Author: anthony

The best destinations for diving in Italy

diving in Italy

The pandemic has reshuffled the cards when it comes to travel. And in the lot obviously, the diving stays. While we have all just spent long months in lockdown or with a travel ban, some countries are doing well. And even if the situation will eventually return to normal, this allows some destinations closer to us to become better known ! This is the case of Italy, for example, which is bathed in the (almost) warm waters of the Mediterranean, with its many marine reserves and its many islands. This month, TribloO takes you diving in Italy !

Diving in Italy: Sardinia

The 2nd largest island in the Mediterranean has a Caribbean feel… We could say that it is the most tropical of the Mediterranean islands ! At 2h30 flight from Paris, it has some of the most beautiful sea beds of Europe. And in particular in the waters of the marine park of Tavolara e Punta Coda Cavallo or that of the Maddalena ! In Sardinia, you will be able to dive on wrecks, along magnificent colored drop offs, or explore underwater caves… And above all, discover a magnificent panel of Mediterranean fauna as life is so abundant.

In the north, in the creeks of the Emerald Coast, but also on the south coast, you will discover an incredible number of species, sometimes with a quite astonishing density. You will find different types of sponges, stingrays, but also yellow anemones, red gorgonians… And, coming from the sea, barracudas. Large morays, conger eels and other large octopuses are present on a large majority of sites. In Santa Giusta, you will observe big groupers sometimes more than one meter long ! With a bit of luck, you will see tuna while diving, and why not, from the surface, some dolphins !

I want to dive in Sardinia

Diving in Italy in the Aeolian Islands

Italy has the great advantage of having a large number of islands in the Mediterranean. One of the most famous, Sicily, is surmounted by an archipelago of 17 volcanic islands and islets called “Aeolian Islands”. The entire archipelago was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Indeed, two of them have an active volcano, Stromboli and the well-named Vulcano, and two others have a dormant one, Panarea and Lipari. The latter island is, for logistical reasons, the starting point of all your adventures in the archipelago! Diving here benefits from an abundant fauna, a beautiful blue, black sand, volcanic scree… and big groupers ! Lipari concentrates the most sites. Panarea has magnificent coves accessible only by sea. And Finiduci is distinguished by its archaeological relics. As for Vulcano or Stromboli, we do drift dives where bubbles come out of the bottom: when you surface, it is an active volcano that will be the landscape !

The visibility is exceptional, 11 months out of 12 on average ! That’s why the famous movie ‘The Big Blue’ by Luc Besson was shot off the coast of Taormina. The topography is sometimes strange (gentle slope of black sand). Sometimes it is really crazy (pumice stone everywhere on the bottom) but most of the time it is made of big drop-offs. The fauna is rich with groupers, sometimes of incredible size, and morays. Barracudas are also part of the scenery and nudibranchs show an incredible diversity ! Octopuses and cuttlefish are also proudly represented. Apart from that, it is especially by its abundance that this region of the Mediterranean stands out !

I want to dive in the Aeolian islands

La plongée à Ustica

If you want to find the atmosphere of a small Mediterranean village where time seems to have stopped, you will surely love coming to Ustica to dive. This tiny island, located north of Palermo, is quite simply the first Italian marine reserve created in 1986 ! And the show underwater is amazing. In a few dives, you can meet a large part of the Mediterranean species: lobsters, groupers, morays, nudibranchs, barracudas, red gorgonians and so on… The diving sites are suitable for all levels and you will take great pleasure in exploring the drop offs, but also the many caves that open along the cliffs ! Wreck lovers will also be served because there are some wrecks dating from the Second World War. Ustica is also a particular atmosphere, typically Mediterranean, and you will have the joy between dives to taste the local gastronomy that will make you forget your dives for a meal !

I want to dive in Ustica

Diving on the Italian Riviera in Liguria

Liguria is the region that follows the French Riviera, but on the Italian side and extends a little beyond the city of Genoa. It is also known as the “Italian Riviera”. The area is very well known, in particular by tech divers, thanks to the presence of the largest wreck in the Mediterranean, the Haven oil tanker, which sank in 1991, in the Gulf of Genoa. Lying between 30 and 80 meters deep, it is a very popular playground for trimix and rebreather divers.

But in Liguria there are also many dive sites more accessible to all divers ! We can mention for example the Marine Reserve of the island of Bergeggi or the Marine Reserve of Portofino where you can find a famous underwater statue, the Christ of the Abyss, but also really vertiginous drop offs and many caves !

Diving on Elba Island

Located between the mainland and the north of Corsica, the island of Elba is surrounded by calm waters offering exceptional visibility. There are many dive sites with superb and colorful bottoms: posidonia meadows, drop offs, boulders, caves… in the middle of these landscapes you will find a multitude of species that will delight the divers. Groupers and barracudas are of course present. But you will also have the opportunity to observe seahorses or eagle rays during the summer months !

You can also dive on a very beautiful wreck, the Elviscot, located at a depth of 8 to 12 meters and therefore accessible to all, even snorkelers !

Archaeological dives in Campania

Campania is a region located in the south of Italy, near Naples. Diving is also superb there, and what makes it so attractive is the important ancient ruins that can be found both on land… and under the surface ! In the archaeological park of Baiae, it is possible to dive on the ruins of the submerged city of Baiae, where you can still see many thermal structures, harbors and other remains of Roman villas…

When you come to dive in Italy, you will find some of the most beautiful bottoms in the Mediterranean, and above all some of the most protected in Europe, with numerous marine reserves !

Posted on by anthony

What does a diver do when not diving ?

