In this episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU transports you to the last wild frontier on the planet: Antarctica. As the "White Sentinel" for our future climate, this frozen region holds critical data, but it doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight.

Hosted by Lyne Morissette, this episode takes you inside a high-stakes Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) mission to install a subsea observatory in one of the most hostile environments on Earth. To get there, the team had to survive the 20-meter waves of the Drake Passage, dodge wandering icebergs, and navigate the logistical puzzle of working 2,000 kilometers away from civilization.

You’ll hear from three key figures at the heart of this expedition:

• Dr. Juanjo Dañobeitia, a 40-year veteran of the ice and Director of the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory (EMSO).
• Ruchie Custan, an ONC engineer dubbed the "Antarctic Sherpa" after a grueling mountain ascent.
• Bradley Wells, the engineer who built the two-ton steel armor designed to keep the science alive.

From "MacGyvering" equipment in sub-zero gales to the rare sense of solidarity found at the Spanish Juan Carlos I station, this is a raw look at what it actually takes to keep the data flowing in a place that is actively trying to freeze your equipment—and you—to a halt.

Learn more & explore further:

• Ocean Networks Canada: https://www.oceannetworks.ca
• ONC Data & Real-time Observatories (Ocean 3.0): https://data.oceannetworks.ca
• Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC): https://www.icm.csic.es/en 
• CTV News Feature on the ONC Expedition: https://youtu.be/s4AGeJkSvVA
• The Juan Carlos I base: https://youtu.be/zUPOkVaagWk?si=skSwO-gCH08Hz4vI 
• Listen to the full interview with Andrew Lewin on the How to Protect The Ocean Podcast:https://www.speakupforblue.com

Episode produced by: Balad’EAU with the generous support of Ocean Networks Canada.

Ocean Networks Canada is one of Canada’s Major Research Facilities and an initiative of the University of Victoria. It is primarily funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Editing and production: Tommy Goupil

🎙️ This episode is part of the "Surfacing Secrets: Explore the Ocean. Know the Planet" series.

📅 Launch date: April 17th, 2026

🌐 More info: https://www.oceannetworks.ca

In this episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU explores what scientific discovery actually looks like — not as a single “aha” moment, but as a long-term process built on curiosity, observation, and a willingness to pay attention when things get weird.

Hosted by Lyne Morissette, Scientific Discoveries takes you inside Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) to uncover how discoveries emerge when scientists stop chasing answers — and start watching continuously. From marine heatwaves and unexpected ecosystem insights to solar storms interfering with ocean instruments, this episode reveals how long-term data turns surprises into understanding.

You’ll hear from three voices at the heart of ONC’s story:

• Richard Dewey, former Science Director at ONC, oceanographer
• Kohen Bauer, who works at the intersection of ocean data, tools, and models at ONC
• Gwyn Lintern, an early ONC collaborator now with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), whose work bridges science, risk, and real-world decision-making

Together, they share how ONC evolved from answering scientific questions to generating vast, open datasets that researchers — and government departments — now rely on to understand ocean processes, ecosystem health, and environmental risk.

This episode dives into:

• How continuous observation transforms raw data into scientific discovery
• Why looking for the weird is often the starting point of real breakthroughs
• What marine heatwaves like the Blob revealed about changing ocean conditions
• How solar flares were detected deep in the ocean — without anyone looking for them
• Why understanding when ecosystems are functioning well matters in an age of eco-anxiety
• How ONC’s data supports science, policy, and public safety

You’ll also hear sounds captured directly from the ocean — including underwater acoustics recorded by ONC’s observatories — reminding us that sometimes, discovery isn’t something you see, but something you hear.

Listen closely — the ocean is always telling a story.

