Jim and Pat Stayer, Fellows of The Explorers Club and Associate Members of the Boston Sea Rovers, are acclaimed underwater filmmakers known for capturing extraordinary animal behavior, shipwrecks, and remote dive destinations around the world, and they will be giving two intriguing talks at the Long Beach Scuba Show in May.
Popular presenters across North America, they inspire audiences with breathtaking imagery and tales of discovery. The Stayers have discovered several shipwrecks, co-authored three books, and produced hundreds of multimedia presentations. Their footage has appeared on major international networks, and they’ve directed several film festivals.
Pat is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and Jim, a USCG Captain. Together, they continue to lead a remarkable life of exploration and adventure.
They are giving two talks at the show on the Adventure Stage:
Discover Yap: Mantas, Mandarin, and More – Micronesia’s Gem
Yap is a small Pacific island with a rich cultural heritage and some of the most-diverse diving in the region. Famous for its reliable manta ray encounters, Yap has also become a premier location for observing the brilliantly colored mandarinfish.
Yet the island’s underwater offerings extend far beyond these iconic species. Its waters are home to vibrant coral reefs, striking macro life, colorful reef fish, schools of barracuda, and a variety of sharks.
This seminar explores why Yap deserves recognition as one of the Pacific’s most rewarding and well-rounded dive destinations for underwater explorers.
HA-52 Expedition: Exploring Japan’s Only Diveable Midget Submarine
The expedition to the HA-52, a Japanese World War Two midget submarine, required a rare break in strong trade winds and currents and was a challenging journey the Stayers had been attempting for several years. Reaching the remote wreck off New Hanover in Papua New Guinea involved a 50-mile skiff crossing.
In 1944, the HA-52 was being towed by the San KoKo Maru when nine B-25 bombers attacked. The bombs struck the ship, igniting its fuel and cargo and engulfing it in flames before it sank rapidly. The sub was believed destroyed, but one crewman of the submarine reportedly scuttled it and escaped.
Join Jim and Pat as they explore the HA-52 and the nearby San KoKo Maru wreck, and tell the tale of its sinking with historical World War Two footage.
Divers Alert Network are the Platinum Sponsor for the Long Beach Scuba Show
Long Beach Scuba Show
The Long Beach Scuba Show, this year sponsored by Divers Alert Network, is celebrating its 39th anniversary in 2026 (30-31 May), and it represents the first show under the banner of new owners Rork Media Limited, which also runs the GO Diving Shows in the UK and Australia, and publishes the global-multi-edition Scuba Diver magazine, as well as being behind the Scuba Diver Magazine YouTube Channel, and long-established website Divernet.
Fans of the long-running event will be delighted to hear that Rork Media plan to retain everything that made the Scuba Show such a staple on the West Coast diving circuit, and enhance it with new and improved elements, including a Main Stage with a huge video wall right in the exhibition hall itself, a new layout designed to stimulate exploration around the hundreds of booths, and additional interactive attractions including a VR dive on a deep-water shipwreck in the Baltic Sea.
The three seminar rooms have been organised into themes, to make it easier to find speakers/topics of interest, so prepare to dive into Adventure, Inspiration, and UW Imaging.
Whether you’re an experienced diver, a new enthusiast, or just curious about the underwater world, the Scuba Show brings together everything you love about diving under one roof.
Greg Holt from Scuba Radio will be entertaining the crowds on mornings before and as the show opens, offering plenty of fun and games, and the chance to win some amazing prizes.
Explore hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest scuba gear, dive destinations, underwater photography equipment, training programs, and ocean conservation initiatives. Attend inspiring seminars led by world-renowned dive experts, explorers, and photographers, and connect with dive professionals, travel operators, and fellow divers from across the country.
There is also the opportunity to expand your skillset. The PSI-PCI Visual Cylinder Inspection course is open to everyone who wishes to inspect high-pressure breathing gas cylinders, or just know about the process. These specialty courses support the inspection process with formal function specific training on valve maintenance and repair, and Oxygen Cylinder Cleaning. Inspectors who are at the three-year renewal mark and want to attend the PSI-PCI Update course will be able to take care of it at the Scuba Show as well.
PSI-PCI offers the only training that is formally endorsed, utilized, and referred to by the cylinder manufacturers. The training has been created with the input of industry professionals and experts in each field to provide you with the best training available to meet the Federal requirements for the associated processes. You can join the team of PSI-PCI Professionals at the Scuba Show. Don’t wait, seats will fill up quickly! Click here for more information and to book a slot.
The Scuba Show offers two full days of ocean adventure, hand’s-on experiences, and exclusive show specials, and is where the US dive community comes together to celebrate the underwater world.
Get your tickets now!
Tickets are on sale now for the Scuba Show, and new for 2026, there is a change to the cost of entry – there is now one ticket price, which gets every attendee full access to the Exhibition Hall, and entry to all seminars.
With many of the speakers in the dedicated Adventure, Inspiration, and UW Imaging seminar rooms either only presenting on one of the days, or giving two different talks, plus with the headline acts on the Main Stage, and the plethora of booths, interactive elements and much more, there is plenty to keep you occupied on both days, so why not make a weekend of it?
Tickets are available now – click here – priced at $33 for a day ticket, and $60 for a weekend pass. There is also the option of a VIP Pass, which includes a weekend pass plus 6 issues of Scuba Diver magazine and 6 issues of California Diving News (Magazine delivery US & Canada residents only), and a Scuba Show Dive Team T-shirt, for $100.
Under 16s go free – bring the family and let the kids dive into the fun as well.
Join us for two incredible days, 30-31 May 2026, celebrating the world of diving at the Long Beach Convention Center!
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