By Travis Marshall

|| |---| | If you know of an event that you feel may be of interest to divers, please email details to Nick Lucey at [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit, and publish only those events we deem appropriate.|
The end of the dive year is upon us. Luckily, that means the next one is just around the corner. And while there's nothing wrong with those straight-up beaches, blue water and boat drinks dive trips, if you time it right, you can get so much more from your valuable vacation time. Take advantage of local and natural events around the world and take your 2009 dive experience to the next level by consulting this selection of can't-miss events throughout the islands and beyond.

January

Nassau Grouper Spawning, Little Cayman

One of the few spawning aggregations left for this threatened species is off Little Cayman, and researchers from the Grouper Moon project gather each January to tag and count fish and observe their behavior. Dive Little Cayman during the January/February full moon, and you'll see huge schools off Nassau grouper cruising the reef en route to the offshore party--a rare sight considering the fishes' solitary nature. If you're a REEF volunteer, you can help document these traveling groups. Also, Grouper Moon project participants will be on-island giving topside biology lessons about the phenomenon.

Opalescent Squid Mating Season

From January to March, nightfall along the Southern California coast triggers a mass convergence of opalescent squid. The mid-water mating ritual results in thousands of eggs laid, and the whole scene attracts all walks of marine life. Tip: Break out the bright lights, brush up your night diving skills and hit the Channel Islands for a one-of-a-kind experience.

February

Humpbacks of the Silver Bank

Kick off your year with the ultimate marine life encounter. The humpbacks of the Silver Bank, north of the Dominican Republic, have been interacting with humans for nearly two decades. The result: up-close, in-water encounters, guaranteed.

Eagle Ray Migration, Cozumel, Mexico

How can you beat the ripping drifts of this diver's paradise? Dive them during the annual eagle ray migration. Squadrons of these spotted beauties soar in formation along the deep walls around the beginning of February.

Our World-Underwater

Our World-Underwater is the Midwest's largest consumer dive show, and will be held Feb. 20-22 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. For more information about the event, go to www.ourworldunderwater.com.

Caribbean Carnivals

These all-hours parties happen year-round in the Caribbean depending on the island, but in true Mardi Gras form, a few of the most notable celebrations happen in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25. For a Mexican-style fiesta, head to Cozumel; for a Dutch influence, visit Curaçao; and if you want to hit the biggest party this side of Rio, touch down on Trinidad and Tobago.

March

Humboldt Squid, Baja California, Mexico

Suit up in armored chain mail and tether yourself to a panga for a dive with the Red Demons of Baja California. Humboldt squid are some of the most cunning and ferocious creatures in the ocean, and the diving season runs from March to November.

Boston Sea Rovers

The Boston Sea Rovers 55th Annual Clinic is planned for March 6-8, and will be held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston, Mass. The Boston Sea Rovers is actually a dive club that runs the annual "clinics," or shows. For more information, go to www.bostonsearovers.com.

Ghost Ships Festival, Milwaukee, Wisc.

The Ghost Ships Festival will take place March 20 and 21, 2009 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center. Advance tickets are $20 and day-of tickets are $25. To purchase a ticket or for more information, visit www.ghostships.org or send an email to [email protected].

ScubaFest

ScubaFest 2009 will take place March 20-22 at the Crown Plaza Hotel Columbus North in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, go to www.scubafest.org.

Beneath the Sea

Beneath the Sea is billed as "America's largest consumer scuba and dive travel show," and it is no doubt the premiere dive event in the Northeastern U.S. The 33rd Annual Undersea Dive & Travel Exposition will be held March 27-29 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. For more information, go to www.beneaththesea.org.

Whale Sharks, Belize

Attracted by schools of spawning cubera and mutton snapper, whale sharks show up like clockwork at Belize's Gladden Spit between March and June. These encounters off Placencia, Belize, are a must-do for any self-respecting diver.

April

Wrecking It, Bermuda

More than 400 shipwrecks haunt the jagged reefs around this mid-Atlantic playground, all just a short hop from the U.S. mainland. April sees great visibility and rising water temps, and kicks off the peak diving season.

International Legends of Diving Event 2009

On Grand Bahama Island, UNEXSO, the world's first dive training resort and the filming location for Sea Hunt, will host the new international portion of the annual Legends of Diving gathering. Among the guests will be Zale Perry, a diving pioneer and the first diver featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and Dottie Frazier, the world's first female dive instructor. Special rates apply during the event, April 2 to 6.

Asia Dive Expo (ADEX)

The 15th Annual Dive and Consumer Show will be held April 3-5 at the Suntec International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Singapore. For more information about this trade and consumer event, go to www.asiadiveexpo.com.

