This Ocean Life Podcast

#41 Aimee Spector -- Cuba to Florida Paddle, Mother, Woman of the Water

In Episode 40 we speak with Aimee Spector, a legendary woman of the water who excels strongly in multiple paddle sports while raising her son and giving back through the Ocean of Hope Campaign. Aimee takes us through her passion for the ocean canoe where she has completed 20+ Catalina Channel crossings, her stories of prone board paddling with 2 other women from Cuba to Florida to raise money for charity, as well as many great insights into her world of competitive paddling. Aimee shares a great perspective on the community of woman paddlers who she derives inspiration from and her overall passion for the people, places, and challenges that the ocean has brought her.
Thanks for sharing Aimee's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Aimee on her Instagram page, Facebook, her own website, and Ocean of Hope website. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages and we are also on Twitter ranting about stuff.
This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

#40: George Scheppler - Navy Rescue Swimmer, Ocean Athlete Trainer

In Episode 39 we speak with George 'Schepp' Scheppler, a man inspired by 9-11 to dedicate his strength in the water to serving the American people. Schepp takes us through his youth in the waters of Cape Cod on the U.S East Coast, the story of the moments he felt compelled to serve his country as a rescue swimmer in the U.S Navy, and his time training and traveling the world in that capacity. We hear of Schepp's open ocean swimming with full rescue gear (!), his passion for supporting the veteran community, and his focus for helping others find their strength and safety in the water through the Coastal Athlete Program. Schepp is super inspirational and a pleasure to listen to -- very thankful to have him on the show.
Thanks for sharing Schepp's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram, Coastal Athlete Program website, and Facebook. You can also always see some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Mile 22, makers of surf and paddle board accessories — including world famous Monster Straps (which I LOVE) — designed in California by folks who surf and paddle every day. Check them at www.Mile22.com.
 

#39: Al Ramadan - Surfer, Sailor, Technologist, Entrepreneur

In Episode 39 we speak with Al Ramadan, a man from Australia who has built an amazing life at the intersection of ocean and technology. Al shares his stories of growing up in Australia and finding his love of surfing and sailing while developing his skill for math and data. We hear the story of Al bringing technology to the America's Cup sailing race and building his own company while learning the ins and outs of surfing (and paddling!!) the legendary Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California. Al shares stories of surfing and sailing in locations around the world, dedicating his time and energy into the Save The Waves Coalition, and talking about the amazing people who have been part of his journey.
Thanks for sharing Al's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram and Facebook pages. Also learn more about how you can get involved with Save The Waves. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com
 

#38 Weldon Wade - Protecting Bermuda's Waters, Diving, Taking on Invasive Lionfish

In Episode 38 we speak with Weldon Wade, a man dedicated to protecting the waters of Bermuda. Weldon shares his stories of discovering his love for free diving, scuba diving, being underwater active in the cause of ocean preservation. We hear of the challenges Bermuda faces around plastics pollution and invasive lionfish with stories of Weldon’s dedication for coordinating his own Guardians of the Reef, the local community, and other organizations to tackle these challenges head on. Weldon provides a ton of inspiration for all of us to put time into protecting the ocean we love.
Thanks for sharing Weldon's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Weldon on his Instagram page, Facebook, and Guardians of the Reef page. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages and we are also on Twitter ranting about stuff.
This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

#37: Steve Lonhart - Marine Scientist, 3,000 Dives, Big Sur

In Episode 37 we speak with Steve Lonhart, marine scientist in Central California with over 3,000 scuba dives under his belt. Steve shares his life of researching the reefs and kelp forests around Monterey to better understand the changes to our ocean over time. We hear about the physical challenges of marine research diving, the boats and people required, the importance of collecting quality data, and the rugged beauty of the Big Sur coast, an iconic area of California. Steve shares a great perspective on the importance of monitoring our ocean environment over time to detect subtle changes that may indicate larger trends at work.
Thanks for sharing Steve's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of his research on the SIMoN website. You can also always see some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Kalletka Undersea, an ocean lifestyle company born from thousands of hours spent roaming in and under the sea. As a family-owned company Kalletka delivers high quality t-shirts and hats representing memorable scenes and animals in the ocean. Visit them at www.Kalletka.com. Enjoy the Humble Pursuit.
 

#36: Forrest Galante - Animal Planet Host, World Record Spearfisherman

In Episode 36 we speak with Forrest Galante, a legendary man of nature raised in the bush of Zimbabwe and the kelp forests of California. Forrest tells his story of growing up around the raw wild of Africa, both on land and sea, and learning a deep love and respect for nature. We hear of Forrest's return to California as a teen and finding his way with the spear in the kelp forests of the Channel Islands while pursuing his passion for biology. Forrest shares his passion for reaching millions of people on the Naked and Afraid television show and how that drove his passion to develop his own Extinct of Alive series on Animal Planet where he puts deep passion into educating the masses on our natural world and the importance of conserving it. Along the way Forrest has amassed 6 spearfishing world records and continues to push his own limits in the water diving with crocs, sharks, and likely anything that swims. Tons to be inspired here from Forrest!
Thanks for sharing Forrest's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Forrest on his Instagram page and website. You can also always see some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Kalletka Undersea, an ocean lifestyle company born from thousands of hours spent roaming in and under the sea. As a family-owned company Kalletka delivers high quality t-shirts and hats representing memorable scenes and animals in the ocean. Visit them at www.Kalletka.com. Enjoy the Humble Pursuit.

This Ocean Life, Episode 35 - Katerina Topouzoglou and All For Blue

In Episode 35 we speak with Katerina Topouzoglou an amazing woman of Greece who has dedicated her life to ocean conservation and awareness. Katerina takes us through her life story of growing up in the waters of Greece where she became a world class spearfisherwoman, underwater target shooting champion, freediver, and scuba instructor. We hear her amazing story of founding the non-profit All For Blue organization that coordinates underwater cleanups of trash and promotes shark conservation and education. Katerina lives an inspiring life in the ocean and shares so many great perspectives and stories with us on this episode.
Thanks for sharing Katerina's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Katerina on her Instagram page and All For Blue website. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.
 

This Ocean Life, Episode 34 - John Brasen and Pacific Longboarder Magazine

In Episode 34 we speak with John Brasen, life-long Australian surfer and 20-year editor of Pacific Longboarder Magazine. John shares with us his harrowing tale of being resuscitated at Sunset Beach in 2018, early stories of growing up on the Gold Coast, and how he suddenly found himself as the editor of a legendary surfing magazine. We hear some great perspective from John on longboarding and running a magazine, with a fun look at where longboarding has moved (and returned) since the 1960's. John talks about early surf trips to Java, Sumatra, Mentawis in the 1990's as well as his own evolution in surfing and maintaining heavy stoke in the water.
 Thanks for sharing John's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of John on his Facebook page and Pacific Longboarder Magazine Instagram page and website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.
This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddleboards and surfboards. If you want to be fast and comfortable in the water, check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com