The Scuba GOAT Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of The Scuba GOAT Podcast, host Matt Waters is joined by marine surveyor Mick Uberti to take a deep dive into the realities of dive liveaboard safety—what’s working, what’s failing, and what needs to change. With over two decades of experience in maritime safety, Mick has worked with boat owners worldwide, including the UAE royal family and Richard Branson. As the founder of Maritime Survey Australia (MSA) and an AMSA-accredited Domestic Commercial Vessel (DCV) surveyor, he has conducted vessel surveys across the globe, including some of Egypt’s Red Sea liveaboard fleet. His expertise has led to a collaboration with Taucher.net, a leading German diving platform, which has publicly recommended that dive operators in the Red Sea undergo safety audits by Mick’s team at Maritime Survey International (MSI). This episode is part of a larger series on liveaboards, aiming to provide a 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 exploration of the industry. While many operators uphold and even exceed safety expectations, others fall dangerously short—often due to a complex web of contributing factors. Mick and Matt discuss legal loopholes, flag states with differing safety standards, lack of enforcement, financial pressures driving a race-to-the-bottom pricing model, inadequate crew training, and the role of divers themselves in demanding luxury at unsustainable costs. By learning from both the best and worst examples, this series aims to equip listeners with the knowledge to identify safe liveaboards and understand the broader challenges at play. Whether you’re a seasoned liveaboard diver or considering your first trip, this conversation will shed light on the unseen forces shaping safety standards in the industry. 🎧 Tune in now for an essential discussion on the future of liveaboard safety! 

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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A little over three years ago I interviewed Andre Borell, director of Envoy: Shark Cull, a hard-hitting documentary highlighting the archaic shark mitigation systems employed by the Australian government throughout Queensland and New South Wales. The doco, narrated by Eric Banna, was initially aired exclusively on Stan and three years down the line has a much greater global audience through many other popular media streams including Netflix. 

During today's episode, I grab an update from Andre and an excellent insight into his latest project, the Shark Stop wetsuit. Now, in its second round of funding, the Shark Stop wetsuits were originally designed by surfer Haydon Burford, who wanted to find a wetsuit similar to the impact protection for motorcyclists via Kevlar. Through his research and development, he created what we see now as the bite-resistant wetsuit Shark Stop. 

Tested by Flinders University on board the Rodney Fox vessel, Andre shares the impressive results and findings, so join me as we delve deeper into the creation, those results, the progress of the business, and the opportunities available for investors seeking to make a change. Please enjoy.

Links:

Watch on The Scuba GOAT Podcast: YouTube channel

Sharkstop website: https://sharkstop.co/

Investment details: Birchall website

Flinders University: Peer-reviewed report

Social links for Andre:

Instagram

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Nomadic Scuba - Your dive travel agency
Promoting liveaboards, Resorts, Group expeditions, Dive shops & hand-picked dive ambassadors.

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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THE END OF TALKING. THE AGE OF DOING.

Attention, nature enthusiasts and aspiring conservationists! An incredible opportunity has emerged that allows you to become an integral part of saving one of the world's most precious natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef. Prepare to be amazed as Citizens of The Great Barrier Reef unveil their groundbreaking AI system, inviting individuals from all corners of the globe to contribute towards its preservation and the best part? It's absolutely free!

Have you ever yearned to contribute to conservation efforts, but felt discouraged by financial constraints? Look no further, because this innovative platform offers you the chance to make a difference without spending a penny. Gone are the days of dedicating countless hours or leaving the comfort of your home to aid a cause you hold dear. Now, with just a few moments of your spare time, you can actively contribute to safeguarding the Great Barrier Reef. Are you like me? Do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through your phone during moments of boredom or while commuting? We've all fallen victim to the allure of endless, algorithm-selected content, keeping us awake into the wee hours. But imagine channeling that time into something meaningful. Picture yourself utilizing those precious moments for a higher purpose. Introducing the Great Reef Census ( https://greatreefcensus.org/ ), an extraordinary initiative that allows you to engage with thousands of meticulously collected reef photos, offering an unparalleled opportunity to participate in vital conservation work. While the photo collection continues to grow, the power of AI can only go so far. 

That's where you come in! In under a minute, you can join forces with the AI system, working hand in hand to analyze reef

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The Underwater Club with Nicolas Remy
10% discount on the annual subscription to The Underwater Club with promo code SCUBAGOAT

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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Simon's correct title reads... Professor Simon Mitchell MB ChB, PhD, DipOccMed, DipAdvDHM (ANZCA), FUHM, FANZCA, Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Auckland.  This clearly does not fit in the title of this episode however, it goes a LONG way to explaining why Simon is one of the top dogs when it comes to being able to pour a healthy amount of clarity over the common confusions between decompression sickness, decompression illness, and arterial gas embolism.

