The Great Dive Podcast

This week the boys begin a multi episode discussion of the legendary diving book, "The Last Dive" by Bernie Chowdhury. Even if you haven't read it (do you even dive bruh?) you'll gain fabulous insight into the history & evolution of diving in the early 1990's and technical diving in particular. This is the true story of the Rouses and their tragic demise wreck diving off the US East Coast. As a tech diver himself, Bernie does a fantastic job of portraying the atmosphere of the technical (both cave and wreck) diving community in it's infancy during the late 80's and early 90's. Bernie's excellent telling of the story combined with his explanation of the nuances and details of diving make the book a great read for divers and non-divers alike!

The boys enjoy a little lesson for life, eventually. First, they spend some time recapping cave month and solo diving. What lessons can a beginner open water diver take from all that cave diving talk?

The boys wrap up Intergalactic Cave Diving Month (IGCDM) with a discussion of a 1973 cave dive in South Australia that resulted in the death of 4 divers. In hindsight, the reason for the the fatalities is quite clear. But in 1973, the cardinal rules of cave diving were not yet developed and it would take even more deaths for them to come to fruition and yet, although infrequent, cave diving deaths still result from divers ignoring what was learned the hard way. Learn what caused this fatal outcome as well as how and what open water divers can learn from incidents like this that happen in cave diving world.

In week 3 of 2024 Cave Diving Month, Jamesy and Brando take an interesting look at Solo Diving. What are the special things to consider if you must do it? What does it really mean to be alone? Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code TGDP at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

This week the boys look at traditional scuba education and how it developed in comparison to cave diving education. The concept of Accident Analysis versus the mainstream scuba idea of, “Don’t Say The ‘D’ Word.”

This week the boys kick off the 2024 International Cave Diving Month Special with a look at a fatality that occurred on a solo cave dive. Was it a medical problem? Did he forget to monitor his gas? Could a buddy have helped him? These questions and more are discussed. Join us.

Is there anything you cannot do in California? Join the boys as they kick off ice diving season with an article on ice diving in the Sierra mountain range in California. Have a listen!

This week the boys bring you a special 2 hour double episode, live from the 2023 Thunder Bay International Film Festival. As TGDP prepares for attending the 2024 show we look back at a few interviews we did last year. All the talks seem to come back to the feature film last year, David Ruck’s “The Erie Situation.”

The boys ring in the New Year with a review of the top dive destinations for 2024!! Have a listen!

Happy New Year from Jamesy and Brando. Here is a look back at our very first New Years Resolutions show.

In 1913 the Great Lakes were devastated by a Great Storm. But after all the death, destruction, and chaos of that white hurricane one ship tried to bring some Christmas joy back home to Chicago. The Rouse Simmons. Locked, loaded, and overloaded with fresh pine and Christmas carols… she was soon to be resting on the bottom of Lake Michigan instead of being safe in Chicago.

Join the boys the week as they reveal the answer to the "Who is it?" Episode of last week and it is.... the impeccable Stan Waterman of course!! The boys recap a story of his from his book "Sea Salt: Memories and Essays" where Stan waxes poetic on the joys of working with "Jacqui B." on the set of "The Deep" back in 1977. The dive world (and the "world" world) will most certainly miss Stan Waterman who passed away this year on August 10th at the age of 100. Doing his last dive in The Caymans at 90 years old he has been an incredible ambassador for the diving community!

The is week the boys look at a DCS hit that took place in Bora Bora. In many ways it is a rather typical incident. Warm tropical location, daily repetitive diving, pushing the limits, and it finally catches up with you. But this story comes from a diving legend. Can you guess who it is?

Join the boys this week as they discuss what one underwater photographer calls "The 10 Worst Pieces of Advice For Underwater Photographers".

The Wah-Wah continues. Join us as we talk the truth about diving deep on regular old air with Bob Raimo and Michael Menduno. Last week we mentioned how Bob almost died, this week we go through his personal memoir of the dive.

Join the boys this week as they continue their series dedicated to diving pioneer Bret Gilliam. This week they discuss quite possibly the most controversial article about Bret Gilliam and without question the most controversial dive ever done by Bret Gilliam! Have a listen as the boys dive into the topic of personal responsibility vs. personal freedom in the dive world!

