Welcome to Free Descent, a podcast by young scuba divers, for all ocean lovers! We are a community of dive instructors with a goal: to make space for young people in the dive world. Join our community and free descend into the deepest topics of the ocean world. Find us on Instagram at @freedescentpodcast . This is the best way to connect with us. Reminder: Free Descent is not intended to substitute or supplement formal dive instruction. Always dive within the limits of your training and expe ...
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Have you ever heard of a nonprofit scuba diving shop? Myles and Walter hadn't until connecting with Learn Scuba Chicago. Sam Guess, instructor and board member at Learn Scuba Chicago, comes on this episode to tell our community all about what it's like being a volunteer divemaster and scuba instructor in the Midwest. She also dives deep into her ow…
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Have you ever tried pigeon pose in yoga? Next goal: try it underwater! In this episode, we hear from Taylor, @the.wanderingblonde, on how she brings her two passions together through Scuba+Yoga retreats. She tells all about her mental health journey and the role the scuba diving and yoga played for her in her teens and 20s. The health benefits of b…
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Have you ever wondered about scuba diving in the Aegean Sea? Most people turn their nose up to the European dive scene, but we've brought Kelsey McDonald from @souldivers_ to prove them all wrong! Kelsey tells our community all about her time diving in Gallipoli, Turkey (Türkiye) with @goturkiye and @go_canakkale. Listen in to hear all about her ad…
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Walt is back! Grab a coffee, tea, and a banana (if you're not on a boat) and join Myles and Walt for a deep dive into diving habits, superstitions, and teaching PADI Open Water courses around the world. Walt tells all about the differences and similarities between his time in Hawaii, Florida, Thailand, and Honduras, while Myles compares this to her…
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Myles and Jake do a dive into a topic that's been top of mind for the podcast for a while, how to keep diving while balancing a 9-5 job, travel, and teaching! Listen in to the conversation, and share your thoughts on Instagram at @FreeDescentPodcast ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment only, and should not replace formal dive instru…
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Myles is back from Europe and not only brought home memories, but new friends! In this interview we catch up with Rannvá Jørmundsson, head of sales at Fourth Element and co-founder of Nixie Expeditions. Rannvá is an experienced tech diver and avid adventurer, and she's only seeking to move forward from here. Listen in as we discuss how she got to w…
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Welcome back from summer break Free Descent Community! We're kicking things off "therapeutically" with Tom Sloan, the mastermind behind the newly launched Blue Therapy Project. We chat all things dive marketing, chasing an ocean dream, introducing the next generation to the water, and how diving changes lives. This brand aims to get people "in, und…
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Myles and Jake go "deeper" than ever before in this tell-all interview with Stephan Whelan, founder and CEO of Deeper Blue, the world's largest community for freediving and scuba diving media. Stephan gives us all the details of how he got into diving, how he started Deeper Blue, when he knew it was getting big, and what projects they're currently …
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We are gearing up for another incredible PADI Women's Dive Day here at Free Descent! In the spirit of uplifting female voices, we have kicked Jake out for the week and invited two very special female divers: April (@aprilweickert) and Olivia (@fullysubmergedscuba). Join us as we get real about how to celebrate women in the dive community, as well a…
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Jake and Myles welcome back good friend and multi-time guest, Autumn Blum. We absolutely love S2S products, and in this show, we dive deeper into the company's mission and values. Don't miss the surprise product drop (!!!) and details on Women's Dive Day deals. ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and not to replace formal dive ins…
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Dive 33 and we've never felt younger! In this episode, Jake and Myles got the chance to interview Max Bracey, founder of DiverSeaFy. Max tells all about his dive story and how he started his non-profit. Through his time as a diver and later dive professional, Max saw a lack of people of color in the dive community and felt called to change that. Li…
