Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast

In today's episode, I speak with Susan Casey, New York Times bestselling author and journalist, whose work focuses primarily on the intersection of human beings and the ocean. Susan started as a journalist, becoming a national magazine award winner and editor-in-chief of O Magazine, creative director at Outside Magazine, and editor-at-large for Time Magazine. But it was her books that really caught my attention, especially her latest, The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, w...

In today's episode I speak with Jamal Galves, program director at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and National Geographic Explorer and Edge Fellow. Jamal's work focuses particularly on the Antillean manatee of his native Belize. Jamal's passion for marine wildlife runs deep and, in particular, his connection to manatees reaches back to when he was a kid, growing up in the rough, impoverished neighborhoods of coastal Belize. We spoke from his home in Belmopan, the capital...

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Alex Hearn, a marine ecologist at the Universidad de San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador. Alex's work is focused on marine conservation in and around the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of South America, which is part of Ecuador. Alex is one of the scientists working to establish the Galapagos Marine Reserve, one of the world's largest underwater areas dedicated to protecting migratory pathways through the deep ocean. This oceanic highway for marine life,...

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Madeline McAllister, senior Curator of Maritime Archaeology at the Queensland Museum and James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. Dr McAllister, or Maddy as she's called, focuses her work on historic shipwrecks and underwater archaeology in Australasia, with a special interest in shipwrecks on the Great Barrier Reef. And this comes as no surprise as her offices look out over the water in eastern Australia, where the Great Barrier Reef lies just of...

In today's episode, I speak with South African edible ocean and landscape forager Roushanna Gray. When I first heard of Roushanna's unique take on eating from the wild landscape, I was intrigued, particularly as it related to her deep dive into the seaweed off her local coast in Cape Town. I was interested in her foraging with the over 900 edible seaweeds found in South Africa's intertidal rock pools. But, maybe unsurprisingly, what came out of our interview that interested me was less ab...

In today's episode, I speak with maritime archeologist, historian, author, television host, and explorer Jim Delgado. Jim's work has taken him around the globe, and he has known is one of the world's foremost experts in underwater archeology. And his CV reads almost like the greatest history of that field. He started with the National Park Service in San Francisco, then went on to work for NOAA as the Director of Maritime Heritage, was Executive Director of the Canadian Maritime Museum, and ...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Steve Gittings, chief science officer for NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. In addition to overseeing science at all 14 United States Marine sanctuaries, and being on numerous boards for ocean environmental organizations, he lives one of the most eclectic lives I know. As an example, he spent time recording and studying humpback whale songs off Hawaii with National Geographic photographer, Flip Nicklin; became a self-identified garage-ineer as he ...

In today's episode, I speak with Sarah Richard founder of the world's largest community for female divers, Girls That Scuba, and the ancillary Girls That Free Dive. With over 700,000 members in just under four years, the group has exploded onto the ocean scene and commands a powerful presence online. And much of that is simply because of Sarah's character and determination. But having gotten to know Sarah over the past couple of years, we were able to speak a bit more deeply. And she shar...

In today's episode, I speak with former pro surfer, surf journalist, and Fullbright scholar Jamie Brisick. I originally met Jamie as he grew up in Southern California with a close friend of mine, who thought he might be a great guest for the show. And he was, both contemplative and fun to talk to. Jamie told me how he discovered his lifelong passion for surfing at an early age in Malibu, and before long he was traveling the world on the pro surf tour. After years of surfing on the tour, he th...

Today I speak with Michael Menduno, one of the most accomplished ocean technology and dive reporters for the past 30 years. Michael’s work is everywhere. He is editor-in-chief of Global Underwater Explorers InDepth magazine, a contributing editor for DAN Europe’s Alert Diver and X-Ray magazine, and is on the board of directors for the Historical Diving Society. Michael is also very active in the technical and exploration diving worlds, which focus on more extreme forms of diving, from d...

In today's episode, I speak with National Geographic Photographer and marine scientist, Cristina Mittermeier. Cristina started her career as a marine biologist but quickly discovered a passion for photography, which in many ways shaped the rest of her life. She has traveled the world documenting the state of our world’s oceans and was awarded Smithsonian Conservation Photographer of the year, recognized as one of the World’s Top 40 Outdoor photographers by Outdoor magazine, and w...

In this episode, I speak with Hugh Pearson, the underwater filmmaker behind some of the most iconic ocean sequences ever captured, and director of portions of "Blue Planet," and more recently, both underwater episodes for Netflix's "Our Planet." When we did our interview Hugh spoke openly about the challenges of the career he had chosen, told a story behind one of the most recognizable ocean film sequences of the past decade, and related a very open-hearted story about his connection to the...

In this episode, I speak with Aaron James, a philosophy professor who's also an avid surfer. As a lifelong Buddhist myself and an avid scuba diver with a profound connection to the ocean, I was interested in exploring what deeper meanings a philosopher might find simply by being in the ocean. What I found was not only was Aaron thoughtful and open, and very smart, he was also a lot of fun to talk to. And he shared his story of why he connects to the ocean, what it meant to be a surfer, and...