I sometimes find myself think about odd topics that have nothing to do with anything that I am doing, but yet these questions still swirl around in my head... So, on this week's episode, I'm exploring what constitutes as long distance between whales. A massive spoiler alert: there are absolutely no useful answers in my episode, BUT rather a philosophical debate and a bit of insight of how my mind works... Tune in anywhere you get your podcasts!

I love open water swimming for so many reasons! And if my previous episodes about the deep - freezing cold - blue did not convince you to give it a go, maybe this week's episode will. This week I'll explore some of the health benefits of open water swimming, both physical and mental health benefits. As always: When in doubt stay out! Before engaging in any physical activity, please consult with your medical doctor, GP! Anywhere you get your podcasts!

Whale watching season is upon us and I want to share some tips and tricks with you on how to make sure you're keeping safe and have a lovely time out and about! Tuning in anywhere you get your podcasts!

Did you ever notice that people get very emotional when it comes to anything ocean? It can be difficult to make sound decisions about ocean-related issues when emotions are high and in some cases, this can be very dangerous. On this week's episode I talk about a recent whale stranding and how three camps of people started a discussion of what should, can, and cannot be done in this instance and there is a lot of parallels from this to decision-making processes in the marine space in general. Tune in, anywhere you get your podcasts!

Last week I talked about what to do to keep dolphins and whales comfortable when they beach themselves and the likelihood of survival is slim. In this week's episode I want to talk about how to ensure a successful refloat of dolphins - if the animal is 1. healthy and 2. and you are able to assist safely. The mantra for anything ocean related: When in doubt, stay out! Anywhere you get your podcast:

For most people, seeing a whale or a dolphin is a memory of a lifetime. Sadly, sometimes whales and dolphins beach themselves and having seen them frolicking in the ocean, our gut-instinct could be trying to get them back into the water immediately. However, in most cases, when a whale or a dolphin beaches themselves, there is a reason and that may be that they're sick or old and trying to get them back into the water could actually create more stress on them. So in this week's episode I'll be talking to you through what to do when you come across a dolphin or whale that is still alive but that will most likely not survive. Please be advised that this subject may require careful consideration when listening with children. The mantra of anything ocean related is always: When in doubt stay out! Anywhere you get your podcast:

I always wonder what to do on days where it's really nice but I have little going on - one of my favourite activities is to head towards the coast, sit down with snacks and binoculars and look for marine animals. At the moment the basking sharks are back in Cork waters and I couldn't let the opportunity pass without trying to see them for myself... Spoiler alert: I didn't find any, but that's not to say that land watches for marine mammals isn't a super exciting activity suitable for anyone! P.S. the video is from my most recent land watches with the sea otter slowly swimming along... Find out more here:

I can't smell underwater, so I never really thought about fish smelling underwater... So, on this week's episode that is what I'll be exploring - can fish smell underwater? And this is the article I was referring to: https://daily.jstor.org/will-fish-lose-their-sense-of-smell-in-acidic-oceans/#:~:text=Unlike%20humans%20who%20don't,and%20even%20locate%20spawning%20grounds.

Have you ever wondered why beaches smelled so beachy? In today's episode, you'll find out! Also, if you find a way of bottling this up, LET ME KNOW!

A few weeks before Christmas, I've received a lovely gift in the mail: A book titled The Eloquence of the Sardine written by the lovely Bill François! The second I had a chance to chat to Bill I jumped onto it and I promise you, you'll love this conversation as much as I did. Bill and I chatted about his amazing work in marine science and his amazing gift of marine story telling! Tune in anywhere you listen! You can get his book here: US edition : Eloquence of the Sardine (macmillan.com) UK edition : The Eloquence of the Sardine by Bill Francois | Hachette UK And a link to my fish-related podcast:  Petit Poisson deviendra... Podcast | Ausha Instagram: @billfrancois24

Have you ever wondered how divers can go deep and how they stay down there when as a swimmer, the water will nearly keep you feeling weightless at the surface? On today's episode I'll be exploring that weightlessness and buoyancy and why it's important to have neutral buoyancy while diving. Tune in anywhere you get your podcasts!