What does a diver do when not diving ?

Our diving habits have been somewhat shaken up since the spring of 2020. And the arrival of this virus that no one expected and that upset the whole planet! No one wondered if they could travel or even go diving. And yet, just one year later, many people are still unable to travel because of closed borders, or to dive because they are confined… The opportunity to look at the activities of the diver who is waiting tirelessly to be able to dip his fins again !

  • A diver always looks at his/her diving memories!

What could be more unbearable for a diver than not being able to dip his/her fins? Certainly experienced as the worst obstacle to his/her freedom, he/she does not lack ingenuity to bring back everything to his/her first passion. Everything is good to recall a memory of a dive or a diving trip. From his/her preciously kept plane tickets, to the old faded t-shirt from the great diving center at the end of the world (yes, it’s a collector!)… Flipping through the pages of the logbook stamped by a multitude of dive guides met over the years… Or even working on his backward tilt in his bathtub !

@love_live_dive

Taking a Bath like a Scuba Diver 😜🦈 #stayathome #quarantine #splishaplash #splash #scuba #padi #girlsthatscuba #goingscubadiving #scubagirl

♬ Splish Splash – Good Timers

Who of you has never made underwater pictures during his dives, either at home or on a trip ? Nowadays, most of us can take a small camera or a sport camera to bring back beautiful photo or video memories. It has become easy and almost within everyone’s reach to make beautiful pictures. So when we are in need of underwater landscapes, we all tend to reopen the files and scroll through the pictures to give ourselves a bit of a boost ! When some just look at them, others take the opportunity to edit them, to make small videos or slideshows and publish them on social networks. Whatever, the purpose is to have fun while waiting for the next dives…

  • He/She is looking for his next diving destinations

In these uncertain times, it is difficult for some people not to know when and where their next diving trip will be. So we like to surf on the internet in search of original destinations, good deals, we look for opinions on the right and on the left… It is even the occasion to consider destinations that we would not have thought of normally. Do not hesitate to discover the whole catalog of destinations and diving centers that we have carefully selected and tested at TribloO !

  • The diver must stay in shape!

When you are forced not to dive for a long period of time, keeping in shape to restart in the best conditions is a point not to be neglected. And having a regular physical activity, not necessarily intense, is essential. Walk several kilometers a day, jog, do some weight training or stretching, each at its own pace. Maintaining your back muscles by doing exercises of gainage will help you to carry your diving equipment, but also to avoid hurting yourself !

  • He/She’s having his gear serviced or shopping !

During prolonged periods of dryness, we have all found ourselves at least once in a situation when we were about to dive again, with equipment that was not necessarily in the condition we had hoped for. Typically, the regulator leaks… Because this essential equipment for safe diving is a bit like cars…. It doesn’t like to stay inactive for too long ! And it is imperative to have it serviced from time to time by a dive store authorized to service your regulator brand. The BCD also requires regular maintenance and needs a little cleaning to prevent the purge from becoming blocked or malfunctioning.

But this is also the time to put down and upgrade your diving equipment. Wouldn’t it be a good time to change your wetsuit for more comfort on your next dives? Or simply to continue to equip yourself !

So what about you… what do you do when you’re not diving ?

Posted on by anthony

The best destinations to dive in Europe

The best destinations to dive in Europe

This time it is decided, it is not at the end of the world that you will go to dip your fins but in the waters of the Old Continent. Because apart from waters a little cooler than in most of the diving destinations where we like to go, you will find in Europe great places to dive. Incredible seabeds, a rich and varied fauna, sites that will make you dive into history, or meet mythical marine species… Tribloo has selected for you the best diving destinations in Europe !

Where to dive in Europe ?

Plonger en Europe : marseille et les calanques

Marseille… cradle of modern diving and playground for the crew of La Calypso. Two archipelagos (Riou and Frioul), and an incredible number of dive sites, accessible to all levels. If you like caves, ultra colorful drop offs covered with beautiful red gorgonians, rocky areas where life abounds or wrecks… Then you will be fulfilled in the waters of the Phocaean city. Diving in Marseille and its Calanques National Park is a great experience for divers. And even if the waters can sometimes be quite cool because of the mistral (the north wind) even in summer, the underwater spectacle is always striking.

For wreck enthusiasts, such as Le Liban, the Saint-Dominique, or the famous Chaouen, located at the foot of the Planier lighthouse, and accessible from level 1 (or Open Water).

The Var, in the South-East of France, is one of the most attractive destinations for French divers. With its clear and relatively warm waters during a good part of the season (between June and November), an omnipresent fauna thanks to protected areas, and numerous wrecks, it is the ideal recipe to satisfy all divers, whatever their expectations and level.

The National Park of Port-Cros is obviously the most sought-after area in the region. La Gabinière, and its famous brown groupers, is a truly extraordinary site. It is possible to get very close to them, and they do not hesitate to come in contact with the divers.

plonger à port-cros avec les mérous

On the wreck side, they are numerous, but for experienced divers, a dive on the Donator is a must!

The island of Malta is one of the destinations that attract many divers to the Mediterranean Sea. And even if the marine fauna is not the most abundant, it is with its crystal clear waters and beautiful underwater relief that Malta stands out from other destinations. Many European divers come to dip their fins around the Maltese archipelago. On the program, large vertiginous drop-offs, caves, tunnels, and a whole lot of wrecks! And even if there is plenty to satisfy the beginner divers, Malta is a privileged destination for teak divers or rebreather enthusiasts !

