Coastal Conversations 10/24/25: Scuba Divers, Part 2

Host: Kristin Zunino

Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program.

This episode of Coastal Conversations is the second episode of a two part series about   Maine’s changing marine ecology from professional certified scuba divers occupying the Mid-Coast and Greater Portland area. We are joined by six divers with a total of 166 years of dive experience in Maine. With jobs in research, marine conservation, and scuba businesses, they all dive as part of their careers. Our local divers tell us their observations and predictions of change within their underwater secondary home.

Coastal Conversations is supported by Maine Sea Grant in partnership with Schoodic Institute and The First Coast.

Guest/s:

  • Richard Wahle, retired lobster scientist at the University of Maine
  • Levi Robbins, manager of Aqua Diving Academy
  • Paul Rollins, the owner of Rollins Scuba Associates
  • Phoebe Jekielek, kelp and shellfish scientist at the University of Maine
  • Emily Drappeau, divemaster for OceansWide
  • Marissa McMahan, Senior Director of Fisheries at Manomet Conservation Sciences and member of Maine Climate Council

Thank you Galen Koch, Zach Soares and Natalie Springuel for editing and production assistance. Thank you Sean Todd for production assistance and support during the interview period.

About the hosts:

Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.