Learn more & explore further

• Ocean Networks Canada: https://www.oceannetworks.ca
• ONC data & real-time observatories (Ocean 3.0): https://data.oceannetworks.ca
• ONC YouTube channel (including underwater sounds and observatory footage): https://www.youtube.com/@OceanNetworksCanada
• Richard Dewey’s YouTube channel (sailing the Salish sea): https://www.youtube.com/@o0Splunge0o/videos 
• Listen to the full interview with Andrew Lewin on the How to Protect The Ocean Podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/podcast-55/

Episode produced by: Balad’EAU
With the generous support of: Ocean Networks Canada

Ocean Networks Canada is one of Canada’s Major Research Facilities and an initiative of the University of Victoria. It is primarily funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Editing and producation: Tommy Goupil

🎙️ This episode is part of the Surfacing Secrets: Explore the Ocean. Know the Planet. series.

📅 Launch date: February 4th 2026
🌐 More info: https://www.oceannetworks.ca

In this compelling episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU takes you deep beneath the Pacific Ocean to one of the most active and closely observed places on Earth: the Endeavour hydrothermal vent field, operated and monitored by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC).

Host Lyne Morissette guides us into the dark, dynamic world of the deep seafloor, where tectonic plates pull apart, superheated fluids rise from the Earth’s crust, and entire ecosystems thrive without sunlight. This episode explores why Endeavour is one of the rare places where scientists don’t just visit the deep ocean — they stay and watch.

Join us as we dive into how long-term, real-time observation has transformed our understanding of geology, chemistry, and life in the deep sea. Through this journey, we uncover why protecting and continuously monitoring a site like Endeavour is essential for understanding how our planet works, far beyond what short expeditions can reveal. You’ll hear exclusive insights from:

• Laurence Coogan, Professor and Geochemist, University of Victoria
• Steve Mihaly, Senior Staff Scientist, Ocean Networks Canada

We’ll hear firsthand accounts of what it’s like to explore a hydrothermal vent field two kilometres below the surface, how remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) navigate a complex three-dimensional world with limited visibility, and why mapping and working in these environments remains one of the greatest challenges in ocean science. Our guests share their experiences studying a system where geology, chemistry, and biology are constantly changing — and why collaboration across disciplines is essential.

Learn about:

• The role of hydrothermal vents in shaping ocean chemistry far beyond the seafloor.
• How life can thrive without sunlight through chemosynthesis.
• Why long-term, cabled observatories have revolutionized deep-sea science.
• How continuous monitoring reveals processes that snapshots can never capture.

Through vivid stories, striking examples, and reflections on exploration, Eyes on Endeavour offers a deep dive into one of the planet’s most dynamic systems — and into the power of staying long enough to truly understand the ocean.

🎧 Subscribe now and join us on this journey to explore the ocean and understand our planet.

Episode produced by: Balad’EAU
Special thanks to: Ocean Networks Canada, Andrew Lewin of How to Protect the Ocean, and Tommy Goupil for editing and production.

🔔 Follow us for more updates and behind-the-scenes stories:

Website: Ocean Networks Canada
Twitter: @OceanNetworks
Instagram: @oceannetworkscanada
Facebook: Ocean Networks Canada

📅 Launch date: December 17th, 2025
🌐 More info: oceannetworks.ca

What happens when creativity and science share the same current of curiosity?

In this episode, three extraordinary voices from around the world — Parvin Hassani (Iran), Dennis Guppa (Philippines), and Dwight Owens (Canada/Colorado) — come together at Ocean Networks Canada on Vancouver Island. Through sculpture, theatre, and scientific collaboration, they explore how art and science can merge to understand the ocean in new ways.

• Parvin, an interdisciplinary sculptor, transforms neural networks and deep-sea hydrothermal vents into living forms of memory.
• Dennis, a theatre director and scholar, turns the trauma of Typhoon Haiyan into a performance of resilience and empathy in his creation Gossip with Whales.
• And Dwight, ONC’s Manager of Impact and Capacity Development, builds bridges between disciplines through the Art–Science Fellowship, connecting artists with researchers across the Pacific.

This episode also pays tribute to Dr. Kim Juniper, ONC’s visionary Chief Scientist and Professor at the University of Victoria, whose leadership and imagination helped shape this fellowship and inspired a generation of scientists and artists to see the ocean — and each other — through new eyes.