Not all diving trips are the same, far from it. And there are destinations that stand out even more from the others. The Azores archipelago will fulfill you and beyond your expectations! The Azores is an archipelago that belongs to Portugal. These islands are located in the North Atlantic and are a destination (relatively) close to Europe. With excellent visibility below the surface, the islands of Flores, Terceira, Faial and Sao Miguel offer breathtaking dive sites. The islanders thank every day the Gulf Stream for offering them an exceptionally mild climate !

You will be able to dive there all year round. The temperate waters are always at a pleasant temperature and rise up to 25 degrees in August and September. The Azores archipelago offers beautiful dive sites, in the heart of volcanoes like Baixa Das Castanhetas, or Ilehu de Vila Franca Do Campo. In a single dive, it is possible to realize the unique biodiversity found there, mixing oceanic, tropical and even endemic species due to the remoteness of the archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic! You will encounter sharks or manta rays (in season) alongside large marine mammals such as dolphins, killer whales or whales, which are the symbol of the Azores. If you have the opportunity to make night dives, you will be able to taste the joys of bioluminescent plankton !

Discover a protected, abundant and generous Mediterranean Sea as it was several decades ago… this is what awaits you if you go diving in Ustica. This tiny Italian island, located north of Palermo (Sicily), seems to have been cut off from time, with its small fishing village and its tranquility. It is especially here that a marine reserve was created in 1986, transforming the place into a paradise for divers. With no less than 30 dive sites, most of them accessible to all levels, everyone will be able to enjoy the exceptional biodiversity that the waters of Ustica have to offer. After the dives, the pleasure continues, with an outstanding local gastronomy !

The Canary Islands are a little bit the end of the European continent, this archipelago located off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean is a privileged destination for European divers because of its proximity and its change of scenery. Lanzarote has now become a fashionable destination. With its relatively warm and never really cold waters, and the extraordinary relief of the seabed, this UNESCO biosphere reserve makes it possible to make a nice diving trip on a small budget. With the opportunity to see Atlantic, Mediterranean and tropical species at the same time… In winter, between November and March in general, divers come to meet the angel sharks that gather during this period !

Summarizing the Balearic Islands in Ibiza and its wild nights is a shortcut that is quickly done … Because the Balearic Islands are more than just that, and there are still places that are largely unspoiled. For scuba diving enthusiasts, the show is first under the surface! Palma, Mallorca, Menorca, Cabrera, Formentera or Ibiza: scuba diving in the Balearic Islands is generally done in excellent conditions. The visibility is excellent, sometimes reaching almost 50! The water temperature is not too cold and, above all, there is a multitude of things to discover. Caves, cracks, reefs: the landscapes are magnificent. Diving in the Balearic Islands is flirting with an abundant underwater life. Here, the Posidonia meadows are very present and even classified by UNESCO for their ecological importance. Moray eels, conger eels, mostelles, groupers, barracudas, corbs, tunas, nudibranchs: from the smallest to the biggest, the diversity is within reach of flippers and camera! Moreover several festivals of underwater photography are regularly organized there… You will have understood it, this small Mediterranean archipelago, only a few hours away from France, is a must for your diving summers !

Located halfway between the north and south coasts of the western Mediterranean, Sardinia is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean, with about 2000km of coastline, with its feet in turquoise waters that make you dream! In the North, the archipelago of the Maddalena is a National Park, where the funds are among the richest of the Big Blue. Diving sites are countless, with superb coralligenous drop offs, caves, and above all a lot of life, but also magnificent wrecks…

plonger en europe en Sardaigne

Our partner center Tavolara Diving will take you to one of the most beautiful protected marine parks in Italy, Tavolara e Punta Coda Cavallo.

Norway, this long country located in the west of Sweden, is not necessarily a diving destination that we easily think of. But the country is bordered by two stretches of salt water: the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea. Resolutely natural, Norway is rich in spectacular natural scenery, with mountains falling steeply into the cold but blue waters, forming the famous fjords! Despite the positive influence of the Gulfstream, the water temperature forces you to immerse yourself in a dry suit. The dives are not technical.

Norway is known first of all for the possibility to meet killer whales in snorkeling and to approach these impressive cetaceans. This is only possible in winter, when these mammals track the huge schools of herring along the Norwegian coasts. Then, for the sheet metal haulers, because very many wrecks, often preserved, lie at the bottom of the fjords. Many of them date from the Second World War, near Gulen and Narvik in particular, where the fighting was intense. Finally, one also makes original dives there, as in the crystal clear waters of the lake Lygnstøylsvatnet. In 1908, a landslide led to the progressive flooding of the valley and the village that was located there, and finally created this lake. In Norway, one sees there killer whales, but also spiny sharks, wild salmon, seals but also many nudibranchs and dogfish! If you are not afraid of cold water, and wish to discover really different dives, Norway is the diving destination for you!

 

Of course, there is still a multitude of very nice destinations to dive in France, the Mediterranean, or elsewhere in Europe! And we hope that wherever you are, you will make incredible underwater encounters…

Posted on by anthony

Birth of a sperm whale, incredible images

Naissance d'un cachalot @Frédéric Bassemayousse

The giants of the marine world have always fascinated. Writers, scientists, sea lovers… Diving with cetaceans is always a great experience that you never get tired of. This month, Tribloo collects an exceptional testimony of a moment like only one in a lifetime… Here is the story of the birth of a sperm whale.

Frédéric Bassemayousse is a renowned French photographic diver. He has participated in many scientific missions and is specialized in the observation and study of cetaceans. He has also taken part in various books on the marine world, including Méditerranée, discovering underwater landscapes alongside Jean-Georges Harmelin. It is a great pleasure to present his testimony of a moment that will remain forever engraved in his memory.

