Happy New Year Free Descent community! We are back and ready to go on our best dives yet in 2025.

If you caught up with us at the DEMA show, you may have met our new co-hosts, Walter Sweeney and Colton Gilmore. This year, we are excited to announce that they will be staples on our Free Descent team. In this episode, you'll get insight into who they are, what they do in the dive industry, and what their interests are in the underwater world. If you're new hear, you'll also meet Myles Schwartz, longtime host of Free Descent and underwater adventurer!

We hope that you enjoy this episode, and all that we have to share with the dive community in 2025. Please reach out on Instagram @freedescentpodcast if you have any comments, questions, or ideas for our upcoming shows!

~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 safe and have fun out there!

Happy Holidays divers! Enjoy this incredible tale of adventure while you prepare for the holidays. Whether you're traveling to family or your favorite dive site, this episode is sure to inspire your 2025 bucket list!

Rannvá Jørmundsson, cofounder of Nixie Expeditions and head of sales at Fourth Element, joins us again to give us an exclusive recap of Expedition Buteng. Rannvá, alongside an expert team of cave divers, scientists, dry cavers, photographers, local experts, and many more, explored the depths of the Laulawi Cave system on the island of Muna, Indonesia in the fall of 2024. This was not only in the spirit of exploration, but for a larger purpose in helping the locals of Muna and expanding our scientific knowledge surrounding aquifers. Listen in to hear all about this incredible project, as well as learn more about the nuances of cave diving.

To follow the expansion of Nixie Expeditions, find them on Instagram @nixie_expeditions

~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 safe and have fun out there!

What would Southern California scuba diving be like without our kelp forests? Nancy Caruso saw it for herself, and made sure that future generations wouldn't have to know. Founder of Get Inspired Inc, Nancy spearheaded the restoration of kelp across the coast of Southern California through her tenacity and putting in the work to obtain restoration permits in crucial areas. She teaches us that to save our oceans it not only takes volunteering and living sustainably but being active in your local government! Listen in to hear about Nancy's story, what she's working on next, and how to get involved! Find her online at Get Inspired - Get Inspired, on instagram @getinspiredinc , and on her TedX Talk linked below.

https://youtu.be/SidY46RA6rY?si=6w9KPzfO4oI3d1bf

~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 safe and have fun out there!

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 in the programs at Learn Scuba Chicago, visit their website, Learn Scuba Chicago or their Instagram, @learnscubachicago.

~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 safe and have fun out there!

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? Check out her new page and website: @the.mindfulmvmnt // The Mindful Mvmnt

~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 safe and have fun out there!

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 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 safe and have fun out there!

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 @Sweendogscuba

~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 safe and have fun out there!