Inside Scuba Issue #58

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Andy Deitsch & Byron Conroy
April 19, 2026

Welcome to Issue #58 of Inside Scuba

This week’s edition covers a lot of ground, from critical conservation milestones in the Florida Keys to the technical discipline required for 400-foot wreck penetrations. We also have some somber news to share regarding the passing of Doug Allan and Geoff Yeadon, two individuals whose work in the polar and cave diving sectors set the standard for modern exploration. On a more tactical note, we’re diving into the nuances of underwater color science and opening up details for our 2028 workshop in the Philippines. Whether you’re here for the gear recalls, the latest dive news, or tips on improving your wide-angle composition, there’s plenty to dig into below.

What’s happening in this edition?

Macro to Megafauna: The Ultimate Philippines Underwater Photography Workshop

February 14 – 26, 2028 | Dumaguete & The Visayas Safari

Join Inside Scuba for an immersive 12-night underwater photography expedition led by Inside Scuba founders Byron Conroy and Andy Deitsch. We begin with 5 nights at the luxurious Atlantis Dumaguete—world-renowned for its "muck diving" and macro wonders—before boarding the Atlantis Infiniti for a 7-night liveaboard safari targeting the magnificent thresher sharks of Malapascua and the vibrant reefs of the Visayas.

With this workshop we aim to provide you with the very best macro, wide-angle and big animal photographic opportunities

This workshop destination has been chosen to offer the ultimate teaching conditions for underwater photography. The first 5 days will focus entirely on macro, as Dumaguete is home to some of the best macro shooting opportunities in the world, especially for cephalopod action. During this time, we will hold lectures on all types of macro photography, and you will have the chance to repeat-dive the best sites with the guidance needed to bring your creative visions to reality. Each day includes a live image review where we will critique your work in a non-competitive environment, allowing us to learn from and be inspired by one another. During these sessions, we will also conduct live editing demonstrations for the group.

After 5 nights at the resort, we will board the Atlantis Infiniti directly from the resort beachfront, ensuring no break in the diving action. To provide the very best possible conditions, we are running the boat at 20% under capacity, ensuring fewer divers in the water and more room for cameras, equipment, and lectures. Once on board, we will shift our focus to wide-angle photography. Lectures will cover composition, storytelling, and lighting techniques designed to take your wide-angle images to the next level.

The primary focus during these 7 nights will be wide-angle reef scenes, fish portraits, and our thresher shark experience. Because we are stationed on a liveaboard, we will have the opportunity to be the first in the water with these incredible sharks, avoiding the long journeys required by shore-based day boats.

As important as great technique is, we also understand the value of post-processing. Each day, we will offer a Lightroom and Photoshop clinic where you can drop in to discuss your workflow and see how we can help you prepare your images for the evening review.

In each issue of our newsletter, we will curate some top dive news from around the world. Links to each of the original articles are available.

Dive Magazine: “Legendary underwater cameraman Doug Allan dies aged 74. Doug Allan, the award-winning wildlife cameraman and pioneer of polar videography known for his work on The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet, has died aged 74. Allan died on 8 April while trekking in Nepal, according to a statement issued by his management team, who said he died ‘immersed in nature and surrounded by friends’.”

Divernet: “Pioneering UK cave-diver Geoff Yeadon dies. Veteran British cave-diver Geoff Yeadon, president of the Cave Diving Group (CDG), has died at the age of 73. He was regarded as a pioneering force in the UK cave-diving community for his exploits from the late 1960s onwards and his contribution to developing diving techniques.”

Mote Marine Lab: “Mote Marine Laboratory Releases First Hatchery-Raised Caribbean King Crabs onto Florida’s Coral Reef, Marking Major Milestone in Restoration Efforts. Mote Marine Laboratory is excited to announce the successful, first-ever release of hatchery-raised Caribbean king crabs onto Florida’s Coral Reef as part of its holistic science-based coral reef restoration strategy. The historic release took place on March 28, 2026, at a restoration site in the lower Florida Keys.”

Dive Magazine: “Fuel removed from cruise ship grounded on Fiji ‘Castaway’ reef. Most of the fuel carried by a cruise ship that ran aground on a reef off Monuriki Island in Fiji over the Easter weekend has now been removed, according to local authorities. The MV Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises, was carrying 30 passengers and 31 crew members at the time of the incident.”

Inside Halton: “Scuba diving equipment sold in Canada recalled over drowning risk. Health Canada issued a product recall notice for SCUBAPRO Monorail Weight Pockets over a drowning risk. “The D-ring handle that is used to unlock the weight pocket from the Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD) can detach during use,” the recall notice published on April 9 reads. “If this happens, the user will not be able to remove the weight pockets in an emergency to rise to the surface, posing a drowning hazard.”

Dive Magazine: “Cayman Islands divers surface to find boat capsized. Six divers from the Cayman Islands Divers British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) were greeted with an unpleasant surprise on Easter Sunday after they surfaced from a dive in the North Sound of Grand Cayman to find their dive boat had capsized. Fortunately, two boats from local Cayman operator, Captain Marvin’s Watersports, were passing by when the club’s vessel overturned, and were ready to provide assistance as the divers surfaced.”

