Welcome to the May 2026 edition of TheScubaDirectory newsletter, where we explore the incredible world beneath the surface of the ocean.
In this month's edition: - 9 Best Dive Sites in Roatan
- May Dive Brief
- Rare Frogfish Behavior Caught on Camera
- SS United States Reef Project Update
- AI Helps Humans Talk to a Whale
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New on TheScubaDirectory | 9 Best Dive Sites in Roatan |  | | | Planning a trip to Roatan? These are the dive sites worth building your trip around. From swim-through channels and reef walls to standout wrecks, this guide covers the must-dive spots.
See the 9 best dive sites in Roatan | May Dive Brief (Preview) | May is one of the most balanced months of the year. Conditions are strong across multiple regions, summer crowds have not fully arrived, and pricing remains relatively stable before peak season kicks in. Best bets right now: - Indonesia (Komodo / Bali): entering prime conditions
- Maldives: strong visibility with increasing pelagic activity
- Cozumel: reliable drift diving with slightly quieter reefs
Want the full May Dive Brief, including where to avoid, timing insights, and planning tips?
Get the full May Dive Brief → | Industry News | Rare Frogfish Behavior Caught on Camera |  | Video Credit: youtube.com/@AtmosphereResortSpa | A newly released video captures something most divers will never see in the wild, frogfish engaged in a rare mating interaction.
Filmed in Dauin, Philippines, the footage shows three frogfish in what appears to be a competitive courtship, with two males vying for a single female. Even in a region known as a global frogfish hotspot, behavior like this is rarely observed.
Frogfish are typically solitary and highly territorial, which makes encounters like this incredibly unusual. In this case, divers witnessed what experts believe is an egg-carrying female being courted by multiple males, a moment that highlights just how unpredictable and fascinating macro diving can be. Check out the video on YouTube | SS United States Reef Project Update |  | Image credit: SS United States Conservancy | We’ve been following this one for a while, and it’s getting close.
The historic SS United States is now in the final stages of preparation to become the world’s largest artificial reef, with deployment still targeting 2026 off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Where it’s going:
The wreck site has been confirmed about 22 nautical miles offshore near Destin–Fort Walton Beach, placing it within reach of Gulf Coast dive operators.
How deep it will sit: - Seafloor: ~180 ft (55 m)
- Upper decks: ~55–60 ft (17–18 m)
That range means the wreck is being designed for both recreational and technical diving, with multiple depth profiles across the structure.
At nearly 1,000 feet long, the SS United States is set to become the largest artificial reef in the world and a major new dive attraction in the Gulf. If everything stays on track, it’s shaping up to be one of the most accessible bucket list wreck dives in North America. Read the full story | AI Helps Humans Talk to a Whale |  | Image credit: Oliver Tsappis on Unsplash | Scientists have reported a 20-minute back-and-forth exchange with a humpback whale named Twain, using AI-assisted communication to interact with the animal in its own language.
Researchers played a recorded whale “greeting” call underwater, and Twain responded by approaching the boat and matching the timing and pattern of each signal, creating a structured, turn-taking interaction that resembled conversation.
While still early, the work suggests we may be starting to understand how whales communicate, with broader implications for decoding non-human intelligence both in the ocean and beyond. Read the full story | Planning a dive trip? | PRO gives you monthly dive briefs, planning tools, and insights to help you plan better dive trips.
👉 Get the full Dive Brief → | | | Thanks for reading! If you have any comments or suggestions for this newsletter please contact us at admin@thescubadirectory.com. Happy Diving, Logan Brown | | |  | |
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