The Great Dive Podcast
by Brando & James
Grab your logbooks and gather around as James and Brando chat about your favorite subject and theirs, scuba diving. Each episode, these guys will share with each other an interesting and relevant story, tale, adventure or experience from under, in or on the water. It’s just like hanging out with a couple of cool buddies at the dive shop, on the dock or at the pub. Listen, learn and have fun with James Mott and Brandon Schwartz on The Great Dive Podcast. See and experience more at thegreatdivepodcast.com
Episodes
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Episode 483 - In the Weeds With Jamesy and Brando
This week the boys get "in the weeds" with their discussion spurred on by recent social media posts and comments. Gather round for a light hearted chat about everything from politics to psychology and how it relates to diving and divers! Have a listen!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 482 - Halloween Spooktacular 2026
It’s Devils Night, here in Detroit and TGDP has a terrifying show for this year’s Halloween Spooktacular. Get ready for ghosts and monsters. We tell a few tales of ghastly Great Lakes ghouls from the works of Fred Stonehouse and then Jamesy and Brando go out for couple drinks… it’s the only way…
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 481- Terry Irvine Jeff Lindsay
The boys sit down with Terry Irvine and Jeff Lindsay to discuss their recent dive on the Britannic, the art of shipwreck photography, and the early DIR days.
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Episode 480 - The Problems With DIR
The boys hit the streets and talk about the problems with DIR diving! Have a listen!!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 479 - DIR vs OLD
This week the boys talk about getting older and staying DIR. We all age, we will all eventually lose strength and fitness, but does that mean you become more or less capable underwater? Join Jamesy and Brando as they earn a little bit of wisdom and remember to, “Never miss an opportunity to Shut...
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Episode 478 - The Genesis of The DIR Diver
Thankfully the Great Dive Podcast has gone back to their roots and abandoned "ye olde pirate bullshit"! This week the boys begin a discussion on the genesis and evolution of the DIR approach to diving. Sparked by UTD's Podcast where Ben Bos Gyldenvang interviews two diving legends in the DIR…
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Episode 477 - Of Pirates and Scuba Diving
In honor of "Talk Like A Pirate Day", the boys retell the story of Roaring Dan Seavey. But what does this have to do with diving and diving instruction you aks? Well, you are going to have to listen to find out if there is anything to do with diving in this week's episode of The Great Dive Podcast!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 476 - Here We Go Again
This week the boys go deep, 50m deep, in Lake Michigan and discuss another deep air fatality. How long will it take for the scuba world to learn this lesson? There is a common thread amongst these deaths, they are not isolated occurrences.
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Episode 475 - Lessons From A Dropped Fin
A dropped fin upon exiting the water via ladder. What can something so simple and common teach us about ourselves as diving and how we dive? How we learn diving? How diving is taught? Join the boys as they discuss a short story and what can be learned through the lens of Human Factors In Diving....
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 474 - Not The Usual Great Lakes Diving
This week Jamesy and Brando go back in time to Jan 2026 to the Thunder Bay International Film Festival. Join us as we sit down with Cal Straub and Kathy Johnson and discuss some not so usual parts of diving the Great Lakes.
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 473 - The Great Dive Podcast Is Not For Everyone
The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 473 - The Great Dive Podcast Is Not For Everyone by Brando & James
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Episode 472 - Cayman Cowboys Revisited
WARNING!! This podcast contains NAUGHTY language!! If your ears are too sensitive, if you are easily offended, if you need a safe space, if you are confused and require ridiculous pronouns to be used by people to address you, if you are thin skinned or just want to talk about pretty butterflies…
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 471 - Make Yourself A New Sandwich
This week the boys get back to complaining. Not complaining themselves but have a conversation about it and what it's all worth. And Brando tells his favorite joke, but it has a moral to the story.
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Episode 470 - TBIFF WarFighter
The boys sit down at the Thunder Bay International Film Festival with a few buys from the film showcasing Warfighter Scuba.
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Episode 469 - Stop Whining or I'll Give You Something To Whine About!
