Speaking Sidemount with Steve Davis

27/07/2025

It's Live!! Great to bring you Episode 110 with the support of XDEEP.

In this episode, I interview Anand Chandra Sekaran, and we go back to our roots, discussing the fundamentals of what it takes to be good in sidemount and how to progress to become a sidemount instructor.

Anand is a PADI Course Director based in Malaysia, who shares his journey from a small town in Malaysia to becoming a diving instructor, sidemount and cave diver. Anand discusses his early fascination with underwater exploration, the transition to sidemount diving, and the importance of effective instructor training.

We delve further into the intricacies of sidemount diving, discussing various aspects such as cylinder types, gas management, the significance of proper buoyancy, weighting awareness, and the integration of tech diving principles into instructor training. Our discussion also emphasises the need for instructors to be well-versed in sidemount techniques and the importance of continuous practice and adaptation in different diving environments.

Massive thanks to:
Our sponsor XDEEP - https://www.xdeep.eu/
Anand Chandra Selaran - https://www.antigravitydiving.com/

Get a copy of the Sidemount Pros Fundamentals eBook - https://www.sidemountpros.com/store
Send me a DM for a 15% discount code to the video courses at Steve Martin’s www.sidemounting.com

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/nG_PtE1tFog?si=dfNAnL2WiWsECOnx
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3z145Jk9H3CkUChDRQAvRv?si=effad20412584826
Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e110-back-to-our-roots-the-fundamentals-of-sidemount-diving/id1430566498?i=1000719199554
Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

In this episode of Speaking Sidemount, brought to you by XDEEP, Steve Davis interviews Anand Chandra Sekaran, a PADI Course Director based in Malaysia, who s...

28/06/2025

Episode 109 is live through the support of XDEEP and our patrons. Massive thanks for the support :)!!

In this episode, I catch up with Xavi P Tapia of the Art of Divng based in the Dominican Republic. Xavi shares his journey from his beginnings in the Galapagos Islands to establishing his dive center, "The Art of Diving" in the Dominican Republic.

Xavi discusses the philosophy behind The Art of Diving and the importance of mentorship and continuous learning in the diving community. The conversation also addresses the challenges of adapting to various diving conditions, particularly cold-water diving, and the importance of safety and proper training in the sport.

Xavi shares his insights on the importance of learning in diving, the beauty and challenges of diving in the Dominican Republic, and the ongoing conservation efforts to protect the underwater environment. He emphasizes the need for divers to adopt a student mindset, the unique diving experiences available in the Dominican Republic, and the significance of maintaining safe diving practices and preserving the natural beauty of the caves.

Cheers
Steve

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/3Rjjpsepn-k?si=ej8zg1Cc_mbkk5mE
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tdoKh6WN8wj6YtzQE0yxX?si=d8b8eea39bfe4b09
Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e109-the-art-of-diving-with-xavi-p-tapia/id1430566498?i=1000714874972
Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

Thanks to Xavi p Tapia


Our Show Sponsor XDEEP - https://www.xdeep.eu/

Sidemount Pros Fundamentals eBook - https://www.sidemountpros.com/store

Dominican Republic Speleological Society (DRSS)

In this episode of Speaking Sidemount, brought to you by XDEEP, host Steve Davis welcomes Xavi P. Tapia, a cave diver and instructor from Ecuador, who shares...

21/06/2025

26/05/2025

It's out... Episode 108 is live with Nick DeRutter of the Dive Saga YouTube Channel. I have an awesome conversation with Nick about his work, the ethos of Dive Saga, and how he puts his super compelling diving episodes together. We discuss his recent epic four-part series on the Bottom Line exploration project of Boh Yai Mines with Mikko Paasi, Patrick Widmann, Naomi Allen, et al, including the tragic earthquake that occurred while they were on one of the dives. You can check it out using the links below.

We would like to give a special mention and thanks to our show sponsor, XDEEP, and the patrons who support the show and make this content possible.

Cheers
Steve

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/Yrf0SmpzEgw?si=P9Geaxz6zh6eZ-Fp
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/39JrquevcATwZ2jMSvxrIk?si=4ef1ef4ffb1145db
Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e108-nick-derutter-dive-saga/id1430566498?i=1000709934876
Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

Thanks to Nick DeRutter
Dive Saga Channel - https://www.youtube.com/
Image Credit and Thanks - Carolina Wells Dive Wells photography, https://www.instagram.com/divewells/
Our Show Sponsor XDEEP - https://www.xdeep.eu/
Sidemount Pros Fundamentals eBook - https://www.sidemountpros.com/store

It's great to bring you Episode 108 of Speaking Sidemount, the podcast dedicated to sidemount diving and cave diving. Huge thanks to our show sponsor, XDEEP....

21/05/2025

A short clip of my conversation with Nick DeRutter of Dive Saga on Episode 108 of the Speaking Sidemount podcast, now available on early release for patrons via Patreon. See the link to access.

27/04/2025

Hey, great to bring you Episode 107 with Stratis Kas and Lionel Wolowitz. Huge thanks to XDEEP for sponsoring Speaking Sidemount.

In this episode, I catch up with Stratis Kas and Lionel Wolovitz. You may remember Stratis has been on the show twice before to discuss his cave exploration in Greece and his book "Close Calls". The latter proved somewhat prophetic, as Stratis recently experienced an Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE) following a series of "deepish", long-duration sidemount CCR dives in Mexico. The incident was life-threatening, and Stratis credits his dive buddies, Lionel and Ruben, along with the medical teams in Playa del Carmen, with saving his life.

