The Scuba GOAT Podcast

In this episode of the Scuba GOAT Podcast, we follow the extraordinary journey of underwater stuntwoman Liz Parkinson. Growing up across three countries - the US, England, and South Africa - Liz discovered her love of the water early, and a fierce competitive streak in South Africa pushed her to always outswim her friends. As a teenager, she trained to become a competitive international swimmer fo...

Samir Alhafith, founder of The Sydney Project, and Navy Clearance Diver Lieutenant Rus Pnevski take us deep into one of NSW’s most enduring maritime mysteries — the rediscovery of the SS Nemesis. Built in 1880 by Thomas Turnbull & Sons in Whitby, England, the steamship was later used to haul coal between Newcastle and Melbourne and was tragically lost in a savage gale off Wollongong on the nig...

Today I’m joined by the incredibly talented Matt Krumins - a Melbourne-based professional photographer with over 15 years of experience across landscapes, wildlife, events, and underwater photography.    A keen diver, he commenced his underwater journey over 2 decades ago and I’ve admired Matt’s work for several years, particularly his striking big animal imagery from South Africa and his captivat...

In this episode of The Scuba GOAT Podcast, host Matt Waters is joined by marine surveyor Mick Uberti to take a deep dive into the realities of dive liveaboard safety—what’s working, what’s failing, and what needs to change. With over two decades of experience in maritime safety, Mick has worked with boat owners worldwide, including the UAE royal family and Richard Branson. As the founder of Mariti...

A little over three years ago I interviewed Andre Borell, director of Envoy: Shark Cull, a hard-hitting documentary highlighting the archaic shark mitigation systems employed by the Australian government throughout Queensland and New South Wales. The doco, narrated by Eric Banna, was initially aired exclusively on Stan and three years down the line has a much greater global audience through many o...

Summary In this conversation, Todd shares his journey as a dive instructor and underwater photographer, discussing his experiences in various diving locations worldwide , including the Galapagos and Thailand. He reflects on the changes in his life, including starting a family and writing a book about the best dive experiences globally. The discussion also touches on the beauty of cold-water diving...

Today I am thrilled to introduce you to Maxime Cheminard, a talented dive photographer who I first met at the inaugural International Underwater Photography Competition in Aqaba, Jordan, where he received an honorable mention at the award ceremony for his awesome image of the Cedar Pride. Max's journey into the world of diving began during his time in the French military and after transitioni...

In this captivating episode, award-winning film director Nays Baghai and legendary cave explorer Jill Heinerth discuss their collaborative journey in creating the film 'Diving into the Darkness.' They delve into the complexities of underwater filming, the importance of safety protocols, and the emotional depth of storytelling. The conversation highlights the challenges faced during produ...

Growing up in the UK, Adrian Stacey decided that scuba diving might be slightly more adventurous than selling photocopiers. With that in mind, he embarked on a 13-year scuba travelling adventure that would catapult him around the world to explore many of the great dive destinations.  Egypt, Oman, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, Saba, the Bahamas, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Palau,...

Lyndi Leggett is a passionate scuba diving professional, and founder of The Scuba Gym Australia. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic scuba diving experiences for individuals with disabilities and challenges, both physical and cognitive. Alongside offering unique underwater therapy, Lyndi has expanded her outreach to include the Scuba Warrior program, specifically desig...

Join me on the podcast as I sit down with Mark Evans, co-founder of Rork Media and Editorial Director of Scuba Diver Magazine. We delve into his fascinating career journey, intertwining scuba diving with journalism, his profound passion for the sport, and his commitment to delivering top-notch information to the global audience. Mark's love affair with diving began at the tender age of 10, an...

Tim Morrish is an Instructor Certifier with Scuba Schools International (SSI).  Based in Koh Tao, Thailand, Tim runs the professional training arm of Big Blue Diving and is also part of the management team of the dive centre. An extremely thorough individual, Tim is very meticulous when it comes to explaining the complexities of our sport which is all too apparent during this interview and is refl...

Roni Ben-Aharon If you've ever visited a dive show in the last few years you may have seen this lady representing Atlantis on stands or even on stage providing presentations about the amazing diving on offer in the Philippines. Roni is super vibrant and just as passionate about our sport and what she doesn't know about diving in the Philippines could probably be written on the back of a...