Simon is a physician and scientist with specialist training in diving medicine and anesthesiology. He is widely published with over 150 papers or book chapters. He co-authored the 5th edition of 'Diving and Subaquatic Medicine' and has two chapters on decompression illness in the most recent edition of Bennett and Elliott. He has twice been Vice President of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (USA) and in 2010 received the society’s Behnke Award for contributions to the science of diving and hyperbaric medicine. In the past, Simon was a naval diving medical officer and medical director of the Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine in Brisbane. He now works as a consultant anaesthetist at Auckland City Hospital, and Professor in Anaesthesiology at the University of Auckland. He provides on-call cover for diving and hyperbaric emergencies at the North Shore Hospital Hyperbaric Unit in Auckland. Simon assumed the role of Editor of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine in January 2019.

Simon’s diving career has included more than 6,000 dives spanning sport, scientific, commercial, and military diving. He has been a lead member of teams that were the first to dive and identify three deep wrecks of high historical significance in Australia and New Zealand. At the time of one of these dives (2002) the 180 m depth represented the deepest wreck dive ever undertaken. He was elected to Fellowship of the Explorers’ Club of New York in 2006, and was the DAN Rolex Diver of the Year in 2015.

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Shearwater
Shearwater dive computers

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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Today, we are thrilled to have a distinguished guest with us a man whose passion for diving spans over three decades and has led him to become one of the most skilled technical divers and instructors in the southern hemisphere. Google the name of Pete Mesley, and you'll find his namesake website, which contains his passion in life, two of which are the list first and shocking or big animal diving. And if that's not enough, you'll also find a rundown of all the technical training he has on offer. As a member of the Explorers Club, Pete's love for Wreck diving has taken him to some of the most historically significant sites across the globe, where he has documented them through his stunning photography and his work as a safety diver. Today, we have the pleasure of hearing firsthand from Pete about his experiences as an adventurer, and his unique perspective on the world beneath the waves. So sit back, relax, raise a glass and join us for an unforgettable conversation with Pete Mesley on the Scuba GOAT podcast.

Links:
Lust4Rust website - http://www.lust4rust.co
Shock and Awe diving - http://www.biganimaldiving.com 

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The Underwater Club with Nicolas Remy
10% discount on the annual subscription to The Underwater Club with promo code SCUBAGOAT

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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Ladies and gents, welcome to the Scuba GOAT podcast.  Last year at the OzTek dive show in Melbourne, I had the pleasure of meeting Nathalie Lasselin. Our introduction was brief, but it was enough to pique my interest in her inspiring story and make me realize that she needed to be featured on the show.  In this episode, join me as I chat with Nath and uncover her motivations for venturing into the uncharted waters of the Arctic, spending over 30 hours submerged over two consecutive dives, and searching for evidence of the First Nations' presence in Quebec hydro-electric reservoir, Canada, and that's just for starters! 

Get ready to dive deep into the world of underwater exploration and documentary film-making in the next exciting episode featuring Nathalie Lasselin.  

Nathalie is an award-winning film-maker, dive expedition leader, cave and wreck explorer, and instructor with a passion for documenting our planet and raising awareness for our freshwater resources. As a keynote speaker and on-camera talent for TV shows, she shares her love for discovery and empowering people to have a better relationship with their environment. With numerous critically acclaimed films and awards, Nathalie's work has been released in over 25 countries and featured on networks like Discovery and Nat Geo. 

Formally trained as a director of photography, Nathalie casts an inquisitive eye on our blue planet and with Pixnat Productions she documents the captivating exploration of our earth. Her films have been critically acclaimed and have received numerous awards at international festivals as well as being released in over 25 countries. Nathalie regularly organizes small group diving expeditions for surveying, filming, 360 degree photography and other missions through her non-profit organization Aqua Sub Terra Exploration (ASTEX) 

RECOGNITIONS

Women Diver Hall of Fame inductee

Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow

Explorers club fellow

NATHALIE'S LINKS

FACEBOOK

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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Welcome to the latest episode of Scuba GOAT! In this episode, we talk to Vanessa Torres Macho and Talia Greis, the founders of Liquid Lens, a project promoting and encouraging women in underwater photography. Vanessa is a 20+ year dive professional and the owner of Underwater Imaging Australia, while Talia is a scuba and photography enthusiast who started diving 7 years ago.

Vanessa and Talia share their love for the oceans and photography, and how they bonded over their passion for scuba diving and underwater photography. They discuss Liquid Lens, their project that aims to showcase the photographs of women alongside their male counterparts on the world stage.

We discuss a variety of photography-related topics including model shoots, commercial photography and the impact of digital cameras, social media and the expectation of free products for influencers.

We also touch upon overseas group expeditions planned and led by Vanessa and Talia.  Matt also highlights his expeditions via his company Nomadic Scuba. So, if you're looking for some exciting scuba and photography trips, be sure to check them out!

 

If you'd like to get in touch or follow Vanessa, Talia or both, hit the links below:

 

Vanessa

Vanessa's website

Vanessa on FB

Aquatic Imaging Australia website

Aquatic Imaging Australia on IG

Aquatic Imaging Australia on FB

 

Talia

Talia's website

Talia on FB

Talia on IG

 

Liquid Lens

Liquid Lens website

Liquid Lens on FB

Liquid Lens on IG

 

And finally,

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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Are you intrigued by the complexities of underwater photography? Nicolas Remy (multi award-winning underwater photographer and founder of The Underwater Club) joins me in the studio to shed some light on this intricate art.

