エピソード

  • Episode 228 David Swain Beyond on Bar

    Episode 228 David Swain Beyond on Bar
    2026/06/09
    In this episode, we sit down with David Swain, owner of Beyond One Bar — a family-run scuba diving business based in Leiston, Suffolk. And yes, we recorded on location at Sizewell beach from inside the Auto-Trail Expedition 68XL campervan overlooking the North Sea! David has been teaching people to dive since 1994 and has clocked up over 30 years as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. In this conversation, he shares his diving journey from the early days through to a life-changing relocation to Honduras and his eventual return to the UK, where he set up Beyond One Bar with his family in 2014. We talk scuba, open water swimming, life by the sea, and what it really means to build a dive business from the ground up and the philosophy behind the name Beyond One Bar. Find Beyond One Bar: 🌐 www.beyondonebar.com 📸 @beyondonebar on Instagram 📘 Beyond One Bar on Facebook Gemma and Ian also catch up on news and talk about some other UK dive Sites, https://www.dudleydolphinbsac.com/ and the Netherton Reservoir and Springlakes https://diverstime.com/ and the upcoming Scoob and Snork Fest on the 25th July https://diverstime.com/try-dive-experience/ola/services/scoob-and-snork-fest-2026 The Auto-Trail Camper van is discussed https://www.auto-trail.co.uk/campervans/68xl/ and how its a great adventure vehicle. Gemma has had a diving medical at Midlands Dive Chamber https://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/. Remember you can book in there for any level of Diving Medical and they are a specialist team. The public are being asked to give their views on a selection of wildlife, native to the UK, that will appear on the next series of banknotes in a consultation launched recently. Cast your vote here: https://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/41844465/6049/ The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice. 💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com 👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:Circular & Co – use our code BIGSCUBA Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBAWaterhaul link Stream to Sea McConks - use our code THEBIGSCUBA2026 Amazon Store Patreon – support the show and keep us diving!Auto-Trail - Discover the new collection from the UK's leading motorhome and campervan manufacturer. 📲 Follow us on socials: Instagram: @thebigscuba Facebook: @thebigscuba LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last 🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com 🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms. ISSN: 2752-6127
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    1 時間 46 分
  • Episode 227 Rod Macdonald Author & Shipwreck Explorer

    Episode 227 Rod Macdonald Author & Shipwreck Explorer
    2026/05/18

    In this episode, we chat with Rod Macdonald. Rod is an internationally renowned Scottish shipwreck explorer, undersea adventurer, maritime historian, TV personality and best-selling diving author with 13 books about shipwrecks and naval history, the culmination of a lifetime of diving. His beautifully illustrated books are the internationally accepted definitive guides to many world-famous dive locations. He is the author of Dive Scapa Flow, covering the German WWI High Seas Fleet shipwrecks scuttled in Scapa in 1919, Dive Truk Lagoon – the Japanese WWII Pacific shipwrecks, covering the 40 Japanese ships sent to the bottom of the Truk lagoon in Micronesia in February 1944 during a daring 2-day fast carrier raid by U.S. Task Force 58 aircraft codenamed Operation HAILSTONE. He is also the author of Dive Palau – the shipwrecks, the sunken legacy of the follow up Task Force 58 raid, Operation DESECRATE 1, just six weeks later – and a number of naval history books. Rod regularly appears on TV documetaries as a wreck expert, and as a patron of the British & Irleand Chapter of the Explorers Club of New York and has led a number of high profile Explorers Club flagged expeditions to survey shipwrecks around the world. He dived the feared Corryvreckan Whirlpool on the west coast of Scotland!

    Website : https://rod-macdonald.com

    Books : https://amzn.eu/d/0bjAJ7m9

    The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice.

    💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com

    👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:
    Circular & Co – use our code BIGSCUBA

    Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA
    Waterhaul link

    Stream to Sea

    McConks - use our code THEBIGSCUBA2026

    Amazon Store

    Patreon – support the show and keep us diving!
    Auto-Trail - Discover the new collection from the UK's leading motorhome and campervan manufacturer.


