Shows
Swim ChatsDr Heather Massey on the joys, dangers, and discoveries of cold water swimmingDr Heather Massey is an open water swimmer, a scientist, and a senior lecturer at the University of Portsmouth in the UK. As part of her job she researches the physiological effects of cold water, as well as the risks and potential benefits of cold water swimming. What happens to our body when we get into cold water? What’s the 'cold shock response' and what is 'afterdrop'? Who benefits from cold water, how, and why? How do people survive ‘ice swimming’, including in Antarctica? But most importantly, how can people get into cold water and return home saf...2025-07-221h 01
Swim ChatsHarbourmaster Grant Nalder on swim floats, boats, buoys, and the vital role of communicationWellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder oversees navigation in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. That involves monitoring the movement of vessels (ships, boats, waka, etc.), managing marker buoys, and also, increasingly, looking out for ocean swimmers. On this episode we talk about:- the role of the Harbourmaster- the importance of swimmers being visible to boats (tow floats are mandatory for swimmers who are more than 200m offshore – see the bylaw details below), and also the need for boaties to be aware of swimmers- the near miss one swimmer, who was new to the ar...2025-07-1556 min
Swim ChatsPhil Rush on his record-breaking swims and coaching the next generationsWhat a privilege to spend an hour talking to Phil Rush, a coaching and swimming legend. Here are just some of his open water swim achievements:Record holder for the fastest double and triple English Channel crossings (his triple crossing was 28h 21m, 140km, in 1987)Record holder for the fastest double Cook Strait crossings (only one other person has achieved a double)The first person to complete a double crossing of Lake Taupō (in 1985)10 English Channel crossings and 8 Cook Strait crossingsIn this episode we talk about how endurance swimming has changed over the y...2025-06-241h 09
Swim ChatsKate Camp on her Matariki swim series, sea poetry, and how swimming can be the destinationKate Camp is a poet, author, and ocean swimmer. She's also the organiser of the annual '9 Bays of Matariki' winter swims and the '12 Bays of Christmas' summer swims. In this episode Kate talks about when and how she started sea swimming, the art of quickly changing out of wet togs into warm clothes, and the importance of the swim community. She also reads a poem called 'Freyberg Carpark' – featuring Graham from episode 10! – from her new book, 'Makeshift Seasons' (Te Herenga Waka University Press, 2025).Follow the Matariki swims (or come if you're in Wellington) via...2025-06-1741 min
Swim ChatsJames Groombridge on Coastguard NZ and The Big SwimCoastguard NZ rescues thousands of Kiwis a year and relies on the dedication of its volunteers, who require training and equipment to save lives on the water.Wellington president of Coastguard NZ (and surf lifesaver) James Groombridge talks about The Big Swim, a month-long fundraiser involving swimmers of all ages and abilities. If you're not swimming, you can sponsor a swimmer!Shona's Big Swim page is bigswim.org.nz/s-riddell. Please sponsor me if you can – all funds go to Coastguard NZ.I'm part of The Tridents and together we're swimming 100km – visit our...2025-06-1029 min
Swim ChatsAnn Skelly on painting the sea, mermaid tails, and the many moods of the oceanAnn Skelly is a Waiheke Island artist who creates beautiful seascapes and landscapes that feature the ocean in all its varying moods: dappled and rippled in the sun, fierce and churning, blue and inviting. Shona talked to Ann at the 2025 NZ Art Show, which runs annually in Wellington over King's Birthday weekend.NZ Art Show websiteAnn Skelly on InstagramAnn Skelly on Facebook *In June Shona is taking part in Coastguard NZ's The Big Swim – follow and support The Tridents!2025-06-0231 min
Swim ChatsNicole Miller on filming underwater forests, her new seaweed documentary, and championing our oceansDr Nicole Miller is a Wellington scuba diver who cares deeply about our underwater kelp forests and marine life. She's the Chair of the Friends of Taputeranga Marine Reserve Trust, the former President of Wellington Underwater Club, and the founder of Explore Your Coast, with the goal of filming 70km of Wellington Harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and documenting changes to our coastal ecosystems.In this marine conservation episode we talk about giant kelp, octopuses, creative ways of showing people what's below the surface to raise awareness, protecting what we love, and Nicole's new documentary called Seaweed, a Love...2025-05-2753 min
