The Scuba GOAT Podcast

Do you struggle to understand the complexities of underwater photography? Nicolas Remy (Multi award-winning underwater photographer and founder of The Underwater Club) joins me in the studio to shed some light on this intricate art.

Nicolas and his wife, Lena caught my attention initially through their awesome pictures and furthermore because they dived on rebreathers. From what I see, there is a lot of sense in rebreather diving for photographing wildlife so who better to ask than the man who's doing just that? The extended dive times, the silence, and the opportunity to get much closer without disturbing your subject. Nicolas talks us through the two rebreathers they use, the Revo and Horizon.

Not only does Nicolas take a fine shot, he really enjoys sharing his skills with others. Teaching people and breaking subjects down into a more understandable format is truly a passion of his. So, Nicolas has quit the corporate world and devoted the last 18 months fine-tuning The Underwater Club and its contents. It is an exceptional forum for two-way communications and ram packed with Nicolas' knowledge to be shared with all club members through various means, expanding on his availability as a one-on-one coach.

A keen writer, he has also penned content for Scuba Diver magazine and Narked at 90, with additional content in WETPIXEL and OZ Diver.

We anticipate the launch of the website very VERY soon, to stay abreast of that date you can sign up early (and have an added chance to win a prize). Join me in the studio as Nicolas walks us along the path from a discover scuba dive on Kangaroo island, to global recognition for his underwater photography and the formation of The Underwater Club.

DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE! DO THAT HERE

Nicholas' Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolaslenaremy

Nicolas & Lena on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaslenaremy/

Photography website:https://www.nicolaslenaremy.com/

The Underwater Club links

website: https://theunderwaterclub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theuwclub/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUWClub/

Nicolas' awards and wins

There are so many to mention so it best you head on over to Nicolas and Lena's website to see the full list: Awards page

Additional links

Revo rebreathers: https://www.revo-rebreathers.com/

Horizon by Mares: https://www.mares.com/en/horizon

Whalex article: https://createdigital.org.au/engineers-fake-whale-poo-carbon-removal/

Scuba Diver mag: https://www.scubadivermag.com/

Narked at 90: https://www.narkedat90.com/

Oz Diver mag: https://ozdiver.com.au/

Chapter Markers

00:08:02:07 Nicolas' introduction to diving at Kangaroo Island
00:10:2918 Diving in the Med
00:13:16:23 Shallow dives and biodiversity
00:17:06:18 The Underwater Club
00:27:54:09 Nicolas' introduction to diving
00:36:20:04 Matt's introduction to photography
00:38:51:23 From knowing a compact to novice mirrorless cameras
00:42:44:07 The Underwater Club structure
00:57:36:03 Battling Groupers on camera
01:02:17:17 The Scuba GOAT podcasting process
01:07:46:05 Pre-launch free trial and prizes
01:16:49:11 Nicolas' choice of rebreather - Revo CCR a...
01:26:24:07 Citizenship down under
01:28:12:20 Eye correction underwater

10 questions

01:34:04:22 How do you describe your job as a diver to people who are not familiar with the activity?

01:35:31:17 Can you share a memorable diving experience that stands out to you as the best you've had?

01:40...

Welcome to the latest episode of Scuba GOAT! In this episode, we talk to Vanessa Torres Macho and Talia Greis, the founders of Liquid Lens, a project promoting and encouraging women in underwater photography. Vanessa is a 20+ year dive professional and the owner of Underwater Imaging Australia, while Talia is a scuba and photography enthusiast who started diving 7 years ago.

Vanessa and Talia share their love for the oceans and photography, and how they bonded over their passion for scuba diving and underwater photography. They discuss Liquid Lens, their project that aims to showcase the photographs of women alongside their male counterparts on the world stage.

We discuss a variety of photography-related topics including model shoots, commercial photography and the impact of digital cameras, social media and the expectation of free products for influencers.

We also touch upon overseas group expeditions planned and led by Vanessa and Talia. Matt also highlights his expeditions via his company Nomadic Scuba. So, if you're looking for some exciting scuba and photography trips, be sure to check them out!

If you'd like to get in touch or follow Vanessa, Talia or both, hit the links below:

Vanessa

Vanessa's website

Vanessa on FB

Aquatic Imaging Australia website

Aquatic Imaging Australia on IG

Aquatic Imaging Australia on FB

Talia

Talia's website

Talia on FB

Talia on IG

Liquid Lens

Liquid Lens website

Liquid Lens on FB

Liquid Lens on IG

And finally, a friendly reminder that The Underwater Club is launching on the 31st of March, and there's still time to enter the free giveaway draw. So, if you're interested in joining a community of like-minded scuba enthusiasts and getting access to exclusive content and discounts, don't miss out! Enter the giveaway here

Tune in to this episode to learn more about underwater photography, Liquid Lens, and equality for women in the industry. As always, share the show with your dive buddies, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Scuba GOAT on your favourite podcast platform. Happy listening!

Kai Steinbeck has been diving since the dawn of time and is now utilising his skills and experiences to pass on significant knowledge to the next generation of dive instructors. As a PADI Course Director, Kai conducts Instructor Development Courses operating on the Sunshine Coast, Australia at Sunreef dive centre, Mooloolaba

PROMO ALERT – KAI ANNOUNCES A GREAT OFFER DURING THIS EPISODE and Matt gets a gift!!

