FROM THE PUBLISHER THE YEAR RETAILERS BUILD WHAT LASTS If you own or manage a dive center, February is when reality sets in. The holiday rush is behind you. The calendar is filling. The season is approaching. And you’re looking at your team, your inventory, your training schedule, and your travel calendar thinking, “How do we make this year stronger than the last?” I’ve been in this industry as a professional since the 1980s. I’ve watched expansion cycles, corrections, travel surges, equipment booms, and seasons that tested even the most disciplined operators. One thing has never changed: Retailers are the foundation of diving. That’s why every article in this issue was selected with the day-to-day realities of a dive center in mind. Not theory. Not noise. Practical ideas that can spark useful conversations in your shop, your classroom, your boats, and around the counter. Jeff Cinciripino addresses something every dive center faces - making time for training. Staying current on credentials, gear repair, and compressor certifications isn’t just about compliance, it protects your reputation. Customers may not see the maintenance logs, but they feel the difference. Confident, well-trained staff create trust, and trust brings divers back. Cathryn Castle Garcia’s article on blending digital tools with real-world service isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about reducing friction so your team can focus on re- lationships - the one thing online competitors cannot replicate. Jeff McNutt’s piece on Standard Operating Procedures may sound operational, but it’s really about clarity. When everyone knows what “ready” looks like, stress drops. Consistency rises. Reputation strengthens. Dan Orr’s safety research is a reminder that our diver population is maturing. Many of you are already having thoughtful conversations about health, readiness, and calling a dive when needed. That’s responsible professionalism. Our recent State of the Dive Industry (Jan ‘26) data shows we’re not in decline. We’re in recalibration. Divers are still diving. They’re simply more deliberate. That changes how we communicate, how we train, and how we build loyalty. My hope is that this magazine becomes something you use; not just read. You can bulk subscribe your staff so everyone is learning from the same insights and staying aligned on the same industry conversations. Use these articles in meetings. Reference them in training. Let them support the standards you’re building inside your operation. Scan/click the QR code below for our our bulk subscription form. This industry has always rewarded operators who think long term. That hasn’t changed.
About the Cover: Sam Glenn- Smith captures a male Weedy Seadragon carrying a fresh clutch of pink eggs on his tail. Summer on Victoria’s Morning- ton Peninsula, Australia, marks mating season for these drag- ons. Specs: Olympus OMD EM1 Mk2, 8mm Fisheye, dual Kraken strobes, F14 | 1/125 | ISO 200.
William Cline, Publisher Patty Cline, Associate Publisher Amber Wagenknecht, Executive Editor Betty Orr, Senior Editor Neal Watson, Sr., Editor-at-Large Britain Cline, Advertising Sales Manager Carlos Lander, Latin America Ad Sales June Cline, Social & Podcast Producer Contributors: Jennetta Adams, TX Gretchen M. Ashton, CA Alex Brylske, Ph.D., FL Cathryn Castle Garcia, Azores, Portugal SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY™ MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2026 VOL. 3, NO. 2
Jeff Cinciripino, CT William Cline, TX Al Hornsby, Singapore Dan Orr, ID
Jeff McNutt, BVI Margo Peyton, SC David Prichard & Lily Mak, TX
Michael Salvarezza, NY Peter Symes, Denmark Christopher P. Weaver, NY Kramer Wimberley, NY Gil Zeimer, CA
Diving Industry ™ Magazine: (Print: ISSN 2996- 1416, Digital: ISSN 2996-1424) Published monthly by Cline Group LLC, 1740 Airpark Lane, Plano, TX 75093. Printed copies are mailed within the USA to select dive retailers & advertisers. Subscriptions are free to dive professionals & distributed digitally to 165 countries. POSTMASTER send address changes to Scuba Diving Industry Magazine, 1740 Airpark Ln., Plano, TX 75093. Any part of this publication may be reproduced, as long as the source is quoted “Scuba Diving Industry Magazine.” For editorial requests, email editor@scubadivingindustry.com or 954-358- 9660 The views and opinions expressed in this mag- azine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Cline Group LLC or any of its affiliates. © 2026, all rights reserved by Cline Group LLC.
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