Beneath The Waves Radio: Recent Episodes
Beneath The Waves
Leading ocean scientists, entrepreneurs, & storytellers Dr. Austin Gallagher, Jamie Fitzgerald, and Sami Kattan cover everything ocean, sharing the journey and stories of a team working to save our seas.
Join the team live from the Turks & Caicos as they recount their latest mind bending experience - swimming alongside a humpback mother, calf, and male escort. Joined by new friends Mateen and Paisley, get ready to open your hearts and dive into a lifelong ocean dream fulfilled.
We sit down with ocean conservationist and Caribbean expert Tadzio Bevoerts as he recounts the week he just spent diving the Galapagos, talks blue carbon, and ponders with the team about what would happen if a tiger shark happened to consume a square grouper or two.
Join us for special episode with guest Cristina 'Mitty" Mittermeier, world reknowned photographer, explorer, and conservationist. We reminisce on our first dives together, the early stages of our partnership with SeaLegacy, and all of the places that the concept "blue natural capital" will take us.
The squad takes to slopes for a team building trip, where Austin & Wells have years of ski experience while Liv and Sami each haven't donned ski boots in over a decade. Thankfully, no bones were broken as the team recounts how they persevered through ups and downs and arrived at the lodge at the end of the day, victorious.
Liv rejoins the podcast as the team recounts an upcoming ski trip, planning how to put camera tags on nurse sharks, & Austin's new found love of air-tagging Beneath The Waves' research gear & R/V Tigress...which the team quickly turns into a prank by dropping air tags where they're not supposed to be.
Join us as we chat with special guest Justin Walter - a travel content creator with over 16 years of experience as a host, expert, writer, influencer and producer. We first connected with Justin through the Shark Week world, and have worked on multiple film productions together.
And so of course, we cover everything travel - from finding the balance between experiecing the moment vs. documenting it, to pondering if we should do a special film series featuring the dads of BTW team members playing their roles aboard our research vessel R/V Tigress - in what would surely become an episode of Survivor.
Description:
The team dives right into this Ep as we breakdown a recent news article highlighting how remote animal tracking can allow humanity to be better protected from natural disasters, where for the first time our tiger shark monitoring research is mentioned alongside those who study hedgehogs - proving that everything is truly connected on our beautiful planet.
We then dive into our amazing work on the Mola Mola, the ocean sunfish, as Ollie explains our new Ocean Giants program - where we partner with animals to learn more about the natural world and how humanity can live a more healthy and sustainable existence through harnessing the secrets of Nature.
Referenced Article:
https://theprint.in/environment/how-remote-animal-tracking-can-allow-humanity-to-be-better-protected-from-natural-disasters/1304091/
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Dr. Oliver Shipley: Senior Research Scientist: https://www.instagram.com/ollieshipley27/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.instagram.com/sami.kattan/
Description:
Your favorite podcast returns in our first episode of 2023, diving right into the fascinating and fast-evolving world of blue carbon with our Director of Blue Carbon Wells Howe. Much of our programming and strategy for this year focus around the topic, as our discovery of the world's largest seagrass meadow has left us more hungry and curious than ever as we push to explore our ocean and leverage this incredible self-funding mechanism to protect it.
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Wells Howe: Director of Blue Carbon: https://www.instagram.com/howe_wells/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.instagram.com/sami.kattan/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Description:
On our second episode recorded live from the Turks & Caicos we sit down with the legendary Phillip Shearer. Captain, guide, naturalist, wildlife photographer, whale whisperer... Phil has done it all and has been with us on a majority of our top ocean encounters in the Turks. Enjoy this deep dive as we journey into the origins of Phil's passion for the ocean and riff on some of our most insane shared experiences - from breaching humpback whales to sharing space with wild tiger and hammerheads sharks.
