Descending upon Canadian TV
Descending is an exciting new weekly TV show now airing on Canada’s Outdoor Life Network, and featuring some stunning underwater video from around the world.
Descending is an offshoot of Departures, another OLN adventure series showcasing the relationship between two travelers and all that is revealed to them as they trek across some of the planet’s most amazing terrestrial landscapes.
Host Scott Wilson, from Brantford, Ontario, though fairly new to scuba, jumps right in to explore some of this planet’s “most remote locations” in the one-hour weekly show. Noting that so much of planet Earth is underwater and so few people get to see this realm firsthand, he said, “We knew it was important to shoot spectacular footage.”
Wilson’s co-host is New Zealand diver Ellis Emmett, author, adventurer and friend. Emmett has penned five adventure books and is the owner of a New Zealand river rafting company. “I want people to be inspired, educated and enlightened, and have a laugh or two along the way,” he said.
This year the hosts explore the underwater world on scuba, wearing full-face masks and dry suits. As post-production work continues on episodes scheduled to air in the coming weeks, they’re planning a switch to rebreathers, and even the occasional use of mixed gases in season two, officially not a go yet, but they’re hopeful! With government backing and the support of the Outdoor Life Network, Descending joins a long list of Canadian made underwater TV series that have found strong audience support.
OLN TV is already airing Wilson’s 13-week series, which takes viewers on a high definition exploration of aquatic ecosystems that include offshore Sudan, Vancouver Island, South Africa and Mexico’s Sea of Cortez.
At present the show is broadcast only in Canada, Sunday nights on the OLN channel, and online at www.oln.ca. Given the success of his Departures series, Wilson is optimistic Descending will hold appeal for and be picked up by networks in other countries.
2012 Episode Guide
E101 February 19: The Rest of the Map
Equipment challenges and harsh weather impede the team’s first dives in New Zealand.
E102 February 26: The Poor Knights
A sunken cruise ship, a cave dive and New Zealand’s Poor Knights Islands marine reserve.
E103 March 4: The Sea Less Travelled
Whale sharks in Djibouti. Cousteau’s Conshelf II and a WWII wreck with deadly cargo in Sudan.
E104 March 11: The Emerald Sea
Diving off Vancouver Island, flying a jet underwater and preparing a ship for sinking.
E105 March 18: The Dive God
Island hopping in the Caribbean, meeting the ‘Dive God’ and confronting an invasive species.
E106 March 25: The Deep
Underwater art in Grenada, face to face with the ocean’s largest carnivore in Dominica, and 1000 feet (305m) down!
E107 April 1: The Big Six
Shark filled South African waters and dealing with disaster on a shipwreck.
E108 April 8: The Hunt for the Red Devil
Southern California: LA marine life and eco warriors. Diablos rojos in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez.
E109 April 15: The Smoking Earth
Iceland. Touching two continents in the cold, clear water between tectonic plates.
E110 April 22: The Pacific Theatre
The Solomon Islands: South Pacific site of sharks and WWII wrecks.
E111 April 29: The Great Lakes
The mighty St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. A world of shipwrecks.
E112 May 6: The Four Kings
Indonesia’s Raja Ampat reserve, close encounter with Giant Manta Rays and a terrifying accident.
E113 May 13: Title TBA
Indonesia’s Lembeh Strait, and Vanuatu’s amazing shipwreck. Reflecting on a year of underwater adventures.
For more information visit:
http://descendingtv.com/
One Response to “Descending upon Canadian TV”
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Tim
First…Thank you to the Descending team.
For the past 3 months, Canadians experienced a unique adventure as non-divers were welcomed into the diving fraternity by the Descending team and scuba divers week after week. Ellis & Scott shared a different perspective of the underworld which got new people excited into taking lessons and make a plan to explore our country and world beneath us. Twitter chats every Sunday night affirmed this growing enthusiasm and we implore OLN and the Canadian government to listen to Canadian who recognize the talent in this production and the attention it has drawn to our sport.
Where will you dive next?
Tim
Scuba Dive Advisor