In search of the giants of the sanctuary PELAGOS

On 12 September 2016, Frédéric Bassemayousse witnessed the birth of a sperm whale in the Mediterranean. He photographs, films and records this event in his logbook:

“Embarked on a catamaran, we survey the Mediterranean Sea near the Pelagos sanctuary. Our goal, the study of three of its largest inhabitants: the fin whale, the sperm whale and the pilot whale. The mission is carried out for WWF France. The program is simple: observe, research, approach, photograph and biopsy.

At 1:00 pm, aboard the catamaran, the team is attentive to the slightest breath. Suddenly, as a breath, a sperm whale rises into the air and then falls heavily, exploding the surface into a thousand liquid needles. He is not alone, but accompanied by three of his fellow whales.

Together, they make their way to another group about a kilometre away. We can’t count the cetaceans in this second group, but the boiling on the surface betrays an intense agitation. We are preparing to take identification photos and biopsy for genetic analysis.

2h15 pm We board the rubber dinghy and head towards the sperm whales, even though a fin whale surfaces a few metres from the catamaran! In the distance, the agitation of the sperm whales on the surface is exceptional. We approach in slow motion so as not to disturb the animals. We are surprised by the number. The observers remaining aboard the catamaran report the approach of other sperm whales which seem to be coming from all sides and converge towards the gathering.

Why do sperm whales group together?

15H20 The group of sperm whales slowly turns towards us. I slip silently into the water and wait patiently. I am about fifteen meters away from the group. The water is laden with shreds of skin left by the sperm whales rubbing against each other. I can see eight sperm whales, I will discover later that there are nine of them! They swim in a line and face me. One of them is particularly bright, an adult female. I guess the others, of the same size, are also females. One of them swims on her back a little below. The water is saturated with clicks that pierce me. When I get to about ten meters away from me, the group turns slightly to my left. The sperm whales are very calm, even though it is obvious that they have spotted me. I perceive neither animosity nor fear. They just leave me at a respectable distance. Before approaching, you have to be invited! Patience and respect.

3:22 p.m. Without me understanding the reason, the agitation resumes. The water becomes saturated with foam and masks the sperm whales. The caudals beat the air and fall down heavily. I become aware of their incredible power when a flipper passes quickly in front of me. I retreat. As a unique spectator of a Dantesque performance, I have no idea what I am witnessing !

Once the water clears, I notice that other actors have appeared on stage. I notice the female very pale. A piece of whitish placenta obstructs her genital cleft: she is a mother ! She has just given birth !

A birth ! All this excitement for a birth !

Birth of a small sperm whale of 3 m in the Mediterranean Sea

Where’s the newborn in this compact mass ? Here he comes out of the group. Despite its three meters, it seems small, fragile. His umbilical cord is clearly visible ! His skin is wrinkled. His caudal lobes are still curled. It doesn’t look like its elders: its head is oblong and seems to end in a beak. This is him, the ninth individual that I hadn’t spotted in the initial group !

Naissance d'un cachalot @Frédéric Bassemayousse

The unrest is not only related to the calving, but to the arrival of new sperm whales joining the group. There are soon 27 of them; a considerable gathering, rarely seen in the Mediterranean. Underwater, the din of clicks, codas and creaks is deafening. I like to think that some of these sound expressions are birth announcements that announce the happy event in the distance. Indeed, until nightfall, sperm whales come from all over the world to greet the event. To protect the newborn from the enthusiasm of the arrivals who come to greet him, a male forms a rampart to his left, a female – the godmother ? – guards it on its right. Its mother swims on her back just below. In this protective sheath the baby is safe. Its mother, who takes good care of it, carries it intermittently to ease its breathing.

I’ve been paddling for an hour now. The sperm whale dance never ends. They waltz to the sound of kodas and noisily greet each new arrival. I’ve made myself small because I can’t help it. I attend this meeting with wonder. I too would like to be part of this family, to understand their language, to respond to it. A male must have read my thoughts, he comes very close and looks at me kindly. The trust is there, I am adopted. The troop moves slowly in my direction. A living wall faces me. A small brick comes out of it and moves closer. At last, we’re within a handful of yards of each other. Welcome to you, little sperm whale !”

Find Frédéric on his website and discover his latest project in progress, the book Mer Rouge Eau Bleue (Red Sea Blue Water) to be published in November 2020 !

Posted on by anthony

Tribloo and Click&Boat are now partners !


TribloO.com is pleased to announce the establishment of a new partnership with Click&Boat, leader in boat rental between private individuals or via professional boat rental companies. Because our activities are extremely linked, we wanted to join forces in order to offer an ever-expanding service to our customers !

What is Click&Boat ?

 

A platform dedicated to the rental of sailing yachts, motor boats, catamarans and even barges, Click&Boat was founded in 2014 by two French entrepreneurs with the aim of enabling boat owners to make their boats profitable in complete confidence and safety. With more than 400,000 members and 35,000 boats in the catalogue, the platform connects boaters with private and professional owners for rentals, with or without skipper, from day to week !

How Click&Boat works ?

The principle of the boat rental platform is simple. Boat owners, whether they are private individuals or professionals, can create a free advertisement with all the details in order to put their boat forward. The renters contact them via the Click&Boat messaging system in order to obtain all the necessary information and thus formulate their rental request. Owners can consult their renter’s nautical CV, and finally decide to choose in complete safety the sailors adapted to their boat.