Swim ChatsGraham Joe on capturing sunrises, providing hot food for cold swimmers, and swimming under the starsGraham Joe is the owner of Gelissimo @ Freyberg, an outdoor cafe/kiosk right next to Freyberg Beach in Wellington. It’s a hub for morning swimmers who congregate there for coffee, scones, porridge and toasties. The post-swim conversations I have there every week, over excellent coffee, were the inspiration for this podcast. Graham started getting in the sea a few years ago after an accident left him in pain and unable to run. He found that getting in the cold water helped his recovery so he kept doing it, slowly building in confidence and distance. Now early swi...2025-05-1344 min
Swim ChatsBrett Richardson on pre-dawn sea swimming, marathon strategies, and the vital role of support crewBrett Richardson is a Wellington swimmer who swam across Cook Strait (Te Moana-o-Raukawa) in 2020 and Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) in 2024. He swims in the ocean year round, often early in the morning – which, in winter, means it’s pitch black in the water (aside from his head torch) from start to finish. In this episode Brett shares how his swimming grew from new-to-ocean-swimming to marathon level, the strategies he incorporates for successful long swims, and the joy of getting in the sea every week – no matter what the weather’s up to. Health and safety note: Bre...2025-05-1054 min
Swim ChatsClarissa Dunn on the symphonies of the oceanClarissa Dunn is a Radio New Zealand Concert presenter, a marriage celebrant, an event MC, a soprano, and an ocean swimmer. She swims to connect with her family and with nature, and it also provides a mental break from her busy life. For her episode, Clarissa had the brilliant idea of making an 'ocean music' playlist on Spotify. I'm still embedded in the '90s hard rock era, so this has opened my mind and I can hear the breaking waves and darting fish in the various pieces of music – you can listen to it here: Clarissa's Oc...2025-04-2238 min
Swim ChatsJohn Hancock on Sir Bernard Freyberg's heroic wartime swim and our annual ANZAC Day tributeOur first 'swim history' episode! Featuring special guest John Hancock, a marathon swimmer and the organiser of this year's ANZAC Day swim in Wellington. In this episode John tells the story of the brave, accomplished, and fascinating Sir Bernard Freyberg who painted himself in black and undertook a stealthy nighttime swim in Gallipoli during World War One. We also discuss a few other notable swimmers in history: John F Kennedy, Kahe Te-Rau-o-te-Rangi, and Mao Zedong. Finally, John Hancock reflects on his own 'big' swims, across Lake Taupō and Cook Strait / Raukawa Moana.Lots of background links for t...2025-04-1143 min
Swim ChatsMelissa Donaldson on exploring the water, changing mindsets, and helping others to experience the joy of swimmingMelissa Donaldson is a marathon swimmer and SwimMastery coach from Brisbane, Australia. When Melissa was approaching 50 and working in the corporate world, she began to swim as a hobby. Within a few years she was swimming 20km-plus distances and trained as a swim coach to help others safely achieve their goals and find joy in swimming. She runs the SwimMastery Swim Studio in Brisbane and continues to explore her own relationship with the water, seeking new challenges and opportunities along the way.SwimMastery: swimmastery.onlineThe SwimMastery Swim Studio in Brisbane2025-04-0950 min
Swim ChatsAdrienne Linney on the Better Beach Babes, being 'cover girls' in our togs, and the beauty of the seaAdrienne Linney is an ocean swimmer, a jewellery maker, and the founder of the Better Beach Babes, a dipping group in Wellington that started three years ago and is now a thriving cold-water community. The BBBs appeared on the cover of the NZ Women's Weekly in August 2022. Adrienne's jewellery is inspired by the colours, textures, and movement of the ocean.'Beach Babes' daring dips': www.nowtolove.co.nz/news/real-life/beach-babes-daring-dips-45905Adrienne Linney Jewellery: www.adriennelinneyjewellery.co.nz2025-03-3031 min
Swim ChatsKaye Mueller on overcoming fear, joyful exploration, and supporting nervous newbiesKaye Mueller is an ocean swimmer and a yoga instructor. She’s the owner of YogiFish, a company that takes people on yoga and swim retreats in beautiful locations. She swims at Goat Island Marine Reserve and is a vibrant, warm and inspiring person – and, as she would probably say, a salty soul.YogiFish website: yogifish.nzGoat Island Marine Reserve: www.goatislandmarine.co.nzTe Kohuroa rewilding project: www.tekohuroarewilding.orgNick Cave's piece on wild swimming: theredhandfiles.com/what-makes-you-happy2025-03-2738 min