Divernet: “Crocodile bites diver on Cozumel swim. A 72-year-old American scuba diver has been bitten by a crocodile while going for a late-afternoon swim off a resort beach on the Caribbean island of Cozumel in Mexico. Eric Greager from Richland in Washington state was about 30m out from the shore when the crocodile, which he estimated to be about 3m long, clamped down on his right arm. He was thrashed about in a way that he later described as “like a dog with a rag toy”, according to US press reports.”

MySunCoast.com: “Authorities seize 50,000 dried shark fins at US ports, valued at more than $1 million. Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the team seized thousands of dried shark fins across several U.S. ports. According to the wildlife agency, about 50,000 shark fins were taken in from 20 shipments at ports, totaling more than 1,600 pounds and valued at over $1 million. Inspectors say the first shipment was discovered in Anchorage, Alaska, which sparked a wider investigation. Their work led to the interception of additional shipments moving through Alaska, Kentucky and Ohio while the items were transiting from Mexico to Hong Kong.”

Divernet: “Scuba divers cling to buoy after boat swept away. A recreational scuba-diving couple were left adrift off Florida’s Gulf Coast for almost six hours after their vessel broke anchor during a dive on 9 April. The boat had drifted away in high winds and waves from a dive-site some 8km from Boca Grande.”

GulfCoastNewsNow.com: “Rare feat: Mother manatee spotted with twin newborn calves. A rare feat was captured on camera earlier this month as a photographer spotted a mother manatee with not just one newborn, but two newborn calves. These two calves were born just minutes apart, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.”

Into the Planet: Why Jill Heinerth’s Memoir is a 5-Star Read

As recreational divers, most of us have a clearly defined "line in the sand." For some, it’s a specific depth; for others, it’s the overhead environment. I found my own line years ago following my cavern certification. My instructor took me into Devil’s Ear (a famous cave in Ginnie Springs, Florida) to see if I wanted to move on to full cave certification. I vividly remember entering the cave only to "thumb the dive" within ten minutes. The claustrophobia was immediate and overwhelming—it simply wasn't for me.

However, just because I have no desire to swim through a 14-inch squeeze doesn't mean I don’t appreciate the incredible skill and grit required to do so. Over the years, I’ve been captivated by the surreal imagery coming out of places like Abaco in the Bahamas and the Yucatan in Mexico. It was that appreciation that led me to pick up Jill Heinerth’s autobiography, Into the Planet, on a recent trip.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling in "Inner Space"

I’ve followed Jill’s career for years, but this book gave me a far deeper appreciation for her role as a pioneer. She didn't just dive caves; she helped build the foundations of modern technical diving. She was a lead diver on the ground-breaking US Deep Caving Team project at Wakulla Springs, where she helped pilot the first 3D cave-mapping device—technology so advanced that NASA eventually looked to it for future missions to Europa.

Master Your Underwater Colors: The Professional Guide to Color Science and White Balance

By Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan

In the world of underwater photography, color is our primary language. Without proper adjustment or artificial light, the water column acts as a heavy blue filter, stripping away the vibrant reds and yellows of the reef. Mastering color isn't just about making an image "look pretty"; it’s about restoring neutrality so that every other color in the frame can truly pop. In this article adapted from The Underwater Photography Show, we'll delve into the details of color science and white balance to help you capture more pleasing images.

The Reality of Gear: Brands, Sensors, and "Lies"

While many claim that RAW files make camera choice irrelevant, our experience in the field tells a different story. One camera’s colors are often more pleasing than another’s straight out of the box.

  • The Nikon Advantage: We generally find Nikon colors to be the most accurate and pleasing straight out of the camera. Their auto white balance (AWB) is significantly more consistent for underwater scenes compared to competitors.

  • The Sony Spectrum: Sony’s underwater AWB performs excellently in shallow, available-light scenarios like shipwrecks or reef scenics. However, it can "jump around" inconsistently when you move close to a subject and use heavy strobe light.

  • Sensor Technology: It isn’t just about the brand; it’s about the sensor. High-resolution "optimum" sensors (like the Sony A7R V) often provide better color fidelity than the "stacked" or "global shutter" sensors found in high-speed sports cameras.

  • The Preview "Lie": Some manufacturers, particularly in the Micro Four Thirds space, apply heavy internal processing to the preview files. They look fantastic on the camera screen, but the colors can seem to "collapse" once imported into Lightroom.

This week’s featured video comes from Dom Robinson’s channel, Deep Wreck Diver, and takes us nearly 400 feet down to the HMHS Britannic. Resting in the Aegean Sea, the Titanic’s sister ship remains one of the most formidable challenges in the technical diving world. Joining legendary explorer Richie Kohler, the interview provides a rare, claustrophobic look inside the Olympic-class liner, highlighting the extreme discipline and precise CCR execution required to navigate such a deep, high-consequence environment.

Beyond the technical grit, the video captures the team’s successful recovery of the ship’s bell and offers a haunting comparison between this preserved hospital ship and her more famous sibling. It is a masterclass in wreck penetration and a sobering reminder of the planning required to explore the "Everest of shipwrecks."

Summary

We hope this issue gives you plenty to think about before your next giant stride—whether that’s a shift in how you handle white balance or a renewed appreciation for the planning behind a deep wreck dive. As the community continues to evolve, we’re glad to have you along for the ride. If you found something useful in these pages, please pass it along to a buddy. We'll see you in the water.

Safe bubbles,

Andy & Byron

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