The boys continue their look back on the life of the legendary Bret Gilliam and read one of his most controversial articles. Not only that but they also revisit the comments from an online discussion board at the time. A fight had started for what technical diving was and deep air was the first battle. Is it Technical Diving just because we are beyond recreational limits or was that term going to mean we did something different?

The dive community has lost more than a couple notable figures this past month. This week the boys pay homage to one of those legendary figures that left an indelible imprint on many of us that were around for the birth of technical diving, Bret Gilliam. Have a listen!

This year for the TGDP Halloween Special, the boys harken back to Jamesy’s old days on an underwater habitat in the Baltic Sea. Germans, French women, a Brit and unfortunately no bathrooms… but they did have a moon pool. Wait… what was that???

This week the boys discuss Paulette's "event" off the coast of Northern California in Carmel. Unusual hypothermia symptoms throw Paulette and Dennis a curve ball. Have a listen and find out what the confusion is all about!

This week the boys go back in time to learn a lesson from a warm water diver who wanted to try a cold water dive on his vacation to Norway. Cold water, dry suits, dark water, overweight… it all comes together in an exhausting and dangerous experience for Jeffrey. Don’t forget to tip your dive guides.

This week the boys continue more cold water chat with an episode addressing some of the considerations for underwater photography in cold water. Have a listen!

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but, this week the boys learn 4 tips for staying warm in cold water. Pour yourself a cup of Hot Jolene because its time to dive with Jamesy and Brando.

As summer comes to an end and the cold weather diving season returns, TGDP prepares to answer some cold-water diving questions that have been coming into our emails. As the boys prepare a new fall season of TGDP, join us as we revisit our first TGDP Quiz Show. We will talk to you next week.

IIiiiit's time for your favorite diving Game Show.... The Great Dive Podcast Quiz Show.... with your host, Ol' Jamesy and the sole contestant Brando! Have a listen as the boys reminisce about the old game shows while they share a buoyancy quiz from Ol' Dennis Graver!!

This week the boys take a jittery dive to far limits of recreational diving. What could go wrong when a diver with not enough experience, takes not enough gas, to a deep wreck dive where he has never been? Join us and find out.

This week the boys wrap their 2 part discussion on panic and the diver. This is the conclusion of last week's article written by a UCLA Professor and DSO back in 1971 that examines the readiness of the new diver and what is needed to prepare them for confidence and competence underwater. Have a listen!!

This week Jamesy and Brando visit a paper written by a UCLA Professor and DSO. It examines the readiness of the new diver and what is needed to prepare them for confidence and competence underwater. You may be surprised to find out that the answer is NOT shorter and faster classes.

This week the boys discuss the role of confidence in diving and learning diving. As an added bonus, we have another poem from the great Dr K-Seuss!

Episode 330 – Anchored To The Bottom This week do a little treasure hunting. But you know what they say about one mans treasure, it’s another mans junk. When you’re looking for loot, it is easy to hyper focus on the prize and forget about the important parts of diving. Join us for a search and recovery dive that goes bad.

This week the boys regale all of us with a chat about their memorable trip to dive some of the deep wrecks of Isle Royale up in Northern Lake Superior. Have a listen!!

It’s Shark Week everyone and Jamesy and Brando dive into a different story from Jaws author Peter Benchley. This week your buddies, take a few minutes to get back into the swing of podcasting. After a week off diving in Isle Royale, Lake Superior they give a few thank yous to all the listeners.

Join the boys this week as they finish the story of the raising of the submarine Squalus. The story left off with the Squalus stuck in 240 feet of cold Atlantic water and divers were attaching the new McCann Rescue Chamber to the sub to begin rescue operations. At 240 feet the divers were on air and in the late 1930's helium use was in it's infancy and still being "felt out" so it was not being employed but several events during this rescue would change that position. Join us in part "trois" of The Raising of The Sqalus!

This week the boys return to the sunken Squalus along with navy diver, Martin Conrad Sibitzky and more seamen jokes. After a full day of sitting on the bottom of the ocean the Squalus had been found and marked and it was time to send a diver down.

