Travelers often resist the idea of group travel - with the ease of online booking, why not just travel on your own instead of with a group of strangers? Group travel has tons of advantages, especially for people wanting to get the most out of their s.. Read More

I've been in this industry for 21 years and I am so grateful for all of the people I have met and conversations I have had. In all those years, the two most common questions I have been asked are "Where is your favorite place to dive?" .. Read More

In a first-of-a-kind trip, Ocean First instructors and divers donned their cold-weather clothes and drove to Gunnison County's scenic Blue Mesa Reservoir for a weekend of exploring what Colorado diving is all about. Created by the Blue Mesa Dam i.. Read More

I am asked this quite often. Normally it is by someone who already has a jacket style BCD (where the air goes into the back along with the wings), or by someone who has a friend who is trying to encourage them to buy a back inflate (where all of the .. Read More

For most people, the sport of freediving is an intimidating pursuit. Although I would typically argue that it's an accessible activity for everyone, the trip I embarked on one year ago was not for the timid or inexperienced. In February of 2019, .. Read More

With much of the world under quarantine there isn’t a lot of diving going on right now. We have put our training, traveling, and diving on hold until we can inevitably flip on our fins once again. Fortunately, there is plenty to do from the saf.. Read More

At Ocean First, we were inspired to add the reef saver to our retail offerings after seeing them used in Thailand years ago. Unable to find wholesale manufacturers that were up to par, our very own Mark Duvall researched and developed the sticks you .. Read More

Can you imagine what it would have been like to be dive certified at age ten? While most of us get certified well into adulthood, SSI standards allow for kids to get certified by the time they reach double digits. Depending on the ten year olds you k.. Read More

I'm writing this blog series because my gear is dry and I desperately want to travel to the tropics but I don't have a trip anytime soon. Maybe you are in the same boat and can use come additional ideas, tips & tricks. As the buyer for Oc.. Read More

Part 2: Exposure Protection In the last blog, I spoke about using your camera prior to your trip in order to achieve the shots you've always wanted. From my experience, there are quite a few ways to utilize your exposure protection that you purch.. Read More