The Great Dive Podcast

The boys get back to some serious talk about helping you prepare to be a better diver. They found a Smart Guide to Safe Diving, put out by the Divers Alert Network. Listen in as they discuss how to avoid 7 God DAN Mistakes that divers make.

Hey all You Sexy Thangs! It's getting a bit chilly out there and may be time for some Hot Chocolate!! If you're interested in underwater photography (or not) we are sure you'll dig this week's episode of TGDP! Have a listen... have a chuckle or two... learn a bit about underwater photography as the boys from TGDP examine an article from the 90's from one of the greats...Marty Snyderman!

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of fateful diver. That started from an Open Water course, then he wanted to dive a mighty ship. The boys back-roll into the summer of 2001 and find an instructor who wrote an article in Scuba Diving Magazine that sounds like it could have come right from the lips of your little buddies. Was that a Gilligan’s Island reference? Yes, it was. Enjoy th...

In Part 2 of Menduno’s interview with Cronin, we get into who he was when he first started diving. The frustration with the industry, a vision of the future and how to put scuba on every home computer. Join us as we learn more about this tough son of a bitch. No, this honest son of a bitch, John Cronin.

In a time where scuba was a bunch of sporting goods shops that started selling a new toy, The Aqualung, John Cronin had a vision of making it mainstream. The overbearing military approach to education was a roadblock in getting the masses into scuba classes and what would happen next was going to be the largest scuba diving education company, PADI. In 1995 aquaCORPS magazine published a cover stor...

The boys get back to the early 90's in the scuba diving industry. A time where breathing Nitrox was pure evil. The Devil's Gas was banned by many and the scuba giant PADI did not embrace it. Ol' Jamesy tries to stay on course, Brando gets fired up... it's everything you've come to love about TGDP.

The Sandusky is a wooden sailing brig that wrecked in the Straits of Mackinac in 1856. Still lying on the bottom mostly intact with beautiful bowsprit and figurehead, it is a magical sight for divers. But diving a wreck like this is so much more than just blowing bubbles and taking pictures. James and Brando talk about the real essence of being in the moment underwater. The Zen of diving on this s...

In a world where anyone can sue anyone else for virtually anything, is it a good idea to hold a Scuba Instructor responsible for a diving accident based on the "image" that instructor may have created for him/herself based on both his on duty and off duty behavior? Should Jamesy portray Jethro or Ellie May in the upcoming remake of "The Scuba Hillbillies"? Will Brando ever figure out what the heck...

The Deeper we go underwater the greater the risk begins to climb. Unlike other sports where pushing the limits is encouraged, with diving we are given a list of limits to begin with. James and Brando discuss whether diving should be considered a sport or an art. What is the difference? No two dives are the same, but what if you are twins?? https://www.scubadiving.com/why-is-130-feet-depth-limit-fo...

In the fall of 1995, Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine published the most controversial article ever to hit the scuba industry, Cayman Cowboys. This article chronicled the secret life of your favorite dive masters living in island paradise. Well, your buddies, James and Brando dug it up and had a blast rereading it. So, stop checking your 401k report, who cares about your IRA, join us in our Big Esca...

James and Brando take on the very touchy subject of “Sexism and Scuba Diving” just as the world celebrates International Women’s Dive Day. The boys found an article written by Jill Heinerth for Diver Magazine, “Sexism, Alive and Well in Scuba Diving!” The Hot Pink cover was hard to miss! With a little bit of the TGDP humor you’ve come to enjoy and a few “middle-schooler” jokes they eventually disc...

The boys ramble on in an "off the cuff" conversation while rustling through Brando's library of ancient dive mags!! The more things change, the more they stay the same! A look into the future from 20+ years ago, before there was an Air McDoodle there was an Air Whopper and an Air Quarter Pounder! Diving Personal Ads looking for friendship, fortune, and love!! All part of this week's episode of The...

Gather 'round fellow divers and shutterbugs as the boys once again get together and discuss the fine art of underwater photography! The tables have turned though as Jamesy takes on the role of Photographer (kind of... ya see, it's just a GoPro) and Brando is the model (kind of.. ya see he's an old man with a face for being behind the camera, not in front of it.) This episode we'll tackle wide angl...

Is 500 feet the psychological and physical wall for air diving? Watson, Exley and Gilliam made that push beyond 400 feet and all realized their limitations on air. Join us a we wrap up our adventure.

It’s January of 1955 and Frederic Dumas, our beloved Didi, has denounced the quest for the depth record as “imbecilic.” The push beyond 300 ft has the next wave of record seekers shouting, “J’ai frole la mort!” and “Hoooooooo!”

As the men aqualungers begin to compete for depth, it doesn’t take long until we get our first fatality. What is it that lies in 50 Fathoms that we men yearn to see? Ah, but wait. It is not just the men that long for the deep.

What do you get when you mix Nitrogen, Oxygen, Jacques Cousteau, Fargues, Shatner, Picard and a little dash of Hope Root? Answer, the Deep Air World Record. Was it the guts? Was it the glory? Was it for science or for ego? Save your comments for later, Insults like that are only effective where emotions are present. Is this confusing? Don’t worry, Brando will explain.

What happens when you are so desperate for dive buddies that you decide to teach your wife to scuba dive? No, not us! We take a trip back in time and look at the ways women were viewed a few decades ago. Also, we have a special guest host this week!

Have you ever been caught whacking your mask off? Seriously? Have you ever seen a Gator? In the water? What does all this mean? It’s a metaphor. A metaphor for diving. Specifically, the Laws of Diving.

Brando and James catch up on life, Madagascar, Paris and a host of other off-topic topics. Eventually they discuss a few things in the scuba world that Brando missed while he was off traveling. AI’s… Artificial Intelligence? Alternate Inflators?? Tune in to find out.

Hey, let’s do a clips show. A highlights, best-of, collection of the last year or so and get a feel for what we’ve accomplished. Some of our favorite bits, funniest episodes and most informative dialog. Join us as we go back in time a take a small look at a bunch of different episodes. Thank you for the last 60 weeks!

Who are James and Brando? Well, they are just two fingers, wrapped in dry gloves, pointing to the moon, on dive boat… the dive boat of life. What the hell does that mean, you ask? Tune in your input mechanisms and join us for a look at the Inner Experience of Diving.

Get Groovy, this week with James and Brando as they take another trip back in time. This time to 1960’s and they explore the old scuba diver skill of Buddy Breathing. Join them as they discuss the ins and outs of shoving your thing in your buddy’s mouth.

This week the boy's get all spiritual up in this hizzy!! Listen in as they reflect on an article by Dillon Waters called "Scuba Diving: It's Just Not for Vacation". (https://www.tdisdi.com/scuba-diving-its-not-just-for-vacation/) This one's deep, so bring your pony bottles .... and your incense & mantras too! It's like chicken soup for the soul.... except it's Scuba Diving For The Soul!!

The Boys travel to Pompano Beach Florida for some much-needed ocean activities. What do a couple of scuba diving podcasters do when King Neptune shakes his trident into the wind? They sit by the pool during happy hour and answer life’s important questions. Like… Does size matter? Who has Marker Bag envy? What is “Pulling a Lang?” With the help of a great article from Scuba Diving Magazine from 200...