Diving USS Oriskany, the Largest Artificial Reef in the World
From barracudas to bearded fireworms, discover what it's like to dive the world's largest artificial reef and why the USS Oriskany deserves
How to Mark Your Scuba Gear Like a Paranoid South African
The most definitive guide on the internet to marking EVERY piece of dive gear you own, whether you're a cold or warm
The Complete Guide to Cold Water Diving by a Cold Water Diver, Not an AI Bot
Why cold water diving is magical, what you need to know to do it (and not get cold), and how to fall
Canva Painting 101, or How to Create Unique Blog Images Using Canva
If you know me in real life, you know I love art and design almost as much as I love writing. In
Creating AI Art for Your Blog When Real Images Don’t Exist
Discover how I use AI to create images for my blog when reality falls short and get tips for generating art that
Train Approaching, a Poem About Impatience
This is a poem about impatience, or really, about patience.
Unmasked, a Poem About Diving with Death
This is a poem about diving with death. Though diving is a safe activity, accidents do happen. I wrote this one to
What is Nature Writing?
I've often asked am I a travel writer or a nature writer? The answer changes the way I write. Here's what I
Why I’m Choosing to Write Without AI (Even If It Slows Me Down)
I’ve spent hours experimenting with AI tools but when it comes to writing, I’ve decided to set them aside. Choosing the harder
How I Became a Travel Writer Without Meaning To
I set out to write fiction—but scuba diving, travel, and a love of story pulled me somewhere unexpected. Here's how I became
Meet the First Truly Portable, Modular Microscope for Hobbyists and Scientists Alike
For researchers, scientists and hobbyists, this company has invented the ultimate high-quality yet portable microscope. Here's my review.
The Ultimate Dive Planner and Journal for Scuba Divers and Content Creators
A 4-in-1 dive log, planner, journal, and creative tool built specifically for people who write, photograph, film, share or document their dives.
What It Feels Like to Dive Deep, Past 130 Feet
Past 130 feet, something happens to both body and mind. No two people feel the depth the same way, though most of
Ultimate Guide to Diving the Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle is quickly becoming America’s top wreck diving destination, with well over 40 wrecks and counting.
Could This Be the Dive Gear Trend of the Future?
Two is better than one when it comes to this key safety item. Are you packing the right gear?
First Impressions of Wilmington, North Carolina
Outside of Florida-esque beaches, Wilmington has a hot brewery scene, great vegan options and no sidewalks! Here's the lowdown after 3 months
My Current Dive Gear (And Why I Dive It)
After years of testing different dive gear I've finally settled on the options that work for rec, tech, cold and warm water.
SAC Rate Calculator
Easily estimate your breathing gas usage for safer, more efficient dives.
How to Calculate SAC Rate: A Step-by-Step Guide
This is the how-to article I wish I had when I was learning to dive. Simply explained and clear.
The Best Liveaboard Packing List Out There
While this checklist list does not tell you how many socks to pack or prompt you to take electrolytes, it does do
Free Travel Planning Workbook
Whether you like to map your trip out in detail in advance or operate by the seat of your pants, this workbook
Subscribe to My Monthly Email Newsletter
Exclusive insight into the world of a travel writer and creative junkie. No spam, just fun and a few freebies and discounts
Why You Should Keep a Travel Journal
I won’t sugarcoat it: keeping track of what you do when you travel is hard. You’ve got places to see, maps to
Wolf Eels—The Much-Loved, Little-Researched Fish of the Pacific
These gentle giants deserve our curiosity and protection, especially given their nearshore habitat.
Break Into Travel Writing: Detailed Advice on Getting Started Now
Become a travel writer in no time with these hard-earned tips from years of dive travel assignments.
Escaping Asheville: A Rough Start to the Nomad Journey
Existing in Asheville after Hurricane Helene's hit was a depressing start to the nomad journey.
How the Adorable Sea Bunny Became an SEO Goldmine
Why is everyone and their grandmother writing about the sea bunny?
Dived or Dove? That Is the Question
Ah, the English language—a glorious mishmash of borrowed words, baffling idioms, and grammar rules that seem to have been drafted during a
Essential Marine Life Guides: 11 Must-Have Books for Exploring the Pacific Northwest
For those of you living in the Pacific Northwest and who love marine life (or who love identifying it) these books are
Blank Slate or Informed? What’s the Best Way to Travel?
The best way to travel depends on both your personality and the goals you have for your trip.
Tidepool Reflections
In winter, Oregon’s coastal communities circle briefly like a bear and curl in on themselves ready to ride out months of wind,
A Recipe For a PROPER Cup of Plant-Based Tea (Yes, It’s Possible)
As every British person knows, there is a right way to make a cup of tea—there's also a wrong way.
How to Pick the Right Destination For Your Next Dive Trip
Before you book your dive trip, consider your dive skill level, the marine life you want to see and the type of
Liveaboard or Day Boat? What’s the Best Way to Dive?
Ah, the question dive travelers love to ask. Should you book your next dive trip on a liveaboard, or perhaps go the
How Much Does Scuba Gear Cost?
