Spring has sprung with this inspiring interview to start off your Wednesday. Walter and Colton sit down with Josiah Mackin "Juicy", manager and course director at Utila Dive Center in Utila, Honduras. Juicy has been a diver since 2001 and never really looked back after getting his PADI Open Water certification. In the past 24 years, he has traveled the world and climbed the professional ranks of dive instruction along the way. He is now firmly planted in Utila, Honduras and loves the community that he has been instrumental in building on the island. Listen in to be inspired by how a simple Open Water scuba diving certification can change the trajectory of your life!

Find your passion at Scuba Diving in Utila | Get Scuba Certified in the Caribbean

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Happy Saturday Free Descent Community! Join us this week as we chat with a very unique dive pro, Annick Den Harder. Annick started her dive career in the warm waters of the Caribbean but has graduated from "cocktail diving" to the cold waters of Europe and even Antarctica! In this episode, Annick tells Walter all about her journey to becoming a master instructor, what it's like to train divers in the cold lakes of Switzerland, and all about her cold water discoveries around the world. Want to train with Annick? Find her at TSK, the largest dive operation in Switzerland. TSK - Tauchschule, Tauchshop & Tauchreisen in Zürich und Bern

After listening to the episode, reach out to Walter, Myles, and Colton on the Instagram @freedescentpodcast and tell us if you're a:

1. Cocktail diver who believes in the 80-80-80 rule

2. Cold water adventurer

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Walter and Colton sat down with Bruce Weitzenhoffer, PADI Course Director in Monterey, CA, for an interesting discussion centered around 3 things:

1. How do we retain seasoned pros in the dive industry?

2. How does experience in the dive industry assist in obtaining jobs in other industries?

3. How does work in other industries translate to diving?

Listen now to hear one of the best conversations circulating the industry right now!

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Walter had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Alex Parkinson and David Brooks after seeing Last Breath before it comes out in theatres February 28th, 2025. Parkinson was not only the director and co-writer for this new film, but also the director for the preceding documentary. Brooks produced the film, as well as co-wrote alongside Parkinson and Mitchell LaFortune.

In this episode, you'll get the inside scoop on how Parkinson and Brooks turned a real-life story into a documentary, and then into a creative film starring Woody Harrelson. They tell Walter how safety was always their number one concern throughout filming, with authenticity being a close second. They built a topnotch dive team to assist Simu Liu and Finn Cole while they were filming, which they describe in detail to in this exclusive episode.

See the movie in theatres February 28th and find more details about in the link below:

Last Breath | Official Website | 28 February 2025

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Myles caught up with FDP regular guest, Taylor from @the.wanderingblonde and new guest, Liz from @islandvibes.yoga and talked everything travel, yoga, and ocean activities. Taylor gives us an update on her travels and more background into her ocean story, and Liz tells all about her yoga and travel journey. Together, they have created "Tides of Tranquility" a tropical retreat built around the purpose of healing through movement and breathwork. Coming up May 31st 2025 in Utila, Honduras, Taylor and Liz give our listeners the inside scoop on what to expect, along with an exclusive discount code only found in this episode! Listen now, then follow the link below to book your spot-->

The Mindful Mvmnt Yoga, Ocean, Wellness, Retreats

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In 2025 the Free Descent team is excited to launch a new series: Pro Dive. In these episodes, one of our team members will sit down with a full-time professional diver and just talk shop. You'll hear all the inside scoop on what it's like to be a dive pro, with our guests ranging from brand new instructors to seasoned course directors. 

On our first Pro Dive, Walter chats with Jordan Wilson, a brand-new Master Scuba Diver Trainer who landed his first job in Grand Cayman this month. Walter and Jordan crossed paths in Utila, Honduras and became fast friends. They talk everything from sailing, Divemaster training, Instructor Development, and hammocks. Jordan's originally from the UK but has found his passion in Caribbean diving. Tune in to hear his story!

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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!

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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

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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

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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. 

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