    📲 Follow us on socials:
    Instagram: @thebigscuba
    Facebook: @thebigscuba
    LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last
    🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com

    🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms.
    ISSN: 2752-6127
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    2 時間 19 分
  • Episode 226 Dan Frolec Author of "The Cave"

    Episode 226 Dan Frolec Author of "The Cave"
    2026/05/04

    In this episode, we chat with Dan Frolec — diver, adventurer, entrepreneur, and author of The Cave, a gripping true story that blends scuba diving with real-life tragedy and injustice.

    Dan has been diving for over 30 years, exploring oceans across the globe. But one trip in 2002 to Croatia changed everything. What began as a routine sailing and diving holiday turned into a nightmare when a fellow diver was lost in an underwater cave. Soon after, Dan and a friend were falsely accused of murder and imprisoned, forced to fight for their freedom against shocking claims.

    Dan shares the story behind The Cave, the emotional toll of the incident, and how he found the strength to keep going.

    Beyond the book, we also dive into Dan's life journey — from a high-level corporate career in Prague to quitting it all and moving to Bali for a different way of life. Today, he runs his own advisory business, created a fitness programme, and continues to pursue his love for diving, freediving, and adventure.

    A powerful episode about resilience, truth, and the unexpected paths life can take.

    Links:
    Website: www.danfrolec.com
    Instagram: @danfrolec
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfrolec/
    Book: The Cave – The True Story of Two Mysterious Deaths in an Underwater Labyrinth

    The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice.

    💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com

    👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:
    Circular & Co – use our code BIGSCUBA

    Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA
    Waterhaul link

    Stream to Sea

    McConks - use our code THEBIGSCUBA2026

    Amazon Store

    Patreon – support the show and keep us diving!
    Auto-Trail - Discover the new collection from the UK's leading motorhome and campervan manufacturer.


    📲 Follow us on socials:
    Instagram: @thebigscuba
    Facebook: @thebigscuba
    LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last
    🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com

    🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms.
    ISSN: 2752-6127
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    1 時間 30 分
  • Episode 225 Mark Greaney No.1 New York Times Bestselling Author

    Episode 225 Mark Greaney No.1 New York Times Bestselling Author
    2026/04/20

    The Big Scuba podcast, hosts Ian and Gemma are joined by Mark Greaney.

    What happens when a world-class thriller writer hits the water? In this episode, we sit down with Mark Greaney, the man behind The Gray Man and the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series. We discuss his transition from tactical firearms training to recreational scuba diving and how he translates the "inner space" of the ocean into high-octane thriller scenes.

    About Mark Greaney

    Mark is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with a background in international relations and political science. His commitment to authenticity has led him to:

    • Travel to 35+ countries for book research.

    • Train with military/law enforcement in tactics and battlefield medicine.

    • Collaborate directly with Tom Clancy on titles like Locked On and Command Authority.

    • See his debut novel, The Gray Man, become a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.

    https://markgreaneybooks.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/MarkGreaneyBooks/

    https://www.facebook.com/MarkGreaneyBooks

    The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice.

    💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com

    👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:
    Circular & Co – use our code BIGSCUBA

    Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA
    Waterhaul link

    Stream to Sea

    McConks - use our code THEBIGSCUBA2026

    Amazon Store

    Patreon – support the show and keep us diving!
    Auto-Trail - Discover the new collection from the UK's leading motorhome and campervan manufacturer.