As most seasoned divers know, the way to dive more is to buy your own gear and dive local.
Scuba Diving Mike’s Beach Resort: Dive Site Review
Nestled along the serene shores of the Hood Canal, Mike's Beach Resort is one of Washington State's most popular dive sites.
Scuba Agnostic: AKA, Why I Train Broadly
I’m a PADI scuba diving instructor. I’m also a NAUI/AAUS Scientific Diver, a TDI Tech Diver, have done my GUE fundies, and
12 Non-Fiction Books for New Scuba Divers Based on Real Events
If there’s one thing I’m glad I got my teeth hooked into early in my diving career, it’s non-fiction books about scuba
How Much Does It Cost To Get Scuba Certified?
Scuba diving can be a very affordable hobby. Here's how much it will cost to get certified.
Scuba Tips for Beginners: You WILL Learn To Clear Your Mask
Mask skills are the ones new divers are either most nervous about, or that they struggle most with. It's both logical and
Scuba Tips for Beginners: Embrace the Unknown
No matter how many times people tell you you'll get used to breathing underwater (you will), it's still a seriously weird feeling
7 Techniques to Hide a Belt Bag When Flying
Belt bags used to be the height of uncool. In fact, until recently in the U.S., they were called fanny packs—a term
Why Dive Travel Is More Than Just a Vacation
Dive travel provides a blend of adventure, relaxation, and insight into the environment like nothing else.
Travel Comfy: What I Wear When I Fly
I never thought I'd have a "travel outfit" but I do. It's the product of three years of intense traveling for dive
What It Means to Be Human Underwater
When Ellie Hudson shared a photo she’d taken of me underwater, I was blown away. Not only had she used a simple
The Break Before the Adventure: My Nomadic Transition
Ironically, I hadn’t planned for my nomadic life to start with a two-week break, but that’s how things unfolded. This break gave
7 Things That Make Nomadic Living Possible
Simply wanting to embrace a nomadic lifestyle isn’t enough. While many people are drawn to the idea, certain factors can either ease
Why I’m Going Nomad
I'm going nomad, it's official! This is the first post in what I hope will be a weekly series. Follow along and
Scuba Divers, Before You Consider the Insta360 X4 Be Aware of This Major Flaw
Lately, a lot of scuba divers have been asking me about my experience with the Insta360 X4 camera. It has after all
How Aquatica Digital Kickstarted My Journey into Underwater Photography
Though the photo bug bit early-ish for me, probably just a year or two into diving, taking the next step felt daunting
Breaking Surface: The First (More) Realistic Diving Movie
I'll admit, I was not frothing at the bit to watch Breaking Surface, not after 47 Meters Down made a mockery of
Vegan Salmon Lox—Who Knew Carrots Could Do This?!
If there’s one type of fish I miss the taste and texture of, it’s salmon. My mom used to bake it in
How to Mark Your Bolt Snaps and Double-Enders (So You Know They’re Yours)
As a traveling (and sometimes teaching) diver, one of my biggest gripes is losing double enders and bolt snaps to others. I
What It’s Like to Dive WWII Wrecks in Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia
Exploring the world's most renowned wreck destination—and the inner mind.
Traces of the Past
In 2022, the Managing Editor of Scuba Diving magazine asked if I wanted to head out on a trip to the Caribbean
Keeping a Log Book: Your Essential Tool for Writing Compelling Travel Articles
Whether you’re diving the beautiful table coral reefs of the Maldives or exploring the bustling street markets of Southeast Asia, every travel
Perfect is the Enemy
Aiming for perfection and then not achieving it is bound to make you feel more like a failure than chipping away at
Scuba Diving Sund Rock Marine Preserve: Dive Site Review
If you hate wolf eels, giant pacific octopus, epic wall dives and schooling rock fish, absolutely do not visit Sund Rock. It's
I’m in Love with Ray-Ban Stories Because POV!
If there’s anything that’s becoming popular on social these days it’s a first person POV. Your feet moving below you as you
Getting Fishy, or Why I Had to Buy a Fisheye Lens
If you've ever wanted to know why you should purchase a fisheye lens, here are the reasons. Now tell me you didn't
Love Scuba Diving? Buy a Microscope
When the COVID-19 lockdown began, much like everyone else, I found myself looking for ways to keep busy. I "covid baked." I
Vegan Caviar—A Pain-Free Recipe
What I remember of caviar has more to do with the emotions of childhood—joy and carefree abandon, playing at sophistication—than anything related
A Solution to All Your SD Card Storage and Carry-Case Woes
In January, I hopped aboard the Maldives Aggressor for a week of incredible diving, family time and, well, work. Yes, how I
Plant-Based Seafood Alternatives: Delicious Recipes for Divers & Ocean Lovers
Recipes you should know if you love the taste of fish but don't want to be a part of the huge problem
Egypt’s “Wrecks of the North” with All Star Liveaboards
This article was originally published in Scuba Diving magazine. The wreck we’re descending on is not like the formidable cargo ships I
The Invisible Ocean: A Dive Into the World of Microscopic Marine Life
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I bought a microscope. With diving instruction halted and social distancing firmly in place I turned
5 of the Best Dive Sites in the British Virgin Islands
This article was originally published on Scuba Diving magazine. Perhaps best known as an idyllic sailing destination, the British Virgin Islands (BVI)
A Dive and Travel Adventure in Turks & Caicos
This article was originally published in Scuba Diving magazine. It’s 6:45 a.m., and I’m in a pocket-size rental car on the way
Scuba Diving Alexander Springs in Florida
This article was originally published on Scuba Diving magazine. Nestled in the heart of the Ocala National Forest, Alexander Springs is a
Scuba Diving the Wreck of the Comet: Dive Site Review
The Comet is a shallow tug boat wreck located just out of Port Hadlock. It's an easy shore dive in no more
Scuba Diving Titlow Beach: Dive Site Review
I wanted to dive Titlow before I even knew it was a Washington State dive destination. It's a stone's throw away from
Scuba Diving Fox Island West Wall: Dive Site Review
Fox Island West Wall is a great dive site for beginners and advanced divers alike. Although the site is easy to get
Dive Kind: My Diving Philosophy
When you Dive Kind you’ll not only be bringing light to the problems you see, but be taking action toward making changes.
