My wife and I decided to play Sharks & Minnows, a horror game, where you’re trapped in a pool and need to swim 10 laps surrounded by deadly sea creatures. As you may know, I’ve scuba dived with real sharks and other sea creatures, so this was a fun and scary experience! Link to the…
Category: Fun
Wandering Japan’s Wild & Enchanting Coastline
Back in September 2024, my wife and I got the opportunity to visit Japan, which has been on our bucket list for a long time. We visited many places on Honshu (the largest of the Japanese islands), but the Izu Peninsula was definitely among our favorites. We scuba dived there and saw a lot of bizarre sea creatures, but the landscape itself was breathtaking.
Earth Creatures That Can Survive in Space
Does life exist on other planets? Probably, but we haven’t found it yet. However, our own planet Earth is home to otherworldly organisms that can survive extreme conditions, including the vacuum of space. These creatures offer us a glimpse into what we can expect from alien lifeforms. Tardigrades (aka Water Bears) First up are Tardigrades,…
One Piece Characters Based on Real Pirates
One Piece may be a fictional world, but many of the pirates are named after or inspired by real captains. Because there are so many characters in the manga and anime, I’m not going to break all of them down, but I will give special attention to the key players. For full disclosure, if you…
The History of the Gulf of Mexico
Long ago, there was a giant supercontinent called Pangaea, where all the world’s continents lived in harmony. Over the next 200 million years, the continents experienced a massive breakup and went their separate ways. In the midst of this breakup, a small body of water formed and became what is now known as the Gulf…
10 Animals That Mate for Life
In the animal kingdom, survival is the ultimate battle, and there’s often little room for long-term relationships. Yet, the nature of, well, nature has caused some animals to evolve monogamous partnerships that can often last for life. Here are 10 animals that prefer to stick together. 1. Mimic Poison Frog The mimic poison frog is…
Is Velociraptor the Ancestor of Today’s Birds?
If birds are dinosaurs, does that mean modern birds are descended from raptors? Looking at the piercing eyes and sharp talons of hawks and eagles, it’s easy to think they are great great great (millions of times multiplied) grandchildren of Velociraptor. However, the answer is a little more complicated. First off, raptors are NOT the…
Tying a Bowline with One Hand
As a Captain and a Divemaster, I’ve had to study the bowline knot with almost religious fervor. Thus, it’s the primary knot I know and remember, and perhaps, the only knot I can tie one handed. Back in 2019, I filmed myself tying a bowline with one hand. You can watch it here: The video…
Riding a Japanese Ferry – The Tachibana Maru
As an island nation, Japan has many ferries connecting its numerous islands, and they are critical lifelines for the island communities they serve. When my wife and I visited Japan in September 2024, we went out of our way to ride one of these ferries, the Tachibana Maru. This ship runs a route along the…
Bizarre Sea Creatures of Japan’s Izu Peninsula
While scuba diving in Japan’s Izu Peninsula, I encountered many bizarre sea creatures. From peacock wrasse to porcupinefish, there’s all sorts of weird critters here.
Tidewater Teddy 