Welcome to the March 2024 edition of TheScubaDirectory newsletter. This month marks the 1-year anniversary of this newsletter! I hope you have enjoyed reading and have learned something new. Let us know if you want to see more of this or less of that at admin@thescubadirectory.com.

In this month's edition:

• 7 Best Dive Sites in Cozumel in 2024
• Introducing Mother of Corals
• 4 New Octopus Species Discovered
• Keeping Wetsuits Out of Landfills
• Paul Humann passes away at age 86

New on TheScubaDirectory

7 Best Dive Sites in Cozumel in 2024

🌴 Cozumel is widely regarded as one of the world's top scuba diving destinations.

📋Divers have rated their favorite dive sites on TheScubaDirectory as follows:

1. Ship Wreck C-53
2. Palancar Gardens
3. Casa Blanca
4. Palancar Horseshoe
5. Santa Rosa Wall
6. Yucab
7. Paradise Reef

View the full listing here and have your say by rating your favorite!

Been Diving Lately?

Image Credit: TSD user ByronK

As a diver, your experiences are very helpful to others and will help them in deciding what sites to dive and operators to dive with.

By sharing your experiences, you are making TheScubaDirectory a better resource for everyone.

🙏 Please take a moment to review a dive site or dive shop.

Together with Mother of Corals

Image Credit: Mother of Corals

Who is Mother of Corals?

Mother of Corals was founded to educate coastal communities around the world about coral importance, sustainability, and reduce human impact on reefs. How, exactly? By empowering communities with tools and training to create artificial coral reef habitats, enhancing environmental and economic sustainability.

But, we simply can't make positive change alone — we need YOU too!

Introducing Mother of Corals REVIVE: Reef Restoration Course!

Curated for students, environmentalists, divers, soon-to-be-divers and anyone passionate about coral conservation, MOC’s REVIVE 7-day, in person course actively participates in coral reef ecosystem preservation. Empowering one student at a time, we equip you with the skills to make a tangible impact from Day 1.

Be the Change

We invite you to join us in making a lasting positive change today. Ready to dive in? Click here for more information and secure your spot in Mother of Corals REVIVE: Reef Restoration Course.

Let's REVIVE and protect our oceans together, so we can shape a brighter and more sustainable future.

Industry News

4 New Octopus Species Discovered

Image Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute released to the press under CC 4.0.

🐙🐙🐙🐙

The Schmidt Ocean Institute has announced an incredible discovery off Costa Rica. At a depth of about 2 miles (3.2 km), marine scientists identified four new species of octopus.

Two octopus nurseries were discovered by the team next to hydrothermal springs (hot springs) during their first expedition last June. The team returned again 6 months later to confirm that the nurseries appear to be active year-round.

The specimens that were collected will be given to institutes in Costa Rica to inspire local deep-sea conservation and marine research in the future.

Learn More

Keeping Wetsuits Out of Landfills

Photo Credit: scuba.com

Scuba.com has partnered with Lava Rubber and the Diveheart Foundation to recycle and turn old wetsuits into a variety of usable items such as Yoga mats, coasters, welcome mats, and Koozies.

Wetsuits are commonly made of neoprene which is not biodegradable. This new initiative aims to help make wetsuits more environmentally friendly and sustainable going forward.

Old wetsuits can be dropped off at Scuba.com retail locations in Costa Mesa, CA and New York, NY or sent directly to Lava Rubber.

Learn More

Paul Humann passes away at age 86

Photo Credit: reef.org

The co-founder of New World Publications and REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) passed away at the age of 86 on February 5^th at his home in Florida.

Mr. Humann was best known for the internationally renowned Reef Fish Identification books which I have personally spent hours looking through, learning from, and researching. When packing for a dive trip, a Reef Fish Identification book is one of the first things in my bag.

In 1971, Mr. Humann left a successful law practice to become the captain and owner of the M/V Cayman Diver which was the Caribbean’s first scuba diving liveaboard. He spent the next eight years diving, studying, and documenting the diversity of the Caribbean’s marine life and coral reefs.

Throughout his career, he has been featured in numerous magazines and independently published multiple marine life books. He was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2007 and received the NOGI award from the Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences three years later, for his efforts to preserve the underwater world.

An inspiring man whose life reminds me of the importance to discover, dream, and explore.

Thanks for reading! If you have any comments or suggestions for this newsletter please contact us at admin@thescubadirectory.com.

Happy Diving,

Logan Brown