Scubaverse

In the last in this exclusive series of five videos, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris, about their diving and wildlife adventures, and four of their top destinations. In this episode Christopher talks about Africa.

In the fourth in this exclusive series of five videos, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris, about their diving and wildlife adventures, and four of their top destinations. In this episode Christopher talks about St Helena.

In the third in this exclusive series of five videos, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris, about their diving and wildlife adventures, and some of their top destinations. In this episode Christopher talks about Dominica and Mexico.

In the second in this exclusive series of five videos, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris, about their diving and wildlife adventures, and four of their top destinations. In this episode Christopher talks about Papua New Guinea.

In this exclusive series of five videos, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris, about their diving and wildlife adventures, and four of their top destinations. In this episode Christopher talks about the company and their aims.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Anca Vaida - Doctor (Consultant Psychiatrist), award winning Actor, Director, Writer, Producer and Scuba Diver, about her love of diving.

Anca is a Romanian Actor, Director, Writer and Producer, who trained at East 15 Acting school, London. She has won seven acting awards at a variety of international film festivals for playing the role of Dr Alex Ionescu in the TV series 'Psyched!', which she also wrote, directed and produced.

Some of Anca’s most notable projects include Crossing Continents on BBC radio, the film Can We Order First? which premiered at the Berlin Short Film Festival, the play Sorry, My Compassion is on the Blink at the Pleasance Theatre, London, and the play Fine and Dandy at the King’s Head Theatre.

A keen diver, Anca got her PADI Open Water Certification in 2012 and has gone on to dive in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Dahab in Egypt, as well as in Lefkada in Greece, The Cape Verde Islands and Miami, USA.

In her spare time, when not diving, Anca is also a Doctor (Consultant Psychiatrist) with 13 years' experience in the NHS.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Paul Cox, CEO of the Shark Trust UK about the Big Shark Pledge.

The Big Shark Pledge aims to build one of the biggest campaigning communities in the history of shark conservation. To put pressure on governments and fisheries. And make the positive changes required to safeguard awesome sharks and rays.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Margo Peyton, President / CEO of Kids Sea Camp Inc. & Family Dive Adventures.

Margo is also a Member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, a SCUBAPRO Deep Elite, PADI Ambassadiver and PADI Elite MSDT instructor. She has been awarded The PADI Lifetime Achievement, PADI Award of Excellence in training and education, Beneath The Sea Diver of the Year, and the DEMA Hall Of Fame/ Reaching Out Award. Margo is a Wyland Icon nominee, SSI Platnum Pro Diver, a Lifetime member of the Historical Diving Society, The Family Travel Associations Person Of The Year, and a recipient of The Legends of The Sea Award.

Margo has contributed to over 7,600 certified youths and zero dive accidents. A leader, pioneer, and inspiration to her peers, she has dedicated her life to children and diving. Margo is a passionate ocean advocate who promotes education, training and travels in every part of her life. Margo is also the founder of Ocean Wishes, a charity designed to protect, preserve and educate, through training grants, donations, and conservation. Margo is a writer and contributor to many dive magazines. She is an expert consultant with regard to children and diving and has been published in Diver Magazine, Scuba Diving Magazine, Dive Training, Diver Alert Magazine, Sport Diver Magazine, Working Mothers Magazine, USA Today, The Sun Sentinal, The State, Departures Magazine, The Undersea Journal, Ocean Realm, Scuba Diver Magazine, and others.

In this exclusive two-part Zoom interview, Dove Joans - author, artist, creative conservationist, host, storyteller and explorer - interviews Jeff Goodman - multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker, author and Editor-at-Large for Scubaverse - about his life filming and interactions with wildlife.

Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold Jeff's passion with over 10,000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for RAID.

Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life. He has witnessed, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time.

Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.

In this exclusive two-part Zoom interview, Dove Joans - author, artist, creative conservationist, host, storyteller and explorer - interviews Jeff Goodman - multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker, author and Editor-at-Large for Scubaverse - about his life filming and interactions with wildlife.

Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold Jeff's passion with over 10,000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for RAID.

Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life. He has witnessed, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time.

Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Maria (Mary) Bereozka, winner of the Scubaverse February video competition about her work and films.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Esther Jacobs from Fire Island Conservation - Mozambique.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Ana Filipa Sobral, Founder and Project Leader of The Manta Catalogue Project in the Azores.

Ana Filipa Sobral is a marine biologist and conservationist based in the Azores Islands. She moved to the Azores in 2011 and once there, realised that this was one of the few places in the world where Sicklefin Devil Rays (Mobula tarapacana) gather in large groups, making it a strategic place to study them. She started the The Manta Catalogue Project and through this project, collects photo ID and occurrence data on Mobulid Rays, with the precious help of divers and dive operators as citizen scientists.

Ana is also finishing her PhD which focuses on population genetics and connectivity of migratory elasmobranchs in oceanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The main goal fueling my research has been to help fill the knowledge gaps on elasmobranch biology and ecology to ultimately assist in the design of effective conservation and management plans aimed at protecting their populations in this remote region of the North Atlantic Ocean.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jim Elliott, Founder and President of Diveheart, and Tinamarie Hernandez, Executive Director, about the new documentary 'Adapting to Dive' by David Marsh.

Diveheart, a Downers Grove-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh will be presenting the world premiere of the documentary called “Adapting To Dive” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove.

Since 2001, Diveheart has been helping youth, veterans, and others with disabilities through adaptive scuba and scuba therapy. Last year, Marsh went on a life-changing Diveheart scuba adventure trip to Cozumel, Mexico. As a result, he experienced a transformational journey while doing the film after losing his son to an overdose just seven days before the trip.

After doing some pre-trip research, Marsh felt he understood the spirit of the Diveheart mission and vision. He had completed backstories on many of the adaptive divers who went on the trip when his son passed. He chose to go on the trip and said nothing to anyone until asked about his experience on the very last day. He then shared his loss and that he had been remotely planning his son’s funeral while filming the documentary.

David Marsh is amazing and awesome. Despite his loss and grief, he soldiered on and captured the spirit, love, and hope that emerges from every Diveheart trip,” said Diveheart Founder and President Jim Elliott. “He really captured the essence of our mission and shared the real-life experience of what Diveheart does to help those with disabilities experience freedom underwater.”

In the documentary, every day embraces a theme. One day it is trust. Another day it is about freedom and then finally adapting. Audiences will see how Marsh emphatically listened and translated the feelings of the adaptive divers who shared with him their losses, struggles, fears, and hopes.

“We are so grateful to David for capturing Diveheart in action,” Elliott said. “I’m hoping this documentary will reach many people and give awareness to Diveheart’s mission: to revolutionize rehabilitation by using zero gravity underwater to help those with everything from mobility issues to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We help our participants find that self-confidence, personal strength, and independence, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.”

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Arlindo Serrao, Founder and General Manager of PortugalDive.com. They talk about diving in Portugal, The Azores and Madeira, as well as The Diving Talks International Diving Congress 2022.

Arlindo describes himself as "a father of three, a cave diver, and I love to share what Portugal, the Azores archipelago and Madeira islands have to offer."

"After 25+ years working in multinational companies, I decided to start doing it for fun! I founded Portugal Dive, the “We worry, You dive!“ concept: a boutique dive concierge that organizes group and solo trips for guests to experience Portugal’s underwater highlights on the mainland and in the Azores and Madeira. More recently I founded Diving Talks, an international diving congress that brings Portugal divers, explorers, scientists, researchers, to share with the diving community their most recent subaquatic achievements and discoveries."

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Shawn Heinrichs - Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, photographer, scuba diver and marine conservationist about his life and work.

Shawn Heinrichs is a co-founder of SeaLegacy and was one of the lead activists and cinematographers for the Emmy-nominated film, Racing Extinction. Most recently, he was featured in the award-winning Netflix series ‘Tales by Light’ that showcased his innovative use of imagery to inspire and drive conservation of one of earth’s crown jewels, West Papua. Fuelled by his passion for the oceans, Shawn's groundbreaking work fuses dramatic imagery with intimate and thought-provoking stories, to connect the global community to the beauty and vulnerability of threatened marine species and habitats.