Nicolas and his wife Lena caught my attention initially with their stunning photos and furthermore because they dived on rebreathers. To me, rebreather diving to photograph marine life makes inherent sense, and I wanted to explore this fascinating topic with Nicolas in this episode. The extended dive times, the silence, and the opportunity to get much closer to your subject without disturbance are some of the benefits Nicolas highlights, while also discussing the two rebreathers they use, the Revo and Horizon.

Not only does Nicolas take a superb shot; he enjoys sharing his skills with others. Teaching people and breaking subjects down into a more understandable format is truly a passion of his. So, Nicolas has quit the corporate world and devoted the last 18 months to fine-tuning The Underwater Club and its contents. It is an exceptional forum for two-way communications and jam-packed with Nicolas' knowledge to be shared with all club members through various means, expanding on his availability as a one-on-one coach.

A keen writer, he has also penned content for Scuba Diver magazine and Narked at 90, with additional content in WETPIXEL and OZ Diver.

We anticipate the launch of the Underwater Club's website very soon; to stay in the loop you can sign up for the newsletter (and have an added chance to win a prize).  Join me in the studio as Nicolas takes us from his first discover scuba dive on Kangaroo Island, to global recognition for his underwater photography and the formation of The Underwater Club.

 

DON'T FORGET TO S

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The Underwater Club with Nicolas Remy
10% discount on the annual subscription to The Underwater Club with promo code SCUBAGOAT

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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 Are you a fan of scuba diving or luxury watches? Well, Sean Clements certainly is, and a few years ago, he found a way to combine his passions and create a path for the future away from the corporate rat-race. Sean's vision led him to create SDC Watches, a dive watch brand that offers luxurious watches for everyday dive adventures.

What sets SDC Watches apart is their commitment to protecting the oceans. Sean recognized that there is a huge amount of neoprene waste, particularly old and used wetsuits, that ultimately end up in landfills. To tackle this issue, Sean decided to repurpose these watery rags and incorporate them into his watches. The result is an encapsulated neoprene strap design that not only looks great but also helps reduce waste and protect our oceans whilst maintaining that luxury feel. 

The attention to detail in these watches is evident in every aspect. The SDC cookie logo and laser engraving, and original styling of an older dive watch with its rotational dive bezel, harks back to a time when chunky Seikos were the epitome of a diver's watch (flashbacks to eye-balling my dad's watch as a kid). And the naked rear case, which allows you to see the inner mechanism, is a luxurious touch that completes the package. With a 300m depth rating these really are a sexy statement.

As a fellow diver, I'm eagerly awaiting my own SDC Watch to arrive. I appreciate the company's commitment to sustainability and conservation efforts, and I'm excited to show my support by wearing one of their watches. It's clear that Sean has put his heart and soul into creating a product that not only looks great but also makes a positive impact on our planet.

If you would like your own SDC watch, head on over to the SDC website and use SCUBAGOAT10 to recieve a 10% discount

Join us on this episode as we dive deeper into Sean's journey as a diver, businessman, and conservationist. We'll learn more about his vision for SDC Watches and how he's making a difference in the world of luxury watches and ocean conservation.

 

Don't forget to use SCUBAGOAT10 for your 10% discount through the

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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🎵 Music: Forever Young by the legend - AudioCoffee | AudioCoffee.net

Don Silcock, esteemed Senior Travel Editor of Scuba Diver magazine and the mastermind behind Indo-Pacific Images, graces the studio for a long-awaited reunion, accompanied by good banter and a few cold ones. Embark on a riveting journey as we delve into Don's extensive travels and an array of captivating topics.

From traversing the vibrant landscapes of India astride a motorcycle to capturing photogrammetry images in the remote corners of Papua New Guinea alongside Sean Twomey, Don's adventures span continents and cultures. Join us as we explore the depths of South Australia, encountering sharks and marvelling at the mesmerizing dance of cuttlefish. Traverse the rugged terrain of Tasmania in pursuit of elusive handfish and the enigmatic allure of deep corals. Venture into the depths of Mexico to share the waters with formidable crocodiles and explore the mystical cenotes. Witness the majestic beauty of Patagonia as Don shares his exhilarating encounters with Southern Right Whales, shedding light on the intricate political processes and permissions required for such awe-inspiring dives.

Amidst tales of adrenaline-fueled moments and heart-pounding encounters, Don's recount of the colossal 5-ton calf named El Blanco is nothing short of captivating. A legendary figure in the annals of Don's adventures.

Armed with a wealth of knowledge and boundless enthusiasm, Don serves as an unparalleled source of information, offering insights into the nuances of international flights, essential camera equipment, and navigating the chaotic yet enchanting landscape of Yucatan. Delve into the depths of Raja Ampat, where Don shares firsthand experiences from Sorido Bay Resort and engaging interviews with the illustrious Max Ammer.

With an episode brimming with intrigue and excitement, this is an opportunity not to be missed. So, lean in and immerse yourself in a world of familiar locales and undiscovered treasures as Don Silcock regales us with his captivating tales.

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy… Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!

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