Season 1 Recap & Finale with Stephan Whelan and Jason Elias

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Welcome to the Deeper Blue Podcast, your weekly guide to everything that is happening around the world underwater. My name is Stephen Whelan. I'm the founder of DeeperBlue.com, the world's most popular diving website. Every week, the Deeper Blue Podcast covers everything that's happening in the scuba diving, free diving, diving travel, and ocean advocates world. So join us as we explore the Deeper Blue. Hi everyone. Welcome to episode 26 and season one finale of the Deeper Blue Podcast. It's been a fabulous 26-week journey for everyone here at the Deep Blue Podcast. That includes myself, Jason Elias, the producer, and the co-hosts, Megan, Sarah, Tech, Lyndon. It's been absolutely fantastic for all of us. And rather than doing full episodes this week, we're going to do a really special one, which is Jason and I taking a few minutes to look back on the last 26 weeks. It was actually longer for both Jason and I because we started this journey way back in 2019. And take a look at all the highs and the lows of the podcast and give you a little bit of a taster at what's coming up as we look for season two next year. So listen in to Jason myself. In the meantime, happy holidays. Take some time as we see out 2020 and what a year 2020's been. Really difficult for a lot of us in the industry. But take care of yourself and see you in season two. And action. Hey everyone. This is the season finale of Deeper Blue Podcast. Season one. Season one. Season finale, but it's a season finale, right? So it should be, it should be, you know, it's dramatic, dramatic music, right?

SPEAKER_00 2:15

Um I'll I'll I'll edit some dramatic music in right now. Right, ready? And wow, that was amazing music right there. Fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Absolutely. I I can't wait to hear what it really is gonna sound like.

SPEAKER_00 2:33

That's gonna say, well, now you're giving me free reign, I can do whatever I want. So this is Jason Lee is producer of the podcast, and I am Stephen Whelan.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

I am the host and founder of Deeper Blue.

SPEAKER_00 2:47

So we're just we're just gonna talk a little bit about what the season has been, what brought us to this point, and where it's gonna be going. So we're just a recap of how we got to this place. How did this all start?

SPEAKER_01 2:58

For me, it started with you. Yeah, we spent a bit quite a bit of time at Dima last year. Uh, remember that period of time before coronavirus where we were allowed to actually meet in person.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

That's right. And actually, when you say we spend a bit of time, we actually spent time drinking. And let me just say this if anyone goes to Dema with Steven, this is what happened to me the first time I ever met him is that we were drinking. It was probably one o'clock in the morning, and I said, I'm gonna go to bed. And he turned to me and said, No, you're not, go order me another beer.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

That wasn't quite how it happened, but but um yes, I I I I was being a bit of a beer bully that night, I think. That's probably what I'm saying. So um, so we started the demo and we're talking, and obviously, Jason, you've got your own podcast, which is Deep, which is premiering its new season, actually. So season two. So a little plug in there.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

You're welcome. So we then were still chatting away, and then it was sort of earlier this year, before all the craziness had really started in earnest, and you had been nagging me about what a great idea doing a podcast for deeper blue would be. You pursued me for quite a while. So uh that's how the genesis of the idea came about.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

You then educated me about what it actually takes to uh to make a podcast.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

Uh I've learned a lot in the last nine, ten months, I have to say.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

That's right. So you would think that two people talking into a microphone, it's pretty easy. You record, you put it out there, but it's actually quite a bit more than that. And I think what we can maybe talk about first off, is it's been a tremendous amount of work. There's no doubt about that, but it's also been incredible. And so I'm curious for you, what would you say? Like, is there uh what do you think is the highlight of the season for you? It could be anything, it could be someone we spoke to, or is it part of the process? What do you what for you has been the highlight of this past year with the podcast?