As an investigative conservation journalist, Shawn has gone undercover to expose stories in some of the most remote or challenging locations and his work has provided a rare view of the people and some of the more disturbing elements of the endangered species trade. His investigative footage and images have been used as centrepieces for documentaries and campaigns reaching hundreds of millions of people. In his drive to spread the word, Shawn has published numerous conservation articles and given presentations on marine conservation to audiences across the globe.

Find out more at

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Joanna Ruxton MBE, film maker and conservationist, about her life and work, 'A Plastic Ocean' (Netflix) and her new project Ocean Generation. 

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Hannah (Mermaid) Fraser - underwater mermaid, performance artist and dedicated ocean activist about her life and work and her adventure dancing with Tiger sharks.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jim Abernethy - award-winning author, photographer, cinematographer and conservationist who pioneered shark encounters without a cage.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Dr. Katey Lesneski, Director of Restoration Science at Coral Vita, about the future of coral reefs.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to diving legend and explorer Sylvia Earle about her new National Geographic book - Ocean: A Global Odyssey - and the Mission Blue project.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Ahmed Fadel and Elke Bojanowski from Scuba Scene Liveaboard in the Red Sea.

Ahmed started working as safari guide in 2000 giving him unique experiences exploring the southern Egyptian Red Sea. It gave him a great opportunity to learn and gain a lot of experience in the nature of the Red Sea, and also qualified him to become the author of the book ‘Southern Red Sea Dive Guide’.

He is also an experienced dive instructor since 1997 and an experienced Tech instructor up to the level of Advanced Trimix.

Working for a number of reputable companies has given Ahmed an in-depth understanding of the nature of boats and the way they have developed over the years, as well as great connections to the local crews and staff.

Elke moved to Egypt in April 2004 after completing her Ph.D. in biology (focusing on the behaviour and communication of bottlenose dolphins), to combine her interests in marine biology and diving.

Using Egyptian liveaboards as a platform, she started collecting data on shark populations, while working as a guide in the Red Sea since October 2004.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Rich Somerset, Territory Director PADI EMEA Regional Support about Dive Project Cornwall and PADI's conservation work.

Rich began diving as a teenager on the south coast of England. His university studies took him to the North of the UK and he developed a passion for cold water wreck diving in the frigid waters of Scotland. After finishing university, Rich became only the second person to be awarded the European Our World Underwater Rolex Scholarship. This experience allowed him to travel and develop training in a wide range of scuba related disciplines, including hyperbaric medicine, technical diving and marine conservation. Rich then worked as a PADI Instructor in Australia, Micronesia and the Caribbean before setting up and running dive centres in England. A PADI Course Director and Instructor Examiner, Rich is now the Territory Director, leading a team of PADI staff supporting over 800 dive centres across the UK, Ireland, Maldives, France, Greece and Portugal.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Andy Foster, Project Director of Dive Project Cornwall.

Dive Project Cornwall will educate hundreds of thousands of young people by delivering an education programme directly into schools across the UK, raising the awareness of the importance of the planet's marine environment and its vital role in our very existence.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Ellen Cuylaerts about her diving and underwater photographic career.

As an underwater and wildlife photographer, Fellow of The Explorers Club and having a front seat in exploration being part of the Flag and Honours Committee, Ellen is also a Member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. She travels the world and tries to make the most of every destination and the path that leads her there. Ellen acts as an ocean citizen and believes as divers we should all be ocean ambassadors and lead by example. She is now based in the UK after many years in Grand Cayman.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Daniel Fernando, Co-Founder at Blue Resources Trust, about conservation funding from corporate sources and other marine conservation issues.

Daniel is a Sri Lankan marine biologist and the co-founder of Blue Resources Trust, a marine research and conservation organisation, where he leads the Sri Lanka Elasmobranch Project. Since 2013 he has been providing technical support for elasmobranch management policy at conventions such as CITES and CMS, thereby helping bridge the gap between science and policy and encouraging a shift toward sustainable fisheries. He has served as a ministerial advisor, is currently the Regional Co-Vice Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group for the Indian Ocean, an MCAF Fellow, and the Vice-Chair to the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Kimberley Ray, Founder and CEO of Marine Conservation Network, about her work and some of the issues around marine conservation.