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Jake and Myles sit down together and share tips on how to find a dive shop while traveling, what we're looking forward to most at Scuba Show, and DAN's new e-learning on risk and liability! Keep an eye on Jake's Instagram for special Scuba Show surprises, including a way to win a DiveVolk phone case! ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertain…
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Jake and Myles sat down with Rachel Cushman, an amazing diver and educator with a wealth of experience, to chat about diving in aquariums, teaching, silly stories from learning to dive, and the challenges facing women in diving. Definitely not an episode to miss! ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and should not replace formal di…
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Dive 30 brings us a special conversation with Danielle Tentschert, Education Manager at Ocean Connectors. We talk about how to get kids into ocean conservation, and how impactful the ocean can be on a child, as well as what got us into loving the water! Ocean Connectors is a San Diego-based nonprofit whose mission is to educate, inspire, and connec…
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We are back with our good friends Walt (@sweendogscuba) and Kelsey (@souldivers_). Walt and Kelsey answer your questions submitted via Instagram, as well as a few more. This is one of the best yet in our biased opinion; we cover burn-out, diversity, finding/keeping work, and so much more! ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment only, a…
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April Fools! Our friends Alysha Acosta and Danielle DiLorenzo take over the show to interview us for a change. Listen in to hear how we answer questions about our lives as scuba instructors, our friendship, and everything in between. Alysha, Miss Scuba Queen California 2023, and Dani, Miss Scuba Queen USA 2023, also spill all the details on upcomin…
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Updates, updates, updates! Myles finally moved to Spain, dove in the Mediterranean Sea, and is never leaving! Jake hit 400 dives in San Diego and booked a last minute trip to Bonaire! After over a year of FDP, we finally got to sit down with our good friends Walt (@sweendogscuba) and Kelsey (@souldivers_). Walt and Kelsey have to wildly different s…
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Dive 26: Myles and Jake cap off one year of Free Descent by recapping their most recent adventures along with special guest Lydia! Myles and Lydia tell tales of ice diving and the North American Ice Diving Festival, and Jake talks about his adventures in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. We wrap up with a couple of questions for the listeners,…
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Jake has been MIA for a month and Myles is gearing up to FINALLY get under the ice with Midwest School of Diving. Listen into our special interview with Mark Dugger from Midwest School of Diving, host of the North American Ice Diving Festival. Mark gives us insight into ice diving logistics, how the festival works, who will be there, how to get inv…
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Myles and Jake have dry gills, they NEED to get in the water! Hear all about their upcoming dive plans for February before jumping into an exclusive interview with Alexis Jabbour and Kelsey Elliot from the Buddy app. The Free Descent and Buddy teams have grown up alongside each other this past year, so this interview was a reunion for all of us. Li…
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Saving our oceans has always been cool, but the Force Blue team makes it that much cooler! Jake and Myles interview Steve "Gonzo" Gonzalez on his work to unite Special Operations veterans with marine science and conservation projects. Click the link below to get involved! As promised, the winner of our first ever MERCH contest will be announced at …
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It's a new year, and we are planning the best 12 months yet! We ring in 2024 with goalsetting for not only ourselves, but the pod of course! Our community plays a huge part in our podcast goals, so don't forget to participate in our merchandise competition! To win, you have to: - Follow us on Instagram - Like and share the post about this show - Co…
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Dive 21 - Winter is Here! Cold Water Diving with April Weickert and Josh Hustins
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Dive 21 is CHOCK FULL of the hottest (and coldest) dive discussions! Women in diving, women in management, social media, Canadian diving, military diving, dos and don'ts of ice diving, GEAR, travel, instructing, community building, AND MORE! Join us as we give Myles a proper send-off into her next adventure (0:00 - 12:45) and we chat with April Wei…
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Dive 20 - Our Holiday Gift Guide, the Scuba Queens Return, and the 2023 Dive Flag Awards!