This week the boys read some listener feedback.... and continue whining. What are they whining about you ask? Have a listen and find out!!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 468 - Sculture Part 2
Last week, Jamesy and Brando coined a new word in the TGDP Lexicon, Sculture. This week the boys dive deeper into that idea of scuba culture. Sculture, if you will. What are we doing? What do we believe in? Is the idea to certify as many humans as possible just to make money? Or should we be...
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Episode 467 - Is The Problem With Scuba Training In Scuba Culture?
Does (at least) part of the issue with Scuba education and practice lie in the culture of Scuba diving? Some aspects of our Scuba culture (Sculture) seem to promote quantity over quality. Whether it is certifications or depth, the emphasis seems to be on high numbers vs. high quality of the diver...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 466 - The Hardest Class You'll Ever Love
James and Brando start talking about a recent weekend teaching the UTD Essentials class to a couple of scuba professionals. This class is hard, but not because of the difficult skills or impossible expectations. It’s hard because it requires humility and intention, rather than learning and doing...
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Episode 465 - Cave Diving Month Final Words
The boys wrap up International Cave Diving Month with some final words. What can the recreational diving community learn from the Cave Diving community? Have a listen!
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Episode 464 - Quantity vs. Quality in The Diving Industry
What possibly could be the downside of focusing education on quantity vs focusing on the quality of the education? This week the boys explore the idea of a quantity vs. quality approach to educating the scuba world. Have a listen!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 463 - Is it Cave Month
This week the boys sit down and talk about Jamesy’s recent visit to Florida for the NSS-CDS International Cave Diving Conference. So, I guess it is officially Cave Month. Ol’ Jamesy’s presentation was a philosophical look at the difference between cave diving and the rest of the scuba education.
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Episode 462 - Final Thoughts on The Maldives Incident
The boys give their final thoughts on the Maldives Cave Diving Incident.
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 461 - Summer Splash
This week the boys take a week off from the Maldivian Death Cave, to bring you a special interview from this year’s Thunder Bay International Film Festival. Summer is heating up and Jamesy and Brando are busy living the scuba life. Enjoy these interviews with Andrew a Great Lakes boat captain and...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 460 - The Return of the Attack of the Revenge of the Quacking Maldivian Death Cave From Outer Space
This week Jamesy and Brando join the discussion about what happened to the 5 Italian divers inside the Death Cave of the Maldives. But, we don’t want to continue speculating as much as we are trying to move this conversation along. This story is about more than just those 5 divers.
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Episode 459 - THE NO QUACK ZONE IS BACK
A recap of the past few months episodes and best of all.... NO QUACKING or HONKING! yes, you read that correctly.... there are no censoring beeps, quacks, honks or even Brando yapping about Manscaping. Just good old fashioned scuba diving talk! have a listen!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 458 - Good Divers Bad Decisions
The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 458 - Good Divers Bad Decisions by Brando & James
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 457 - DeadlyAOW2
The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 457 - DeadlyAOW2 by Brando & James
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Episode 456 - Panic Underwater
Only one kind of panic is worse than bee panic, and that's underwater panic! This week the boys discuss a readers letter regarding a recent incident where panic played a role in the dive but the reason for the panic was unknown. How does this effect the way we, as divers, address the very real...
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Episode 455 - Do You See The Red Flags
This week the boys discuss an email from a bloke out in Jolly Ol' England that tells the tale of what can happen when taking unfamiliar and novice diver on even what most divers would consider a "simple" dive. Would you spot the red flags in time to prevent an issue? Have a listen!!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 454 Deadly AOW Dive
The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 454 Deadly AOW Dive by Brando & James
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The Great Dive Podcast - A Force For Good
The Great Dive Podcast - A Force For Good by Brando & James
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 452 - DylanHarrison2
This week the boys dive back into the tragic topic of Dylan Harrison, and the death of a young girl on her open water certification dives.
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The Great Dive Podcast-Episode 451- Dylan Harrison
This week the boys continue the discussion on scuba diving related incidents with the topic of Dylan Harrison. Dylan was a 12 year old girl who became separated from her instructor and class and later found deceased in the quarry where she was being trained. What can we learn from Dylan's tragedy...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 450 - LinneaMillsWe'reBack2
This week the boys dive into the long awaited Linnea Mills tragedy. It's a topic you listeners have been asking about for awhile. This story is made up of a lot of the issues we talk about on TGDP every week, and here we see all the holes of the swiss cheese line up on this cold water, drysuit,...