OceanFest

The OceanFest dive show will take place on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 17, 18 and 19. The event is sponsored by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and produced by Neal Watson Productions, Inc. For more information about the show, go to www.oceanfest.com.

Dive & Travel Expo

The 2nd Annual Dive & Travel Expo will be held at the Tacoma Convention Center in Tacoma, Wash, and is billed as the "largest consumer diving and travel show in the Pacific Northwest." For more information, go to www.diveandtravelexpo.com.

May

Curaçao Dive Festival

Watch underwater films on the beach, kick back with an island full of divers at nightly happy hours, attend photo seminars and--of course--do more diving than you can shake a fin at, May 23 to 30.

Scuba Show

The Scuba Show will be held May 30 and 31 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. The show is billed as "America's largest consumer dive expo," and is by far the largest scuba event in the Western U.S. For more information, go to www.scubashow.com.

Manta Season, Cocos Island

Hammerheads, bait balls and mantas--oh my. May kicks off prime manta diving season around Cocos Island, where the rays dance among schooling sharks and spiraling snapper.

June

Dwarf Minke Whales, Great Barrier Reef

Hop a live-aboard to the Ribbon Reefs during June and July, and you'll not only do some of the world's best diving, but you'll also get hours of in-your-face snorkeling action with migrating dwarf minke whales.

July

Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival

For the 25th year in a row, the Chamber of Commerce of the Lower Florida Keys will host its annual underwater music festival at Looe Key reef, July 11. This year's theme: Arrrgh! Pirates, performing the traditional underwater air-guitar antics. You've been warned.

Whale Shark Season, Isla Holbox, Mexico

This little-known island off the northern Yucatan is fast becoming a hot spot for summer whale shark encounters--and it's day-trip accessible from Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Cancun. July to September is the best time, with some operators offering guaranteed in-water encounters.

Dominica Dive Fest

Dive Dominica's volcanic formations, test the latest photo gear and hit Soufriere for the Kubuli Carib Canoe Race at Dominica's 16th annual dive fest, July 10 to 19.

August

Whale Shark Season, Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

The deep water of the Cayman Trench off the north shore of Utila is a magnet for migrating whale sharks. August and September are prime months to jump in and swim alongside the biggest fish in the sea.

September

Cage Dive the Red Triangle, Farallon Islands, California

Hop a boat in the Bay Area headed for the Farallon Islands, in the heart of the "Red Triangle," and you can see Mother Nature at her most violent. Great white sharks gather here to feed on the island's elephant seal population, and divers can hop into a surface cage and catch a glimpse underwater.

Coral Spawning, Caribbean/Atlantic

After the September full moon, corals across the Caribbean release sperm and eggs en masse during their annual spawning event. The Flower Gardens in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caymans both have celebrated spawnings, and around Curaçao, the event is so well monitored that local dive shops can accurately predict when individual species will go off. Bonus: Curaçao's corals do an encore after the October full moon.

October

Manta Diving, Yap

Last summer Yap announced the world's first-ever manta ray protected area, and October is a perfect time to see these graceful giants in all their protected glory.

Fantasy Fest, Key West, Fla. Keys

Get down and dirty at America's wildest party outside New Orleans. Key West's nine-day Halloween bash (Oct. 23 to Nov. 1) boasts pirates, Parrotheads and sexy lingerie-clad partiers fueled by frozen drinks and promenading down Duval Street.

November

Coral Spawning, Great Barrier Reef

Want to watch the world's largest natural structure get another year older? Night dive Australia's Great Barrier Reef after November's full moon to see the largest synchronized spawning event ever.

Raine Island, Queensland's Far North, Australia

November is peak season to dive with the thousands of mating green sea turtles that congregate here. Even more exciting: the schools of tiger sharks that show up and feast on the crowd. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the world's most remote diving destinations.

Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA)

DEMA Show 2009 will be held Nov. 4-7 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The show is the only international trade-only event for the diving, action watersports and adventure travel industries. For more information, go to www.demashow.com.

December

Dive the Frozen Frontier, Antarctica

Dust off your drysuit. December is the start of summer in the frozen south, and from December until March, exploratory expeditions aboard ice-strengthened vessels depart Ushuaia, Argentina, bound for the Antarctic. Divers can chart new territory here, finning along the white submarine walls of austral ice, and frolicking with Emperor penguins and leopard seals.

|| |---| | If you know of an event that you feel may be of interest to divers, please email details to Nick Lucey at [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit, and publish only those events we deem appropriate.|