X-Ray Mag #123

A powerful influencer of climate and ocean currents, the Atlantic Ocean is vast, stretching from the North Pole down to the South Pole. At around the middle of this massive system lie the Azores Islands, about seven hours flight from New York or approximately four hours from Lisbon. Silke Ptaszynski shares her adventure to the southernmost island of Santa Maria, with photos by Rainer Schimpf.

As global warming heats up oceans around the world, coral bleaching events are increasing in frequency and severity. Robert Osborne reports on how climate change has impacted his favourite coral reef in Cuba.

As more and more people get their dive news and articles digitally, print dive magazines have been disappearing. Freelance photojournalist Eric Hanauer looks back at his time as a dive writer over the decades and how dive journalism has evolved.

The Gaia Love liveaboard offers a distinctive diving experience in Indonesia, blending luxury with the thrill of underwater exploration. Renowned for its exceptional service and attention to detail, this liveaboard is not just about comfort; it is a gateway to some of the most spectacular diving adventures in the world.

Triton Bay. Untouched, remote, overwhelming... it is an under-water world that enchants. Claudia Weber-Gebert shares her liveaboard adventure there.

This article is an abridged version of an early chapter in Simon Pridmore’s history of the early days of technical diving, Technically Speaking—Talks on Technical Diving, Volume 1: Genesis and Exodus. The nitrox saga would end up as the subject of vitriolic debate and bitter division in the sport diving community for half a decade. This is its origin story.

We asked our contributors to share their favorite photos that show pairs and companions, or two of a kind, and they returned with a range of macro to wide-angle shots, featuring a variety of marine life large and small from around the world.

Undeniably one of the world’s extraordinary destinations, Raja Ampat blends breath-taking, above-water landscapes with a staggering abundance of marine biodiversity, into a remarkable combination that draws divers from all corners of the globe. Don Silcock writes about one of the pioneers of diving in this region, Ricard Buxo.

How can one capture “abstractionism” in an underwater photo? Underwater photographer Claudio Ziraldo discusses abstract underwater photography and shares some examples of sea art.