HERE AT LAST Divers who have been waiting for the Poseidon Xstream regulator need wait no longer. It's an entirely new design, with a novel heat-exchanger first stage complete with a unique sphere mechanism, coupled to a new pocket-sized side-exhaust second stage. It will give Poseidon aficionados something to enthuse about and could draw in those who have not as yet been attracted by the Swedish manufacturer's way of doing things. It says it's "revolutionary" and the only regulator in the world certified for mixed-gas diving. From £375.

WRECKED AGAIN Grenada, famous for hosting the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean, the Bianca C, has gained the benefit of yet another wreck, this time a freighter. The German-built grain ship mv Shakem (launched 1956) had a crane added amidships later when she was converted to carry general cargo between the islands. On approach to St George's Harbour, the ship turned over and sank in 27m. The wreck stands upright and is claimed to makes an ideal dive, with the upper superstructure at 20m.

DIESEL HELP The Diesel Companion is a ring-bound, water-resistant trouble-shooting guide illustrated with clear pictures and diagrams. It could give you the clues you need should the unthinkable happen and your diesel inboard let you down at sea. Its 24 pages cover most of the things likely to go wrong and step-by-step instructions about the course of action to take. It also covers routine maintenance and checks that you should already be making. £7.95 from bookshops and chandlers.

WEIGHTLESS OR NOT The all-new Beaver Lightning BC is made of tough 1100 denier Cordura and comes with highly reflective panels, eight stainless-steel D-rings, rear and shoulder dump valves and an extra-long power-inflator hose. Four large pockets and the optional facility to include integrated weights (weight pouches £20 extra) complete the picture of a conventional BC at a competitive £265.

THREE DIMENSIONAL With three operational modes, the Suunto D3 is a dual-time watch, a gauge for trimix divers, and works for free-divers too. A bottom-timer rather than a deco computer, it displays depths to 99m, profile and log dive. It has a stopwatch function, depth alarm, temperature display and a choice of metric or imperial units among other features. Its battery is user-replaceable and it looks quite snazzy, with its comfortable velcro strap. £220.

ELECTRONIC RECORDS This software for any PC with Windows 95 or 98 promises the benefits of detailed records of all dives without the headaches associated with installation. It also provides dive-planning, using the Buhlmann ZH L-16 algorithm, and accommodates air, nitrox and trimix. The software is claimed to be simple and able to integrate with other database tools. A licence for the ScubaBase Single Diver Program costs US $53, while a dive centre might opt for a Multi Divers Program for $545. Download a limited-time trial version from the website.

BROTHERLY CHEER The Egyptian authorities are now permitting liveaboard dive boats to sail directly to the marine parks of the Brothers, Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island from the new Port Ghalib International Marina at Egypt's Marsa Alam. This at last makes such trips viable - and legal -for those with only a week available, and the port lies just 2.5 miles from a new international airport. The first vessel to make the trip was the Sea Serpent in May, but the port is open to all licensed Egyptian vessels.

DRY EYEFUL The Pro-SBX 400 uses a heavyweight polyester material which gives manufacturer Gates the chance to bypass the normal sombre approach associated with drysuits and print an eye-catching watery-style pattern on it instead. It has all the usual Gates features such as a latex neck seal and long conical wrist seals, heavy-duty cross-shoulder dry zip, internal braces and rotating inflation valve complemented by a shoulder-mounted auto-dump. The boots are neoprene-lined for added comfort. £435.

ADDED ATTRACTIONS Cozumel, an island off Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, is another of those many places ranked by US commentators among the "Top Five Dive Sites of the World". But it does offer heritage, culture, history, jungle tours and Mayan ruins alongside excellent diving, and you might even stumble upon the remains of a Spanish galleon. A seven-night break, including flights on American Airlines or Mexicana, room-only accommodation based on two sharing at the Villablanca Garden Beach Hotel, and five two-tank boat dives costs from £1186.

FUN FUN FUN Booma Rays use hydrodynamic technology to fly underwater. The deeper you take them, the further they fly before reaching the surface. Two Booma Rays cost £20 and promise endless fun in the pool, or indeed in the sea should you be so minded. The Bull's-Eye Target Game costs £20 and comes with a floating ship, target hoop and five Toypedo Bandits. These will glide up to 10m underwater. Mind your back on pool nights!

DIGITAL DAN Dan Burton is a professional underwater photographer who now shoots almost exclusively on a digital camera. Digital is also proving popular with those who are just venturing into the world of underwater photography, so Dan is running a series of special digital photo-workshops in the Red Sea, South Africa and Indonesia, starting this autumn, in conjunction with Jabula Diving and Safaris, and Cameras Underwater.

ONE-HIT WONDER The O2 Quick Stick provides a quick and efficient method of analysing the nitrox in your tank. Water- and drop-resistant, it has no switches. Just hold the business end over your partially open tank valve and read off the O2 percentage from the large LCD. The analyser can be zero'd with the aid of a separate tool provided, and runs on a regular 9V battery. £141.

WIZARD OF A WING The new Seaquest Raider is a wing-style BC aimed at those who want to use twin tanks. It is massively built, gives 22kg of lift, and has an integrated-weight system that allows for up to 19kg of lead, and for the diver to fine-tune for a perfect centre of gravity. Add to that the patented Seaquest Self-adjusting lumbar support and fully adjustable harness, and it could well score among tekkies. It has six large pre-bent D-rings and provision for adding an extra buoyancy cell and crotch-strap, and costs £500

SUDDENLY SUDAN The legendary but on-off diving of the Sudan is available again. Connda Vennessa has recently been refitted and now operates in the Sudanese Red Sea. Skippered by Scottish adventurer Rosie Frampton, this liveaboard will allow divers to visit the area in some comfort, says tour operator Tony Backhurst. Two itineraries are offered: nine nights including visits to Sha'ab Rumi, site of Cousteau's Conshelf 2 experiment; and 16 nights visiting remote northern sites such as the Levanzo wreck. Prices from £1495-£1900 include flights and an overnight in Cairo.