FROM THE PUBLISHER A CHANGING TIDE FOR DIVE TRAVEL
About the Cover: Photo by Stephen Frink of the late Wayne B. Brown aboard the Cayman Aggressor IV, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands 2010. Cannon EF 14mm ƒ2.8L II USM, ISO 125 1/60s.
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: Gretchen M. Ashton, CA Alex Brylske, Ph.D., FL Cathryn Castle Garcia, Azores, Portugal Jeff Cinciripino, CT Tec Clark, FL Patty Cline, TX William Cline, TX Stephen Frink, FL Al Hornsby, Singapore Steven Lopez, MSc & Dr. Carmen Obied Dan Orr, ID Jeff McNutt, BVI SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY™ MAGAZINE MARCH 2026 VOL. 2, NO. 3
What a month. As we were preparing this issue, we lost one of the true pioneers of the dive liveaboard industry, Wayne B. Brown . His impact on dive travel, and on the people who built their businesses around it, cannot be overstated. Patty Cline and Cathryn Castle Garcia each contribute a tribute in this issue, including a closer look at Wayne’s
ideas through the lens of his book and the legacy he leaves behind. At the same time, the dive travel landscape continues to shift.
With ongoing conflict in the Middle East, continued instability in parts of Latin America, and even challenges in the USA affecting air travel and security, planning dive travel has become more complex than at any point in recent memory. That reality led us to launch a new industry survey, alongside a parallel consumer study, to better understand how global events are influencing dive travel. The early results, highlighted on page 12, point to an important shift. This is not simply a demand issue. It is a question of timing, confidence, and how decisions are being made. This month’s issue reflects that change. We continue to explore travel, but through the lens of the dive professional. Our features on St. Lucia (by David Prichard & Lily Mac ) and a unique business model in Fiji look beyond the destination itself and focus on how retailers and group leaders evaluate, position, and sell these experiences (by Gil Zeimer ). At the same time, several contributors address the operational side of running a dive business in a more uncertain environment. Tec Clark explores opportunities within colleges and universities, Jeff McNutt continues his series on building effective employee systems, and Amber Wagenknecht and I take a closer look at the evolving role of the divemaster in today’s dive operations. Jeff Cinciripino brings the conversation back to the retail floor with a practical discussion on discounting, while retailer Karen Mullet tackles the increasingly complex issue of employee and contractor management. Margo Peyton, whose work has influenced generations of divers, shares her perspective on how retailers can continue to succeed in a challenging travel environment. Alex Brylske expands the conversation further with a thoughtful look at accessibility and its growing importance in dive travel. And Kramer Wimberley reminds us of the deeper connection between divers and the ocean, and why that relationship matters for the future of our in- dustry. Finally, Dan Orr, our most-read author from the February issue, returns with a timely look at one of the most fundamental aspects of dive safety: assigning and managing buddy teams. Taken together, this issue reflects where the industry stands today. We are all navigating change. We are adapting in real time. And we are being asked to rethink not just where we send divers, but how we guide them there. Thanks for reading this issue.
Karen Mullett, OH Margo Peyton, SC David Prichard & Lily Mak, TX Peter Symes, Denmark
Amber Wagenknecht, TX 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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