Kai talks to Matt about his move to Mexico and quick about-turn back to Australia, suffering a Covid infection, the move to Mooloolaba and diver training. Kai’s enthusiasm and love for diving really do shine through during this episode, a true advocate of the sport and indeed a shining example of the character required to fulfil the role of ensuring our future instructors receive the very best in training.

For more information on professional training contact kai:

Email: [email protected]

Website: DiveInstructor.com

Social Media:
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Instagram

Youtube

Twitter

LinkedIn

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Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy... Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!
ShoppingScuba GOAT Amazon Shop - Click here to viewAdvertisingInterested in advertising on the show? Sponsoring an episode or partnering with us? Get in touch today for more details on how we can work together.

🎵 Music: Forever Young by the legend - AudioCoffee | AudioCoffee.net

You must be a fan of scuba diving if your listening to me right now, and are you also interested in watches? Even more so, luxury dive watches? Rolex, Breitling, and Omega all have quite a few commonalities, with one key feature, they were created with passion. This leads me nicely to introduce this week's guest, Sean Clements. Sean has two passions, watches and diving and a few years ago, he found a way to combine them and create a path to align with his future away from the corporate rat race.

Sean Clements' vision

Sean's vision led him to create SDC Watches, a dive watch brand that offers luxurious watches for everyday dive adventures whilst also contributing to conservation, both by upcycling and donating some of the profits to conservation projects.

The SDC brand

What sets SDC Watches apart is their commitment to protecting the oceans. Sean recognized that there is a huge amount of neoprene waste, particularly old and used wetsuits, that ultimately end up in landfills. To tackle this issue, Sean decided to repurpose these watery rags and incorporate them into his watches. The result is an encapsulated neoprene strap design that not only looks great but also helps reduce waste and protect our oceans whilst maintaining that luxury feel.

The attention to detail in these watches is evident in every aspect. The SDC cookie logo and laser engraving, the original styling of an older dive watch with its rotational dive bezel, harks back to a time when chunky Seikos & Omega's were the epitome of a diver's watch (flashbacks to eye-balling my dad's watch as a kid). And the naked rear case, which allows you to see the inner mechanism, is a luxurious touch that completes the package. With a 300m depth rating these really are a sexy statement.

As a fellow diver, I'm eagerly awaiting my own SDC Watch to arrive. I appreciate the company's commitment to sustainability and conservation efforts, and I'm excited to show my support by wearing one of their watches. It's clear that Sean has put his heart and soul into creating a product that not only looks great but also makes a positive impact on our planet.

If you would like your own SDC watch, head on over to the SDC website and use SCUBAGOAT10 to recieve a 10% discount

Join us on this episode as we dive deeper into Sean's journey as a diver, businessman, and conservationist. We'll learn more about his vision for SDC Watches and how he's making a difference in the world of luxury watches and ocean conservation.

In this episode of The Scuba GOAT Podcast, host Matt Waters is joined by marine surveyor Mick Uberti to take a deep dive into the realities of dive liveaboard safety—what’s working, what’s failing, and what needs to change. With over two decades of experience in maritime safety, Mick has worked with boat owners worldwide, including the UAE royal family and Richard Branson. As the founder of Maritime Survey Australia (MSA) and an AMSA-accredited Domestic Commercial Vessel (DCV) surveyor, he has conducted vessel surveys across the globe, including some of Egypt’s Red Sea liveaboard fleet. His expertise has led to a collaboration with Taucher.net, a leading German diving platform, which has publicly recommended that dive operators in the Red Sea undergo safety audits by Mick’s team at Maritime Survey International (MSI). This episode is part of a larger series on liveaboards, aiming to provide a balanced and non-judgmental exploration of the industry. While many operators uphold and even exceed safety expectations, others fall dangerously short—often due to a complex web of contributing factors. Mick and Matt discuss legal loopholes, flag states with differing safety standards, lack of enforcement, financial pressures driving a race-to-the-bottom pricing model, inadequate crew training, and the role of divers themselves in demanding luxury at unsustainable costs. By learning from both the best and worst examples, this series aims to equip listeners with the knowledge to identify safe liveaboards and understand the broader challenges at play. Whether you’re a seasoned liveaboard diver or considering your first trip, this conversation will shed light on the unseen forces shaping safety standards in the industry. 🎧 Tune in now for an essential discussion on the future of liveaboard safety!

Do you have feedback or an opinion to share with us? SMS us now.

Support the show

Love the show?
Reviews help us grow and let us know you're listening - If you can spare two minutes, please leave a review here.

Want to be a guest on the show?
GREAT! - use this link, drop your details & let's get chatting.

Dive Travel with Nomadic Scuba
Everyone needs a solid travel buddy... Founded by Matt, Nomadic Scuba is an online booking agency for scuba divers. Chances are, Matt himself will sort out your trip - he’s a bit of a planning geek (and loves it!). Check out Nomadic Scuba today and Breathe life into your adventure!
ShoppingScuba GOAT Amazon Shop - Click here to viewAdvertisingInterested in advertising on the show? Sponsoring an episode or partnering with us? Get in touch today for more details on how we can work together.

🎵 Music: Forever Young by the legend - AudioCoffee | AudioCoffee.net