Batting the Breeze

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Documentaries such as Blue Planet and The Great Reef have brought new wonder and awareness into our living rooms. Former Royal Navy underwater bomb disposal expert turned submarine pilot Mark Taylor now explores the planet's oceans as an integral part of the subsea documentary filmmaking community.  He has seen eels dip into lakes 750 metres under the ocean, witnessed mud volcanoes on the sea floor and come face to face with a giant squid 10 metres long with eyes the size of basketballs.  He also spent many hours submersed with his childhood hero, Sir David Attenborough, filming for Blue Planet II and describes the comraderie and lifelong bond that resulted from it.

Show notes: https://www.battingthebreeze.com/our-blue-planet-up-close-and-personal

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In October 1988, the Hong Kong police executed Operation Clinker and achieved the largest ever drug haul in Hong Kong history.  Bill Renwick was undercover with the team of four who heroically overcame two of the drug syndicate on a ketch somewhere on the edge of the South China Sea. Think of The French Connection meets Popeye with a sprinkling of Keystone Kops, and you have all the ingredients for this fabulous story.

Check out show notes: https://www.battingthebreeze.com/operation-clinker

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Can you imagine a silence so intense that brushing your teeth could be painful? Argentinian-born Nico Marino is a traveller.  It’s in his roots. Having travelled on his bicycle across Europe, Asia and Africa, he decided to settle in Australia. To get to know his new homeland, he decided to go for a bike ride - from West to East - Perth to Sydney - right across the heart of the Australian Outback.  An Outback Odyssey. He experienced a heightened awareness of the emotions we take for granted - fear, wonder, solitude and silence. 

Check out the show notes: https://www.battingthebreeze.com/outback-odyssey

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It's 1968. The Vietnam War is at its fiercest. Robin Bartlett is a platoon leader with the U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division.  Robin’s platoon is deployed on regular helicopter combat assaults, sometimes twice a day.  Getting into the Landing Zone is perilous - so is getting out.  Robin recounts the day when his helicopter had ascended to 1500 feet,  received gunfire and then moments later, the engine cut out.  What followed was pure terror.

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/vietnam-war-helicopters-and-history

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Rebecca Bratspies, New York environmental and human rights lawyer, shared with me the extraordinary and inspirational life story of Jackie Robinson, the first black player in US Major League Baseball, back on April 15 1947, after crossing the Baseball Color Line. Having written "Naming Gotham - The Villains, Rogues and Heroes Behind New York's Place Names", Rebecca was able to share stories of many other characters who have been commemorated on New York bridges, tunnels, parkways, boulevards and parks. But why did they commemorate the rogues as well as the heroes? 

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/beyond-the-baseball-color-line

Thanks to Scott Beckwith for his fantastic song "Mercy" used throughout this episode. 
Mercy (Scott Beckwith - American Bandwagon, track 04) By Parking Lot Music is licensed under a  Creative Commons License.

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Forced to escape from a war-torn Sri Lanka with his family and move to London, Pradeep Kumar Sachitharan experienced a life of crime as a London teenager before his love for weightlifting gave him discipline and prospects.  After a chance discovery of the benefits of qualifications, Pradeep embarked on an educational whirlwind through six universities leading to vice president of a biotech worth $1.6 billion.  After a chance meeting in a Suzhou hotel in China, things got even better.

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/chronicles-of-a-serial-dropout

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Today was a quickie just to let you know that Batting the Breeze is taking a short break. But don't worry; behind the scenes, everything is still going strong. I'm busy lining up amazing guests to share their experiences with you and putting the final touches on our long-awaited weekly newsletter. This breather gives me a chance to reflect on what's working, gather feedback, and make improvements. I'd love to hear from you, so drop me an email at [email protected] with your thoughts and suggestions.  A huge thanks to our incredible guests for trusting me with their stories, and a big shout-out to you for supporting the show. Before we return, could you do me a favour? Head over to Apple Podcasts or your preferred platform and leave a review with a few words (yes, that's what the algorithms like!). Let's spread the word and share these amazing stories with more people. Thank you so much! Take care, and I'll be back very soon.

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/podcast-pyjamas

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During the Vietnam War, a group of courageous women embarked on an extraordinary mission to uplift the spirits of American troops stationed far away from their loved ones. The Donut Dollies. With unwavering bravery, they ventured into war zones armed only with warm smiles. Their story often goes unheard, but not for my guest today, Penni Evans, who left college at the end of December 1969 to find herself in Vietnam by the March of 1970. She was 22.

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/donut-dollies

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At 22, Brad, an Aussie thrill-seeker, invited his family to watch his first skydiving experience. It was nearly his last. The thrill turned to panic as the first parachute failed to open.  Then the unthinkable happened and panic became terror. The reserve parachute also failed to open. Brad and his instructor were plummeting to earth at terminal velocity. 

For more information, check out show notes at https://www.battingthebreeze.com/parachute-roulette 

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Jazz musician Rick DellaRatta witnessed the 9/11 attacks from a rooftop in New York City. While watching the unfolding tragedy in front of him, he was inspired to write a poem which later became known as "Jazz for Peace”. Rick didn’t realise it at the time, but Jazz for Peace would become a worldwide movement promoting peace, garnering international recognition and support, most notably from Barack Obama and the United Nations who acknowledged its impact.  Rick shares memories of this extraordinary journey.

For more information, check out show notes at 

https://www.battingthebreeze.com/jazz-for-peace 

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