Sherman's Travel

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, which kicks off this Sunday, August 12, has become a pop culture obsession in the last few years. As interest in the series (and sharks!), continues to grow, so has tourism attached to the ocean predators, from viewing excursions in shark-heavy waters to cage dives that offer up-close, adrenaline-pumping encounters for those with serious cojones.

As for me, the only time I’ve (knowingly) been swimming in the ocean with these incredible creatures was while snorkeling in the Turks and Caicos. And even though those particular sharks didn’t pose a serious threat to humans, seeing a fin heading toward you in open water is an unforgettable thrill.

Here, some ways you can create your own fin-tastic memories (and, if you’ve already ticked this one off the adventure travel bucket list, please share your experience in the comments section). Read more

Dreaming of a warm weather getaway, but bored of the same-old water sports and sunbathing routine? Consider getting your PADI dive certification. It’s been on my travel wish list for some time, and after talking to PADI’s Theresa Kaplan, a Master Scuba Diver Trainer who has logged more than 3,000 dives in her career, I was ready to climb into a wetsuit.

As Kaplan puts it, “If you think about it, two-thirds of our world is covered in water. Less than one percent of the population will get to see that [from underneath]. Everybody can go to, say, Roatán and do the zipline tour and horseback riding on the beach. If you’re truly an adventure traveler, you’re missing out on a major opportunity [by not diving].”
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