For his part, the renter can choose between several hundred boats corresponding to his sailing area, while benefiting from the comments of previous renters and contact the owner to ensure that everything is in line with his sailing programme. To get started, do not hesitate to carry out a search.

>> I would like to know more about how Click&Boat works <<<

Private owners can amortize the boat’s maintenance costs, while professionals benefit, thanks to Click&Boat, from an online showcase to help them fill out their booking schedules !

Divers and sailors… the same passion for the sea !

Notice to sea lovers: TribloO and Click&Boat will from now on share with their members not only a vast network of diving centers around the world, but also an exceptional offer of boat rentals of all kinds.

Location de bateaux avec Click&Boat

You have planned a stay in Corsica, you program some nice dives via a Tribloo partner center? How about taking a look at Click&Boat’s offer to find you a nice little boat to spend a day or more discovering the beautiful creeks of the island of Beauty? Sailboat, motorboat, catamaran, semi-rigid… with or without captain, the most difficult will be to find yours as the choice is so vast!

Do you feel more Caribbean? No problem, you will find the boat you need to be in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominican Republic and many others…

Just as TribloO will put you directly in touch with professionals to book dives, or select all the products that interest you (baptism, discovery dive packs, training…), Click&Boat will open up a great choice of rental boats wherever you are, offering advice and advantages to Tribloo customers!

This new partnership brings together two sites of marine professionals to maximize exploration opportunities.

Posted on by anthony

The best diving videos for confined divers

the best diving videos for confined divers

Spring has arrived recently and just when many of us should be starting to dive again, a good part of the world’s population is confined to their homes ! That’s how the newcomer to our daily lives, the coronavirus, has decided… An unexpected situation that is shaking up the planet and forces us to stay at home and wait for it to pass. So to help you wait, Tribloo has put together some of the most beautiful diving videos you can find on the web ! Enjoy…

1 – Cristina Zenato tames sharks

This is a diving video that went around the world a few years ago now (2010). A masterpiece by Joe Romeiro, featuring the woman who has since become a true ambassador for the protection of sharks, Cristina Zenato. There is an incredible complicity between Cristina and the many sharks, and the result is fantastic ! Based in the Bahamas, she is used to handling sharks in order to remove the hooks they often fall victim to… not hesitating sometimes to slide her hand (protected by chain mail) inside their mouths when necessary. This film has of course an educational objective.

2 – “Fengshui extreme”, between land and sea in Reunion Island

Here is a great video, combining freefall, apnea and water dance, directed by Christophe Loyer, and a montage that won him many awards. Shot in the skies and waters of Reunion Island, you let yourself be carried away until you don’t really know what kind of world you are in and gives you a good adrenaline rush… Fasten your seatbelt, we let you enjoy, and don’t miss the final scene !

 

3 – Guillaume Nery, base jumper below the surface

Guillaume Nery, double French freediving world champion and depth specialist, is more than that. He is also an artist and together with his partner Julie Gautier, they have somehow revolutionized the image of freediving in France and in the world, with the making of diving videos like never before. It is this video that made the freediving champion known to a much larger public, but also the work in the shadow of Julie, who also films freediving ! A freefall dive in the depths of Dean’s blue hole in the Bahamas…

4 – Ocean gravity, when Guillaume Nery defies the laws of gravity…

New masterpiece of the Nery-Gautier pair with this simply incredible reslisation, both in terms of rendering and technical prowess. In this film, we see Guillaume Nery literally flying over the reef in the Tiputa channel in French Polynesia. He then seems to wake up weightless and we don’t really know anymore whether we are under the surface or in space, an effect largely accentuated by the lunar aspect of the sea bed subjected to a powerful current. A breathtaking diving video !

5 – If i was a great white shark…

Andy Brandy Casagrande IV is a video maker specializing in wildlife imagery and adventure documentaries, having received numerous international awards, including two Emmy Awards ! Sharks, killer whales, polar bears etc… Andy innovates and perfects shooting techniques and uses the most advanced technologies to push the limits and capture ever more impressive images. In 2009, he published with National Geographic, this clip in favor of white sharks. An original way to get the message across… and it works!

6 – On the sand with the bull sharks

Every year from November to March, the seaside town of Playa Del Carmen in Mexico attracts divers to one of its many underwater attractions. It is indeed the period during which one attends a gathering of bull sharks at only 800m from the beach. Steven Surina, shark specialist and founder of Shark Education, accompanied by François Sarano, former oceanographer diver of Calypso, and founder of Longitude 181, takes us to meet the sharks that fly over this sandbank, for a moment of pure adrenaline, in all serenity … Superb images signed Pierre-Etienne Larrous.

We hope that these few diving videos have given you a good time ! They are generally the work of passionate people who want to share their love for the oceans … And you, do you have others to suggest ?

Posted on by anthony

The best diving destinations to progress !

the best diving destinations to progress

You started scuba diving some time ago now, and you’re starting to get confident ? Then you feel ready to commit yourself to dive sites and destinations that seemed inaccessible to you until now ? Tribloo has selected the best diving destinations to progress, the ones that will allow you to get good experiences and become an experienced diver !

Gaining self confidence when diving… From when?

Having experience as a diver does not resonate the same way from one person to another. And two divers will not necessarily feel comfortable in the same way after 10, 50 or 100 dives, which is quite normal. But then, at what point can we consider that we have acquired enough experience to be able to access more committed dives ?

If there is one rule that we can advise in diving, it is to remain humble and never be too self-confident. Passing levels is a good thing but it should not become a certification race to get more than the others … Because level cards you will get will never replace your experience ! That’s how you can see very good divers with little certification, who have done a lot of dives, and very bad divers with more certification who have only dived the minimum required to pass the higher certification !