It is international women's day! Today I want to honour all the ocean-women that have come before me and that will follow me but to do that, we need to recognise that women have been very much underappreciated in the marine field. So on today's episode I will be talking about some of the issues that may arise when women aren't included in the decision making process. Tune in anywhere you get your podcasts!

Have you ever wondered what crypto markets are and how you could use crypto currency to support marine conservation projects? I never knew that was a possibility until I spoke to Jimmy and Christian from the Crypto Coral Tribe. On this week's episode, I am interviewing two founders of the Crypto Coral Tribe that graciously and patiently answered all my questions about crypto currency, the ins and outs of digital marine inspired art, and how crypto currency can support digital artists inspired by the ocean! You can find out more about the Crypto Coral Tribe and connect with them here: Website: https://www.cryptocoraltribe.io/ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/B4MJcX72g9 Medium: https://medium.com/@cryptocoraltribe Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoralTribeNFT LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crypto-coral-tribe Listen anywhere you get your podcasts! P.S.: The amazing art work on this week's SoMe is from João Queiroz (Twitter handle is @Q1R0Z).

If you've been to a beach lately (in the cold spring-days) and you've watched people going for a swim, you'll be familiar with all the gasping and shocked reactions of people entering the water. It's a concert of shrieking, no matter how resilient these people are, they will always gasp for air - why is that? In this week's episode, I'll talk about the cold shock and what it does to your body when you go open water swimming. As with every physical activity, please consult with your doctor before engaging! Listen anywhere:

I recently learned that it is not common knowledge that whales store carbon... A huge gap in knowledge, if you ask me, and something I failed to address all these times I talked about whales so far... So, on this week's episode let's talk about it! Why are whales the most awesome animals on this planet? Simple, because they are smart, resourceful, resilient, beautiful, and are a key player in ensuring our collective wellbeing! In this week's episode, I'll be talking about how whales store carbon! Some of the information I talk about, can be found here: Aquablog Tune in anywhere!

Why are we addressing climate action, ocean action, biodiversity - and really anything environmental - in a siloed approach? The reality is that they are all interconnected, but yet they are often portrayed like separate issues. In this week's episode, I'm tackling why we need to talk about these issues in a holistic way! Tune in anywhere you get your podcasts!

Have you ever been woken up by a jackhammer hammering along right outside your window early in the morning and thought to yourself - what awful thing is this? Now imagine you are underwater and you don't know where that noise is coming from, you don't know why that noise is even happening, and what to do to get away from it? That is what our lovely gentle giants are experiencing a lot and it's not exactly like they can put on ear plugs and go on their merry way. So in this week's episode I'll be talking about noise pollution, why we need to consider it and why it's a massive issue in the underwater world. I'll also be talking about the difference between sound and noise and why you should care! Tune in, anywhere you get your podcasts:

What are marine ecosystem services? I asked myself that question quite a bit - turns out there are direct (such as fish and marine energy) and indirect (such as carbon sequestration and wellbeing) ecosystem services from the marine space. In this week's episode I'll talk about why marine ecosystem services are so important to anyone - regardless of if you live close to the ocean or not and why they are so difficult to manage. Tune in, anywhere you get your podcasts:

We speak so often of the importance of developing technology - particularly when we talk about building a green or sustainable economy. But what is the role of technology in a blue economy? In this week's episode I dive into the importance of prioritising sustainable development in order to enable technology development rather than focussing on developing technology to achieve sustainable development. You may think me mad - but I believe there is an important difference and one that doesn't get talked about too often. Join me, anywhere you get your podcasts.

The interest in the blue economy has sky-rocketed over the last few years and will gain more momentum in the years to come as we are learning more about the ocean and realising its importance in terms of climate change and in terms of creating a sustainable future. In this week's episode I will touch upon a few issues that need to be addressed when thinking about a blue economy - what does it mean and who is it for? And what marine activities are actually included in the blue economy? This episode will only provide small insights into the blue economy and for anyone interested - it's a starting point on how to create a sustainable and just ocean future.