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 own scuba story and tells us about the mental health benefits that scuba provides for her and her students. To learn more about how to get involved...

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 both of these activities are immense, and more interconnected than some might think. Want to learn more about Taylor, and join one of her retreats?...

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 advice for diving the Aegean Sea and exploring Turkey on land. Wrecks, nudibranchs, massive meals, and so much more!   ~Reminder~Free Descent is...

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 work in Southern California. Listen in to the conversation, and share your thoughts on Instagram at @FreeDescentPodcast and...

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 instruction. Always follow the direction of your divemasters and instructors, and remember to dive within the limits of your training and experience. Stay...

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 where she is now, where she's going from here, and her purpose in diving.    ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and should not...

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, under, and around the water"...JUST BREATHE!   ~Reminder~ Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and should not replace formal dive instruction....

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 working on. You don't want to miss this episode!   ~Reminder~Free Descent is intended as entertainment, and not to replace formal dive instruction....

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 as divers that identify as LGBTQ+ and people of color. You don't want to miss this exclusive #girltalk with some of the best in the...

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 instruction. Remember to listen to the advice of your instructors and divemasters, and dive within the limits of your training and experience!

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. Listen in to hear what they're doing in Southern California, and how you can get involved! Later, Jake gives us his recap of Scuba Show. New...

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 entertainment, and not to replace formal dive instruction. Remember to listen to the advice of your instructors and divemasters, and dive within the limits...

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 dive instruction. Always listen to your instructors and divemasters, and dive within the limits of your training and experience. Stay safe, and have...

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 connect youth in underserved Pacific coastal communities through the study of migratory marine life. They work to cultivate a future generation of...

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, and not to replace any formal dive instruction. Always follow the instruction of your instructors and divemasters, and dive within the limits of...

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 upcoming Miss Scuba International news.    ~Reminder~Free Descent is intended as entertainment only, and not to replace any formal dive instruction....

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 stories about becoming dive professionals, but they both came to the same conclusion: it's the best job in the world! Hear what the have to say...

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, so let us know your thoughts on Instagram at @FreeDescentPodcast!~Reminder: Free Descent is intended as entertainment only, and should not replace...

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 involved, and how they came to be the largest ice diving festival in the world. In 2024 the festival will take place at Twin Lakes City Park, Nowthen...

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. Listen in to get the scoop on the app's newest features, and what's coming in 2024. To download Buddy, start logging your dives, and add Jake and...

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 some point in the episode. Listen to hear if you won! Link to the screening of 100 Yards of Hope:...

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 - Comment your goals and tag a friend on the post - Subscribe to the pod on Apple or Spotify  - Listen to Dive 23 to find out if you've...

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 Weickert, manager at Torpedo Rays Scuba in Halifax, Nova Scotia and star of Jump In; and Josh Hustins, Canadian Navy diver and PADI Instructor at...

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 Awards! Jake's photo prints are available at: www.jakesdiveshack.darkroom.com Scuba Queen USA 2024 applications are coming up soon, stay up to date by...