I think a future trend in diving will be following underwater trails, rather than simply visiting a single dive site. As underwater communication and navigation improves and becomes increasingly accessible for the recreational diver, divers will receive maps, points of interest, and maybe even a waterproof iPod providing details about the journey they’re making. Of course, to prevent divers from losing the boat, the trails will have to be in relatively shallow water, but I think the idea of an “underwater treasure hunt,” so to speak, will become increasingly popular. What do you think? Have I just revealed my million-dollar-idea? Would you be interested in following a trail on a dive? What if it were a competition?
To support my prediction, I see that the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology has set up a 20-foot-deep archaeological trail off the Isle of Wight. Evidently, divers move between numbered stations on the sunken HMS Pomone, a 38-gun frigate, carrying a guide explaining features at each stopping point.