As Founder and CEO of Marine Conservation Network, Kimberly started her passion for ocean and marine conservation as a teenager wanting to become a dolphin trainer. Her dad was a fisherman and took her boating nearly every weekend, and that is what motivated her to get involved with marine life and education. She received her marine biology degree and quickly realized that the oceans were under threat from plastic trash, overfishing, and lack of compassion for marine life. She initially began a company called “Sustainable Seafood Experience,” but realized more coverage and education was needed concerning the many issues involving ocean conservation.

She then incorporated MCN, Marine Conservation Network, and began a global effort to link ALL conservation organizations around the world so that knowledge can be shared and efforts in marine conservation could become more effective. She also developed a common language in her efforts to educate the general public on the issues facing our oceans, one that even the public can relate to and not just other scientists. To this end, she has implemented a new focus of a Youth Ambassador Program involving children around the world from the ages of 8–15 who are becoming actively involved in marine conservation efforts and spreading the word of this mission. A scholarship is awarded to those who stay with the program when they reach their majority and go on to college. Kimberly believes that the oceans are the lungs of the planet providing half of the oxygen we breathe, and if we kill the oceans, then we will die with it.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Kip Evans about his time living in an underwater habitat for 17 days, his work with with Sylvia Earle and his lecture on Marine conservation 'Our Oceans 20 years from now'.

Award-winning film-maker, photographer, and explorer Kip Evans has led or participated in more than seventy expeditions throughout the world, including recent assignments in Antarctica, Arctic, Costa Rica, Chile, and the Galapagos Islands. As a photographer, he has worked on dozens of National Geographic Society projects since 1998, including the five-year Sustainable Seas project to explore and document the U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries. As a cinematographer, Kip’s films have been featured at film festivals around the world and he has contributed video work to all the major television networks including National Geographic, BBC and Discovery. From 2008-2020 he was the directory of photography and expeditions for Mission Blue. He was honoured as the 2017 Ocean Champion by the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival and in 2020 was selected as an Explorer’s Club Fellow.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Andrej A Gajic, CEO Sharklab ADRIA, about the effects of pollution on the development of disease in sharks, skates and rays.

Andrej A. Gajic  NGE, BEng (Hons.), M.Sc., Prof. biol is a proactive and awarded scientist, author, research diver, ROV pilot and documentary filmmaker with academic specialization in fish pathology, ecology and conservation - focused on sharks, skates and rays.

Andrej has more than 5 years of professional experience including National Geographic, Discovery Channel and he has published over 60 papers and two books. His current research is focused on the effects of pollution and war waste on disease development towards the mitigation of those negative effects through revitalization and long-term in-situ conservation. In the past 5 years, Andrej was the principal investigator (PI) of 15 cutting-edge regional and international projects. Over 150 media reports are covering his work including National Geographic, FOX, Disney, BBC, Discovery Channel, CNN, Al Jazeera and many more.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Marine Biologist Dr Emma Camp about the true state and future of Coral Reefs and marine conservation.

Dr Emma Camp is a marine biologist and the Deputy Team Leader of the Future Reefs team at the University of Technology Sydney. Emma is a United Nations Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, a National Geographic Explorer, a 2019 Rolex Associate Laureate and was recently named a 2020 Time Magazine Next Generation Leader and UNESCO-L'Oréal Australian Women in Science Fellow. Emma researches and advocates for the world’s marine life under threat from environmental and climate change. She is one of the founders of the Coral Nurture Program on the Great Barrier Reef – a unique program involving scientists and Tour Operators to enhance reef biodiversity and promote site stewardship. Emma is an advocate for Women in STEM and improved Climate Action.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Shark Biologist and Conservationist Michael Scholl.

