Underwater Current Magazine Scam??

[EvilSlumLord]

How does one get the 6 month free subscription to Dive Training? I'm looking at their Web site and don't see any sign of it. I don't mind paying for the sub but if there is a trial offer would love to benefit from it before going in with both fins (as it were).

Thanks!

After a bit more searching I found the offer. For those interested, the direct link is:

http://www.dtmag.com/students.shtml

 

[pupdiver]

I have been subscribing to Undercurrent for some time and have found it very useful for planning trips. Also, I think they publish stories on equipment problems and safety issues that no one else is publishing.

As far as the Chapbook goes, there may be some errors that pop up, but I think most of the diver-submitted reviews are pretty helpful and accurate. You may not always agree with someone else's experience, but most of them are written such that you can tell a problem resort or operator. The caveat is that the Chapbook is somewhat like tripsadvisor.com in that it is individuall opinions (although they are screened and edited somewhat). You might have one person slam an operator and eight people give them great reviews. Both may have legitimate reviews. You just have to decide whether the one persons experience/perception carries weight.

My one complaint (and it is minor): For the price I pay for an online subscription, I feel I should be able to download a current issue in its entirety.

 

[Jupiter31]

Okay, I got this discreet package in the mail yesterday from a company called underwater current magazine. The magazine claims to not take advertisements and gives you a no BS assesment on dive operations good and bad, best places to dive, best equipment not based on advertising etc.. They supposedly travel all over the world "paying their own way" and are not swayed by advertisers. This sounds like a good theory an unbiased dive magazine but smells kind of fishy. Does anyone here subscribe to this thing or is it a load of bull?

I am very suspicious of this. If anyone knows anything about them I would be curious to hear some feeback. Thanks

I think its a great publication, and really informative - I just renewed for another 2 years, and have been a subscriber for over 15 years.

Many of their dive reviews are to "exotic" sites and I sometimes wish they would report more on sites closer to the US (Carib, Bahamas, FL etc) - but you can't please everyone!

They are "unbiased" in that they don't accept advertising, but its still someone's opinion, and truly, "Your mileage may vary" - but they do try to present fairly in their articles. And point out obvious problems and issues. They have done a great job pointing out problems with dive travel providers, for example.

When the old "Skindiver" magazine was published there was a real need for another voice because the articles were shameless - you never heard about ANY bad resorts, bad operators, nor bad equipment. I recall owners (or owners wives on at least one occasion) - writing an article on the spouses dive operation - how unbiased could that be - if you wanted a favorable review, from travel to equipment, all you had to do was buy advertising; it was truly that bad.

Undercurrent was started in part as a response; however you can also learn a heck of a lot from this board.

 

[diversteve]

After a bit more searching I found the offer. For those interested, the direct link is:

http://www.dtmag.com/students.shtml

I don't know about yours, but my LDS gives it away. They even have it on a rack outside to reduce the temptation to go inside and buy something - but you know I do anyway.

 

[ianr33]

The main reason I was interested was one specific article. It said something about a shark attack and Turks and Caicos. I'll be traveling to T&C in a few months. Does anyone recall anything about that article? Thanks

If I recall correctly,and dont quote me on this!, it involved a female diver on a liveaboard boat. A shark did some major damage to her upper arm/shoulder. One of the divers on the trip was,amazingly, a vascular surgeon who did some emergency surgery and saved her life. There were rumours of shark feeding,or at least garbage being tossed overboard.

 

[bluefrogfish]

Undercurrent can be a good source of information when you prepare a trip.
But take it only like that, just another source. I wouldn´t take my decisions based only on what they say.
I remember that years ago they wrote about a live-aboard where I used to work. They said something like "one of the dive masters seemed to be only interested in taking pictures and wouldn't care much about guiding" when reality was very different: the dive master was always available to guide anyone who wanted to be guided and he only took his camera during the dives he did when he was off duty, and even then he offered himself to guide and help customers with their photography...

As in any information we receive, there are always to sides

 

[h2odragon1]

I've been a subscriber to undercurrents since I started diving, and find the info great. You do have to realize that it is the subscribers that file the trip reports and they are entitled to their opinion. other info is just as valuable.
If you mant to know about any shark attacks, you can go to www.sharkattackfile.com for more info. they keep up to date files on attacks anywhere in the world.