In light of recent events in the news surrounding the Oceangate submarine tragedy, the boys visit the story of the USS Squalus. The Squalus was a US Sargo-class submarine that sank off the coast of New Hampshire during test dives on 23 May 1939. The sinking drowned 26 crew members, but an ensuing rescue operation, using the McCann Rescue Chamber for the first time, saved the lives of the remaining 33 aboard. The Squalus was salvaged in late 1939 and recommissioned as Sailfish in May 1940. The divers commissioned to rescue the trapped submariners each received the Medal of Honor. Have a listen!!

Jamesy and Brando are up in Mackinac diving and will be back with a brand new episode next week. In the meantime, take a trip back and listen to this early episode of TGDP about a Mackinac shipwreck, the Sandusky.

This week the boys revisit the old "I learned About Diving From That" section of Skin Diver Magazine to discuss an article that describes what happens to a diver who thinks "it" can't happen to me when it comes to DCS. Do you know anyone who dives with the "It Can't Happen To Me" mentality? Fact is it can happen and eventually will happen if you dive long enough and/or are careless and unaware while diving. Have a listen!

Join your favorite autodidactic podcasters, Jamesy and Brando as they celebrate another Jacques Cousteau birthday. The Undersea Research Group of Cousteau and the boys were the first to do so many things in the sea, and dispelling some of the myths of blood thirsty sea monsters was one of them.

What happens when a diver finds himself in trouble in the water and is about to lose hope? What led to what can only be called a diving miracle? What can we learn from all this as divers and as humans? Whatever the answers are, if it involves a double rainbow of dolphins, it's got to be cool! Have a listen and find out!

It's said that sharing is caring, but is that enough to make it through an out of gas situation at 170'? Listen as the boys discuss a lessons For Life article about a couple of "technical divers" that suffered an out of gas situation at 170 feet.

This week the boys finish up their 3-part series on The Octopus Alternative and round out a few more claw hammer metaphor jokes. Is the best piece of equipment any good if how to use it isn’t practiced?

The boys continue their discussion on the Ghastly Gas Share that turned tragic. They continue with the article that addresses the need for an alternate air source to donate and breathe from. But is the problem an equipment issue or is it something that will always be there unless the training is corrected?

Gas sharing seems pretty simple on paper, but when it happens in real life it can be quite a different experience. This week the boys discuss what can be learned from this real life gas sharing incident and why these real life experiences almost never unfold like they do in the book and in class. Join Jamesy and Brando for part one of a multi part series exploring this real life gas share that should have been a simple exercise of a skill that was learned in Open Water 101 but turned deadly due to simple, easy, and often made mistakes.

This week your buddies Jamesy and Brando take a look at a story about a simple dive. Typical in many ways for many divers but when one little problem starts the snowball rolling down the hill, things can go bad quickly. The problem is trying to learn from it and not letting it reinforce bad habits.

This week, Penguin and Kingfish talk about a dive to the RMS Niagra. A 100m deep shipwreck and a diver with only a year of experience. Stop. Breathe. Think. Podcast.

Panic is something that almost every diver is going to need to confront in their diving at some point. The answer is simple....Stay calm! Don't panic. But it's easier said than done for many. This week the boys examine an article that discusses this very subject. Have a listen!!

This week the boys discuss a great book by one of our listeners, Daryl Bob Goldberg, entitled "[Life] Lessons Learned Diving". In his book, Daryl relates much of what is learned as we progress through diving to important lessons that help us live as better humans. We really enjoyed making this episode and it has earned a spot as one of our favorite episodes to create. Have a listen, we're sure you're going to gain some insight and enjoy!

Another episode of TGDP and another lesson learned. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because you are doing a shallow dive that you don’t need to do your proper preparations. Any and every dive can be dangerous, no matter how shallow, if you and your buddies are not prepared. Listen in as Jamesy and Brando learn another diving lesson.

This week the boys channel some good ol' Jack Handey and go deep!

After a long cave month and a few weeks of heavy episodes, the TGDP boys take it easy this week. Going back to an early look at some of diving’s less glamorous sides. Pee, Snot, Spit, and Vomit. Remember if you’re not American, you’re a peein’.