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We made it to Dive 20! To celebrate, we share our gift guide for divers and those who love us (00:36-11:30), then chat with our favorite recurring guests, Dani DiLorenzo and Alysha Acosta about their amazing experience in Malaysia competing to become Miss Scuba International (11:30-46:00), and then cap it all off with the First Annual Dive Flag Awa…
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Jake and Myles just got back from DEMA and are JAZZED (bad New Orleans joke) to tell you about it! Also hear about Myles' most recent GIRL DIVES (she jumped back in the water as soon as she got home). Finally, hear the tell-all about the DEMA show floor, the after parties, and DEMA 2025 HERE! Bonus: listen to short interviews from some of the amazi…
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Dive 18 - Captain Pete Bethune and Crew of the Modoc
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This week's episode is exclusively about the Modoc, the ship of the Earthrace conservation that ventured among the Chinese Overseas Fleet of squid fishing vessels to film documentary footage highlighting the global overfishing problem. We interview Jack Bundle and Josh Martin, two crewmembers of the Modoc, about how they got involved with Earthrace…
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Jake is in Hawaii for a wedding and diving all over Oahu! Jake has also been made a Dive with Buddy ambassador. We also talk about Myles' most recent dives, and what we're looking forward to at DEMA! (0:35-13:40) Then, Scuba Queen CA Alysha Acosta joins us to talk about her journey, the importance of bringing equity to diving, and what she's lookin…
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Surface Interval - We Celebrate Sharktober with Shark Stewards Founder David McGuire and Shark Attack Survivor Maria Korcsmaros
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Just in time for Sharktober, we chat with David McGuire about the race to save sharks and what sharks mean to our oceans and our above-water world (0:36-24:40). We then sit down with shark attack survivor Maria Korcsmaros, who tells us her story of attack, survival, and advocacy (24:45-53:10). RESOURCES: Shark Stewards: www.sharkstewards.org Run4Sh…
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Jake is back! He shares his thoughts on his amazing liveaboard diving trip to Indonesia's Forgotten Islands, including how he got through some of his jetlag, changing money, the benefits of a liveaboard trip, and how adjusting to time zones is going. If you haven't listened already, this is a great complementary episode to Dives 14 and 15, so check…
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Jake and Myles have a more casual discussion about how diving makes them feel during fun dives, classes, and solo dives. End of the story, diving probably isn't cheaper than therapy, but it's still our preferred way to process life! **Reminder** Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and not as a replacement for formal dive instruction. Always …
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We've crossed the six-month mark of Free Descent, and to celebrate, Myles and Jake talk about the trips they've been on and are planning for. Myles just got back from Hawaii, and Jake is headed for a liveaboard trip in Indonesia. We talk packing, prepping, gear to bring or leave at home, and Myles' tragic tale of woe at the Tijuana Airport. If you'…
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Myles and Jake talk all things dive theory and dive medical knowledge with Seth Tufvesson, a commercial diver, hyperbaric chamber operator, and PADI Course Director. He tells us his favorite dive theory facts, how hyperbaric chambers are used for more than just diving, and why he keeps learning new things! **Reminder** Free Descent is intended only…
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Dive 12 - Divemastery
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Jake and Myles talk everything divemastering - helping out with classes, working on boats/ in dive shops, what we love about DMs, what we wish they'd do better, and why we need them! *Reminder* Free Descent is intended as entertainment only and not to replace formal dive instruction. Always follow the directions of your divemasters and instructors,…
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Jake and Myles chat about healthy habits, healthy routines, and how diving fosters both mental and physical health. We also talk about how we prepare for dives physically and mentally, to make sure we stay healthy! Reminder: Free Descent is intended to be entertainment, and is not intended to replace formal dive instruction. Remember to listen to a…
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Join us in welcoming Stream2Sea to the Free Descent community! We interview Autumn Blum and Mike Malterre on their work to improve sustainable cosmetics and bring us truly reef-safe products. **Reminder** Free Descent is not intended to replace formal dive instruction, so always follow the directions of your divemasters and instructors. Remember to…
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Dive 10 - Shark Week with Fins Attached and Dive Myths
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Welcome to SHARK WEEK with Free Descent! We start by chatting about the dive myths we hear most often, and some submitted by our listeners. Next up to celebrate this very important week, we've got an interview with Fins Attached. Listen with us as we learn about this research organization that is dedicated to preserving and fighting for the existen…