Where to Find the Guests:
Phillip Shearer: Captain, Guide, Naturalist: https://www.instagram.com/philipshearer/
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.instagram.com/sami.kattan/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Olivia Dixon: Research Coordinator: https://www.instagram.com/livdixon14/
Description:
This week the squad is coming at you from the Turks & Caicos in our first in-person recording, an hour after an incredible day conducting research on the water. The Turks has always suprised us with unbelievalbe ocean encounters, and 'The Atlantis Of The Sea' continued to provide on this trip. The team split up into two boats for double the adventure, where Liv had her first enocunter swimming with a pod of bottlenose dolphins and our second boat had an unreal wild great hammerehead encounter that Austin brought in with his Sharkweek magic & Sami was able to capture in the water.
The team also teases the next episode, Live From The Turks Part II, where we feature our very first guest, Phillip Shearer of Big Blue Collective. Phillip is an absolute ocean legend and has some of the wildest stories gathered while exploring the waters of the Turks over the last 25+ years. Enjoy this deep dive & we hope you fall in love with the Turks just as we have!
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.instagram.com/sami.kattan/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Olivia Dixon: Research Coordinator: https://www.instagram.com/livdixon14/
Description:
When you spend a lot of time working on the ocean, things are eventually going to go....wrong. Our team happens to spend a lot of time on the high seas and thus have quite the collection of these experiences...which happen to make the best stories!
On today's episode we recount some of our favorites, from engine failures on the banks of the Turks & Caicos, to a shark biting (and popping) our inflatable research vessel, to nearly being capsized by a rogue wave off of the shores of Nantucket. So grab some popcorn and settle into to the nail-biting and, at times, hilarious, recitings of these character-building moments.
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.instagram.com/sami.kattan/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Description:
Lately at Beneath The Waves, we have been venturing into the DEEP sea - an incredible part of our ocean that we know very little about. Austin and Ollie lead the team on a journey into all that this incredible part of our planet has to offer - from how organisms survive in extreme environments to the potential discovery of new species - there is no limit to what the deep sea can reveal to us.
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Dr. Oliver Shipley: Senior Research Scientist: https://olivershipley.weebly.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.nomadcreative.org/about
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Description:
The team welcomes Olivia 'Liv' Dixon to the podcast, the newest member of the Beneath The Waves Team. Coming off of a deep sea expedition on R/V Tigress in the Bahamas, the squad dives into the juicey (and at times downyright slimey) deep sea creatures they interacted with on the trip - as well as suprises on the surface as Liv unknowingly shared space in the water with a short fin mako shark! We also dive into the majesty of the hammerhead shark - an animal that continuously leaves us in awe.
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.nomadcreative.org/about
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/
Olivia Dixon: Research Coordinator: https://www.instagram.com/livdixon14/
Description:
Austin & Sami suit up and head across the Atlantic to the ancient land of Egypt, to attend the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27. Of course when you travel halfway across the world you can't just go to the conference, so the journey to Egypt was filled with epic side quests to ancient pyramids, desert oases, adventures in new cuisine, and summiting Mt. Sinai to catch the sunrise.
The Middle East is a place Austin has always wanted to visit and a land where Sami's ancestors called home, so the two went on a journey that was aided by Sami's Arabic that helped unlock the charm of the Egyptian locals. The team attended COP27 as part of the Bahamian delegation, supporting their blue carbon efforts through the cutting-edge science Beneath The Waves has been conducting for the past 5 years. A true work-hard-play-hard adventure ensued, which we fully dive into in this episode.
Key Takeaways:
[1:20] Introduction from COP 27
[3:00] Motivations to Travel to Middle East
[4:30] Speaking the Local Language to Unlock Cultural Adventures
[8:00] The Journey to the Pyramid of Giza
[23:00] Atteding to COP27 to Leave a Sustainable Legacy
[33:00] Summiting Mt. Sinai
[40:20] It's All About The Side Quests
[42:15] 'Mithl Asfour' - The Inside Joke of the Trip
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.nomadcreative.org/about
Description:
You can never really predict what will happen on a dive, especially when encountering a predator like the oceanic white-tip shark. Senior Research Scientist Dr. Oliver Shipley shares how one of his early experiences with these formidable creatures off Eleuthera Island cemented his passion for a career in shark science. Due to their bold personality and predatory nature, we discuss why it is so crucial to keep calm and exude confidence when in their presence.
