Google plans to map the oceans...

As a natural progression from Google Earth and Google Sky, the Mountain View monolith now plans to create 3D maps of the Earth's oceans and seas and make it available via Google Ocean. The software will allow users to navigate the aquatic bottom and see the topography that exists down there. Google also plans to include interactive data about various subjects such as weather patterns, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and currents. The goal for Google ocean is to use as much high resolution photography of the underwater terrain as possible, offering more than just a map. But researchers say such a process could take upwards of 100 years. And Google, if you're going to include an easter egg similar to Google Earth's flight sim, could we get a guided tour with a virtual Team Zissou? [CNet News]

Sealife DC800

Sealife has released the DC800 Underwater Digital Camera. This modular unit -- it drops into a waterproof case or will operate as an out-of-water point-and-shoot -- includes an 8-megapixel camera with 2.7-inch display, wide-angle lens, SD/SDHC card support, and 4x optical zoom. So what makes this camera diver-friendly? Its menus and modes are designed for sub-surface snappers with five underwater modes to deal with the various water bodies' muck, grime, and color. The DC800 will function at 200 feet, weighs about 17 ounces and will set you back $549. Complete Press Release...

Humboldt squid move north

Voracious predators from southern ocean waters are making their way north to Vancouver Island.

Humboldt squid, up to two metres long and weighing 45 kilograms, are usually found in warmer waters off of Mexico and South America.

But a briefing paper recently released by Oregon State University suggests the jumbo squid, that typically dine on krill, lantern fish, shrimp, sardines, rockfish and other squid, may be now well established in the Pacific Northwest. Read more...

All divers saved after 40 hours!

PINGTUNG, Taiwan -- "I want a cold, cold drink." An experienced scuba diver told himself again, again and again. Ting Po-ling, 32, needed it -- very badly. He was thirsty, really thirsty, after more than 30 hours adrift on waters off southeast Taiwan.

Together with seven of his friends, Ting went out to sea from Kenting near the southernmost tip of Taiwan for a couple of hours of scuba diving near Chihsingyen (Seven Stars Rock) Sunday morning.

When their time came to go home, the skipper of the yacht that had carried the eight to the reef in the Bashee Channel, separating Taiwan from Luzon of the Philippines, could not find them. Without them, the boat returned to port at 11:30 a.m., and the divers were reported missing. Read more...

The best picture of a chihuahua dressed as a scuba diver you'll see today

Mondex the chihuahua, in a scuba suit, wins a canine fashion show in the Philippines.

Gator chomps down on Tampa golf ball diver

TAMPA — It was at Hole 13 — the farthest point from the country club — where Dwight Monreal narrowly escaped the jaws of an alligator eager to take him down Saturday.

"It was the most frightening thing I've ever seen," said Matt Johnson, a golf cart attendant at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club, where Monreal was wading for golf balls when the gator attacked. "It's so scary to think about what would have happened … that he might not have come back."
Read more...

Till now - only dolphins could communicate underwater - now you can too!

Based on text messaging technology, the UDI system allows divers to transmit pre-saved messages to other divers in the network, at a range of up to 500 meters (550 yards).
Depending on the individual needs of the team, divers can create up to 14 text messages that are saved in the memory of the unit.
When a message is sent, a received signal activates an audible alert and lights up the graphic LCD screen to notify the recipient. The recipient sends an acknowledgement back to the sender.
A Messages can also be transmitted between individual units and the boat unit. The result is an underwater digital network that connects divers together to promote safety and to enable more sophisticated communication to enhance the diving experience for all. Find out more...

Deep-sea divers raking in the moolah

Mumbai, April 25 They are mostly under-graduates or just graduates, but command a salary as high as $15,000 a month. They are much sought after by companies such as ONGC and Reliance.

Only, their work place is not in plush air-conditioned corporate offices, but in the hostile depths of the ocean about 300 metres below the surface.

Trained underwater divers are much in demand for carrying out various underwater tasks for offshore oil exploration and production (E&P) companies. Read more...

Underwater odyssey

The final voyage of the 19th century two-masted schooner Hamilton started like so many others, departing Muskegon with a load of freshly cut timber bound for Chicago.

The discovery and identification of the vessel nearly 135 years later, spearheaded by Holland-based Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, has put the Hamilton back in the news this week and Muskegon's lumber era back in historical context.

It also brought an end to the mystery surrounding the previously missing ship, one of many Great Lakes victims that had yet to be discovered. Read more...

Wounded Marine Uses Special Prosthetic Leg to Scuba Dive

KEY LARGO, Fla. — A 22-year-old Marine, who lost his leg after combat injury in Iraq, used a special prosthesis Monday to scuba dive in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Jeremy Stengel of Waterford, Wisc., is part of a group of 14 soldiers with war-related injuries participating in Warrior Dive through Tuesday. The event is organized by the International Association for Handicapped Divers in conjunction with a Key Largo dive shop and other area businesses.

Stengel said the water leg prosthesis is more waterproof than the one he uses on land and features an artificial foot that can be extended so a dive fin can be used as normal. Read more...

Shark eats Shark Shield...

This is awkward…during the testing phase for the Shark Shield, an electronic device that is designed to go on the back of surfboards to keep sharks away, one of the devices was actually eaten by a shark.

Yeah, not only did this thing not keep sharks away, but it actually attracted the attention of a 12-foot great white enough that it mistook it for a tasty snack. Luckily, it was on a buoy and not a surfboard at the time. Read the rest here...

Or you could get 670 Hyper-Aqualands....

At $22,000, the Jaeger-LeCoultre is not a computer, but it's a wonder of mechanical engineering that can measure depths down to 262 feet with a unique membrane-based gauge system. The titanium model is capable of going down to 3,281 feet (1,000 meters), as tested by their submarine robot in waters all across the world. Its mechanical automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 979 innards are handcrafted, with 247 parts, 29 jewels and ticks at 28,800 vibrations per hour. While it's not the most complicated watch in the world, which is one of the benchmarks of such a machine, it's pretty much up there. Find out more...

The Great White Hoax

A man who claimed he was mauled by a shark at Bondi Beach has been arrested over a string of break-ins as doubts emerge about the attack. Hobart itinerant Scott Wright made headlines as Bondi's first shark victim in 78 years after he said he had to fight off a 1.8m shark at south Bondi on Friday night. Although initially dubious, lifeguards who examined three deep gashes on his right arm, said it appeared the 34-year-old may have been attacked by a docile wobbegong. Read more...

Never forget where you parked your car while diving...

Introducing the Rinspeed sQuba Car...it's real...

The "Gold" standard of dive computers

The Sea Instrument removes the stress of being underwater, guiding with the theoretical decompression information required. Presenting data on the dive depth and time constantly keeps the user in a true real time picture. A state of the art 3-axis compass with waypoint bearing will help guide you through your dive path. On resurfacing, the Land Mode logs surface time, desaturation and no fly times allowing you to prepare for any repetitive dives.


Price is $3,000 for the steel version, and $46,000 if you want one in gold. Don't forget the only way the Sea Instrument works is if you clip it to the Biformeter, which costs $5,000. Linde Werdelin site...