Together, these voices remind us that curiosity flows like water — connecting minds, cultures, and ideas — and that connection itself can become a work of art.

🎧 Subscribe now and join us on this epic journey to explore the ocean and understand our planet.

Episode produced by: Balad’EAU

Special thanks to: Ocean Networks Canada, Andrew Lewin of How to Protect the Ocean podcast, and Tommy Goupil for editing and production.

🔔 Follow us for more updates and behind-the-scenes stories:

• Website: Ocean Networks Canada
• Twitter: @OceanNetworks
• Instagram: @oceannetworkscanada
• Facebook: Ocean Networks Canada

📅 Launch date: October 29th, 2025

🌐 More info: https://www.oceannetworks.ca/multimedia/podcasts/

In loving memory of Dr. Kim Juniper, whose vision continues to inspire Ocean Networks Canada and the Art–Science Fellowship.

This special episode is released for Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A moment to listen, learn, and recognize the strength of Indigenous knowledge—and the partnerships that bring science and tradition together.

At Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), partnership with Indigenous communities is more than a project requirement — it’s a way of working. ONC supports community-led monitoring, shares technology and training, and works alongside Elders, youth, and knowledge holders to weave Indigenous knowledge and ocean science together. These collaborations help shape research, strengthen resilience, and ensure communities benefit first from the data collected in their territories.

One milestone in this journey was OceanObs’19 in Hawaii, where ONC helped bring Indigenous voices to the international stage. For the first time, Indigenous knowledge was presented as a formal part of the global ocean observing framework — changing the conversation about how science and traditional knowledge can work hand in hand.

In this episode, Lyne Morissette speaks with:

• Ken Paul – Wolastoqey leader and advocate for Indigenous rights in ocean governance

• Pieter Romer – Indigenous Community Liaison at ONC, storyteller, and documentary filmmaker

• Maia Hoeberechts – Associate Director of Learning & Engagement at ONC

Together, they explore how Indigenous knowledge and Western science meet on the water:

• Building trust and partnerships that last

• Stories passed down through generations as “data” in their own right

• Youth stepping onto research vessels and carrying both heritage and science forward

• Facing challenges like climate change and fisheries with two knowledge systems, side by side

🎬 And don’t miss: Tsunami: 11th Relative — the documentary Pieter helped create with Elders on the West Coast, weaving oral histories of past tsunamis (1700, 1964) with ocean science to prepare for the future. It’s a must-watch, and it captures the very spirit of this episode. It's now available in full version on ONC's Youtube

Credits

• Hosted by Lyne Morissette
  
  
• Guests: Ken Paul, Pieter Romer, Maia Hoeberechts
  
  
• Produced in collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada
  
  
• Sound design, editing, and mixing by Tom Goupil
  
  
• Special thanks to all Indigenous communities who shared their knowledge and stories

🎧 Want to hear the full interviews with Ken, Pieter, and Maia? Check out Andrew Lewin’s podcast How to Protect the Ocean, where the complete conversations are available.

🔔 Follow us for more updates and behind-the-scenes stories:

• Website: Ocean Networks Canada
  
  
• Twitter: @OceanNetworks
  
  
• Instagram: @oceannetworkscanada
  
  
• Facebook: Ocean Networks Canada
  
  

📅 Launch date: September 24, 2025
🌐 More info: oceannetworks.ca

In this exciting episode of Ocean Expeditions, Balad’EAU takes you on an unforgettable journey into the depths of the ocean, where we explore the challenges of ocean exploration with Ocean Networks Canada (ONC).

