Peter Hughes knows a thing or two about live-aboards, and he has a spot in the DEMA Hall of Fame to prove it. In 2011, Hughes received the DEMA Reaching Out Award for helping to evolve the live-aboard diving industry over the past three decades. That same year, after spending more than 25 years building his former live-aboard company, Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., the 40-year scuba diving veteran threw all of his expertise and energy into a new live-aboard venture, the DivEncounters Alliance 

Diving from the beach is the ultimate in freedom: There’s no boat, no divemaster and no schedule to keep. For such do-it-yourself divers, getting wet is usually as easy as gearing up and wading in. These 10 scuba diving destinations are among the best places in the world for shore diving, where walk-ins are welcome.

We all know the non-native lionfish invading the Atlantic and Caribbean are venomous, but what kind of pain does a lionfish sting really deliver? Here's one diver's experience with the dreaded venom.

Looking for an opinion you trust on the world’s best overall dive destination? Top big-animal encounters? Destinations with the healthiest reefs? Look no further — we’ve got the answers.