If you think that 30 dives under your belt makes you a diving Jedi, think again ! You’re still only at the larval padawan stage ! However, and as you have to cross a milestone at some point, when you reach about 50 dives and have been able to face a number of more or less stressful situations below the surface, you can feel that the door to more engaged dives is open to you !

Tribloo has then selected the best destinations for you to live even more intense moments underwater and thus progress in your young life as a diver !

Diving on the famous Golden Triangle (BDE) in Egypt, one of the best diving destinations to progress

Egypt is an excellent destination for all levels of divers. There are many beginners who are taking their first diving certificates. Whether in the north or in the south, there is no shortage of dive sites. But there is an itinerary to be done on a liveaboard, which makes many of them dream, but which remains accessible only to more experienced divers ! The famous Golden Triangle, bringing together the reefs of the Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone . Launches sometimes a little agitated, to discover incredible drop offs, swept by the currents, where pelagic fauna is omnipresent. Sharks, mantas, jacks, tunas or barracudas are part of the scenery. The wreck of the Numidia is always a great moment to experience, as is the encounter with oceanic whitetip sharks…

Encounter with marine wildlife in South Africa

Diving with sharks requires a minimum of control and composure, in order to deal with stressful situations in the most controlled way, avoiding stressing the animals as well. If we add the not always simple sea conditions and the presence of currents, we have all the ingredients to make the destination the perfect place for experienced divers who want to live new experiences ! And if you want to go even further in the grandiose scenery, come during the months of June and July to attend the incredible Sardine Run, quite simply one of the craziest shows that the oceans offer us every year…

plonger en Afrique du Sud

Diving out of time in Djibouti

At the southern end of the Red Sea lies the tiny Republic of Djibouti between Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen. Djibouti’s warm waters, rich in plankton, attract a multitude of whale sharks and many other pelagic species. It is possible to dive in the Gulf of Tadjourah in the centre of the country, or on the very famous Seven Brothers, where winds and currents can sometimes be violent and require good control below the surface. There, you will meet hundreds of thousands of fish, pelagic, barracuda, tuna and huge jacks. Sharks can be seen from time to time, but encounters are rare. On the contrary, eagle rays and stingrays are very frequent encounters…

In the middle of the Indian Ocean… the Maldives

With its twenty atolls and about 1200 islands, the Maldives is a real coral jewel nestled in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Below the surface, life abounds, and you can see just about everything: pelagic, schools of fish, sharks, mantas, coral and even nudibranchs and other macro pleasures… The dives are well deserved. Because currents are generally present, more or less powerful, and it is better to be prepared for them. Before each launch, your guides will put their head underwater and show you the power so you know what to expect. But it’s worth it, because the dives, especially in the center of the archipelago, are extraordinary, and truly full of life…

Diving in Tubbataha Marine Park in the Philippines

In the heart of the Sulu Sea, off the coast of Palawan, lie two isolated atolls almost 150 km from the coast… Naturally protected, they have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1993 ! Constantly monitored by a team of rangers, the atolls of Tubbataha embody all the success of a marine reserve as we would like to see more. The dive sites are essentially drop offs, along which life is simply incredible. Above the healthy coral reefs are schools of jacks, barracudas, turtles, sharks and a whole collection of fish, each one more beautiful than the next… But beware, the currents can be impressive. Sometimes they are ascending or descending, they are also changeable, and it is not uncommon to start a drift dive in one direction and finish it in the other ! Tubbataha is open only 3 months of the year to divers, between March and June …

Diving in French Polynesia

Finally, among these deserving destinations, how not to mention this one, dreamed of by many divers ! French Polynesia embodies everything you fantasize about in a diver’s life. The remoteness, the idyllic scenery, breathtaking visibility… and a multitude of sharks visible on every dive, to mention just a few ! Moorea, Rangiroa, Fakarava,… and the certitude of being fulfilled at each launch with incredible encounters. But with the lagoons emptying or filling up according to the tides, the dives are often drifting, and the currents can be violent ! So a good control of your buoyancy and calm are mandatory conditions to have a good experience in Polynesian waters …

So, do you feel ready ? Don’t hesitate to do a few dives before leaving if you haven’t dived for a few months, it always feels good ! Have a nice trip…

Posted on by anthony

Diving trip, how to pack smart ?

Diving trip, how to pack smart ?

When it comes to dipping your fins at the end of the world… Are you more of a last-minute packing case or a week before ? When some people don’t feel any stress at the idea of preparing that famous baggage that you’re going to lug to paradise, others feel anxiety coming on… That of forgetting the essentials, of not having enough space or of exceeding the weight limit ! To help you, we have selected a few tips and tricks to help you prepare your baggage serenely for your next diving trip…

Remember to make a list before packing your diving bag

Préparer une liste avant de faire sa valise

Chances are you’ll start to get a head start on your trip several weeks before you leave. So why not put that time to good use? Start a list with everything you’ll need to take with you. This will save you a lot of time packing, and more importantly, it will help you avoid forgetting essential things. Make lists by categories: clothes, diving gear, medical, important papers, etc… Come back to it several times, as many times as necessary when you think of something to add. This way you are safe from unpleasant surprises that come too late…

Select the diving equipment you want to take with you

When you go on a diving trip, you always make sure that everything is optimized so that everything goes as smoothly as possible. The diving equipment that we will use often takes an important place in the organization, because it will partly condition beautiful dives. Feeling good with your equipment is very important. Several options are available to you: if you are demanding on the different elements that you have rigorously chosen one by one, then the best will be to take the whole thing with you ! Wetsuit, BCD, regulator, mask and fins… They will certainly take up some space in your bag, but at least you will know what you will be diving with, and won’t have to worry about it, neither before nor during !

