Technical Diving: Honoring the Man Behind the Name

Lead Image: Michael Menduno speaking at Rebreather Forum 4 in Malta — as passionate and curious as ever. Photo by Jason Brown.

Dear friends, InDEPTH is creating a tribute to honor our late friend and founder, Michael Menduno — the curious mind behind so many big ideas, the dedicated journalist, the fervent musician, and the outrageous guy who could make you laugh on the dock and think harder at dinner.

Michael’s spirit runs through the stories we tell — the deep dives, the daring questions, the quiet acts of discovery. He was more than an editor or an explorer; he was a current that carried people toward their best selves. Those who knew him felt it immediately — the spark of his curiosity, the passion of his belief that ideas could change the world.

This isn’t just a “call for submissions.” It’s an invitation to celebrate a life that made our community what it is — to speak, sing, write, or remember in your own way, and to help shape the living story of Michael’s enduring influence.

What you might share — and please, feel free to be creative:

A short written memory or letter to Michael, a favorite photo (boat decks, backscatter, goofy grins all welcome), a short video or voice note — what would you say to him today? A music clip, drawing, or other multimedia piece inspired by him.

Dates & how we’ll feature your tribute:

Send yours by December 1, 2025, for a chance to be included in our January 2026 issue of InDEPTH. We’ll also continue to publish tributes throughout the year — building an archive that reflects the depth and diversity of our community.

A few simple guidelines to help us include as many voices as possible:

Text: up to 500 words (.doc, .docx or .pdf). Photos: .jpeg / .png or other high-quality format, at least 1 MB. Video, music, or audio: up to 2 minutes, ≤ 80 MB.

How to send:

Please email Ashley Stewart HERE. Links to Dropbox or Google Drive are perfectly fine too.

Michael believed in pushing limits and lifting people up. Let’s build something worthy of him — one memory, one image, one note at a time.

Note: By submitting material, contributors grant InDEPTH the right to publish, edit for clarity or length, and use the content in print or digital formats. Submissions are provided with full permission of the sender and without any copyright or ownership restrictions.