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Well, I definitely wouldn't say process because that's basically you nagging me to death and forcing me to buy lots of expensive new equipment. So uh that's definitely not the highlight. The whole thing has been amazing, and one of the things I'm really grateful for is the ability to go and talk to so many amazing people in the diving and ocean worlds. You know, a lot of my friends as well, people that I I I know through Deeper Blue generally in all the years, but I think the the most special thing for me was we got all the co-hosts together for a round table discussion. We actually did four of them in one go, and I know we've only published one of them so far, but it was really special to get all these kind of really cool personalities who are all helping out to actually get you and me, and then you know, Megan Heaney Greer and Lyndon Walbert and Tech Clark and uh Sarah Richard, you know, together and have just such a great time chatting about all these kind of cool stuff. Who was the greatest personality in in history that you would want to go diving with, greatest you know, undiscovered dive destination, you know, or those sorts of things. I mean, it's just you know fantastic. Absolutely love doing that. What about what about you?

SPEAKER_00 5:45

You know, first and foremost is just getting to spend time with the great Stephen Whelan. I mean, nothing compares to that.

SPEAKER_01 5:51

That that's shut up.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

A distant second would be um, yeah, it's been an incredible amount of work for sure, no doubt. Putting together a podcast, particularly of a high-quality podcast, requires a lot of time. But I think the reason that I feel so rich around this is because I'm very much an experiential guy. And so I have just gotten the opportunity to interact with so many amazing people. And, you know, in general, the people that we get on this show tend to have incredible life experiences. They're people that are at the forefront of whatever it is that they do. And that's been energizing and inspiring to spend time with those kind of people. And one of the other things you find is that when you meet people that are actually doing things that they're truly passionate about, they're also really cool people because they're just fundamentally fulfilled with what they do. So that's just been an amazing just to spend time with all those communities. I mean, who am I? I'm just some Jamuk living in Hollywood, but I've got to spend time with these amazing, interesting people from around the ocean world all around. So that's been pretty amazing. Well, it's it seems like people have really responded to kind of what we're doing. So we're gonna continue building. Is there something what's been the most I mean, this has been a 2020 has been such a crazy year? What's been the most challenging aspect of this podcast for you?

SPEAKER_01 7:09

It's learning to to interview people, it's a real art, to be honest. We don't actually do a huge amount of editing, although you did of my stuff when we started. But you know, when you hear the kind of eight, eight minutes or ten minutes of someone's being interviewed, it it's generally you know done in a compact take. That is what we try and aim to do. And it's a real art to be able to do this kind of get get in. I think you described it as a story commando one time to me, which is you know, go in, you know, go do what you need to do, get the questions out, get the answers you want to. Grab the hard drive. I think that's been the hardest bit is is trying to. I'm quite a verbose guy. I I like talking. I uh some people might say I like the sound of my own voice, but um so one of the narcissistic narcissistic things to do is to have the podcast where all people get to listen to is basically you for half an hour, which is why we introduced the co-host because I didn't want to be listening to myself for uh for half an hour every week.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

I was gonna say that uh yes, people that have never done interviews before, particularly for media, it's really much different than just a conversation. You have a you have a place you need to go, but you need to do it in a natural way, and you also have to allow what's naturally rising to kind of come up and follow that as well. It's a really challenging artistic creative process. But I have to say, you have, I've seen you really come into yourself with the interviews, and that's great. And yeah, I would say the most challenging thing of this has been well, you know, we decided to start a business during the greatest economic calamity the world has seen since the Great Depression, and decided to build a business predicated on advertising when the entire advertising industry and the dive industry was drying up.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

So it doesn't say much about our intellect, but it's time to start a business during a damn soon. That's time to do it.