If you don’t have all the elements or simply don’t feel like being overwhelmed, you can definitely rent on site. However, be sure to check before you leave. Make sure that the dive center has all the equipment you will need, with your sizes. Let them know so that they can plan the availability of the equipment, and avoid any last minute surprises. Finally, if you are diving in this center for the first time, don’t hesitate to ask the diving community about the general condition of the rental equipment… We sometimes have surprises !

Underwater photographers and videographers ?

Are you an underwater photographer, videographer, and you’re walking around with all your gear ? Here again, creating a list is essential to ensure that you don’t forget anything. Batteries, chargers, accessories… go through each of your equipment, because if you forget anything, you’ll spoil all your fun !

Depending on the type of equipment you use, you may need a dedicated bag for transport. For example, a cabin bag can be a great way to travel with peace of mind ! In this case, remember to unload your devices such as headlights, remove the batteries from the flashes, and condition your batteries so that they cannot come into contact with each other (there are small boxes designed for that !). Also think about the fact that you will be asked to unpack (almost) everything when you pass through airport security…

Think of the worst (care kit)

Because you are not safe from minor injuries during your stay, it is best to take the necessary precautions to take care of yourself if necessary. Starting with digestive problems, which are common when travelling to hot destinations, so take antidiarrheal medication with you. Think of all the necessary first-aid supplies, such as bandages, disinfectants, antiseptic, compresses, aspirin, but also a good sun cream with a high index (and respectful of the seabed!). If you go on a cruise, beware of seasickness. There are different solutions to fight against its inconveniences… Think about it!

Close your items by category

There you go, your journey is approaching and your wait is coming to an end ! It’s time to pack your bag… If possible, avoid packing at the last minute ! Nothing better to forget something. Use your lists well, and cross out each item as you go along. Don’t scatter, and proceed by category: diving equipment, clothing (to be adapted according to the conditions on site, get the right information), accessories, first aid kit, etc… And finally your important papers such as flight plans, insurance, dive cards and of course your passport !

It’s time to pack your bags… If possible, avoid packing at the last minute. Nothing better to forget something essential !

Don’t crowd yourself !

It is quite human to be afraid of not having enough when you go on a trip away from home! You always tend to want to take half your wardrobe with you… Isn’t that right ? With the fear of missing out, you add a few extra things and you end up not being able to close your bag ! And once you’re there you wonder why you took all that stuff ! It’s important to be well informed about the climate at that time on site in order to adjust the type of clothes to take, as well as the wetsuit. Do you really need these 8 pants, 4 bermuda shorts and 23 t-shirts for this week of diving ?

Choose the good bag

Finding the right suitcase for a diving trip is not always easy. The choice is so vast that you get lost in it !  Several criteria will then come into play to choose the right one. The size obviously and the capacity, expressed in Liters. Would you like to take your diving equipment with you or do you rent it on site ? If you bring your own equipment (wetsuit, regulator, bcd, fins, etc…), choose a luggage with a capacity of at least 90L to be quiet, and specially designed for divers. You will find efficient wheels, space for diving equipment, interior straps, some models even have waterproof compartments, or side pockets for fins… The weight of your diving bag is also a factor to take into account, and they are not all equal: 4.9kg for the Cressi Moby 5 (115L), 3.5kg for the Cruise Buddy de Mares (87L), 2.8kg for the Beuchat Voyager L 2019 (95L) or even 1.3kg for the Explorer II Folder, the newest model from AquaLung… If you’re the type of person who wants to be at the limit with the weight of your luggage, choose the lightest one possible, without skimping on quality !

Finally ready to take off ? Now that your bag is packed, you’ll be able to sleep soundly on the plane, without spending your time wondering “What did I forget?” !

Posted on by anthony

Divers… What’s your winter occupation ?

The coming of winter is always a special moment for the divers of our regions. Even if it is not necessarily a Siberian cold, the drop in temperatures, both in the air and in the water, will put many of us at a standstill, waiting for more pleasant days. In these cases, we have to keep busy, don’t we ? So here are a few activities to keep you in the diving atmosphere during the winter !

Keep diving… into the cold !

Because the cold is not a fatality, and with a little motivation and passion, and above all a good wetsuit, the call of the deep can be stronger ! Diving in winter allows you to practice in conditions that are not ideal, and to get out of your comfort zone a little. And thus to appreciate even more the days when the perfect conditions will be there ! With good equipment, you can resist rather well once in the water, and it is often the outside conditions after the dive that can be the hardest.

Have all your diving equipment serviced and checked

If you are not the type to do violence to yourself, there’s nothing wrong with that ! Stay warm, and don’t get into an experience that will leave you feeling bad. This dry period is a good time to review all your diving equipment ! And be ready when you get back in the water… Starting with your regulator, the key element of your safety, it requires regular maintenance to work perfectly and avoid unpleasant surprises (leaks or bad flow for example). It is advisable to have your regulator serviced once a year by a professional, who will dismantle it, change parts such as filters and membranes, carry out a thorough cleaning of the parts, and check the correct operation of the regulator once reassembled.

Check that the inflator of your BCD is working properly. Is your mask strap in good condition? Does your suit need minor repairs? Don’t forget to lubricate its zip…

Training again !