No matter your level of experience, working with sharks is always a game of Russian Roulette. Sometimes we need unspoken cooperation with our teammates to stay safe in the water. Jamie shares her experience fending off bull sharks with nothing but a GoPro and a PVC pipe, keeping them out of range of our film crew while producing a shoot for Nora en Pure. These moments are what create trust and community within our team at Beneath The Waves and build long-lasting friendships in every expedition.
Key Takeaways:
[1:20] Introducing Dr. Oliver Shipley
[2:34] Growing up in Scotland visiting Troon Beach
[4:30] Realizing that Marine Biology was a potential career path
[6:00] Discovering his passion while studying sharks on Eleuthera Island
[7:55] Meeting Oliver
[10:45] Capturing the iconic Photograph of “Mabel” the Tiger shark
[11:45] Tagging and Tracking Mabel
[13:20] Smooth seas never make a good sailor
[15:00] Swimming with the formidable oceanic white-tip shark
[20:45] When shark diving starts feeling like Russian Roulette
[23:40] Sharks can sense when you’re uneasy so you need to maintain confidence in the water
[24:25]Fending off bull sharks with nothing but a GoPro and PVC pipe
[27:35] Filming the hammerhead sharks with Nora En Pure
[28:05] Who is the safety diver of the safety diver?!
[29:30] Relocating to areas with more research opportunities
[31:10] If you want the great reward you have to put in the risk
[32:15] How shark diving can deepen your connection to the ocean and nature itself
[35:18] Moving from the land of football to the land of soccer
[41:05] Predicting the World Cup: a friendly feud
[43:50] Excited to attend the Climate Change Conference in Egypt this November
[44:52] Getting Lithium Ion Batteries through Saudi Customs
Where to Find the Guests:
Dr. Austin Gallagher: CEO: https://www.austingallagher.com/
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: https://www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald/?hl=en
Sami Kattan: Media Director: https://www.nomadcreative.org/about
Dr. Oliver Shipley: Senior Research Scientist: https://olivershipley.weebly.com/
Memorable Quotes:
“The toughest days in the field always yield the most interesting results and I get more attached to those data points and what we’re doing on those days is more memorable for me.” [20:35] -Dr. Austin Gallagher
“These things are like, I don't know, like fighter jets. They come at you from all different directions like this real pack mentality and so you’re kind of having to look below you, look behind you, look left and right, look forwards and they come right up as well, they do not care, they are so bold.” [25:25] -Dr. Oliver Shipley
“You can’t control sharks. That’s the biggest thing I’ve actually come to learn more over the years, is that you can still put bait in the water, with you diving with them and try to manage the situation but you still can’t control the animal they are going to do what they want to.” [28:53] -Dr. Austin Gallagher
“If you get in the water feeling weird and dicey, either if that’s psychologically or if the shark is sensing it, it’s gonna kinda spiral downward. You know you need to be a presence in that water.” [31:57] -Sami Kattan
“You have to be like 360 vision all the time, thinking about what sharks are gonna do but if you’re a camera operator or the model in the shot, which is what the 3 of them were, you can’t focus on anything but the task at hand, so I’m there trying to make sure they’re safe and keep the bull sharks out of the shot.” [35:04] -Jamie Fitzgerald
Description:
Welcome back to Beneath The Waves Radio. Today, we are introducing our Blue Carbon Program Manager, Wells Howe, to discuss how blue carbon is a tangible solution to greenhouse gas emissions. Seagrass is already working hard to store carbon in the ocean’s seafloor, proving that nature always finds a solution. When humanity is faced with a crisis like climate change: what if the best action is to simply get out of nature’s way? We want to protect the natural mechanisms already in place and allow nature to take its course.