Swim ChatsBreanna Ward on marathon and ice swimming, marine conservation, and the awesomeness of sharksBreanna Ward is a marathon swimmer and ocean advocate from Wellington, Aotearoa NZ. She is a Triple Crown swimmer which means she has achieved three extremely challenging water crossings: Raukawa Moana / Cook Strait, Lake Taupō, and Te Ara a Kiwa / Foveaux Strait. Bre swims to raise awareness for ocean conservation, fundraises for marine education, and has a soft spot for sharks. She also runs local Ocean Safety courses to enable us to be 'good' swimmers, in every sense of the word!Here's Bre's blog post about swimming Te Ara a Kiwa: https://still-belowthesurface.blogspot.c...2025-03-1539 min
Swim ChatsToy Saia'ana on learning to swim later in life, navigating grief, and the joy of connectionToy Saia'ana, a Kiwi of Samoan descent, first learned how to swim as an adult. For the past few years she has challenged herself to swim in many different environments (including in choppy seas, in the dark, through winter and without a wetsuit). She is constantly learning, exploring, and helping others. We also talk about swimming through grief and giving ourselves permission to pull back in order to move forwards.For more information about SwimMastery: www.swimmastery.online2025-03-0946 min
Swim ChatsFifi Colston on the thrill of winter dipping, ocean inspiration, and a surprise orca encounterIn this episode Shona chats to Fifi Colston, a Wellington artist, writer, children's book illustrator and costume maker who swims all year round at several of our local Wellington beaches. We talk about getting started, swimming in winter, a close encounter with orcas, and the mental health benefits of swimming. Fifi's website: https://fificreativecom.hosts.sh/Fifi's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/creativefifi2025-02-2445 min
Swim ChatsSwim Chats trailerEvery swimmer has a story to tell. Writer and swimmer Shona Riddell chats to adventure swimmers, winter dippers, marathon swim coaches, marine conservationists and more to find out how they got started and the lessons they've learned along the way. Whether you’re a swimmer yourself, or just interested in stories about the sea and people expanding their comfort zones, you'll enjoy these swim chats. Please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.2025-02-1101 min
The Deep-Sea Podcast039 - Mollusc special with Kerry WaltonWhat do punk snails, turning 40 and Titipo the Little Train have in common? Thats right! The latest episode of the deep-sea podcast.
We might be a little late this month but we’ve packed in as much as we can with this one. We’re covering all the latest deep sea news, including new deep sea habitats, octopus gardens and brand new amphipod species. Plus, we hear from Becca Nicholls about her experiences of working as a woman offshore, and how old superstitions are still very much a thing.
Our very special guest this...2023-09-081h 00
Keeping WatchWomen keepers in the lighthouse serviceWelcome to KEEPING WATCH - a fortnightly podcast for anyone and everyone interested in lighthouses, lighthouse keepers, light vessels and other aids to maritime navigation. This week we discuss the role of women in the lighthouse service. We ask why neither Trinity house nor the NLB ever formally appointed female lighthouse keepers, especially when other lighthouse authorities around the world were happy to do so. And yet several notable female keepers did exist in the UK. Other, smaller lighthouse authorities such as Liverpool's Dock Committee and the Lancaster Port Authority were more enlightened, shall we say. ...2022-12-2645 min
Immerse Yourself in Stories Through Sound With Full AudiobookGuiding Lights: The Extraordinary Lives of Lighthouse Women Audiobook by Shona RiddellListen to this audiobook in full for free onhttps://hotaudiobook.com/freeID: 493073
Title: Guiding Lights: The Extraordinary Lives of Lighthouse Women
Author: Shona Riddell
Narrator: Madeleine Lynch
Format: Unabridged
Length: 05:43:46
Language: English
Release date: 12-06-20
Publisher: Findaway Voices
Genres: History, Biography & Memoir, World, Women
Summary:
Women have a long history of keeping the lights burning, from tending ancient altar flames or bonfires to modern-day lighthouse keeping. Yet most of their stories are little-known. Guiding Lights includes true stories from around the world, chronicling the lives of the extraordinary women who mind the worlds storm-battered towers.
From Hannah Sutton and...2020-12-075h 43