Because there is always more to learn in diving, and a little training never hurts, why not take advantage of this time to improve your skills ? The advantage for many of us is to be able to do this in a pool or diving pool, in warm and stress-free waters. Or if you want to take the plunge and dive in cold water, learn how to use a drysuit properly !

se former à la plongée sous-marine

Go diving in the warm sea

The least favourable period for diving in our latitudes is also the best time to change scenery and go on a nice diving trip ! And there is no lack of good destinations during our winter months: whether in the Philippines, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Maldives or even Mauritius, there is a vast choice to enjoy yourself and cheer you up far from the cold !

plonger au chaud

Make a stop at the Paris Dive Show

Do you miss the atmosphere of diving ? Would you like to see the divers who accompanied you on your last liveaboard, see the latest news, watch the most beautiful documentaries of the year, meet all the diving professionals ? Well you may know it, it’s in Paris that it happens during the annual diving grand-messe in France, the Paris Dive Show ! This year it will be held from January 10 to 13, 2020, Porte de Versailles.

This is an opportunity to come and visit us. Tribloo will be there, together with our partner diving center Tavolara Diving, on booth K25 !

And you, what do you do during the winter ?

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The best destinations to dive in winter !

This is a critical time for many of us. When winter comes, with the cold and short days, we are not all equal. Because if some people will exchange fins for skis, the options available to others are not numerous… Dive into cold conditions…. Stop diving for several months…. Or something more motivating: go to a warm destination and enjoy yourself ! Tribloo has selected for you the best destinations to dive in winter….

Dive in winter in the Maldives

If there is one destination that makes everyone agree when winter is here, it is the Maldives and its small islands bordered by white sandy beaches that plunge into an emerald sea where life is literally bubbling ! With its coral reefs teeming with species, from the very small to the large, the abundance of life is obvious. And even if it is possible to dive almost all year round in the Maldives, in the winter months, from December to April when rains are rare, are excellent ! Underwater the spectacle is striking, with always many pelagics including many sharks, whale sharks, manta rays, but also many fish sometimes in very dense schools.

Go to dive in winter in Mexico – Yucatan

Widely in fashion for several years, Mexico attracts divers from all over the world with its whale sharks, its famous cenotes and its rather caliente atmosphere. But when winter comes, the show is even more worth it, for two reasons! The first is the presence of bull sharks during the period from November to March, near Playa Del Carmen, and a unique opportunity to be approached by these impressive species. The second, of a much shorter duration, between mid-January and the end of March, with the observation in pmt of sailfish (the fastest fish on the planet!) in the middle of sardine hunting !

Dive with angelsharks in Lanzarote

A little less tropical than the others, Lanzarote is still an exciting diving destination ! Close to Europe, the waters of this Canary Island are never really cold. This is what makes the fauna found there a real mixture of Atlantic, Mediterranean and tropical species ! But during the winter months, between November and March, a particular species frequents the waters of Lanzarote. On the sandy bottoms, we can observe the peaceful angelshark, perfectly camouflaged, but which always attract the eye of divers who come to cross their path….

Dive in winter in Raja Ampat

Let’s go back to tropical waters, Asia now ! The “Four Kings” archipelago has become one of the most prestigious diving destinations as the change of scenery and the underwater show are all part of the experience ! In the heart of the Coral Triangle, and renowned as the place on the planet where marine biodiversity is simply the greatest, diving in Raja Ampat is an experience that every diver dreams of living at least once in their life. The best season to dive there is from November to April, because it is the dry season, the time when you can also see the most manta rays !

Dive in Guadeloupe

If you are more of a Caribbean and like the atmosphere there, why not opt for Guadeloupe? This French island in the Caribbean arc has great assets for divers, especially with the Cousteau Reserve on the west coast. It is in this part of the island, sheltered and protected, that we find the most beautiful diving sites in Guadeloupe. Tunnels, caves, wrecks, and especially a multitude of reef fish, and encounters with adorable green turtles… the show is permanent. From December onwards, when the hurricane season is over, you will find the weather very pleasant.

Dive with pelagic in Mozambique

Located opposite the island of Madagascar on the African continent, Mozambique is a destination still little known by divers, but which offers world-class dives ! With the Mozambique Channel, its currents and nutrients, the area is ideal for the presence of large pelagics. Thus diving in Mozambique rhymes with incredible encounters near manta rays, whale sharks, humpback whales etc…. During our winter months, it is summer in Mozambique, and the best time to see whale sharks !

Go to dive in winter in the Philippines

The Philippine archipelago, with 7641 islands nestled in the Coral Triangle, is one of the most popular destinations for divers. And with so many islands, it is better to say that the possibilities are numerous and that there is something for everyone! From the wrecks of Coron, to the superb atolls of Tubbataha, to the incredible bottoms of the Visayas, filled with all kinds of species… It is possible to dive almost all year round in the Philippines, but the months of November to May are the driest, especially in the Visayas, and therefore the most suitable for a beautiful sun diving holiday !

Dive with manatees in Crystal River in Florida

Florida on the east coast of the United States is a major diving destination, including many wrecks, deliberately sunk to create artificial reefs and diving sites. But the great curiosity in Florida is in a river, whose water temperature is 21° C almost all year round. Crystal River, with its crystal clear waters, is home to many manatees, and the best time to observe them in snorkeling is from November to March. With very strict rules, however, it is possible to evolve in the midst of these large, highly protected mammals !

Many diving destinations are available during the winter months, among the best in the world ! So there is no reason to wait for the sunny days to put the fins back in the water….

Posted on by anthony