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Surfacing secrets - Episode 7 - Expedition Antarctica
In this episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU transports you to the last wild frontier on the planet: Antarctica. As the "White Sentinel" for our future climate, this frozen region holds critical data, but it doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight.
Hosted by Lyne Morissette, this episode takes you inside a high-stakes Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) mission to install a subsea observatory in one of the most hostile environments on Earth. To get there, the team had to survive the 20-meter waves of the Drake Passage, dodge wandering icebergs, and navigate the logistical puzzle of working 2,000 kilometers away from civilization.
You’ll hear from three key figures at the heart of this expedition:
- Dr. Juanjo Dañobeitia, a 40-year veteran of the ice and Director of the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory (EMSO).
- Ruchie Custan, an ONC engineer dubbed the "Antarctic Sherpa" after a grueling mountain ascent.
- Bradley Wells, the engineer who built the two-ton steel armor designed to keep the science alive.
From "MacGyvering" equipment in sub-zero gales to the rare sense of solidarity found at the Spanish Juan Carlos I station, this is a raw look at what it actually takes to keep the data flowing in a place that is actively trying to freeze your equipment—and you—to a halt.
Learn more & explore further:
- Ocean Networks Canada: https://www.oceannetworks.ca
- ONC Data & Real-time Observatories (Ocean 3.0): https://data.oceannetworks.ca
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC): https://www.icm.csic.es/en
- CTV News Feature on the ONC Expedition: https://youtu.be/s4AGeJkSvVA
- The Juan Carlos I base: https://youtu.be/zUPOkVaagWk?si=skSwO-gCH08Hz4vI
- Listen to the full interview with Andrew Lewin on the How to Protect The Ocean Podcast:https://www.speakupforblue.com
Episode produced by: Balad’EAU with the generous support of Ocean Networks Canada.
Ocean Networks Canada is one of Canada’s Major Research Facilities and an initiative of the University of Victoria. It is primarily funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Editing and production: Tommy Goupil
🎙️ This episode is part of the "Surfacing Secrets: Explore the Ocean. Know the Planet" series.
📅 Launch date: April 17th, 2026
🌐 More info: https://www.oceannetworks.ca
View all episodes
By Lyne MorissetteIn this episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU transports you to the last wild frontier on the planet: Antarctica. As the "White Sentinel" for our future climate, this frozen region holds critical data, but it doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight.
Hosted by Lyne Morissette, this episode takes you inside a high-stakes Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) mission to install a subsea observatory in one of the most hostile environments on Earth. To get there, the team had to survive the 20-meter waves of the Drake Passage, dodge wandering icebergs, and navigate the logistical puzzle of working 2,000 kilometers away from civilization.
You’ll hear from three key figures at the heart of this expedition:
- Dr. Juanjo Dañobeitia, a 40-year veteran of the ice and Director of the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory (EMSO).
- Ruchie Custan, an ONC engineer dubbed the "Antarctic Sherpa" after a grueling mountain ascent.
- Bradley Wells, the engineer who built the two-ton steel armor designed to keep the science alive.
From "MacGyvering" equipment in sub-zero gales to the rare sense of solidarity found at the Spanish Juan Carlos I station, this is a raw look at what it actually takes to keep the data flowing in a place that is actively trying to freeze your equipment—and you—to a halt.
Learn more & explore further:
- Ocean Networks Canada: https://www.oceannetworks.ca
- ONC Data & Real-time Observatories (Ocean 3.0): https://data.oceannetworks.ca
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC): https://www.icm.csic.es/en
- CTV News Feature on the ONC Expedition: https://youtu.be/s4AGeJkSvVA
- The Juan Carlos I base: https://youtu.be/zUPOkVaagWk?si=skSwO-gCH08Hz4vI
- Listen to the full interview with Andrew Lewin on the How to Protect The Ocean Podcast:https://www.speakupforblue.com
Episode produced by: Balad’EAU with the generous support of Ocean Networks Canada.
Ocean Networks Canada is one of Canada’s Major Research Facilities and an initiative of the University of Victoria. It is primarily funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Editing and production: Tommy Goupil
🎙️ This episode is part of the "Surfacing Secrets: Explore the Ocean. Know the Planet" series.
📅 Launch date: April 17th, 2026
🌐 More info: https://www.oceannetworks.ca