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Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast

by Host Jason Elias

Scuba Diving, Freediving, Surfing, Ocean Environmentalism, Marine Science. Big Deep 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. In each episode, we speak with the most interesting people, from scuba diving crime fighters and record-breaking freedivers to marine biologists and ocean advocates - even a real-life mermaid. So we invite you to join us on this journey as we explore the ocean through the stories of people who love it.

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Episodes

  1. The Underworld: Deep Ocean Author Susan Casey On Why It Is Vital For Humanity To Look Even Deeper

    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...

  2. Floating In A Galaxy Of Stars: Pier Nirandara on Swimming With Sharks In Hollywood And Drifting With Sardines Off South Africa

    In today's episode, I speak with award-winning author, film producer, and underwater photographer Pier Nirandara. Pier's connection to the ocean started as a young girl growing up in Bangkok, Thailand, with weekend family trips to a nearby beach house. Her time there sparked an interest in...

  3. Gesture of a Lifetime: Manatee Researcher Jamal Galves On How Before He Started Saving Manatees They Saved Him

    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...

  4. The Clean-Up Kid: 13 Year-Old Ocean Conservationist Cash Daniels On How Kids Are The Future Of Ocean Advocacy

    In today's episode, I speak with Cash Daniels, an ocean and river conservationist, Time Magazine honorary finalist as "Kid of the Year," and co-founder of the ocean activism and conservation nonprofit called The Cleanup Kids. Cash had been a big fan of the show for a while, but, as someone being…

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  5. A World Beneath Galapagos: Dr Alex Hearn on Hammerhead Sharks, Where Meaning Lies in the Sea, and a Hidden Underwater Swimway Through the Pacific

    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...

  6. A Deep Sense of Presence: Kinga Philipps on her Spiritual Connection to the Sea and Passion for Freediving

    In today's episode, I speak with explorer, ocean activist, and television journalist, Kinga Philipps. Kinga was one of the founding journalists and hosts of Al Gore's Current TV and since has gone on to host several shows on National Geographic and Travel Channel, most recently becoming the first...

  7. Telling the Stories of the Sea: Dr Maddy McAllister on the Wonder of Shipwrecks and Maritime Archaeology

    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,...

  8. Giants From The Deep: World Champion Big Wave Surfer Maya Gabeira and the Challenge of Riding Mountains of the Sea

    In today's episode, I speak with Brazilian big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, one of the most famous female surfers in the world. Maya is a seven-time world champion in the World Surf League and a two-time world record holder for the largest wave surfed, including in 2020, where she surfed the biggest...

  9. Finally Coming Home: Wild Ocean Forager Roushanna Gray's Journey Through South African Tidepools

    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...

  10. Living At The Edge of the Unknown: Deep Coral Reef Pioneer Dr. Richard Pyle on A Life of Exploration

    In today's episode, I speak with explorer, renowned ichthyologist and deep coral reef pioneer, Richard Pyle. Richard's life story has been one of adventure and exploration, particularly a fascination with deep coral reefs far below where most recreational divers dive. And this points to a deeper...

  11. Where The Story Ends - Maritime archaeologist Jim Delgado on the magic of stories revealed, what shipwrecks can tell us, and his time exploring Titanic

    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...

  12. Under A Billion Stars - Legendary freediver Mehgan Heaney-Grier on creating records and breaking boundaries for American freediving

    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....

  13. Just Over The Horizon - Explorer, adventurer, and NOAA scientist Dr. Steve Gittings on a life spent chasing adventures under the seas

    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…

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  14. The Wild Place - Underwater cinematographer Doug Anderson on how the ocean has defined his life on films such as "Our Planet", "Frozen Planet", and "Life"

    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…

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  15. Comfortable with the Uncomfortable - Sarah Richard, Girls That Scuba founder, on the challenges and joy that a life of passion brings

    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...

  16. A Being of Wonder - Ocean and Science Journalist Erik Olsen on a life driven by exploration, curiosity, and otherworldly cephalopods in the Lembeh Strait

    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...

  17. Chasing A Mirage - Pro surfer and journalist Jamie Brisick on finding meaning in a life amongst the waves

    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…

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  18. Breaking The Surface - Shark researcher Jasmine Graham on the surprisingly deep connections which attracted her to sharks

    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...

  19. Passage to the Underworld - Adventurer and Journalist Michael Menduno on a life of exploration and an underwater swim beneath a temple

    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…

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  20. Some Kind of Magic: Alexandra Cousteau on how a deep sense of wonder drives her activism:

    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...

  21. Legacy Of The Sea - National Geographic photographer and co-founder of SeaLegacy Cristina Mittermeier on the meaning in telling ocean stories

    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...

  22. Uncovering the Outlaw Ocean: Ian Urbina, Pulitzer Prize winning author, on how the open oceans shape human beings

    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…

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  23. The Wonder of a Blue Planet: Hugh Pearson on filming iconic scenes from the oceans of our world

    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…

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  24. Survival of the Strangest: Mikki McComb-Kobza On Her Passion For The Undersea World of Hammerheads

    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...

