The Scuba Diving Podcast

Interview with Dr. Dawn Kernagis discussing living on the ocean floor in an undersea habitat.
Here we primarily discuss her NEEMO missions in previous habitats, with the new DEEP Vanguard being shown. It will be deployed fall 2026.

• Organization: DEEP.
• Location: Tennessee Reef, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
• Features: Dive center with moonpool entry/exit for scuba, rebreather, and hard-hat diving,
reconfigurable living chamber with bunks for four and communal lounge area, safety refuges,
emergency power, and breathing gas.
• Supporting infrastructure: Shore-based command center, watch desk, decompression chamber,
mission support vessels, and facilities for habitat diver training.
• Inhabitants: Crews of up to four aquanauts, living and working underwater for five+ days at a time.
• Mission types: Marine science research, coral reef restoration, long-term monitoring, climate impact
studies, human performance research, and training for extreme environments.
• Total installation weight of foundation, ballast, and habitat: 465 tons.
• Structure footprint (including foundation): 14 meters (46 ft) x 12 meters (39 ft).
• Liveable area of the habitat: 10.7 meters (35 ft) long x 2.5 meters (8 ft) wide.
• Ocean floor installation depth: 17 meters (56 ft).
• Habitat living pressure depth: 13 meters (43 ft).
• Partners: DEEP’s partners on the Vanguard project include Unique Group, Bastion Technologies, Triton
Submarines, and Resolve Marine.
On its mission to make humans aquatic, ocean engineering firm, DEEP, is developing subsea habitats, systems, and training to enable a continuous human presence in the ocean. Vanguard, its prototype habitat, is the first step in a long-term infrastructure program. Next comes Sentinel – a modular habitat system designed for scale.
www.deep.com

Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast.

Scuba World Record holder and Hall of Fame legend Neal Watson joins me to talk about the world's longest scuba swim on record:What it actually took, how a critical equipment malfunction forced him to drink warm salt water mid-swim, how he stayed hydrated and fed underwater, and exactly how far he went.But Neal's resume doesn't stop there. He also holds the record for the deepest dive on regular compressed air, is inducted into the Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and pioneered shark diving at what is now Neal Watson's Bimini Scuba Center.He's been diving since the 1950s. Long enough to have strong opinions about where the sport is headed, and something very specific that's been lost along the way.We talked about all of it with no notes or prep, this was completely impromptu on the dock at Marinelab Undersea Park. 🛟 Topics covered:World record scuba swim: Distance, logistics, and what went wrongDeepest dive on compressed airThe origins of modern shark divingOld school vs. modern scuba divingScuba Diving Hall of Fame

What if the scuba diving industry has been missing something critical — and two people just figured out how to fix it?Dr. Calina Ouliaris and Simon Lugan, cofounders of Journey Underwater, have developed a groundbreaking wellness framework that’s reshaping how divers learn, breathe, and reconnect with their minds underwater (and on land). Their approach — the “Dive In” Framework (also an official PADI specialty course) — challenges the dive industry to go beyond physical safety checklists and finally address the mental and psychological well-being of both students and instructors.In this full-length interview with Calina, we explore:Why traditional dive training is leaving a critical gap in diver wellnessHow the “Dive In” framework transforms learning environments and the significance of pre/post-dive briefings.The role of pace, mindfulness, and internalized safety in building a sustainable dive community.Why this movement could literally save scuba diving🗺️ Filmed entirely on location at Fitzroy Island, off the coast of Cairns, Australia — one of the most stunning corners of the world, and along the Great Barrier Reef. It was a personal bucket-list destination. Nearly all the clips were shot in the field, with real participants going through the program. The little bit of wind you’ll hear, the waves, the reef — it’s all real.If you care about the future of diving, diver mental health, or wellness-integrated adventure sports, I think you’ll love this episode.https://www.journeyunderwater.com/—Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:www.sweetwaterscuba.com

I got a first-hand look at divers entering the water wearing a REAL WW2 Mark V dive helmet and suit! Local expert and guru "Sharky" paused for an impromptu interview right on the deck of the Marinelab habitat in Key Largo, FL. This is home to Vintage Dive Day, and Jules Undersea Lodge.
Sharky walks us through the experience of diving in historical gear, why he does it, and some key reactions of divers who didn't know what to expect!

Sharky (Mark Alexander), runs the "Dive a Mark V" experience, owns Trident Surface Supplied Diving, and contributes to the History of Diving Museum.

Interview and video by: Kenny Dyal

Is there anything wrong with giving away the online scuba training for free? RAID doesn't think so. They’re a major presence in the UK, and an ubiquitous logo around the 2026 UK Go Diving Show. “RAIDers” are taking the scuba world by storm with a very different approach to learning.
Director James Rogers took time to explain to me the learning culture behind RAID, which is an international scuba certifying agency.
https://diveraid.com/
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Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast:
www.sweetwaterscuba.com