Host Lyne Morissette guides us through the mysteries of ocean expeditions and the innovative technologies behind them. Join us as we discuss the difficulties of deploying sensors in the ocean—why, despite covering 70% of our planet, so little of the ocean has been explored. This episode delves into the science, technology, and teamwork that fuel these groundbreaking missions, with exclusive insights from:

• Meghan Paulson, Executive Director of Observatory Operations at ONC

• Dirk Brussow, Director of Observatory Physical Operations at ONC

• Josh Tetarenko, Director of ROV Operations at CanPac Marine, a Canadian marine services company

We’ll hear firsthand accounts of the remote and extreme conditions faced during ocean expeditions, how ONC maintains world-leading ocean observatories, and how remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) serve as the "eyes and hands" of ocean exploration. Our guests share their personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs in a dynamic field where every dive is a leap into the unknown.

Learn about:

• The role of ROVs in deep-sea exploration and sensor installation.

• The crucial teamwork and camaraderie that drive successful missions.

• How ONC’s data is transforming our understanding of the ocean and its ecosystems.

With captivating anecdotes, including Josh’s story of the longest ROV dive, this episode offers a deep dive into ocean science and the passionate people who are charting new territories beneath the waves.

🎧 Subscribe now and join us on this epic journey to explore the ocean and understand our planet.

Episode produced by: Balad’EAU
Special thanks to: Ocean Networks Canada, Andrew Lewin of How to Protect the Ocean, and Tommy Goupil for editing and production.

🔔 Follow us for more updates and behind-the-scenes stories:

• Website: Ocean Networks Canada
  
  
• Twitter: @OceanNetworks
  
  
• Instagram: @oceannetworkscanada
  
  
• Facebook: Ocean Networks Canada
  
  

📅 Launch date: July 9th, 2025
🌐 More info: oceannetworks.ca

In this inaugural episode of Surfacing Secrets, Balad’EAU and How to Protect the Ocean team up to tell the origin story of a world-leading ocean observatory network: Ocean Networks Canada (ONC).

Host Lyne Morissette takes us back to the late 1990s, when a group of bold ocean scientists dreamed the impossible—real-time seafloor observatories that could transform how we understand our planet. Through captivating narration and exclusive interview excerpts conducted by Andrew Lewin, we meet the visionary pioneers behind this movement:

• Kate Moran, President & CEO of ONC and ocean engineer with a mission to illuminate the deep;
• John Delaney, oceanographer and early architect of cabled observatories;
• Benoit Pirenne, ONC’s Corporate Innovation and Technology Officer, who helped turn bold ideas into technical reality.

This episode explores the roots of ONC, the early scientific breakthroughs, and the data-driven legacy that continues to protect communities, support global science, and spark ocean innovation.

🎧 Featuring archival audio, powerful testimony, and a poetic close inspired by T.S. Eliot.

🎙️ A special production by Balad’EAU, in collaboration with How to Protect the Ocean and Ocean Networks Canada.

🔔 Subscribe now and join us every month as we surface secrets from the deep.

📅 Launch date: June 8, 2025 — World Oceans Day
🌐 More info: oceannetworks.ca

Balad’EAU is proud to present a special series of podcasts developed in collaboration with the How to Protect the Ocean podcast and Ocean Networks Canada (ONC):

🌊 Surfacing Secrets – Explore the Ocean. Understand the Planet.

🎙️ This new series takes you behind the scenes of ocean innovation, with powerful stories, exclusive testimonials, and immersive narration designed to reveal the secrets of the seabed and those who explore it.

🧭 Episode 1: Mavericks and visionaries

We start off strong with the thrilling story of ONC’s beginnings—a time when connecting the ocean floor to the Internet was just a dream. In this episode, our hosts Lyne Morissette and Andrew Lewin brings you the voices of three founding figures, pioneers whose vision transformed modern ocean science:

• Kate Moran, President and CEO of ONC
• John Delaney, visionary oceanographer
• Benoit Pirenne, ONC’s Chief Science Officer

🎧 The narrative episode is available on Balad’EAU

🎧 The full interviews can be heard on How to Protect the Ocean Podcast

📅 Launch date: June 8, 2025 — World Oceans Day

📍 Location: Online, on all podcast platforms

🔗 For more information: www.oceannetworks.ca

This series is made possible with support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the University of Victoria.