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The women are taking over for this special Women's Dive Day episode! We chat about recent and upcoming classes and interview 3 amazing women in the dive industry: Scuba Cindy, founder of Scuba Women, Emily Strand, our shop manager and PADI MSDT, and Lydia O'Connor, our colleague and PADI Open Water Instructor. Listen in to hear 4 female perspective…
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Dive 8: Interview with DiveHeart and Jake’s First Classes
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Jake started teaching classes and asks Myles for tips, tricks, and advise for his ocean dives. We welcome on Jim Elliott and Tina Marie Hernandez from DiveHeart. We learn all about the adaptive diving techniques that he has crafted over the years, and his successes through his time working with divers from all walks of life. Last but not least: Wha…
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Myles and Jake spent a weekend as volunteers, learning and working with Life Waters (www.lifewaters.org) as they introduced disabled veterans to scuba diving as a way to heal from their injuries and remain active through disability. Teaching adaptive divers was an incredibly motivating and humbling experience, and we want to thank the Life Waters t…
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Dive 7 is all about independence! Jake is done shadowing and started teaching his first independent classes this week, and Myles is fun-diving with her former students and seeing cool stuff. One of Jake's IDC instructors, Jason Watters, stopped by to talk about running an independent shop and all the pros and cons of working outside of a large dive…
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Jake went to Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA last weekend to see the latest in greatest in scuba gear and tech, meet new friends and see old ones again! Here are some sneak peeks at the content we've got lined up all summer as we continue the amazing conversations we started at the show! Buddy App - 2:10 to 5:25 Palau - 5:25 to 8:35 Costa Rica - 8:35 …
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Jake had a dive with the Wounded Warriors program in San Diego, Myles had an awesome Open Water Class, and Jake got his drysuit back (eye roll). Listen in to hear some of their biggest pet peeves about other divers, as well as why Myles and Caleb need to get an apartment with a garage (more eye rolling). Bonus: Jake gets a bit technical about under…
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In this Surface Interval, Jake gets to dive and chat with US Marine Corps veterans Sergeant Brandon Jeffrey, Sergeant Jonathan West and Lance Corporal Jeff Roberts, who are using diving to heal from their physical, mental, and emotional wounds from military and post-military life. This side of diving is something we want to explore more, so send us…
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The one our adventurers have been waiting for: TRAVEL! Myles tells all about Bali, Gili Trawangan, and Nusa Penida. Jake describes his experience with an Advanced Open Water class. Jake and Myles discuss their travel diving dos and don'ts from gear to dive buddies. Tell us your bucket list dive locations in the comments below or on our instagram @f…
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Dive 4: Jake has been out of the water too long; Myles had a private lesson; Producer Caleb is certified. We talk about what makes a good dive shop, and Store Manager Emily from Ocean Enterprises comes on to talk about running a dive shop in San Diego. **Reminder** Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and should not be used to replace formal …
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Caleb passed his Open Water class and is now a certified open water diver! We talk about how his class went, the bucket list he's already planning, and his upcoming trip. Check out our Instagram, @FreeDescentPodcast, to see some clips of Caleb's diving adventures! **Reminder** Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and should not be used to rep…
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We talk about Jake's first class as an instructor, a scuba review; diver discretion and cancelling dives as a dive professional; and the different styles that divers use while staying within our training standards. **Reminder** This podcast is not intended to substitute or supplement formal dive instruction. Always dive within the limits of your tr…
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For our first Surface Interval, Myles and Jake talk to our friend Caleb as he prepares for his pool and ocean sessions of the PADI Open Water Diver class. We talk about class orientation, eLearning, skill preparation and general thoughts about the process. We’ll check back in with him after the class! **Reminder** Free Descent is intended as entert…
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Jake passed the Instructors Exam and is now a full Open Water Dive Instructor, Myles went to Hawaii and (didn't go scuba diving but) did a Dive Against Debris while snorkeling. We talk about some of your suggestions and our misses on last episode's Favorite Dive Moments podiums, and talk dive routines and traditions (including some very fun ones). …
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Welcome to Free Descent with Jake and Myles! We are two millennial dive instructors with a goal: to make space for young professionals in the dive industry. In Dive 1 you’ll learn about our journeys from open water divers to PADI professionals, with plenty of dive stories and bad jokes along the way. We share why we love diving and more importantly…
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