    📲 Follow us on socials:
    Instagram: @thebigscuba
    Facebook: @thebigscuba
    LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last
    🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com

    🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms.
    ISSN: 2752-6127
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    1 時間 35 分
  • Episode 224 Will Appleyard & Núria Paré Soldevila

    Episode 224 Will Appleyard & Núria Paré Soldevila
    2026/04/06
    In Episode 224 of the Big Scuba podcast, hosts Ian and Gemma are joined by Will Appleyard and Núria Paré Soldevila. Will Appleyard is the creative eye behind Amphibious. His background spans a wide range of hands-on work, shaped by years of experience in diving, outdoor projects and adventure-based environments. Will has also been a brand ambassador for O'Three for over a decade. Alongside award winning filmmaking, he is also the author of several books, including Dorset Dives and Wild & Tempered Seas, and as an underwater photographer, has spent over a decade as contributor to several diving magazines and platforms. These past experiences continue to inform his visual and narrative approach, grounding his work in authenticity and a strong connection to the sea Núria Paré Soldevila works with Amphibious on subtitles, translation and story support. She has worked for many years with language, both as a translator and as an English teacher in an audio-visual vocational training programme. She collaborates on documentary projects by interviewing contributors, subtitling and translating content, and supporting the storytelling process from behind the scenes, helping each story remain clear, coherent and true to its voice. Amphibious is an award-winning independent documentary collective focused on nature-based storytelling, working both above and below the water. Their work combines strong visuals with thoughtful, human-centred narratives. Their most recent film "Voices Of Pura Vida", filmed in Costa Rica, has won several awards and is listed on IMDB. The Paragliding documentaries have not only won awards but one has even been broadcast on Spanish TV. Voices Of Pura Vida has been selected to be screened at the Lisbon Underwater Film Festival on 13th Feb 2026. Websites: https://www.amphibiouscollective.com/ https://www.willappleyard.com/ Instagram: @willappleyard @amphibious_collective YouTube: Will Appleyard The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice. 💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com 👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:Circular & Co – use our code BIGSCUBA Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA Waterhaul link Stream to Sea McConks - use our code THEBIGSCUBA2026 Amazon Store Patreon – support the show and keep us diving! 📲 Follow us on socials: Instagram: @thebigscuba Facebook: @thebigscuba LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last 🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com 🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms. ISSN: 2752-6127
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    1 時間 46 分
  • Episode 223 Miranda and Ollie Krestovnikoff

    Episode 223 Miranda and Ollie Krestovnikoff
    2026/03/23

    In Episode 223 of the Big Scuba podcast, hosts Ian and Gemma are joined by TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff and her son, Ollie, to discuss the dynamics of a "diving family." The conversation explores how diving became a central part of their household, with Miranda's daughter, Emily, recently working as a Dive Master and Ollie emerging as an enthusiastic advocate for the sport. Miranda reflects on the natural progression of her children into diving, noting that while their upbringing made it almost inevitable, it was always rooted in a genuine, positive choice.

    Ollie's introduction to the underwater world was remarkably early, having first used a regulator at just three years old. He attributes his passion not only to his mother's career but to a shared family interest that included his father's love for snorkeling and his siblings' early certifications. This upbringing involved family holidays centered around diving clubs, allowing the children to build their skills alongside their parents. Now a teenager, Ollie is focused on encouraging other young people to overcome their hesitations and try the sport for themselves.

    Beyond recreational trips to locations like Grenada and the Philippines, the family remains active in marine conservation, frequently participating in underwater clean-ups with groups like "Neptune's Army." Miranda notes the welcoming nature of the diving community, which has consistently supported her children as fellow divers rather than just observers.

    More about Grenada : https://www.puregrenada.com/

    Madagascar with Operation Wallacea : https://www.opwall.com/location/madagascar/

    Neptune's Army of Rubbish Cleaners : https://www.narcdiving.org.uk/

    The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice.

    💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com


    👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores:

    Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA
    Waterhaul link

    Stream to Sea

    McConks use our code THEBIGSCUBA2025

    Amazon Store

    Patreon – support the show and keep us diving!