Michael's initial field experience with Sharks began in 1995 at the Bimini Biological Field Station (BBFS) in The Bahamas. He then spent the next decade studying the population and ecology of White Sharks around Dyer Island in South Africa. In 2002, he founded the White Shark Trust (WST) to support research, education and conservation projects focused on white sharks. His genetic, tagging and finprinting studies were integral in discovering a link between South African and Australian White Shark populations. This work was a major factor in the decision to list white sharks on CITES in 2004. Michael taught bilingual high school and IB level Biology, Mathematics and Physics classes in Lausanne, Switzerland, and worked for South African Explorer, Mike Horn on the Pangaea Expedition, assisting Young Explorers worldwide to establish environmental and social projects worldwide. Michael was the Chief Executive Officer of the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) from 2012 to 2019, which allowed him to merge decades of experience in science, conservation, education and communication, and his lifelong passion for conserving Sharks and the Oceans.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Dove Joans.

Dove is an Author, Animal Advocate, Artist, Creative Conservationist, Host, Storyteller, and Explorer in The Explorers Club in the cognitive sciences of dolphin communications, like Dr. Jane Goodall, except with dolphins for the past 40+ years.

Dolphingirl - Dove Joans - is an investigative researcher with a background in marine biology, fine arts, animal behavioural work, the healing arts, neurolinguistics, storytelling, and film work.

After a dolphin epiphany in 1977, she has been actively researching and devoting her life to "interspecies communications with dolphins" in an area she's coined, The Dolphin Memory Movement.

Her motivation is compassion in action by crossing the bridge into the dolphin's world, so that we can learn to put the humane back into the word humanity.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to David 'Strikey' Strike about his diving career in the military and beyond. They also reflect a bit on life in general.

Certified as a diver in 1961, with a background encompassing military, commercial, scientific, and technical diving sectors, Australian-based, David Strike is a former Diving Instructor and Diver Instructor Trainer, and a regular editorial contributor on dive-related topics to diving publications from around the world.

Organiser of several world class diving events – with an emphasis on Technical Diving – he is the recipient of several ‘Industry Recognition’ awards and a Fellow of the Explorers Club of New York.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Brendon Sing, Director of Shark Guardian, a UK Charity working for shark and marine conservation worldwide.

Brendon Sing is from South Africa and has been diving and researching sharks for over 25 years. Whilst achieving the highest qualifications in the scuba diving industry, he has been leading participants on shark diving expeditions from Africa to Asia with a strong focus on conservation, education and research. Together with his wife Liz, Brendon created Shark Guardian as a UK Charity in 2013. His goal is to inspire everyone worldwide to protect sharks - our ocean guardians. Shark Guardian has 4 main operational arms including (1) Conservation activities and campaigns, (2) educational programs and developing materials, (3) Research through citizen science and (4) shark diving expeditions.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Underwater Photographer and Author Marty Snyderman.

Honored with the 2018 NOGI Award in the Arts by the Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, an EMMY Award for cinematography, a Reaching Out Award in 2008 as a photographer presented by the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association’s (DEMA), Marty Snyderman is a widely published still photographer and author who has worked to conserve and share the magic of the undersea world for more than four decades.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to David Diley, the  multi-award winning Filmmaker, Underwater Cinematographer and Colourist from the UK.

Best known for his work with sharks, David released his debut feature documentary, “Of Shark and Man,” in 2017 and has since gone on to work in film, television and commercials for several major name brands and channels.

In this exclusive interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Nathalie Lasselin, the multi-award winning underwater cinematographer and documentary producer.

As a technical diver, Nathalie has filmed and explored deep wrecks and caves in more than 60 countries. She shares her passion for diving through dive instruction and guides dives throughout the world, including expedition leader in the Arctic. Nathalie pursues better understanding of our planet through documentation and shares her concern for our fresh water resources through her films, articles in international magazines, and event lectures. Her drive is to bring people together and empower them through better relations with their own environment ultimately for a higher quality of life. She is a fellow of the Explorer'a Club and a WDHOF Women Diver's Hall of Fame inductee, as well as a Fellow of the RCGS - Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats with Tec Clark, Founder of ScubaGuru about his career, diving in general, and training and safety.

Tec Clark is a diving industry expert who has held very elite positions in the dive industry including Managing Director of the University of Florida’s Academic Diving Program and National Director of the YMCA Scuba Program.  He holds over 40 professional certifications with over 15 diving agencies.  Tec has also been a police officer, dive rescue team member, and forensic dive accident investigator.  He also appeared as a diving expert on A&E, The Learning Channel, and Outdoor Life Network.

