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The RMS Republic: The Billion dollar Shipwreck of GOLD The Backstory: The RMS Republic was a White Star Line steam-powered ocean liner built in 1903. In early morning of 23 January 1909, while sailing from New York City to Gibraltar, the Republic was in a collision with SS Florida in 1909 in which she sank in 270 feet of water aprox 70 miles off of Martha's Vineyard. At the time there where multiple reports that she was carrying gold and mixed coin worth $250,000 (in 1909 dollars) to be used as payroll for the US Navy's Great White Fleet. In addition to the US Navy coin-monies shipment, various sources reported on a much larger cargo, $3,000,000 in US gold Double Eagles. Among these, The Washington Post reported, "Three million dollars in gold coins lies in the rotting hulk of the White Star liner Republic, lost off Nantucket in January, 1909. Today, those coins would be worth a Billion Dollars. Captain Martin Bayerle discovered the wreck of the RMS Republic in 1981 and in 1987 he launched a salvage effort. I was the video engineer on the documentary crew of that expedition. The expedition was successful in targeting and excavating their target area, but failed to locate the gold, however. " A perfect landing at the wrong airport…" With new information all these years later, Captain Martin Bayerle finally thinks he knows where the gold is. With its current value, that cargo would be worth over a Billion Dollars. This is a story of shipwreck diving, history, international politics and a life long quest for treasure. In the summer of 2022, Captain Martin Bayerle returns to the site of the RMS Republic and we will be there with him.

Technical Free-diving and shooting underwater scene for AVITAR 2. Interview with Kirk Krack of Performance Free-diving. Kirk discusses the procedure, techniques, physics and physiology of technical free diving. Kirk also discusses how he used technical free to train actors for the underwater sequences in the new AVITAR Feature Film Download past Free-diving episodes with Kirk Krack here: 1.We go "in-depth" and discuss the philology, history and mindset to succeed in the sport of Free-diving 2.Intro to Free-diving with Kirk Krack

Sep 11th 20th Anniversary Episode. Joe and Arielle talk about their recollections from the events of that day. We would like all listeners to share their stories as well. Leave comments, send us an email or an audio file.

Human Factors in Diving: Part 3 "Reducing Error Producing Conditions." We wrap up our Human Factors discussion with Gareth Lock. We discuss error producing conditions, network influence mapping and how to improve learning from incidents. We also preview the upcoming Human Factors in Diving Conference. In Sept 2021 there will be the online Human Factors in Diving Conference. For more info and how to attend goto:

Psycho-Motor Skills Discussion. Interview with Karl Shreeves. Karl is the Director of Training Development at PADI. We discuss psycho-motor skills and how that relates to teaching and performing scuba diving. Psychomotor skills refers to a wide range of actions involving physical movement related to conscious cognitive processing.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychomotor_learning

Human Factors in Diving Psychological Safety and Just Culture: Gareth Lock, author of the book "The Human Diver" talks about the two key concepts in dive safety analysis. Psychological safety and just culture. - Psychological Safety is the belief that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. It’s a shared belief held by members of a team that others on the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish you for speaking up. - Just Culture is a concept related to systems thinking which emphasizes that mistakes are generally a product of faulty organizational cultures, rather than solely brought about by the person or persons directly involved. In a just culture, after an incident, the question asked is, "What went wrong?" rather than "Who caused the problem?". In Sept 2021 there will be the online For more info and how to attend goto:

Human Factors in Diving Part 1: An Introduction Gareth Lock is a retired RAF officer and dive educator who is the Director of "The Human Diver". This is an organization that's mission is to improve the safety and performance of divers thru the study of Human Factors. Human Factors are the physical or cognitive properties of individuals, or social behavior which is specific to humans, and influence functioning of technological systems as well as human-environment equilibria. The safety of diving operations can be improved by reducing the frequency of human error and the consequences when it does occur. Gareth wrote the seminal book on the this topic: Gareth's website is: Human Factors in Diving Conference is:

The Philosophy of Technical Dive Instruction: a discussion We talk with Marissa Eckert and James Draker of Hidden World Diving about: standards, tech diving history, training agencies, cave diving, tech student problems, advanced buoyancy control, gas management, situational awareness and how different instructors teach. For more info about cave and tech training, goto their website. https://www.dive-caves.com/

Interview with Shawn Clark about how he overcame the challenges of Cave Diving when he only has one leg.

