Deep Dive

Deep Dive into Water Safety

Airing every Third Friday 10am-11am.

“Drowning Is Preventable”

Responding to the need in the community for more education and information about water safety, this show wants to start the conversation on keeping everyone safe in the water. 

Presented by Margaret Wright, a board member of the Kauaʻi Lifeguard Association. Engineered by Anni.

 

 

September 25, 2025 Luke Cunningham is cofounder of Deep Blue Technologies, a cutting-edge AI system developed in Dubai UAE aimed at supporting lifeguards in both pool and open water environments. This software was internationally recognized in London as “Start-up of the Year” in 2025. Luke had some exciting news about this technology and how we can collaborate here on Kauaʻi to prevent drownings.

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September 23, 2025 Kaina Makua is a kalo farmer, cultural practitioner, educator, and actor from Waimea, Kauaʻi. He is a cofounder and executive director of Kumano I Ke Ala which uplifts Hawaiian youth through ʻāina -based education. He operates Aloha ʻĀina Poi Co. which distributes thousands of poi annually revitalizing kalo farming and strengthening cultural food security. In addition to his farming and education work, Kaina Makua plays King Kamehameha in the Apple TV+ series Chief of War. He has some insightful words about water safety and the strengthening Hawaiian culture.

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September 16, 2025  John Kaleimakaliʻi Thornton Clarke, who happens to be the grand nephew of Duke Kahanamoku, is an accomplished waterman in his own right and a researcher with the Hawaii Department of Health. He epically swam around Maui to bring awareness to the fact that native Hawaiians are drowning at a higher rate than other population groups. 

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September 5, 2025  Margaret talks internationally with Ferruccio Pilenga, president of Italian School for Lifeguard Dogs, that focuses on training dogs to help with water rescue efforts. He is aided by translators Simone and Valentina. Reef is Ferruccioʻs Newfoundland who made a brief appearance. Dogs make excellent rescue partners because they instinctively choose the best water current paths to safety, and they can add strength and endurance to the rescue operation.

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September 4, 2025  Bruce Hopkins, head lifeguard at Bondi Beach in Australia. A media personality as well as award-winning lifeguard, Bruce has appeared in 18 seasons of the Australian TV show “Bondi Rescue”. He talks to us today about effective swimming, but even more importantly, effective floating. He also brings an interesting perspective to experiencing rip currents. Listen here for his rip current research. 

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August 18, 2025  David Samuel and his daughter, Tia, talk about their efforts with the Surf Lifesaving Club in Brighton, UK. David works with RNLI, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and Tia is a lifeguard getting ready to start college in the fall. The Club started a course on water safety for kids and their parents in Brighton using games and itʻs working! 

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August 15, 2025  Niki Roderick is the founder and CEO of Free Dive Safe and is the NZ record holder for free diving. A dedicated ocean woman, she is also a strong advocate for water safety in schools. But not only for children, for adults and all ocean lovers. Her work supports free divers, paddlers, spear-fishers, boaters and more. She is currently working to get water safety as standard curriculum in Hawaii middle schools.

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August 15, 2025  Shirley DeRego of the Alex and Duke DeRego Foundation talks about the reasons for her work in getting water safety education into schools and info for new parents. She brings a very human and down to earth approach to water safety and a passion for educating children. Drownings are preventable and the need for water safety education in schools as part of the curriculum is crucial to tackling this worldwide problem.

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August 15, 2025 Full On-Air Show: After sharing the statistics that Hawaii has the 2nd-highest drowning rate in the country, Margaret shares excerpts from two interviews with some exceptional women who are making a difference in the water safety landscape. Shirley DeRego of the Alex and Duke DeRego Foundation talks about the reasons for her work in getting water safety education into schools and info for new parents, and Niki Roderick talks about her work with Free Dive Safe and the programs available for middle school aged kids. Both women give foundational knowledge for water safety.

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July 18, 2025 Full On-Air Show: Duane DeSoto called in to the studio. He is instrumental in the Hawaii nonprofit Nā Kama Kai, which focuses on connecting keiki to the ʻāina and the kai. Duane is working hard to promote a safe water culture among the people of Hawaii and his message is broad and applicable for all water people.

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July 18, 2025 Extra Interview: Professor Mike Tipton MBE is a Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at the Extreme Environments Laboratory, School of Sport, Health & Exercise Science at the University of Portsmouth in the UK. He was kind enough to speak with us about the physiology of drowning. This is a hard interview to hear, but oh so important as we take on the topic of water safety. Check out this video on the Float to Live project.

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July 18, 2025 Extra Interview: Margaret talks in studio with Ian Couch, the water safety expert for Worldʻs Toughest Row. The Toughest Row folks were on Kauaʻi receiving teams of rowers who traveled from Monterey, CA to Hanalei Bay. Ian talks about making safety a culture and how athletes take on this grueling and amazing trip.

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June 20, 2025 part 2 Lieutenant Chad Listman, long time Kauaʻi lifeguard and board member of the Kauaʻi Lifeguard Association, calls in to talk about water safety and to share safe places to swim. He also gives us some harrowing rescue stories and updates on some of the water safety awareness programs going on right now.

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June 20, 2025 part 1 Margaret invites North Shore lifeguard Chris Pico in studio to share about the importance of water safety from the lifeguard’s perspective and to share about the free app Pulse Point. What’s charming is that Chris’ daughter, Harper, was in studio as well, watching her show and petting the dog and you can hear it a bit. Chris said, before we started the show, that he sought out Pulse Point on Kauaʻi for her.

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May 15, 2025 For the inaugural Deep Dive, Margaret talks with guests about the Hawaii Water Safety Plan, I Kalepana Kākou Ma Ka Wai. First she speaks with Kauaʻi Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, Kauaʻi native and avid surfer. Then Alissa Magrum from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance talks about the creation of the National Water Safety Plan, first published in 2023. Then Sarah Fairchild from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation gives us details about the Hawaii Water Safety Plan

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Want more information? Margaret compiled a list of sources for you to explore.