The BiG Scuba Podcast

Ian and Gemma chat to Garry Dallas who is also know as Sidemount Bob! He is a Cave , technical and recreational Diver and Instructor Trainer for RAID UK & Malta. Additionally, he's a CCR instructor, technical advisor, co-author in RAID diver training manuals, product tester and ambassador for Ammonite Systems, X-Deep, Fourth Element, Divesoft, Otter Drysuits, Ocean Reef, Apeks and other great manu...

Episode 61 will be out in a few weeks but here is a taster.   We chat to Garry Dallas who is also know as Sidemount Bob!  He chats about all things sidemount, being a fish, and our Fourth Element attire and wearing tights!   The full episode is now available on Patreon … https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast

Ian and Gemma chat about what they have been up to and we hear from a caller on The BiG Scuba Bat Phone. Our guest is Julianne Zielfle.  Julianne became a certified diver in 1985.  Julianne is an award-winning speaker, photographer and media professional. She first appeared in dive magazines in the late 1980s when she met Stephen Frink. She worked on Cousteau's Campaign on Rights of Future Generat...

Ian and Gemma chat to Birgitte Deda Wilms.   Deda came to the United States over 30 years ago from Denmark. She has traveled the world several times over, running a scuba diving and underwater photography business. Deda co-authored the coffee table photographic book, "In a Sea of Dreams", a winner of the World Grand Prize for Best Book of Underwater Photography. Deda was inducted into the Women's...

Ian and Gemma chat to Stratis Kas.  Stratis is a diving instructor, Explorer, Film-maker, adventurer and has recently released his first book called, Close Calls.  It's a collection of 68 gripping, personal close call stories by high profile technical divers about diving incidents that nearly cost them their lives. Incidents include entanglement, getting lost in caves, running out of gas, equipmen...

Ian and Gemma chat to Shafraz Naeem.  He is known to everyone as Shaff, started his diving career in 1994 and as a PADI Instructor and an ex-military dive instructor he has extensive knowledge of diving all over the Maldives. He trained the Maldivian Special Forces in diving. And has explored deep cave systems and exploring the deep reefs and caves in the Maldives. And In the past 14 years he has...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat Autumn Blum.  Autumn Blum, Founder and CEO of Stream2Sea.   Stream2Sea was founded in 2015 in Wauchula, FL after a dive trip in Palau made CEO & Founder Autumn realize that the products we put on our bodies have many ingredients that could be highly toxic to our fragile aquatic ecosystem and even to us. Today, Stream2Sea is the only mineral based sunscreen on the pl...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Kirk Krack.  For over two decades, Kirk Krack has developed education and certification programs with one goal: to improve safety in freediving. Through his leadership and participation in various projects, Kirk has contributed to the advancement of the scientific study of hypoxic effects on the human body and to the conservation of our oceans and its creatures....