TRAINING on the OPTIMA CM: Chest Mounted CCR: PART-2 Training report on the CM w/ Lamar Hires of Dive Rite. On location at Blue Grotto Dive resort in Williston FL. For more info check out: https://www.diverite.com/products/uncategorized/o2ptima-cm/ To join the Optima CM Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/267267033283934

TRAINING on the OPTIMA CM: Chest Mounted CCR PART-1 Training report on the CM w/ Jared Hires of Dive Rite. On location at Royal Springs FL. For more info check out: To join the Optima CM Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/267267033283934

Underwater Cave Photography Discussion of Underwater Cave Photography with Marissa Eckert of Hidden Worlds Diving. For more info about cave diving instruction or to hire Marissa as an underwater photographer contact her at: - - 610-310-8210

Review of the Sidewinder and Sidekick Closed Circuit Rebreather Interview with Doug Ebersole (TDI CCR Instructor Trainer) about the two KISS Sidemounting CCRs For more info: Important UPDATE: Pod Diver Radio is now on Instagram. find us and follow us at @poddiver

Cave Diving Etiquette Interview with Terrence Tysall. Terrence is an renown Explorer, Tech Diving Instructor and is currently the VP of Operations at NAUI Worldwide. We talk about how since the sport of Cave Diving has grown the basics of diving etiquette have seemed to slip. In full disclosure Terrence was also MY cave diving instructor. Important UPDATE: Pod Diver Radio is now on Instagram. find us and follow us at @poddiver

Interview with Cardiologist Doug Ebersole MD talks about PFOs (Patent Foramen Ovale) which is a suspected risk factor for DCS (Decompression Sickness). PFO is a relatively benign cardiac defect that creates a passage in a wall that normally separates the left and right upper chambers of the heart. PFO is found in about 25 percent of adults. If gas bubbles form after a dive, the venous bloodstream will carry them to the right side of the heart. In divers with PFO, the bubbles could pass through the opening, bypassing the lungs and theoretically putting the diver at an increased risk of decompression sickness (DCS). For info about the study. https://dan.org/alert-diver/article/study-update-pfo/

Sub Surface Ecology in the Underwater Caves of the Rivera Maya Interview with Dr David Brankovits PhD about the cave ecology and the food web in the underwater caves of the Yucatan Peninsula. Dr Brankovits is a Cave Diver and Biogeochemist. In his aquatic cave field work, he has made important discoveries of the food webs of underwater caves. He is currently working at Texas A&M University. Also he an expert in Marina Chemistry and an investigator for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. His paper on anchialine fauna from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, can downloaded here:

Shipwreck Diving the Warships of Guadalcanal Exploration Leader Terrence Tysall recounts the expedition to the World War 2 shipwrecks of Guadalcanal. Terrence discusses the history of the battle and the diving technology required to dive shipwreck in the 450fsw depth range. We also discuss the genius of a plan to go back to Guadalcanal...... The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal consisted of a series of sea engagements related to the Japanese effort to reinforce their land forces on Guadalcanal. The Japanese under Admiral Yamamoto Isoruku organized a convoy, embarking 7,000 troops. In conjunction with their troop landings, Japanese naval forces were to bombard US Marines in order to destroy U.S. aircraft that posed a threat to the Japanese ship movements. Ultimately, U.S. naval forces prevented the Japanese bombardment and sank most of the enemy troop transports. The only two U.S. Navy flag officers (Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan, Rear Admiral Norman Scott) to be killed in a World War II surface engagement were lost in this battle. Two U.S. light cruisers, four destroyers, and 35 aircraft were lost; three destroyers were damaged. The Japanese lost two battleships, one heavy cruiser, three destroyers, eleven transports, and 64 aircraft. Japan’s defeat also ended the enemy’s final significant attempt to dislodge the Allied forces in the eastern Solomons.

The OPTIMA CM: Chest Mounted CCR Interview w/ Lamar Hires of Dive Rite about the development and applications of Dive Rite's new chest mounted CCR. For more info check out: On Facebook:

CAVE DIVE DISCUSSION at the Pod Diver Lodge. Interview with Woody and Gus of the DIVE TALK podcast. The guys came down for a week of diving in North Florida Cave Country and they stayed at the Pod Diver Lodge. Check out there podcast at: Check the YouTube Channel: For more info about staying at the Pod Diver Lodge goto: