-infested waters after instructors failed to notice they were missing.

The terrified pair, holidaying in Antigua, drifted for miles in the Caribbean after the party left the site for LUNCH without them.

The group even continued to scuba dive elsewhere in the afternoon — not realising the men were missing until their wives searched for them when the boat arrived back at the dock.


Read full article: 'Dive boat left 2 Brits to sharks'

COZUMEL, Mexico (Aug. 21, 2007) - The island of Cozumel experienced only tropical storm winds, as Hurricane Dean moved through Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula early Tuesday morning on August 21.

According to Raul Marrufo, Director of the Cozumel Tourism Promotion Board, "Cozumel was well prepared for Dean, but fortunately the hurricane did not pass through the island," explained Marrufo. "Cozumel is back to normal and everything on the island is set to resume operations on Wednesday including local schools, hotels, restaurants and more."


Read full article: 'HURRICANE DEAN REPORT - COZUMEL TOURISM BACK ON TRACK'

I remember seeing a picture of a restaurant that was underwater and surrounded by tropical fish, with what looked like glass walls and ceiling. Do you know where it is please? Sharne Forester, Scarborough

Sunday Times travel expert, Richard Green, responds:


Read full article: 'Eating with the fishes'

A unique underwater park has been created on Buddy’s Reef, the house reef of Bonaire’s premium (dive) resort Buddy Dive Resort. In an effort to create awareness and educate divers about the importance of our reefs, Buddy Dive Resort, with the consent of the Bonaire National Marine Park, decided to create an educational diving trail.


Read full article: 'Buddy Dive Resort Opens New Underwater Park'

Three of Bonaire’s top resorts are proud to announce that unlimited Nitrox is standard included in their dive/air packages as of the coming 2007/2008 season that commences in December 2007.


Buddy Dive Resort, Belmar Oceanfront Apartments and Caribbean Club Bonaire are all part of Solar Management that operates those three top (dive) resorts and markets them under their own unique name. “What our resorts have in common is that they can all be defined as providing an excellent value-for-money ratio with outstanding (dive) operations and services while the personal attention of our staff makes the difference” says Ruud van Baal, Managing Director of Solar Management.



Read full article: 'Three Bonaire Resorts Announce UNLIMITED Nitrox'

Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos – May 29, 2007: Salt Cay Divers has announced a summer-long special for scuba diving travelers. From June 1 through September 30, 2007, guests can stay at the Tradewinds Guest Suites (http://www.tradewinds.tc/) for 8 days/7 nights and enjoy 10 dives with Salt Cay Divers for just $638 per person.


Read full article: 'Salt Cay Divers Announces 2 for 1 Summer Special'