Synergy
The whirlwind hasn’t slowed in recent weeks. My travels have been carrying me from one place to the next, but I’m thankful Robert took a moment to share some of his fiction writing. There’s a rare kind of spark in feedback, the way it nudges something dormant awake, like a match struck in the dark. Thanks to all of you who reached out and gave him a boost while I was away.
Above: Diving a Corvette in Porto Santo and experimenting with my iPhone
I found myself diving in Porto Santo, then swept off to Lisbon for Diving Talks, a gathering that felt more like a TED Talk than a typical diving conference. Arlindo Serrao and Portugal Dive put on a show where speakers only had twenty minutes to lay down something new, something unspoken before. Three speakers presented their work back to back before they faced the audience in unison for a few sharp questions. The lightning talks were even quicker, a four-minute rush to present a unified and inspirational thought. And then, I was on an explorer’s panel, debating prickly topics that linger long after the words have cooled. The talks weren’t just about far-flung places or record-setting expeditions; they dug deep into the art of it all—conservation, technology, risk, the limits of the body, and the stories that cut through the noise, each session weaving into the next like chapters of a book you can’t put down. The curated sessions covered fine art, conservation, technology, physiology, military diving, technology and very personal stories. No competing rooms, no hard choices. Just one long thread, pulling us all in.
Diving conferences don’t pay the bills. They cover your way, they share their food, their kindness, their land, and still, some ask, “Why go?” I go because it sets my mind on fire. Ideas crash into each other like waves against a rock, and new paths form in the collision. The collaborations, the talks over long meals, the late-night confessions—they spark something restless in me. It’s not just work. It’s a rewiring of the mind, the same kind of reset that others find in vacations I never quite take. Travel stirs the pot, but these meetings with kindred spirits—they light the flame.
Above: Reunited with my former cave diving student Luis Gonçalves, a former Marine and now Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer. Ironically, I met him, in uniform, on the deck of a Corvette in Azores a decade ago.
I’ll land back in Ottawa at 1:40 a.m., barely enough time to catch my breath, switch out my gear, and set off again for a keynote at a project management institute. I’ll be tired, and jet-lagged, and I’ll miss Robert more than I can say. But I’ll come back sharper, more alive, the distance giving us both space to grow, to return to each other with stories and moments that weren’t ours to share until now.
Jill and Robert took a walk in the woods and somehow a podcast was born - listen here:
This Is Really Good Country Pop Rock Folk Blues “Americana” Music
A few nights ago, groggy from jet lag, Jill was just about to fall asleep as I watched Stephen Colbert on his late-night show. Colbert introduced his musical guest Wyatt Flores, and the band cranked up the opening bars of his song “Oh Susannah.” Jill bolted up and asked “Who is this? He’s awesome!” Now, Jill appreciates good music and has great taste. But a new artist that can arouse her from a jet-lag-induced slumber? That is a great compliment. On this basis, I predict this kid will be a star. And…this is a musical style I describe as “Americana” - a tasty mix of country, blues, folk, rock, and jazz. Enjoy: