This week we’re back with an amazing guest – Becky Schott! Becky is an incredible underwater photographer and videographer and is well known for her work shooting everywhere from remote caves and deep cold water wrecks, and even inside of glaciers.
I can't be the only one that really enjoyed James' headlight rant at the top of the show! haha It is one of the main things that drives me insane while driving.
Loved the show guys! Glad the supporter move has been worthwhile! I signed up without hesitation.
James, I’ve been baffled the past few years driving at night. I used to get behind people with lights off and flash my brights at them to help out, but I’ve come to the conclusion they actually think they’re on. Newer cars have very bright DRLs in the front and interior lights are brighter on the “day mode” to overcome sunlight. If the auto headlight switch is turned off, they may be driving the car with lights off from the moment they leave the dealership. The giveaway is when you see the driver’s face lit up from the bright dash lights.
Daylight savings time sure doesn’t help the situation!
If you enjoyed The Martian, book or movie, I would recommend his other book - Hail Mary. If you choose the Audible version of the book your kids will likely get into it as well, mine did.
What an absolute belter of an episode. Didn't know Becky Schott before but I'm a huge fan now. James, your brother and wife have great taste, both American Gods and the Secret History are a ton of fun. My two cents:
- Piranesi by Susannah Clarke. An enchanting and mysterious novel about someone whose entire world is a house of enormous, endlessly repeating halls. The less you know going into it the better.
- Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household. Along with The 39 Steps (by a former governor-general of Canada!) one of the best "hunted man" thrillers. Just before WWII, an English gentleman-hunter stumbles upon an unnamed European dictator's country retreat. He takes a shot at him, misses, and is captured, tortured and left for dead. All within the first five or so pages. The rest is him on the run. Utterly gripping.
- Code of the Woosters, or any collection of Jeeves stories by P.G. Wodehouse. The funniest-ever writer in the English language.
Escape From Lucania by David Roberts is one of my all-time favorite non-fiction reads. Synopsis from the publisher:
"In 1937, Mount Lucania was the highest unclimbed peak in North America. Located deep within the Saint Elias mountain range, which straddles the border of Alaska and the Yukon, and surrounded by glacial peaks, Lucania was all but inaccessible. The leader of one failed expedition deemed it "impregnable." But in that year, a pair of daring young climbers would attempt a first ascent, not knowing that their quest would turn into a perilous struggle for survival. Escape from Lucania is their remarkable story."
I am sure driving without lights has become more common due to very bright DRLs on modern cars. Great episode, wasn't aware of Becky but well worth a follow as you mentioned and an interesting discussion.
You should check out B.S Levy's The Last Open Road. It is about a young man growing up in the early 1950s and learning about life through wrenching on sports cars of the era while traveling around the East Coast of the US to various car races.
I had been waiting for an episode about UW photography. Thanks for this episode! I recently upgraded my DSLR to a Sony Alpha 7iii. I also purchased myself a Christmas present; a SeaFrogs UW Housing. I read that a dome-shaped front of the housing is not only needed for shots that are half above / half under water, but also have benefits of allowing additional light into the housing, thus allowing for use of a slightly lower ISO (compared to a traditional housing barrel). Can anyone comment on using the domes for underwater photos? Is it worth the extra bulk and cost? I plan on doing shipwreck photos in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.
The big dome is handy for split shots and for wide angle/close focus stuff, but they are very bulky and prone to bumps and scratches (especially more affordable plastic domes). On our Sony A7 (Mk1) setup, we use a fisheye lens with a small dome that is quite compact. Has been our go-to for wrecks, reefs, and photos where you want to see a diver up close but also get the background. You can get a little distortion with this approach but nothing that can't be corrected in post. Over/under split shots are fun, but I wouldn't buy a dome specifically for that purpose, especially if you're doing most diving in the Lakes. I think the lower ISO argument is fairly negligible too, especially since modern cameras like the A7 can still produce sharp photos at higher ISOs.
Thanks for the great content. I would strongly recommend checking out the the SS Thistlegorm ship wreck in Egypt. It was a British armed Merchant Navy ship built in 1940 . She was sunk by German bombers on 6 October 1941 near Ras Muhammad in the Red Sea and is now a well known diving site. In my opinion , it is one of the most historic and amazing wreck dives. Also check out the book written by John Kean about it , very interesting book with amazing history and underwater photography. I know John personally and had the pleasure to dive with him before , and he would make for a very interesting candidate for an interview on the show. you can talk to him for hours without getting bored and the guy is big on technical diving and ship wreck exploration. He is also very approachable and down to earth
For books, I usually go between sci-fi and "business" non-fiction, so if anyone feels strongly about those, I can offer a handful, but since those tend to have niche followings you're probably not asking about those genres.
Instead I'll give a strong recommendation for The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. It's a period novel, in Russia, and the devil is a main character. It's so sharp, very entertaining read!
With a ton of movies hitting this holiday season this one may have passed under the radar. I haven't watched it yet but it is sitting in my que and I am looking forward to it. Becoming Cousteau is a new documentary on Disney+ about the life and career of Cousteau. 98% on the Tomatometer. Really looking forward to this one.
I just watched 14 Peaks and was blown away. As a mountaineer (on a smaller scale...) I cannot imagine doing climbs so close to each other. But, the part that spoke the loudest was that the Nepalese people are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I do find it interesting that our local mountaineering hero, Ed V., did not show up to provide comment.
James - I just finished reading "The Perfect Storm." Starts out slow (hanging out at the bar, shopping for the trip), but really builds into a crescendo. Certainly fits into the water based themes of this podcast or Jason's book. It's been years since I saw the movie, but the book goes into a lot more detail about what was going on at the time.
I must admit that when she described how, when diving in the glacier, her diving equipment started to fail and break because of the extreme cold, the Seiko diver strapped to her arm and encased in ice continued to work and keep time, I chuckled aloud and looked at my own SPB143 lovingly and thought to myself "now that's real world testing!"
Great episode- you guys ran a tight interview and Becky was a delight to listen to.
For a book recommendation, James, I have a science fiction book that uses a very interesting and thought-provoking plot device, very unlike typical SF. "The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August" by Claire North. I couldn't put it down the first and second time I read it. Fast paced and engrossing, but also makes you think. An easy to read, enjoyable vacation book.
I can't be the only one that really enjoyed James' headlight rant at the top of the show! haha It is one of the main things that drives me insane while driving.
Loved the show guys! Glad the supporter move has been worthwhile! I signed up without hesitation.
James, I’ve been baffled the past few years driving at night. I used to get behind people with lights off and flash my brights at them to help out, but I’ve come to the conclusion they actually think they’re on. Newer cars have very bright DRLs in the front and interior lights are brighter on the “day mode” to overcome sunlight. If the auto headlight switch is turned off, they may be driving the car with lights off from the moment they leave the dealership. The giveaway is when you see the driver’s face lit up from the bright dash lights.
Daylight savings time sure doesn’t help the situation!
I see people doing this almost anytime I drive at night. It's been going on for at least a few years if not longer.
I've also seen people in older cars without DRLs driving around with no lights on at all at night.
If you enjoyed The Martian, book or movie, I would recommend his other book - Hail Mary. If you choose the Audible version of the book your kids will likely get into it as well, mine did.
What an absolute belter of an episode. Didn't know Becky Schott before but I'm a huge fan now. James, your brother and wife have great taste, both American Gods and the Secret History are a ton of fun. My two cents:
- Piranesi by Susannah Clarke. An enchanting and mysterious novel about someone whose entire world is a house of enormous, endlessly repeating halls. The less you know going into it the better.
- Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household. Along with The 39 Steps (by a former governor-general of Canada!) one of the best "hunted man" thrillers. Just before WWII, an English gentleman-hunter stumbles upon an unnamed European dictator's country retreat. He takes a shot at him, misses, and is captured, tortured and left for dead. All within the first five or so pages. The rest is him on the run. Utterly gripping.
- Code of the Woosters, or any collection of Jeeves stories by P.G. Wodehouse. The funniest-ever writer in the English language.
Another vote for "Rogue Male."
Escape From Lucania by David Roberts is one of my all-time favorite non-fiction reads. Synopsis from the publisher:
"In 1937, Mount Lucania was the highest unclimbed peak in North America. Located deep within the Saint Elias mountain range, which straddles the border of Alaska and the Yukon, and surrounded by glacial peaks, Lucania was all but inaccessible. The leader of one failed expedition deemed it "impregnable." But in that year, a pair of daring young climbers would attempt a first ascent, not knowing that their quest would turn into a perilous struggle for survival. Escape from Lucania is their remarkable story."
Anything by David Roberts is worth a look!
I am sure driving without lights has become more common due to very bright DRLs on modern cars. Great episode, wasn't aware of Becky but well worth a follow as you mentioned and an interesting discussion.
You should check out B.S Levy's The Last Open Road. It is about a young man growing up in the early 1950s and learning about life through wrenching on sports cars of the era while traveling around the East Coast of the US to various car races.
I had been waiting for an episode about UW photography. Thanks for this episode! I recently upgraded my DSLR to a Sony Alpha 7iii. I also purchased myself a Christmas present; a SeaFrogs UW Housing. I read that a dome-shaped front of the housing is not only needed for shots that are half above / half under water, but also have benefits of allowing additional light into the housing, thus allowing for use of a slightly lower ISO (compared to a traditional housing barrel). Can anyone comment on using the domes for underwater photos? Is it worth the extra bulk and cost? I plan on doing shipwreck photos in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.
The big dome is handy for split shots and for wide angle/close focus stuff, but they are very bulky and prone to bumps and scratches (especially more affordable plastic domes). On our Sony A7 (Mk1) setup, we use a fisheye lens with a small dome that is quite compact. Has been our go-to for wrecks, reefs, and photos where you want to see a diver up close but also get the background. You can get a little distortion with this approach but nothing that can't be corrected in post. Over/under split shots are fun, but I wouldn't buy a dome specifically for that purpose, especially if you're doing most diving in the Lakes. I think the lower ISO argument is fairly negligible too, especially since modern cameras like the A7 can still produce sharp photos at higher ISOs.
Thanks for the great content. I would strongly recommend checking out the the SS Thistlegorm ship wreck in Egypt. It was a British armed Merchant Navy ship built in 1940 . She was sunk by German bombers on 6 October 1941 near Ras Muhammad in the Red Sea and is now a well known diving site. In my opinion , it is one of the most historic and amazing wreck dives. Also check out the book written by John Kean about it , very interesting book with amazing history and underwater photography. I know John personally and had the pleasure to dive with him before , and he would make for a very interesting candidate for an interview on the show. you can talk to him for hours without getting bored and the guy is big on technical diving and ship wreck exploration. He is also very approachable and down to earth
Books: TO SLEEP IN A SEA OF STARS (Paolini). 22 hours long, and I can't put it down. I'm thinking this is the kind of Sci-Fi book James would enjoy.
For books, I usually go between sci-fi and "business" non-fiction, so if anyone feels strongly about those, I can offer a handful, but since those tend to have niche followings you're probably not asking about those genres.
Instead I'll give a strong recommendation for The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. It's a period novel, in Russia, and the devil is a main character. It's so sharp, very entertaining read!
With a ton of movies hitting this holiday season this one may have passed under the radar. I haven't watched it yet but it is sitting in my que and I am looking forward to it. Becoming Cousteau is a new documentary on Disney+ about the life and career of Cousteau. 98% on the Tomatometer. Really looking forward to this one.
I just watched 14 Peaks and was blown away. As a mountaineer (on a smaller scale...) I cannot imagine doing climbs so close to each other. But, the part that spoke the loudest was that the Nepalese people are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I do find it interesting that our local mountaineering hero, Ed V., did not show up to provide comment.
James - I just finished reading "The Perfect Storm." Starts out slow (hanging out at the bar, shopping for the trip), but really builds into a crescendo. Certainly fits into the water based themes of this podcast or Jason's book. It's been years since I saw the movie, but the book goes into a lot more detail about what was going on at the time.
I must admit that when she described how, when diving in the glacier, her diving equipment started to fail and break because of the extreme cold, the Seiko diver strapped to her arm and encased in ice continued to work and keep time, I chuckled aloud and looked at my own SPB143 lovingly and thought to myself "now that's real world testing!"
Great episode- you guys ran a tight interview and Becky was a delight to listen to.
For a book recommendation, James, I have a science fiction book that uses a very interesting and thought-provoking plot device, very unlike typical SF. "The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August" by Claire North. I couldn't put it down the first and second time I read it. Fast paced and engrossing, but also makes you think. An easy to read, enjoyable vacation book.
Keep up the good work, guys!