Conversations about conservation don't have to be depressing. The truth is, every expedition is an adventure. Tune in to hear the team share their experiences diving with tiger sharks at Tiger Beach. What would you do if you were face to face with an apex predator? Don’t let their size fool you, tiger sharks may seem big and slow but they are graceful ambush predators. The team describes just how humbling it is to interact with these amazing creatures and how they manage to keep their cool when dealing with such a dangerous animal in its element.
Key Takeaways:
[2:11] Wells’ first certified dive with apex tiger sharks
[3:30] Even these massive sharks are effective ambush predators
[4:25] The aggregation of tiger sharks at Tiger Beach
[5:05] Diving through reef and lemon sharks to get to the tiger sharks below
[8:24] What goes through your mind when you’re face to face with a mega predator
[9:55] Sharks don’t want to kill humans but they are dangerous and should always be respected
[11:20] Entering the flow state in the presence of hypnotic tiger sharks
[14:10] Forging deep familial connections while on expedition
[15:40] It’s challenging to get a good cup of coffee on an expedition
[24:37] Beneath the waves merch available
[25:30]What is blue carbon?
[26:30] Seagrass undergoes photosynthesis and actually traps carbon in the marine sediment [28:47]Providing a tangible solution to greenhouse gas emissions
[32:45] When humans do less and let the earth do its thing, nature heals itself
[34:48] Conservation doesn't have to be depressing
[35:54]Celebrating with a waterslide every once in a while!
[38:50] No matter what the objective is, every expedition is an adventure!
[40:10] Getting stuck on a zipline in Costa Rica
[43:34] Pushed over the edge bungee jumping in Puerto Vallarta
[47:20] Working to combat the climate crisis
Where to Find Guests:
Austin Gallagher PhD: CEO: www.austingallagher.com
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director: www.instagram.com/jamielfitzgerald
Sami Kattan: Media Director: www.instagram.com/sami.kattan
Wells Howe: Program Manager: www.instagram.com/howe_wells
Memorable Quotes:
“There really is no logical explanation for how big sharks just appear out of nowhere and it literally happens with white sharks as well, in crystal clear blue water at the surface, so they’re just ridiculous animals. Insane predators.” [1:57] -Austin Gallagher PhD
“You’re out in, what feels like, the middle of the ocean and you can’t see anything other than just blue, blue water and just to sink below and be completely surrounded by this shark whirlpool, shark spiral, is just unreal!” [6:00] -Jamie Fitzgerald
“There can be so much grace in that moment, knowing where you are, grounding yourself and not taking your eye off the ball or in this circumstance the shark’s eye.” [12:03] -Sami Kattan
“To grow underwater, seagrass is using sunlight, undergoing photosynthesis, just like grass outside…and taking in carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen from its leaves. So, if you actually look underwater sometimes you can see little oxygen bubbles leaving seagrass and you can hear them popping, which is a really cool thing to see when diving but then all those carbon molecules are getting transported straight through the root system and trapped underwater in marine sediment” [26:46] -Wells Howe
“What we are talking about is supporting life processes on earth that have existed for a millennia and simply either getting out of the way or stopping the degradation of that and providing a real tangible solution to the issues around greenhouse gas emissions.” [29:10] -Wells Howe
Welcome to Beneath the Waves radio! Our team of researchers, scientists and innovators are working to protect endangered aquatic life and conserving our oceans! Every member of the team has a unique origin story so we will be sharing our first diving experiences that changed our lives and catapulted us into marine biology.
Today, we are introducing Austin Gallagher PhD (CEO), Jamie Fitzgerald (Managing Director) and Sami Kattan (Media Director). We were inspired to create this podcast so we could bring the adventures to you! We hope to show just how exciting the ocean is and why it is worth protecting. Each week we will be introducing more of our team and sharing exclusive stories from our expeditions.