In my conversation with Stratis and Lionel, we discussed the trip, the dives leading up to the incident, and the incident itself. Stratis recounts his thought processes and mistakes and then reflects on the incident. He then hands over to Lionel, who gives his account of the rescue, what they saw, how they cared for Stratis, and the terrifying transfer to the hospital and medical/chamber treatment.

Stratis and Lionel are incredibly open about the mistakes and why they feel these happened. They share the lessons learned and how we all can take something from this incident.

As a postscript, following the recording of this episode, Stratis went to DAN Europe for testing, discovering he has a Type 3 PFO that will require surgery before he can return to diving. The PFO was likely causal in the DCI incident; now, questions remain around the other factors and how they may have contributed to the incident. More to come...Enjoy Steve

Thanks to Stratis and Lionel
Image Credit - Joram Mennes
Our Show Sponsor XDEEP - https://www.xdeep.eu/
Sidemount Pros Fundamentals eBook - https://www.sidemountpros.com/store

Lionel mentioned the RescuEAN Pod, which would have made a significant difference in their rescue efforts - more here: https://www.rescuean.com/

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/2HnBwrKarlw?si=vF7KMuQQbu6TCQG1
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/19FqPPe9t5wWzrcqhBUc0y?si=60c818ce4c414381
Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e107-stratis-kas-lionel-wolovitz-a-dive-gone-wrong/id1430566498?i=1000705046663
Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

Hey, great to bring you Episode 107 with Stratis Kas and Lionel Wolowitz. Huge thanks to XDEEP for sponsoring Speaking Sidemount.In this episode, I catch up ...

20/04/2025

Get more from Speaking Sidemount with Steve Davis on Patreon

20/04/2025

The opening to Episode 107 with Stratis Kas sharing on his recent Type II DCS incident in Mexico. Available on early release to patrons of Speaking Sidemount. Check it out.

28/03/2025

We are Live... episode 106 Maria Bollerup on the stunning Expedition Buteng is out with the support of XDEEP. Huge thanks to XDEEP for their support of this podcast that makes it all possible.

In this episode Steve interviews Maria Bollerup. Maria is one of the world's most passionate diver/explorers. Along with her dive partner Rannva Joermundsson, Maria heads Nixie Expeditions an explorer group focused on combining dive exploration with conservation, science, and education.

Steve and Maria discuss Maria's journey into diving, and her experiences with various expeditions, including the all-female Expedition Xunaan with Robbie Schmittner. They discuss the learnings from Xunaan Ha and how this was the genesis of the ambitious Expedition Buteng in Indonesia.

This episode focuses on Expedition Buteng, how it was conceived, the planning and work that brought the expedition together, and the absolute"dream team" Maria and Rannva assembled. The conversation highlights the importance of mentorship, teamwork, community engagement, and the role of science in diving. Maria shares insights on the challenges of planning and executing large-scale expeditions, the significance of conservation efforts, and the need to inspire future generations of divers.

Enjoy, Steve

Follow the links below to watch or listen.

Huge thanks again to our sponsor XDEEP www.xdeep.eu
To Maria Bollerup - https://nixie-expeditions.com/
And our patrons of the show who support our production via patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/speakingsidemount

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/aRzx5IwSdkY
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YmhZZ9pYTCyoBV5p8HgqL?si=6gi97U2MQbWHblCujSPWZQ
Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speaking-sidemount/id1430566498
Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

In this episode of Speaking Sidemount, produced with the support of XDEEP, Steve interviews Maria Bollerup. Maria is one of the world's most passionate diver...

23/03/2025

Episode 106, Maria Bollerup on the Stunning Expedition Buteng, is available early for patron supporters of Speaking Sidemount.

Huge thank you to our sponsor XDEEP for their support of this podcast.

Expedition Buteng to the caves of Pulau Muna, Sulawesi was more than two years in the making and incorporated cave exploration, survey and mapping, scientific work, educating the local community on the aquifer, and global live sessions to schools to educate and inspire the next generation of conservationists and explorers.

Check out the link to watch or listen -

Get more from Speaking Sidemount with Steve Davis on Patreon

27/02/2025

Episode 105 with Ben Reymenants is out with the support of our show sponsor XDEEP.

Ben has a hell of a story from his early deep-air diving to becoming a Tech instructor, exploring the Blue Holes including recounting the many bodies he encountered to... a totally new view of the Thai Cave Rescue.

We get into all of that plus muse on the importance of sharing close calls, tech diving manuals, skills practice and the CCR Cave course.

Follow the links below to watch or listen.

Cheers
Steve

Huge thanks to our sponsor XDEEP www.xdeep.eu

To Ben Reymenants - www.bluelabeldiving.com
Ben is supported by:
XDEEP, Fourth Element, Seacraft, and Divesoft

Thanks & Image Credit - Pekka Tuuri

And our patrons of the show who support our production via patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/speakingsidemount

To watch and listen:
Sidemount Pros YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/sm8cVSyj9Tw?si=qx6mV7M2xBXMPvFX

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vgkZYvgNBN9QWhjCyDubj?si=22030c17bc994a3a

Apple Podcasts (Audio Only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e105-ben-reymenants-a-life-in-diving/id1430566498?i=1000696261215

Or on the Sidemount Pros website (Video & Audio) https://www.sidemountpros.com/speakingsidemountpodcast

In this episode brought to you by XDEEP, Ben Reymenants shares his extensive diving journey, from his early experiences in the murky waters of Belgium to bec...