THE END OF TALKING. THE AGE OF DOING. Attention, nature enthusiasts and aspiring conservationists! An incredible opportunity has emerged that allows you to become an integral part of saving one of the world's most precious natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef. Prepare to be amazed as Citizens of The Great Barrier Reef unveil their groundbreaking AI system, inviting individuals from all cor...

Simon's correct title reads... Professor Simon Mitchell MB ChB, PhD, DipOccMed, DipAdvDHM (ANZCA), FUHM, FANZCA , Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Auckland.  This clearly does not fit in the title of this episode however, it goes a LONG way to explaining why Simon is one of the top dogs when it comes to being able to pour a healthy amount of clarity over the common confusions betw...

Today, we are thrilled to have a distinguished guest with us a man whose passion for diving spans over three decades and has led him to become one of the most skilled technical divers and instructors in the southern hemisphere. Google the name of Pete Mesley, and you'll find his namesake website, which contains his passion in life, two of which are the list first and shocking or big animal di...

Ladies and gents, welcome to the Scuba GOAT podcast.  Last year at the OzTek dive show in Melbourne, I had the pleasure of meeting Nathalie Lasselin. Our introduction was brief, but it was enough to pique my interest in her inspiring story and make me realize that she needed to be featured on the show.  In this episode, join me as I chat with Nath and uncover her motivations for venturing into the...

Welcome to the latest episode of Scuba GOAT! In this episode, we talk to Vanessa Torres Macho and Talia Greis, the founders of Liquid Lens, a project promoting and encouraging women in underwater photography. Vanessa is a 20+ year dive professional and the owner of Underwater Imaging Australia, while Talia is a scuba and photography enthusiast who started diving 7 years ago. Vanessa and Talia shar...

Are you intrigued by the complexities of underwater photography? Nicolas Remy (multi award-winning underwater photographer and founder of The Underwater Club ) joins me in the studio to shed some light on this intricate art. Nicolas and his wife Lena caught my attention initially with their stunning photos and furthermore because they dived on rebreathers. To me, rebreather diving to photograph ma...

 Are you a fan of scuba diving or luxury watches? Well, Sean Clements certainly is, and a few years ago, he found a way to combine his passions and create a path for the future away from the corporate rat-race. Sean's vision led him to create SDC Watches, a dive watch brand that offers luxurious watches for everyday dive adventures. What sets SDC Watches apart is their commitment to protectin...

Don Silcock, esteemed Senior Travel Editor of Scuba Diver magazine and the mastermind behind Indo-Pacific Images, graces the studio for a long-awaited reunion, accompanied by good banter and a few cold ones. Embark on a riveting journey as we delve into Don's extensive travels and an array of captivating topics. From traversing the vibrant landscapes of India astride a motorcycle to capturing...

Dan Johnson is the man in charge of MV Oceania, co-owner, and captain of this beautiful vessel, and joins me to kick off Season 4. MV Oceania is a liveaboard scuba diving vessel that operates out of Walindi Plantation, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea, located in the Coral Triangle of the Asia Pacific region, is situated just south of the equator and 100 miles north of Australia. Th...

Dan Johnson is the man in charge of MV Oceania, co-owner, and captain of this beautiful vessel, and joins me to kick off Season 4. MV Oceania is a liveaboard scuba diving vessel that operates out of Walindi Plantation, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea, located in the Coral Triangle of the Asia Pacific region, is situated just south of the equator and 100 miles north of Australia. Th...

Nusa Penida is a stunning island off the east coast of Bali– one look at the dazzling cliffs, hidden coves and secret beaches, and you’ll think you’ve stumbled into a spectacular island paradise.  Each time I visit I am blown away by the location, the people, and the diving.  This location benefits from several powerful currents that bring nutrient-rich waters, which support a vast array of marine...

Josh Richards may not have decades of caving experience under his belt, however what he does have is a love for Wombats and the desire to act like one at times.  Joking aside, Josh's thirst for adventure started whilst diving as a kid with his father, continuing into a military career as a soldier and Royal Marine, a comedian, a science geek, and even as a candidate with a one way ticket to i...