undercurrent magazine??

[knotical]

I’m an Undercurrent fan, having “saved” more than one dive trip in the past by using information provided therein, but are they heading in an awkward direction?

I’m not an online subscriber, but wandering around their web site reveals:

- If you look in the geographic sections of their travel index, you can find links to the web sites of selected resorts and travel agents.

- They recommend books on the site, and have links from the books to Aquaquest and Amazon.

- Anyone, including non-subscribers, can get a free email service that includes “special deals”, along with good stuff like equipment recalls.

- If you are an online subscriber, you can also opt for an email service that includes “travel specials offered to Undercurrent subscribers only”.

The magazine still seems (to me) to be balanced; but it might be walking a fine line here. The publisher, Ben Davison, ( http://www.scubaboard.com/member.php?u=30849 ) is on Scubaboard, so perhaps he’ll respond.

 

[Jupiter31]

I’m an Undercurrent fan, having “saved” more than one dive trip in the past by using information provided therein, but are they heading in an awkward direction?

I’m not an online subscriber, but wandering around their web site reveals:

- If you look in the geographic sections of their travel index, you can find links to the web sites of selected resorts and travel agents.

- They recommend books on the site, and have links from the books to Aquaquest and Amazon.

- Anyone, including non-subscribers, can get a free email service that includes “special deals”, along with good stuff like equipment recalls.

- If you are an online subscriber, you can also opt for an email service that includes “travel specials offered to Undercurrent subscribers only”.

The magazine still seems (to me) to be balanced; but it might be walking a fine line here. The publisher, Ben Davison,
( http://www.scubaboard.com/member.php?u=30849 ) is on Scubaboard, so perhaps he’ll respond.

Great suggestion

How 'bout it Ben - loyal subscriber for 15+ years (just renewed for 2 more years, in fact) and I love Undercurrrent, but I think a response is in order.

Also - any plans to cover more closer to home - at least for those in N. America - sites - FL, Bahamas, Carribean? I know you just did Little Corn, but seems like more weighting on Pacific - still interesting.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jupiter31]

This was a reply to a previous post about Undercurrent (ignore the name of the publication; that was a mistake):

Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonX5
Okay, I got this discreet package in the mail yesterday from a company called underwater current magazine. The magazine claims to not take advertisements and gives you a no BS assesment on dive operations good and bad, best places to dive, best equipment not based on advertising etc.. They supposedly travel all over the world "paying their own way" and are not swayed by advertisers. This sounds like a good theory an unbiased dive magazine but smells kind of fishy. Does anyone here subscribe to this thing or is it a load of bull?

I am very suspicious of this. If anyone knows anything about them I would be curious to hear some feeback. Thanks

I think its a great publication, and really informative - I just renewed for another 2 years, and have been a subscriber for over 15 years.

Many of their dive reviews are to "exotic" sites and I sometimes wish they would report more on sites closer to the US (Carib, Bahamas, FL etc) - but you can't please everyone!

They are "unbiased" in that they don't accept advertising, but its still someone's opinion, and truly, "Your mileage may vary" - but they do try to present fairly in their articles. And point out obvious problems and issues. They have done a great job pointing out problems with dive travel providers, for example.

When the old "Skindiver" magazine was published there was a real need for another voice because the articles were shameless - you never heard about ANY bad resorts, bad operators, nor bad equipment. I recall owners (or owners wives on at least one occasion) - writing an article on the spouses dive operation - how unbiased could that be - if you wanted a favorable review, from travel to equipment, all you had to do was buy advertising; it was truly that bad.

Undercurrent was started in part as a response; however you can also learn a heck of a lot from this board.

Ben - if your out there - this was the post that started the thread..........

 

[Cacia]

I like reading other people's copies.

I must say...recently they reviewed Oahu and I thought they were not that accurate.

They base things on some anecdotal stuff and so I would take it with a grain of salt, which is hard to do. SB, is great because you can put people's opinions in a context.

Undercurrent is very fun to read...and I gobble them up, but haven't been willing to pay the price. Talking to people works better for me...people here will Pm you the details about resorts and operators pretty readily.

 

[Ben Davison]

I'm the publisher of Undercurrent. About five years ago we offered resorts a chance to pay for a link on the website as a way to support the website. We got some interest, but discontinued it after Doc Adelman complained. While it's plenty easy to separted editorial from website links since they are really run separately, there was an apparent conflict of interest and no one other than my favorite curmudgeon -- Doc --complained so that ended that. We're now a nonprofit organization and I am considering taking donations for save the reef programs we're undertaking and giving a website link in return, but I'll ask the opinion of subscribers and Doc as well before undertaking it. This last year we gave away close to $15K. As for our independence, we've never taken a free trip, or even gotten a free dive and we never announce what we are doing at a resort -- we pay rack rate. (however, one writer did win a drawing and got a free flight, which led to a story not about the airline, but about diving.)

PS: Doc was never very happy that we exposed the months of serious GI tract illnesses divers into the hundreds contracted at his favorite haunt, Coco View; It's been several years and I thought he might have gotten over that by now.

Ben Davison, Undercurrent

 

[nadwidny]

I like reading other people's copies.

I must say...recently they reviewed Oahu and I thought they were not that accurate.

They base things on some anecdotal stuff and so I would take it with a grain of salt, which is hard to do. SB, is great because you can put people's opinions in a context.

Undercurrent is very fun to read...and I gobble them up, but haven't been willing to pay the price. Talking to people works better for me...people here will Pm you the details about resorts and operators pretty readily.

You dismiss UC because the information is anecdotal but have no problem with SB sources. Don't want to bust your bubble but the stuff you get from here is also anecdotal.

 

[knotical]

About five years ago we offered resorts a chance to pay for a link on the website as a way to support the website. We got some interest, but discontinued it

Moments ago, I went to undercurrent.org, and then clicked in turn on (for example):
Scuba Diving Destinations,
Wider Caribbean and Atlantic,
Cayman Islands,
Related Links,
And I saw links to places like the Southern Cross Club, World Dive Adventures, etc.
Are these vestigial?

p.s. I still find Undercurrent to be valuable.

 

[mdb]

You dismiss UC because the information is anecdotal but have no problem with SB sources. Don't want to bust your bubble but the stuff you get from here is also anecdotal.

At least the advice here is independent and honest and current.

 

[nadwidny]

At least the advice here is independent and honest and current.

As are the Chapbook reviews.

 

[mdb]

As are the Chapbook reviews.

Well, good on you mate; a true beliver.