Tec was Captain of the US Freediving Team, founder of Reef Ministries, and curates ScubaGuru.com and ScubaGuru Academy. He is also the host of two podcasts: The League of Extraordinary Divers and The Dive Locker.  Tec is the Associate Director for Aquatics and Scuba Diving at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Bill Beard and Vanessa Willing about scuba diving in Costa Rica.

Bill Beard is the true pioneer of scuba diving and combining adventure tours in Costa Rica. He started diving in Costa Rica from dug out canoes in 1970. He was the first working instructor and had the first professional dive shop in Costa Rica located in San Jose. In 1974, Bill Beard branched out by opening a beach location in Playas del Coco on the Pacific Ocean and operated daily scuba diving trips from there and Playa Hermosa. Bill has many firsts to his credit, including bringing scuba diving and adventure tours to Guanacaste. Bill’s wife Nadine joined him in 1988 and they formed an association to combine scuba diving and adventure tour packages, the first in the country to do so. Bill Beard's Costa Rica reservation office is located in La Fortuna and all of their agents are scuba divers and adventurers.

Vanessa Willing was born and raised in Oregon and California. She moved to Costa Rica in 2001 and founded Wave Rafting Adventure Company and Find My Costa Rica Travel Agency with the motivation to create personalized trips throughout Costa Rica. In 2013 she also joined Bill and Nadine Beard  in managing operations for Bill Beard Costa Rica.  Her love for diving, rafting and all things adventure combined with her expertise in Costa Rica allows her to take over all the complexities and logistics of planning a Costa Rica vacation, so her guests can simply enjoy their trip! She is constantly travelling throughout Costa Rica to source every activity, operator and experience featured within their products. One of her favorite locations in Costa Rica is Bajos de Toro waterfall region with mountain landscapes, crystal clear rivers and waterfalls and a natural landscape like no other in Costa Rica.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to PJ Prinsloo – Director Technical Diving RAID South Africa and a Member of The Explorer's Club.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, Mehgan Heaney-Grier – freediver, explorer, educator.

Well-known freediving personality and conservationist Mehgan Heaney-Grier has recently premiered her new web series “Imperfect Conservationist” and we will be sharing it with Scubaverse visitors soon here. Mehgan is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and a popular speaker for the environment. She  says that the new series will provide viewers with ways they can become involved in protecting the environment in their daily lives.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Andrea Marshall, co-founder, board member and principal scientist for the Marine Megafauna Foundation, about marine conservation and her work with Manta Rays.

Andrea is a passionate conservation biologist directing an experienced global team of Manta Ray researchers. She is a professional underwater photographer, technical diver and ocean explorer. A seasoned public speaker, educator and ocean ambassador, with on-camera experience. Andrea is also owner of Ray of Hope expeditions, an adventure- science travel company.

In this exclusive interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jim Elliott, Founder and President of Diveheart, and Tinamarie Hernandez who is the organization's Executive Director.

Diveheart is a US-based, nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization which aims to provide and support educational scuba diving programs that are open to any child, adult or veteran with a disability, with the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person.

In their own words:

We’ve discovered the forgiving, weightless wonder of the water column provides the perfect gravity-free environment for those who might otherwise struggle on land. Underwater, we’re all equal.

Diveheart works with individuals who have a variety of disabilities, including physical and developmental disabilities, vision and hearing impairments, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and more. Diveheart seeks to help its participants “Imagine the Possibilities” in their lives.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Sean Webb, Director of O'Three, the well-known UK-based manufacturer of custom drysuits and wetsuits.

After a bath time quarrel with his sister, Sean’s Mum taught him a lesson.

She held his head underwater for what she thought was long enough for that lesson to sink in (We are talking the mid 60’s here), but the lesson learned wasn’t the one that was intended. It was then that Sean realized he was comfortable, in or under the water. He was six.

The coasts of Devon and Dorset became his playground. 17 years later, with a trip around the world and some incredible diving under his belt, Sean Webb founded O’Three.

