Free Descent

Pro Dive: Josiah Mackin, PADI Course Director at Utila Dive Center, Honduras

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 [https://utiladivecenter.com/]   ~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!

Pro Dive: Annick Den Harder, Master Instructor based in Switzerland

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 [https://www.tsk.ch/en/#newOnly:true] 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   ~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!

Pro Dive: Bruce Weitzenhoffer, PADI Scuba Diving Course Director in Monterey, CA

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!   ~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!

Dive 49: Last Breath Movie Exclusive Interview with Alex Parkinson (director) and David Brooks (producer)

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 [https://lastbreath-movie.com/home/] ~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!

Dive 48: Tides of Tranquility: Yoga + Scuba Diving Retreat in Utila, Honduras

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 [https://www.themindfulmvmnt.com/tides-of-tranquility-retreat]   ~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!