SPEAKER_00 8:56

That's exactly right. And that's what we did. I mean, there's there's nothing I can say that's been super challenging beyond just this year being so challenging in general and sort of trying to kind of maintain a positive outlook and and do things during that. But as I've as Steven and I have talked behind the scenes many times, this podcast has been that for me in a lot of ways. I've just found myself fulfilled by it. I'm glad we're taking a break, but I'm also it's just been incredible.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

So what what I'd like to do, Jason, is obviously so you lot listening to us right now is really important. So actually, what I'll put a plea out. We love hearing from all our listeners. So what you send us an email at podcast at deeperblue.com and let us know what you thought were the best highlights of the podcast. We'd love to hear from you. And yeah, maybe there were some things that were terrible. You never want to maybe it's me talking all the time, but all the terrible things, we'd love to hear about that too. So love to hear from you guys, podcast at deeperblue.com.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Yeah, that's great. We would love hearing from the audience is always fantastic, and especially because we have the best dive ever, which is included from the audience every single time. But that also is a great segue into what can we expect for the next season? What are we excited about and what are our plans for the next season?

SPEAKER_01 10:06

So yeah. So we're gonna take a little break. Obviously, we're beginning December at the moment and heading into Christmas, and we're gonna take some time to recharge the batteries, spend time with family, do the whole Christmas thing. And then we're gonna start interviewing again in January and come back in February. And we're gonna make a slight change because when we started this journey, and I think I said in my my intro last week, when we started this, we hadn't quite figured out whether it was gonna be a continual all the time thing or whether it's gonna be a you know, or what this podcast, or what even the podcast was.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

I mean, we we hadn't got a rough clue, but seed the pants, seed of the pants.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

Um so we're going to so what we're gonna do for 2021 is we're going to do seasons of 10 episodes each, and then there'll be a little break between each season.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

And the first one's gonna drop in mid-February, sometime early to mid-February is the first season's gonna come, and then we're gonna have subsequent seasons after that.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Oh early to mid. You see, I always thought I was gonna say early and you were gonna say late, and then we arrange on mid. So we haven't quite decided everyone.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Well, at least it's 2021, at least it's not 2022, right?

SPEAKER_01 11:15

So, you know, please do keep an eye out. We'll drop a trailer sometime in January of what to expect in season two, yeah, which will appear sometime in February. Podcast at deeper blue.com, just to remind you of our uh our email address.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

But also, I think one I'm really interested in in taking a break, recharging our batteries, and then speaking to all new people for the upcoming seasons. And we've got a long list of people to talk to, and we're very excited to get more diverse voices on this podcast. So look forward to season two.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, and the co-hosts will be back. Yeah, they already are getting quite excited about people they're gonna go and talk to. So that'll be fantastic. Who knows? We might uh mix it up, add some new co-hosts in. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Well, thanks, Steven, for an amazing ride for season one. And I very much look forward to season two.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Likewise, Jason. And listen, massive thanks to you. This is this is all down to you and your nagging and your systems that this was a good thing. For whilst we're on a break, what I will say is Big Deep, season two, your podcast is something people should go and listen to whilst we are taking a short break. Premiering December the day that this episode drops is the day that so lit after you've listened to us, go and listen to the big go to the big deep podcast on the first episode, which is Captain Paul Watson, the founder of C Shepherd.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

All right, happy holidays, everyone, and thank you, Stephen.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Happy holidays, everyone.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

See you in 2021.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Thanks for listening to the Deeper Blue Podcast. Find out more on all the stories you've heard this week, plus connect to the world's largest online dive community at deeperblue.com. And if you like what you've heard, please subscribe, like, and comment wherever you hear your podcasts. These comments and subscribes really make a difference. Before we go, I want to give a big shout out to Jason Elias, our producer. In case you didn't know, he has an amazing podcast about people who have a deep connection to our world's oceans. Connections strong enough that they have dedicated some part of their lives to being in or working on behalf of the water. Take a listen when you get a moment to Jason's show, the Big Deep Podcast. Every week, we want to hear your stories and share them with the world. So please record and send in your short story of your best dive ever. Keep it brief, no longer than two minutes, please. And in it, tell us your name and location, where you were on the dive, what happened that make it so great, and why it's meant so much to you. You can get that over to us at bestdive ever at deeper blue dot com. Or head to our website podcast.deeperblue dot com forward slash the best dive ever. Join us again next week and explore much more of the deeper blue.