With a mission as vast as protecting our oceans, Beneath the Waves attracts some adventurous and passionate people. Get to know our hosts of the podcast, without these amazing personalities Beneath the Waves would not be the force it is today.
Austin Gallagher, PhD: Founder, CEO
Dr. Austin Gallagher is the founder and lead scientist at Beneath the Waves. His vision for the NGO is to study and preserve a thriving shark population within our oceans. He has been featured in Forbes, Scuba Diving Magazine and even serves as the editor of the Scientific journal Endangered Species Research. Dr. Gallagher is notably recognized for his repeat appearances on The Discovery Channel’s Shark week. He has published over 100 research papers that have had a direct influence on the legal protection of our endangered marine life. His combination of research and strategic partnering with government agencies has attracted and grown the Beneath the Waves team into the dynamic organization it is today.
Jamie Fitzgerald: Managing Director
Partnership and growth are key aspects of Jamie’s role as the Managing director at Beneath the Waves. She oversees communications and ensures we meet our marketing goals so that we are always growing! Her work is not just behind the scenes. After spending her childhood on Cape Cod, Jamie always felt connected to the ocean which inspired her to pursue a bachelors in Environmental Science. Prior to joining our team, Jamie worked in marine and coastal conservation in Cape Cod and moved to New York to begin working in production and marketing. You can see her featured on our YouTube series “Explained!” where she helps clean and repair one of our Deep Sea Receivers that allows us to receive texts from tagged sharks.
Sami Kattan: Director of Media
Sami is a committed digital storyteller, dedicated to communicating our research and documenting our adventures at Beneath the Waves. Even since he swam with a 40-foot whale shark while doing his Divemaster after college; he has pursued storytelling, traveling around the world to film the ocean's most incredible inhabitants. He has worked on projects for the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery, Virgin, and beyond - always looking forward to the next ocean adventure.
To learn more about Beneath the Waves and to stay connected, visit the links below:
Website: https://beneaththewaves.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwaves/
Key Takeaways:
[2:45] Why we chose to start the podcast
[4:15] You never know what you will see on an expedition!
[5:10] Not everyday is glamorous out on the ocean
[6:03] The love and passion behind, Beneath the Waves
[6:45] Like everything in life, there are always challenges
[7:30] Austin’s catalyst: Sharks and their innate freedom
[8:50] Our goal is to live in better harmony with the ocean
[10:10] Sami’s catalyst: Scuba diving in the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
[10:55] The mind blowing kaleidoscope of colors in the deep sea coral
[11:20] Dive master training off the Island of Utila
[12:00] Jamie’s catalyst : Hooked on diving and the thrill of being surrounded by water
[12:40] Turning a passion into a career
[13:35] Choosing to conserve the beauty of the ocean instead of merely enjoying it
[15:35] How much the platform has evolved since its founding in 2014
[17:20] Finding balance between happiness and your livelihood
[19:00] Bringing adventure and purpose to ocean lovers
[21:00] This is Discovery, Exploration and Community!
[23:30] Every expedition is an adventure
[24:10] Sammy’s transformational experience with a Whale Shark on the coast of Utila
[30:25] Collaborating with artists with their own connection to the ocean
[34:20] Filming a live stream with Nora En Pure on a moving boat
[45:15] Battery troubles with the final drone shot
[47:04] The dangers of drone catching
[49:30] Trying new things and reaping the rewards
Welcome to Beneath The Waves Radio, the podcast for building an adventurous and fulfilled life. We're your hosts, the leaders of Beneath The Waves Group, a collection of ocean companies focusing on cutting-edge science, conservation, and media. Our team of explorers, entrepreneurs, and storytellers are here to share lessons for living a more impactful and purpose-driven life, while getting a deeper understanding of the ocean. Here is your raw, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the world beneath the waves. Let’s dive in.