The Great Dive Podcast

Hey everybody, it’s Black Friday and you know what that means. It’s time to get that special scuba diver in your life some holiday presents. Not sure what to get for your loved one, well TGDP is here to help you spread some holiday cheer. Join us as we go through this new Holiday Gift Guide from the gang over at DeeperBlue.com

This week the boys get back to the business of diving. We love to get listener email and we love it even more if we can turn it into an episode where we can all take something valuable from the lessons contained therein. This episode is exactly that... we'll take some listener e-mail and talk about the important aspects of learning to dive well and learning how to build trust with your dive partne...

It’s Friday the 13th and the winds are howling, because the November Witch is stealin’. Join the boys as they take another looks at the source of so much of Great Lakes shipwreck diving, the gales of November. When the late Caribbean tropical storms travel north and collide with Arctic storms moving south, they can create a whole new level of hurricane on our inland seas. Dive into the deadly Grea...

Ever thought about going pro? The boys continue their discussion about going the instructor route with your diving. What to expect and what should be expected out of a real "pro"! Have a listen!

Do you believe in ghosts? Well it is Halloween time and this week Jamesy tells Brando a horrifying tale. Ghosts, ghouls and candy bars. Underwater serpents, cities and Smarties. Join your TGDP buddies for the story of the time Jamesy nearly gave up his flippers and said he will never dive again.

After two weeks of looking at arguments about the necessity of a diving certification, the boys take a closer look at what it means to actually “Go Pro.” Becoming a diving professional takes a lot of work and dedication, especially if you are going to do it for a long time. If you really have an interest in diving education, here are a few things you will need to consider.

In Part 2 of Is Certification Really Necessary, James and Brando try to work their way to the bottom of this controversial thread. Like many discussion boards, this one is full of twists and turns and dances around the root question. What is the definition of a diver? Have we evolved? Where are we going? Will these comments and questions get you as fired up as they did Brando? What will we find in...

While mourning the loss of Rock Guitar Legend Eddie Van Halen, the boys came across a discussion about the validity and necessity of dive certifications. If the certification is the identification of skill mastery, why is there still an obvious lack of ability on the dive sites? This post started a large thread and many interesting points, Jamesy and Brando take a look at both sides of this very l...

This week Jamesy and Brando try to lighten up the current political tension in the country with an old scuba magazine quiz. What kind of lover are you based off of your BCD choice? Which Kardashian would make your best dive buddy? You know, the good juicy magazine quizzes you see at the grocery check-out line. Also, the boys hint at dropping their names in for the upcoming presidential election.

This week the boys examine an article that addresses the increasing dependence on technology in the SCUBA community. Ol' Jamesy and Brando discuss the double edged sword of technology. Often, it can greatly help us do much more and do it faster and more efficiently but it also makes us reliant on it and lends to our complacency. From the individual to the agency, technology has had a huge impact o...

Have you ever dived a, “Dive of a Lifetime?” What is a dive of a lifetime? Jamesy and Brando have a little bit of free talk about diving the not so glamorous dives. But also, why are some of those dives memorable too. How can you know you just did the dive of a lifetime if you’re still diving?

Two things you never want to hear your dive buddy say are, "Uh, oh...." In today's episode the boys discuss a couple laws of knowledge. Like Brando's Law and the show specific Hoot's Law. Humans make mistakes but it's what happens next that really matters.

What happens when you become one of the irresponsible idiots that you routinely make fun of? Am I talking about 2 divers from this weeks story or the friends and fans that joined us for this Zoom party? You’ll have to listen to find out. We had a lot of fun recording this with you all, but this episode is Explicit and inappropriate at times. All in good Zoom Happy Hour Fun!

Everybody's got one....but listen in as we address a discussion by two divers at an airport VIP lounge. Both have very strong opinions about controversial diving topics but are either of them right? Is there a right or wrong? Should any diver's opinion be the basis for restricting a diver's liberty concerning the way they conduct their dives? Is their a middle ground where each view is right and "...

Is assuming anything with diving bad? We don't think so... after all, momma always said, "diving is like a box of chocolates....ya never know what you're gonna get..." Find out what happens when you assume nothing will go wrong on the dive... in this week's episode of The Great Dive Podcast!!

Do you know any crazy divers? Are they crazy because they are divers? Or, did diving make them crazy? Jamesy and Brando are getting the band back together and singing the blues. The post-dive, am I bent, blues. Is there a link between DCS and psychosis?

Thank you to everyone of our fans, this show wouldn't be possible without you. We've been here for 175 weeks straight. Well ok, a couple filler episodes here and there. Ok sure, this might be another one, but we have a good excuse. We're out diving. Please enjoy this episode, it's one of our favorites. Safe diving, folks. Lots of love from your buddies at TGDP.

As everyone always knows for certain truth, Brando never likes to use absolutes, ever. This week the boys discuss the absolute rules of scuba, and the importance of Rule #6. It’s lobster season and if you bring beer and maybe a dish to pass, you just might get invited over to the party.

Welcome back to The Great Dive Poddy, mate! This week the Billabong Buddies, Jamesy and Brando take a little trippy down-under to revisit a few shark attacks with chockers of blood. These South Australian Shark Attacks from 1961-64 were chroniciled in the book, Sharks and Shipwrecks by Hugh Edwards. You’ll defo want to tune in for this poddy, it’s a real beauty.

Tune in as the boys jump back into the shark cage and get ready for some prime-time television viewing. Hands off your pickles, everyone. But first they take a few minutes to thank all of their listeners, all over the world.

As Michigan continues to broil in the grip of a heat wave, Ol' Jamesy loses his AC and yearns for the days of cooking inside without overcooking the residents. The recipe discussion inevitably turns to recipes for disaster. This time we'll whip up a little tragedy Tortellini that is sure to whet your appetite! Terri, Marni, & Tim will bring the wine, bread, and dessert... Join James and Brando as...

On the 45th Anniversary of releasing the movie Jaws, Jamesy and Brando dive into the original summer movie blockbuster hit! The boys talk about diving, the movie, the possible remake and they even take a crack at recasting it in a couple different ways.

This week the boys go back to a Scuba Diving Magazine Lesson For Life that ends bad for a diving couple. It shows how important our foundational training is and why divers need a strong educational base. In a way that only Jamesy and Brando can talk about a scuba drowning, we have fun and learn some valuable lessons.

Happy Father’s Day to all you dad divers out there, hopefully your kids remember all the hard work you’ve done for them. This week, James and Brando actually had time to read their emails and came across a question from Audrey, a divemaster in Thailand. What’s next, she asks. Join us as we discuss the divemaster life, becoming an instructor and what it really takes to become a good diver.

Jamesy and Brando, dive back into the life of Jacques Cousteau. On the anniversary of what would be JC’s 110th birthday, the boys spend some time reexamining the 1956 film, The Silent World. Jacques spent over half of a century exploring the world underwater and what he did changed the lives of so many. Here are 5 reasons why what he did was important then and still today.