Ep. 90: 76 Days Adrift

Humans have evolved over millions of years to have one overriding goal of staying alive, and the idea of holding one's breath for extremely long periods while diving into the cold and unforgiving depths of the ocean flies directly in the face of that instinct.  Somehow Will Trubridge does exactly that.  Will is an elite freediver with 18 world records and 6 world championships to his name and he travels the world pushing himself physically and mentally to go deeper.  We sit down with Will to talk about what it takes to dive to over 100 meters and the limitations of the human body.  Take a listen!

Ryan "The Brickman" McNaught, has the job that every seven year old would dream of, building elaborate masterpieces from Lego brick!  Starting out in his garage, he has become one of a handful of Lego Certified Professionals and grown his company, Brickman, into a full-time team of designers and builders with multiple exhibitions on display worldwide. He has recreated classic blockbuster movie scenes, historical architecture and modern modes of transportation; but in his new exhibit Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in Lego Bricks, he dives into the world of shipwrecks.  Now on display at Mystic Seaport Museum, the exhibit showcases ships that have succumbed to the deep retold in mini-figs and hundreds of thousands of Lego brick.  Take a listen as we talk with Ryan about his favorite builds and what you can expect to see up close in Mystic. 

Built in 1921 for Arctic exploration, The schooner Bowdoin has been taking explorers, scientists, and students into the high latitudes for more than a century. Throughout her history, the well thought-out design by William Hand Jr. and stout construction by the Hodgdon Yard in Maine provided a safe haven in some of the harshest conditions the earth has to offer. From offshore gales to long winters frozen into the ice, Bowdoin has proved herself over and over again.  Since 1998, Bowdoin has been under the care of the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. However, her second life in academia has not been a retirement from Arctic adventure. On this episode of ATB, we talk with Alex Peacock, the captain and passionate steward of Bowdoin and discuss his recent trip north of the Arctic Circle on MMA's iconic schooner. 

   Lowell's Boat shop has been located on the banks of the Merrimack River in Amesbury Ma. since 1793 and they are credited as the birthplace of the iconic fishing dory.  With over 250,000 constructed over two centuries, the dory played a vital role in America's fishing industry because they were solidly built, inexpensive, could be stacked on deck and most importantly, they could be safely loaded down with a huge catch.    Although, they no longer building dories commercially, the role that Lowell's Boat Shop plays in the modern world is no less important by teaching the techniques and skills to a new crop of boat builders. After seven generations of the shop being owned by a Lowell, Graham McKay has been entrusted in keeping the boat shop's legacy alive. In this episode, we sit down with Graham to discuss the historical significance of Lowell's Boat Shop and why it is relevant in today's world. 

Offshore solo sailing has long been dominated by the French, with 65% of the skippers on the starting line of the Vendée Globe flying the tricolors. And in a sport that has been traditionally sailed by men, making inroads as an American woman can be extremely challenging. But these barriers are not going to stop Erica Lush. With countless miles at sea with legends like Tracy Edwards and Liz Wardly, the local Rhode Islander is over in France training for the Solitaire du Figaro, a multi-stage solo race that is seen as a feeder race for the Vendée Globe. In this episode, we are joined with Erica in-between training races to talk about her experiences that have gotten her to France and what is next in her pursuit to sail around the world.  For more info on Erica and to follow her offshore, jump over to www.lushsailing.com

As the Battle of the Atlantic raged on, the German U-boat fleet wreaked havoc on the Allies.  Boasting superior technology and extended underwater range, the submarines were crippling the Allies' ability to resupply the front lines throughout Eurpoe. For this reason, the US Navy made it a priority to capture a U-boat so they could get a closer look at these advancements and off the coast of Africa in June of 1944, they got their opportunity.  In this episode we are joined by John Llewellyn, a Senior Exhibit Strategist at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry to talk about the capture of U-505 and the museums unique exhibit displaying the captured submarine. 

Ep. 91: The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Shipwrecks like the Edmund Fitzgerald have long captured our attention. Immortalized by Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 hit, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, has secured a place alongside other famous wrecks like the Titanic and Lusitania. But she represents only one of the estimated 6,000 sunken vessels in the five Great Lakes.  The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is dedicated to telling the history of the brave sailors and countless tons of cargo lost to the depths on the world's largest freshwater lakes. In this episode, we sit down with the museum's Executive Director Bruce Lynn to talk about some of the more famous wrecks and what makes the Great Lakes so dangerous.    

76 Days Adrift is a new documentary based on the true story of Steven Callahan as he confronts the insurmountable odds of staying alive long enough to be rescued after his boat sank off the African Coast.  The movie has been captivating packed theaters as it tours the United States and we are joined by the films Executive Director, Rob Sennott, to talk about Steven's harrowing tale and what went into making this film.  

Join Around the Buoy and Latitude Yacht Brokerage for the screening of The Hunt for Red October at the historic Jane Pickens Theater in downtown Newport, Rhode Island. November 7th, 2024 at 7:30pm   More ticket information, visit JanePickens.com

The Lionfish is native to the waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, but in the 90's they mysteriously started appearing off the coast of Florida.  With no natural predator, a veracious appetite and the ability to reproduce at a staggering rate, the Lionfish can now be found as far north as Rhode Island and as far South as Brazil, leaving devastated reefs in their wake.  In this episode, we are joined by Nate and Alex of the Lionfish Extermination Corporation and they are on a mission to keep the Lionfish in check so the beautiful reefs of Southern Florida can be enjoyed by future generations.