    📲 Follow us on socials:
    Instagram: @thebigscuba
    Facebook: @thebigscuba
    LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last
    🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com

    🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms.
    ISSN: 2752-6127
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    1 時間 35 分
  • Episode 222 The Go Diving Show 2026

    Episode 222 The Go Diving Show 2026
    2026/03/09
    This week on The BiG Scuba Podcast are on location at The Go Diving Show 2026. We carry out a number of ten minute interviews in our Auto-Trail Campervan, the Expedition 68 XL as well as carrying interviews out around the exhibition halls and we have a couple of voice mails from some friends we saw at the podcast too. Campervan Interviews: Dominic Robinson https://www.youtube.com/@DeepWreckDiver James Neal https://www.facebook.com/JamesNealDiver/ Grace & Ant Westgarth https://gracewestgarth.com/grace-westgarth https://www.facebook.com/scutter.ant/ Andy Peters https://www.youtube.com/@Deepbluefpv Jake Davies https://jakeddavies1996.wixsite.com/jdscuba Whatsapp Voicemails: David Mason https://www.youtube.com/@TheCavecrawler Meg https://www.pandorasboxeft.com/ Exhibition Hall Interviews: Dean Martin, Dynamicnord https://dynamicnord.com/ Dive with Jimmy https://divewithjimmy.com/ Alex Griffiths, Fourth Element https://fourthelement.com/?fesalt=FEWSPFVIVKRKRSD Tom Wright, O'Three https://www.othree.co.uk/ Brent Hudson, Narked at 90 https://www.narkedat90.com/?affiliate_code=p42PzCC8sx&referring_service=link The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice. 💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com 👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores: Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA Waterhaul link Stream to Sea McConks use our code THEBIGSCUBA2025 Amazon Store Patreon – support the show and keep us diving! 📲 Follow us on socials: Instagram: @thebigscuba Facebook: @thebigscuba LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last 🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com 🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms. ISSN: 2752-6127
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    2 時間 11 分
  • Episode 221 Narked at 90 Brent Hudson & John Routley

    Episode 221 Narked at 90 Brent Hudson & John Routley
    2026/02/16
    This week on The BiG Scuba Podcast, Gemma and Ian chat to John Routley and Brent Hudson, the names behind Narked at 90. Brent and John are the founders of Narked at 90 and discuss their transition from hobbyist divers to leaders in the technical diving industry. They describe a history of innovating bespoke equipment, such as rebreathers and high-intensity strobes, often born from personal necessity and a drive for engineering mastery. They both have experienced several "sketchy" situations during their extensive technical diving careers,. Their narrowest escapes involve equipment failures, entanglements, and high-pressure decision- making at depth. These experiences shaped their ethos that "copying skips understanding" and led them to focus on creating highly reliable, redundant equipment for the technical diving community Beyond diving, the duo detail their significant contributions to military defense projects and their vital role in producing ventilator control systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation highlights the importance of rigorous equipment testing, the evolution of diving electronics, and the value of recovering maritime artifacts to preserve social history. Ultimately, the founders advocate for professional mentorship and the continuous pursuit of safety within the niche global diving community. The BiG Scuba Podcast is proudly supported by Narked at 90 – "Beyond Technical." Whether you're new to diving or thinking about moving into tech, they can help guide you with the best kit and advice. 💬 We'd love your feedback! Leave us a ★★★★★ review, share with your dive buddies, and get in touch via our socials or at mailto:thebigscubapodcast@gmail.com 🔗 Other Links covered in this episode: Snorklefest 25 July 2026 at Springlakes Call for more information New Dive Site Dudley Dolphins Lodge Farm Reservoir Netherton Lundy Diving Female only Swim with the seals Find out more Visit the European Dive Show Look at the website Our Library of Diving Books Amazon Book Store 👉 Check out our affiliate links and stores: Insta360 Store – use our code BIGSCUBA Waterhaul link Stream to Sea McConks use our code THEBIGSCUBA2025 Amazon Store Patreon – support the show and keep us diving! 📲 Follow us on socials: Instagram: @thebigscuba Facebook: @thebigscuba LinkedIn: Ian 🦈 Last 🌐 Website: www.thebigscuba.com 🎧 Listen to The BiG Scuba Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and all major platforms. ISSN: 2752-6127
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    2 時間