  25. A Life Complete: Aaron James On Ocean Philosophy And The Meaning In Surfing

    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.…

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  26. Staying Alive in the Underworld, Part Two: Jill Heinerth On A Life Diving the Deepest Caves On The Planet

    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...

  27. Staying Alive in the Underworld, Part One: Jill Heinerth On A Life Diving the Deepest Caves On The Planet

    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...

  28. A Good Day To Die: Sea Shepherd Founder Captain Paul Watson On The Compassion Behind Confrontation

    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...

  29. Season Two Is Coming! A Sneak Preview

    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...

  30. Whale 2.0: Shane Gero on decoding the language and culture of sperm whales (Part Two)

    Part Two of our conversation with Behaviour Ecologist, Shane Gero, on his research efforts to decode the sophisticated language and culture of one of the deepest divers in the ocean - sperm whales. Support the show

  31. Whale 2.0: Shane Gero on decoding the language and culture of sperm whales (Part One)

    Part One of our conversation with Behaviour Ecologist, Shane Gero, on his research efforts to decode the sophisticated language and culture of one of the deepest divers in the ocean - sperm whales. Support the show

  32. Dancing with Sea Lions: Lindsay Pullin on how a dive with Sea Lions in a kelp forest held a deeper connection

    Dancing With Sea Lions: Lindsay Pullin on how a dive with Sea Lions in a kelp forest held a deeper connection Support the show

  33. Going Nuclear: Kyra Richter on her life as a nuclear power plant diver

    When Scuba Diving Goes Nuclear: Kyra Richter on her life as a nuclear power plant diver Support the show

  34. A Mermaid's Tale: Linden Wolbert on living her life as a siren of the sea

    A Mermaid's Tale: Linden Wolbert on living her life as a siren of the sea Support the show

  35. Murder at the Pond: Mike Berry on The World of Underwater Criminal Investigation

    Murder at the Bottom of a Pond: Michael Berry on his life as an Underwater Scuba Criminal Investigator Support the show

  36. Divers Unmasked: Stephan Whelan, founder of DeeperBlue.com, on the evolution of the diving community and who divers really are

    Stephan Whelan, founder of DeeperBlue.com, on the evolution of the diving community and who divers really are Support the show

  37. Becoming Part of the Pod: Hanli Prinsloo and how freediving connects her with marine wildlife

    This episode's guest is Hanli Prinsloo, a former competitive free diver, turned environmentalist based out of Cape Town. Hanli has dedicated her entire life to helping educate and motivate others to care about our world's oceans. When she sat down with Paul, she discussed the hidden connections…

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  38. The Howard Stern of Scuba: Greg Holt, Founder and Host of Scuba Radio, on making waves in the dive community and meaningful connections underwater

    Greg Holt, Host of Scuba Radio, the world's longest running and most popular radio show for divers Support the show

  39. Living with Sharks: Colleen McKinnel on the intensity and magic of a tiger shark dive in Fiji

    Colleen McKinnel describes the intensity and magic of a dive with tiger sharks in Fiji and what being a scuba diver means to her Support the show

  40. The Deepest Man in Holland: Daan Verhoeven and how freediving opened up an understanding to his late father's legacy

    Dutch freediver and photographer Daan Verhoeven. When Paul sat down to talk with him, Daan discussed how exploring the depths of the ocean while free diving had unlocked a way of dealing with his recurring depression but had also led to the discovery of a special connection to his late father, a...

  41. The Heart of the Ocean: Skylar Bayer on how discovering that she could no longer scuba dive started a remarkable journey to the bottom of the ocean

    Skylar Bayer on how discovering that she could no longer scuba dive started a remarkable journey to the bottom of the ocean. Hosted by Jason Elias and Paul Kelway. Produced by Jason Elias. Support the show

  42. Saltwater People: Maritime Anthropologist Michael Adams on his personal journey to our ancient connections in the ocean

    Michael Adams a professor of human geography at the University of Wollongong in Australia. When Paul sat down to speak with him, they discussed how free diving had changed his entire way of looking at things, from Aboriginal views on connections to nature to meditative takes on his own mortality....

  43. An Ocean of Stories: Welcome to the Big Deep Podcast!

    Episode 1: Welcome to the Big Deep Podcast, a podcast about people who have a connection to the ocean, a connection so strong it has transformed some aspect of their lives. Support the show

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Scuba Diving, Freediving, Surfing, Ocean Environmentalism, Marine Science. Big Deep 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. In each episode, we speak with the most interesting people, from scuba diving crime fighters and record-breaking freedivers to marine biologists and ocean advocates - even a real-life mermaid. So we invite you to join us on this journey as we explore the ocean through the stories of people who love it.

HOSTED BY

Host Jason Elias

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast have?

Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast currently has 43 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast about?

Scuba Diving, Freediving, Surfing, Ocean Environmentalism, Marine Science. Big Deep 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. In each episode, we speak...

How often does Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast release new episodes?

Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast has 43 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast?

You can listen to Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast?

Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast is created and hosted by Host Jason Elias.
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