…but where would they live?
Jessy was my whole life. I never knew anything different than Jessy. That’s what my parents called me, that’s what my family and friends called me, that’s how I wrote my own name, that’s who I was. Jessy. With a Y. But one day, there was no Y anymore. I’d like to say it happened... Continue Reading →
Like a phoenix - that's how you want to soar.High above the clouds.High above anyone. High above anything.But I am here, gravity pulling me down into the darkness, shackles slowly tearing me down.Where have you been? Where have you gone? Where are you now?I hear myself calling for you in the darkest corners of my... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
For so many years, I've been idly standing by while you make your choices. I know from the get-go that your choice will not last and I tell you as much and you seem receptive and then you still go ahead and make the same choice over and over again. You keep asking me why... Continue Reading →
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.... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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,... Continue Reading →
As I lay awake at night, breathing heavy, I catch a glimpse of the night sky and my mind starts to wander. They say to keep sorrow for the daylight – what a thing to say but it’s true, the world feels less heavy when there’s a buzz of daily routines around. I tend to... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Step away with me. Talk to me. Just a word. A whisper. A word. Anything. Just step away with me. Try to see it through my eyes. As is. Not as you want it to be. Just look. Take your eyes away from whatever imaginary fairy tale you concocted. Step away. Just for a moment... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Why are we addressing ocean action, climate 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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
The other day, for the first time in a very long time I was able to breathe freely. Exhale and inhale without any heavy burden on my shoulders. Stretching, like a sun-flower, towards the sun and water at the same time, just unleashing all the aches and pains that have troubled me for much longer... Continue Reading →
2022 is full of promises, full of best wishes, full of energy and productivity - maybe too much already? So, in this first episode of the new year, I'm going to reflect on why I started the podcast in the first place and come back to my beloved ocean-based roots! More ocean content is going... Continue Reading →
It takes me 4-5 times as long to figure out anything which may take others only a few minutes, that's just how I am wired and I am okay with that because I will calculate that time into my own targets. But it can be challenging when you're asked to do a task and have... Continue Reading →
We're coming into the reflective season and I used the opportunity to reflect on my family ties and take stock on my personal relationships! In this week's episode I talk about my family relationships and why they are so important to my learning abilities and growing abilities. While I get deeply personal, I think there... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered why so many runners have frequent pasta parties and how you can get invited to one? No? Well, me neither until I got to go to a pasta party and let me tell you, it was GLORIOUS! In this week's episode we'll go a bit deeper into some things to consider... Continue Reading →
One of the first words that many children learn is "no" - as a safety mechanism mostly and to protect them but sometimes it doesn't stop there and we say no to an awful lot of things that we are actually fully capable of! So, on today's episode, I am exploring the art of saying... Continue Reading →
I love the ocean and open water swimming is really something that will make you feel alive! So on today's episode I'll explore open water swimming - part 2 (or swimming in the ocean in the winter...). It's gotten cold, which means less people are less out and it gets darker much sooner, so there... Continue Reading →
Have you ever looked in a room and thought to yourself, "whoa, everyone looks the same here"? Be it the way people dress or behave or where they come from... It can make you feel really isolated and really lonely, especially when you feel like you may not fit in! For most of my upbringing... Continue Reading →
I cannot tell you how many times I was asked to finish (or start) a task and had absolutely no clue what to do or how to do it and it sometimes made me doubt my own ability to do anything and with that all the small voices came creeping in that I may not... Continue Reading →
Sometimes I find myself stuck in a rut and everything just becomes way too much and does not feel fulfilling at all, be it a personal routine, a personal relationship, a professional relationship, or the place you work at... And of course, sometimes I wonder if I should just stop it all and walk away... Continue Reading →
I've been told countless times that reading academic papers is boring and dull - especially new students are often overwhelmed by the world jumble that is thrown at them for them to make sense of it all and it is exhausting! In this week's episode I'll share some tips and tricks on how to read... Continue Reading →
We have all been in a situation where we knew we had to make a good first impression or we met someone who did not make a good first impression. It's not rare that the first impression may not be the best but you end up being great colleagues or friends. But how do you... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered why there were so many academic conferences and who attends all of these? And also - why do academics go to all of these? In this week's episode we explore academic conferences, why they are important, and who should attend them, and when to maybe not to attend...
All I ever wanted was to be a writer, but lately words don't come easy. I knew I wanted to write the second I learnt how to read. Books were my escape, even at a young age - I loved the idea of creating a magical space and time where people like me could just... Continue Reading →
When I was younger, I loved the idea of going to the circus. In fact, I don't actually think I went all that often, but it was one of these magical experiences in my mind. It was never about the animals, but what I absolutely loved were the people and their ability to do things... Continue Reading →
These days it sometimes seems like everyone is a specialist - but what about all of us (including me) who are generalists who like to know a little bit about everything? There is a place for all of us in this world! In this week's episode, I explore what a generalist is and how they... Continue Reading →
I absolutely love any water-based activities, no matter how terrifying they seem to some and believe me, this week's episode has some terrifying moments in it. Over the summer, I joined the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) on one of their sailing trips on the Celtic Mist. This was my second time around and... Continue Reading →
Have you ever received feedback and thought to yourself - what on earth was that? Well, I've been at the receiving end of that more times than I care to remember and there was a time in my life where I would have taken any feedback as a critique on my personal being. And of... Continue Reading →
The fear of missing out (FOMO) is that feeling you get when you at one place but wish you were some place else and while you are in that place, you are unable to enjoy yourself or really take in what is happening. While most of us think of this in the context of being... Continue Reading →
When I was 14, I made the decision to become a fashion designer/seamstress, thinking that I found my calling and that one day I would be the next Vivian Westwood. Spoiler alert: that didn't quite happen (yet?!). I worked in a theatre for about 4 weeks, clocked 38.5 hours per week and made a whopping... Continue Reading →
As we are all taking a few much-needed days off, it is important to reflect on how you take leave! You may have heard the buzzword "ecotourism" thrown around quite a bit, but what does that actually mean and how far do you have to travel to really be an ecotourist? Turns out, not that... Continue Reading →
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a tiny voice in your head told you that you don't have the skills, experience, or knowledge to participate in a conversation? Did it ever feel like anyone else around you knew much more and was much better equipped to respond to questions and make comments... Continue Reading →
My image of surfers is quite stereotypical - carefree, lots of abs, and salty hair... Turns out, I was half right. In this week's episode I explore the ins and outs of surfing, talking about the board itself and what you should do in theory to be able to stand on a board... P.S. if... Continue Reading →
Being beach-smart is important - in this week's episode I'll discuss rip currents and how you can stay safe in the water. As with any physical activity, please consult your GP or medical doctor before engaging in any physical and/or water related activity. Disclaimer: I use riptide and rip current interchangeably, as I am sure... Continue Reading →
As the weather's heating up (and with that the urge to go to the ocean becomes stronger), I want to explore snorkeling with you! It's one of my favourite ocean-related activities because you don't need much experience, all you need is a snorkel and a mask and you're good to go! So on this week's... Continue Reading →
A bird loves a fish 