Now in its 32nd  year, O’Three has evolved from a business with roots that are unashamedly rooted in UK diving, to a niche brand being enjoyed all over the world by discerning recreational, technical and commercial divers alike.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jake Davies, Marine Biologist, HSE Professional scuba diver, underwater videographer (using videos and 360 clips for VR) and CAA licensed drone pilot.

Jake grew up on Pen Llŷn, North Wales and coming from a maritime family meant that from a young age the underwater world and marine life have played a major role in his life. His interest in marine life and the sea led to him studying Marine Biology at Bangor University where he was successful in obtaining a year in industry with the Intertidal & Coastal team at Natural Resources Wales.

​In 2017 Jake was successfully awarded a Sea-Changers Grant to run 'Dive Into Monitoring: Seagrass' surveys with SeaSearch North Wales. The surveys aimed to gather updated information on the Seagrass bed in Porthdinllaen with volunteer divers and local dive clubs.

As a media diver, Jake has worked as part of the dive team (Marine Ecosol) filming for BBC Wales Hidden Wales with Will Millard (Lazerbeam Productions & Folk Films).

Footage which Jake has filmed off the Welsh Coast, as well as the Canary Islands, has been featured for a variety of BBC programmes including an episode of Countryfile where he was interviewed about the Seagrass in Porthdinllaen, Wales along with the rest of the Project Seagrass team. He is also a blogger and contributor to Scubaverse @JDScuba, and a co-director of Under Water Wales @dandwrcymru.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jill Heinerth.

Jill is one of the world’s premier underwater explorers, and the first person to dive inside iceberg caves. According to filmmaker James Cameron, “More people have walked on the moon than have been to some of the places Jill Heinerth has gone right here on earth.”

An acclaimed polar explorer, cave diver, author, speaker, filmmaker, and climate advocate, Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is the inaugural recipient of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration and Canada’s Polar Medal.

Jill leads expeditions into extreme environments to advance scientific and geographic knowledge. Her projects have been broadcast on the CBC, BBC, PBS, Discovery Channel, and television networks worldwide. Jill was announced as the recipient of the William Beebe Award from the Explorer’s Club and was inducted into the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame in fall 2020.

Her bestselling book INTO THE PLANET – My Life as a Cave Diver  has drawn acclaim from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and O Magazine. Heinerth details her journey into the extreme world of underwater cave exploration, where she has had to overcome fear in order to go where no one has gone before.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to author, avid cave diver and professional adventurer Steve Lewis about life in general with a bit of diving as well!

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Alexandra Cousteau.

Alexandra Marguerite Clémentine Cousteau is a film maker and an environmental activist, who continues the work of her grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau and father Philippe Cousteau, Sr.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Phil Short, dive industry consultant for science, media and education.

Phil has been diving professionally and exploring for over 26 years and has logged over 7000 dives in caves and open water using both open and closed circuit equipment, with over 3000 hours on Rebreather equipment. He started diving in 1990 from a background of dry caving and at first only completed diver training to pass short flooded sections of dry caves.

Phil continued his diver training through the PADI system with Course Director Steve Axtell and in 1991 he qualified as a PADI instructor and began teaching full time, working his way up to Master Instructor. During this period, he continued cave diving and began developing his Technical Diving skills through training with Kevin Gurr and in 1993 was involved in forming one of the first Trimix wreck diving teams in the UK.

He is now one of the UK’s foremost IANTD Instructor Trainer Trainers and the Training director of IANTD UK, in addition to being a member of the IANTD HQ Board of Advisors. Having devoted all his free time to developing his Technical skills, Phil began to use them for cave diving, his true passion, on expeditions to Mallorca, France, Spain, Canada, Russia, Greece and Mexico. At the same time, he began teaching first open, then closed circuit, technical and cave diving full time.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Esther Jacobs, Social Media and Conservation Manager at Oceans Research.

Originally from Scotland and working in marketing and advertising, Esther left for pastures new almost 10 years ago, to pursue a career working with sharks in South Africa.

For the first few years, Esther worked with a white shark cage diving operator, running their internship, teaching visitors about the white sharks, and collecting valuable data on their behaviours.

After having her first daughter, Esther volunteered part-time with White Shark Africa and then started an ocean conservation initiative called Keep Fin Alive. The goals of Keep Fin Alive are to change the common misconception of sharks, and drive more attention to the threats facing our oceans.

Five years ago, Esther joined the team at the marine research company, Oceans Research, to manage their social media and bring some of the Keep Fin Alive community outreach projects into their field research program, for the interns to get involved with.

Keep Fin Alive has grown a lot in the last six years, and has ambassadors from all over the globe, helping to spread awareness of the plight of our oceans.

Esther, through Keep Fin Alive, partnered with Go Dive Mossel Bay a couple of years ago to implement a NAUI qualification called Clean Ocean Divers, with a mission statement of “Empowering our diving community to preserve and conserve our coastline, by providing the knowledge, skills and resources to keep our ocean healthy and marine life safe.”. Divers who undertake the qualification learn how to safely and respectfully remove debris from the reefs, and also help to analyse the findings for an ongoing research project. The data will be used nationally to establish problem areas with high fishing gear snagging rates, with the hopes of discouraging anglers from fishing at these sites.

Data from the partnership’s coastal clean up projects has already led to the establishment of butt bins around popular paths, and plastic pollution information boards being erected.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to James E. 'Homer' Holm about Clean Oceans International.

Captain Jim 'Homer' Holm is the Founder of Clean Oceans International (COI) - a Santa Cruz, California based 501c3 non-profit.Their mission is to develop practical solutions to plastic pollution through Research, Innovation and Direct action.

In this two part exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, talks with Paul Watson, Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international direct action, non profit marine wildlife conservation and protection movement. 

In this two part exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, talks with Paul Watson, Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international direct action, non profit marine wildlife conservation and protection movement.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, Jeff Goodman, talks to Breathwork Practitioner Hannah Goodman about breathing correctly to enhance our scuba diving experiences.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Cristina Zenato. A professional diver since 1994, Cristina is an ocean and cave explorer, a shark expert, a speaker, writer and conservationist. Among her qualifications, she is a Course Director, an advanced cave diving instructor, and a mixed gas and rebreather instructor. She shares her time between teaching at professional and technical levels, working with sharks, exploring and mapping underwater cave systems, and education.

Cristina is known for her special relationship with her local sharks and her passion for promoting the protection of all sharks in the world .

Her current projects include shark photogrammetry and identification of sharks’ mating and birth areas, creating interactive and 3D cave maps, photography and videography of these uncharted areas in the Bahamas.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Paul Toomer, President of RAID International Dive Training Agency. Paul gives great insight into the diving industry during these difficult times as well as his predictions for the future. He talks about the ethics and training with RAID, and covers diving in the UK and other temperate waters.

In this exclusive two-part Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Andy Torbet. In part two, Andy and Jeff talk about Marine Conservation.

Andy is an Underwater Explorer, Cave Diver, Freediver, Skydiver, Climber and Outdoorsman. He is also a TV Presenter on award-winning series for BBC, CBBC, Discovery, History Channel and Fully Charged Show’s Youtube Channel. Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club, and is also a Stunt Performer for TV and Films.

In this exclusive two-part Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Andy Torbet. In part one, Andy and Jeff talk about Scuba Diving.

Andy is an Underwater Explorer, Cave Diver, Freediver, Skydiver, Climber and Outdoorsman. He is also a TV Presenter on award-winning series for BBC, CBBC, Discovery, History Channel and Fully Charged Show’s Youtube Channel. Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club, and is also a Stunt Performer for TV and Films.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Matt Slater, Marine Awareness Officer with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust about their Diving and Snorkeling programmes.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large Jeff Goodman chats to Richard Corner, UK Watersports Category Manager for Mares, about swimwear products and the purchase of Zoggs swimwear.

Part three in a series of four podcasts.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Luke Bullus, Volunteer Ghost Net Campaign Diver with Sea Shepherd UK.

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Steve Rattle, owner of Roots Red Sea and Pharaoh Dive Club in El Quseir, Egypt.