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Episode 449 - We're Back! Pt1
Finally!! We are back to normal day to day operations. Aaaaannd, we are back to tackle a highly requested topic as we begin an (as of now) innumerable part series to discuss both the Dylan Harrison and the Linnea Mills incidents. Swiss cheese, Jenga, and Bigfoot are just a small sample of the…
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 448 - ItsSoColdOnTGDP
Warning! This episode is for TGDP True Fans ONLY! This week the boys have an unfiltered conversation about life in general, current affairs, diving, and other relevant topics. Don't go all, "FinsOnFeet" on us and start leaving bad reviews because we took the time to answer some questions, update...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 447 - Juicy Deadly Ice Dive
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen... TGDP is back with a brand new Ice Dive. This Juicy tale will get you ready for another cold water disaster. Could this have been prevented?
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Episode 446 - TGDP Update
A quick update from the boys following a busy few weeks and right before a few more busy weeks.
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Episode 445 - TBIFF2026
This week Jamesy and Brando sit down and talk with Stephanie Gandulla from NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Kevin Sheard from Warfighter Scuba about the upcoming Thunder Bay International Film Festival.
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Episode 444- Shutter Speed Madness!
The boys continue their dive in to underwater photography with a discussion centered around the third leg of the photography triangle, shutter speed. Also, the listener should be warned that there may be humor of all types in this podcast. From high brow, intellectual, down to the juvenile…
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 443 - Happy Holidays from TGDP
The boys sit down and wrap up the 2025 year for TGDP.
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Episode 442- ISO Madness!
The madness continues with the discussion of underwater photography... and photography in general. This week the boys go insane with ISO! Have a listen!!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 441 - FstopMadness
This week your buddies talk about underwater photography again. After joining a photo club to get better at taking pictures, Jamesy start asking questions about apertures and F/stops. Of course, the Sultan of the Shutter, Brando, shines the light of knowledge on the young photographer. Join us.
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Episode 440-Divemastering the Ego
Join the boys this week as they examine an 'I Learned About Diving from That' article that tells the tale of what a Divemaster Candidate learned about his ego and the trouble that may come from letting it take hold of you and actually believing what it's telling you. Listen to the deadly incident...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 439 - Public Safety DIving for Advanced Beginners
This week the boys finish their discussion about a Public Safety Diving fatality.
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Episode 438 - Public Safety Diving For Beginners
This week the boys discuss public safety diving. A topic sparked by a recent social media post detailing the death of a public safety diver during a training evolution. Is this a common occurrence? Do most issues and incidents go unreported if there is no fatality or injury? What does have to do...
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 437 Alotar
The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 437 Alotar by Brando & James
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Episode 436- The Gales of November
Does anyone know where the love of God goes when Jamesy and Brando turn the minutes to hours? Find out this week as the boys recant the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of it's tragic demise. Have a listen!!
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 435 - Haloween 2025
Get your tricks and treats out for another haunting episode of TGDP Halloween Spooktacular. This year the boys bubble up Brando’s hot tub with tales of ghosts, ghouls, and sea fiends from out of the deep.
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The Great Dive Podcast - Episode 434 - Safety First
This week the boys diving in a companion journal to AquaCorps called Technical Diver. They compare this 1992 article by Michael Menduno with the state of the scuba world today. "Safety is the first priority. This is not recreational diving." That is what this episode of The Great Dive Podcast is...
About this show
Grab your logbooks and gather around as James and Brando chat about your favorite subject and theirs, scuba diving. Each episode, these guys will share with each other an interesting and relevant story, tale, adventure or experience from under, in or on the water. It’s just like hanging out with a couple of cool buddies at the dive shop, on the dock or at the pub. Listen, learn and have fun with James Mott and Brandon Schwartz on The Great Dive Podcast. See and experience more at thegreatdivepodcast.com
Hosted by
Brando & James
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