Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast

In this episode,  iconic freediver Mehgan Heaney-Grier. Mehgan's life story is wildly eclectic and has elements that originally attracted me, particularly its sense of rugged individualism and carving your own path.

As a teenager and underwater model, she was a pioneer as she set the first U.S. freedive record for both men and women in the constant-weight category. And this earned her a place as one of the original inductees an...

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...

In today's episode, I speak with Doug Anderson, considered to be one of the world's best underwater cameramen.

Doug works on primarily what are called blue chip wildlife films, which try to tell compelling stories focused on a specific animals in magnificent pristine landscapes, and have budgets in the area of $1 million per hour or more.

For Doug, this has meant traveling the world to film in the world's most rugged and...

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 ...

In today's episode, I speak with journalist and filmmaker Erik Olsen.  Erik’s video journalism has taken him around the world, but his passion most always lies underwater in our world's oceans. His career has spanned ABC News, The Atlantic, Popular Science, and The New York Times.

And earlier this year he had a big spread in the Times Science section where he explored the world of backwater photography where underwater photo...

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...

In this episode, I speak with Marine Biologist and Co-Founder of Minorities in Shark Science, Jasmine Graham.

I originally reached out to Jasmine because I had seen a talk given by her and her passion and enthusiasm for sharks and rays was infectious. But additionally, I was interested to learn more about the purpose of the organization she co-founded with three other women focused on creating opportunities in the marine sciences, a...

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 worl...

In this episode, I speak with journalist, filmmaker,  and ocean activist Alexandra Cousteau. Alexandra has a long legacy of working to protect our world's oceans and is the founder of Oceans 2050.

She is also on the board of the incredible environmental organization Oceana, which works to protect and restore the oceans on a global scale, and it was Oceana who originally connected me with Alexandra.

If Alexandra's last name so...

In today's episode, I speak with New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Urbina. Ian’s investigate journalism about the intersection of the human species and the lawless frontier of the open ocean, most often appears in the new york times, but he frequently writes for the Atlantic and the New Yorker, and culminated in his Times bestseller, “The Outlaw Ocean."

Most often, the people I speak with in this show have...

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 ...

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 th...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, Executive Director of the Ocean First Institute, an organization dedicated to preserving the world's oceans, and a woman with a deep passion for sharks and particularly hammerheads.

When I spoke with Mikki , I found her to be not only a dedicated shark researcher but also an entertaining interview. And she talked openly about how her life has been shaped by a few seminal mom...

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 w...

In this episode, Part Two of my conversation with Jill Heinerth, cave diver, underwater photographer, and explorer-in-residence for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

As we discussed in Part One, there's a visceral thrill for Jill in terms of pushing the limits of what she and humans might think they can do, as well as a sense of exploration and discovery that extreme cave diving brings.

But as we kept talking, Jill opened ...

In this episode part one of my conversation with Jill Heinerth, cave diver, underwater photographer, and Explorer-in-Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. 

I first met Jill at a dive industry convention, where she was promoting her book, "Into The Planet", which details her passion for exploring underwater caves around the world. The book is incredible and has some pretty crazy intense stories.

So I wanted to ...

In this episode, my conversation with Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, the environmental organization known for interventions with whaling ships around the world.

Paul has been at the forefront of the ocean environment for years and was seminal in the foundation of two renowned organizations, Greenpeace, and then years later, Sea Shepherd.

Sea Shepherd - and Caption Paul himself - can evoke strong feelings from people, p...

Season Two Is Coming!  And the newest episode premieres on Tuesday December 15th.

Big Deep is a podcast is about people who have a deep connection to our world’s oceans, connections strong enough that they have dedicated some part of their lives to being in or working on behalf of the water.

So please join us as as we continue our exploration of a deep connection to the world’s oceans through the stories of people who love it.

Welcome...