From South African Meat Eater to Plant-Based Scuba Diver
If you eat meat, this essay is not here to make you feel bad. I loved the taste of meat and ate
The Ultimate Cold Water Diving Packing List
A couple of years ago I made my own packing list for cold water diving trips because I noticed that most packing
Would an Alien “Conservationist” Kill Us, Eat Us, or Something Else?
Any alien species with conservationists as we define them today, would kill us or eat us. But, what if they weren't like
Scuba Diving Clear Lake, Oregon
Whether you're from Oregon or traveling from further afield, Clear Lake is one dive site you're bound to have heard of—a tropical
How to Perform a Few Basic Scuba Skills
When you take a Discover Scuba Diving course or the PADI Open Water Course, these are some of the first few skills
7 Things That Blew My Mind When I Learned to Scuba Dive
When I registered for my Open Water Course in 2016, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that
Marketing Your Scuba Services During COVID-19
If you teach scuba diving, work at a dive shop, run a dive shop, sell scuba diving equipment, or are in any
Gear Review: BARE XCS2 Drysuit
I have been diving a BARE drysuit for three years and have never once regretted purchasing it as my primary means of
What I Learned Working For a Bestselling Author
Working with Barry Lopez taught me how to write, and live, with intention.
Why You Should Feel Good About Being a Generalist
Tired of being told to “pick one thing”? Same. Here’s why embracing your diverse interests might be the smartest move you ever
Success and the Law of Contraction
Of the many things I have learned recently, “The Law of Contraction” is perhaps the most useful and the most easy for
Why You Should Hire an Explorer to Do Your Marketing
When you think of “good marketing” what comes to mind? For me it’s something that makes me stop. Something unique. Something different.
Cold Water Dive Gear: A Shopping List for New Divers [INFOGRAPHIC]
For many people entering the cold water diving world for the first time, knowing what gear to purchase can seem overwhelming. This
Becoming an Oregon Marine Reserves Diver
The Oregon Marine Reserves Diver is an achievable goal. All you have to do to get there is love learning, have an
Diving the Kehloken Possession Point Ferry
This article is about a dive trip I did in 2018 out to the Kehloken Possession Point Ferry. The ferry burned in
Scuba Diving in Oregon: Dive Sites For Anyone
A list of the sites I have personally dived in Oregon. Most sites are suitable for beginners and all sites can be
How to Dive the North Jetty Dive Park Dive Site in Florence, Oregon
Of the many beautiful dive sites in Oregon, perhaps the most popular is the Florence North Jetty. In 2003 this site was
On Becoming an Inadvertent Naturalist
The more time you spend in one area examining just one rock or tide pool, the more there is that reveals itself.
The Eternal Search for the Perfect Dive Log Book
In June, when I hit the 180 dives mark, I stopped logging my dives. Since then I haven't been able to get
13 True Adventure Books for Aspiring Tech Divers (Published by TDI)
Because I am a hopeless wreck diving romantic, I've compiled a list of the great nail-biting reads that over the years have
The Woefully Misunderstood Wolf Eel
If sea lions are the dogs of the sea then the wolf eel is the cat of the sea. Curious, moody, affectionate,
Scuba Professionals Should Cultivate a Learning Mindset
What do bungee chairs, ambient light, essay-style answers, good habits, and how the brain processes information have in common?
Book Review—Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits
When I started reading Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits, I thought I was in for another slog through psychology studies
A Student’s Perspective
Every now and then it’s good to step outside of the comfort zone of your own well-fitted scuba gear and don the
Diving Doubles in Open Water For the First Time
On Wednesday I tried doubles in open water for the first time. While this has been a long time coming, I have
Book Review—Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria
Given there is indeed an "Everest-like" obsession surrounding diving this wreck I felt this one merited a book of its own, if
The Honor of Being Eyed by a Starry Flounder
The best part of diving at the Oregon Coast Aquarium is that I'm in close contact with marine life. As I continue
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