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Stephan Whelan.  Stephan is the Founder and Publisher of DeeperBlue.com. His passion for the underwater world started at 8 years-old with a try-dive in a hotel pool on holiday that soon formulated into a lifelong love affair with the oceans and led him to become one of the leading figures in the diving media industry. WEB: deeperblue.com FB: facebook.com/deeperbl...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Paul Rose. Paul is a man at the front line of exploration and one of the world's most experienced divers, field science and polar experts, Paul Rose helps scientists unlock and communicate global mysteries in the most remote and challenging regions of the planet.  Paul is currently Expedition Leader for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Expeditions.   https:/...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Christine Dennison.  She aims to empower women through exploration, adventure and role models. "Quest for knowledge, Thirst for Adventure" is a great moto.  Christine is the Co-founder and President of Mad Dog Expeditions an internationally recognized technical scuba diving and exploration company based in New York City. For more than 20 years Christine has been...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Marcus Greatwood. He is a freediver and a Senior Coach at NoTanx.  NoTanx is a club.  Marcus started freediving in 1999, Loic Leferme said to him "you have to start a club - great things only happen when you have a group of people to make them happen" Since then NoTanx has enabled a lot of people to interact with the Oceans & Lakes.     Marcus says freediving alw...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Marcus Greatwood. He is a freediver and a Senior Coach at NoTanx.  NoTanx is a club.  Marcus started freediving in 1999, Loic Leferme said to him "you have to start a club - great things only happen when you have a group of people to make them happen" Since then NoTanx has enabled a lot of people to interact with the Oceans & Lakes.     Marcus says freediving alw...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Mike and Al who are Royal Navy Mine Clearance Divers based on the South Coast of the UK. They tell us about their experiences in the role.  Being a Royal Navy Mine Clearance Diver means you're part bomb disposal master, part sub-aqua specialist. It is one of the most physically demanding roles in the Royal Navy and it's hugely rewarding too.   https://www.royalna...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Beth and Elliot. They are the Backpack Divers. A young couple of diving enthusiasts from the UK.  They plan to go on a global journey, sailing to locations and explore and dive with a crew of friends and guests.    Beth is a Marine Biologist and Elliot's a Royal Navy Clearance Diver.   https://www.instagram.com/backpackdivers/ https://backpackdivers.wixsite.com/b...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Dr Alex Mustard MBE.   Alex is from the UK is widely regarded as one of the world's leading underwater photographers. He has been taking photographs underwater since he was 9 years old and has worked as a full time underwater photographer since 2004.   His photographs have won many awards.  In 2018 he was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in recognition...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Dr Alex Mustard MBE.   Alex is from the UK is widely regarded as one of the world's leading underwater photographers. He has been taking photographs underwater since he was 9 years old and has worked as a full time underwater photographer since 2004.   His photographs have won many awards.  In 2018 he was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in recognition...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Peter Millar, a Dive Operations Specialist at the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.  Peter helps move the astronauts around in the pool to create a space like experience.   Peter has been in the scuba and diving industry for many years and still continues to teach.   https://www.instagram.com/pmillar14/ https://www.facebook.com/peter.millar.7731   https://www.nas...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma have put together a compilation from the author and contributors to the book "Wild and Temperate Seas"     Will Appleyard                   www.willappleyard.com Kirsty Andrews                  @kirstyandrews Dan Bolt                             www.underwaterpics.co.uk Jason Brown                      www.bardophotograhic.com Jake Davies                        www.jaked...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma have put together a compilation from the author and contributors to the book "Wild and Temperate Seas"     Will Appleyard                   www.willappleyard.com Kirsty Andrews                  @kirstyandrews Dan Bolt                             www.underwaterpics.co.uk Jason Brown                      www.bardophotograhic.com Jake Davies                        www.jaked...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Will Appleyard.  He is an author and photographer and has a passion for adventure.  He dives, climbs, loves skiing and snowboarding and paragliding too.  His first book "Discover UK Diving" became a best seller and was followed by his  second book "Dorset Dives". Book three is out on 25th November 2020 called , "Wild and Temperate Seas".  From highlands to island...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Simon Hilbourne from the Manta Trust.   The core objectives are to see all species of manta rays and their relatives protected or effectively managed for sustainable and non-consumptive use by the people closest to them, in a means that promotes wider ocean conservation.  Manta Trust coordinate global efforts to research and conserve manta rays, mobula rays, thei...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Ian Campbell from Project AWARE.   Project AWARE is a global movement for ocean protection powered by a community of adventurers. They connect passion for ocean adventure with the purpose of marine conservation to create lasting change.  Collectively protecting the most vulnerable marine species and decreasing pollution with the aim of creating a clean, healthy o...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Dylan Irion and Mike Barron from Cape RADD (Research and Diver Development).  Cape RADD facilitates SCUBA and freediving training courses for individuals who want to learn more about the marine environment, conservation and research through hands on field experience and diver development.  Cape RADD is a marine field station that serves as a platform for research...

INTRODUCTION Ian and Gemma chat to Christine Grosart.  Christine Grosart is an offshore diver medic, working in the North Sea on vessels and gas platforms.  When she is not attending to emergencies, her whole life is dedicated to cave exploration, cave diving and any excuse to get outdoors, underground or underwater!    She is also heavily involved with Ghost Fishing UK.   https://www.wetwelliesca...