Soundings.
Conversations from the edges of the ocean
An editorial archive of dispatches from the world's oceans. Written, recorded, and gathered slowly.
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- Oceans
Alphonse Atoll: What Barefoot Luxury Actually Means
“"I remember sticking my head in the water for the first time and thinking, my god, this is what a coral reef is supposed to look like." - Elle Brighton”
Written by Adam Broadbent · Written & audio · 6 min read · 1 hr 14 min listen
Caribbean · 11 August 2026
Dominica: Swimming with Sperm Whales
Dominica is one of the only places on earth where you can meet wild sperm whales in the water. Inside the world's first sperm whale reserve — what an encounter is really like, when to go, and who it's for.
Coral Triangle · 7 August 2026
The Best Short Ocean Escapes From Singapore
Leave Changi after work and be over a coral wall by morning. Six of the best ocean escapes within a short flight of Singapore — from Bali's reefs and Bunaken's walls to Dauin's black-sand shore diving — and who each is for.
Indian Ocean · 1 August 2026
Alphonse Atoll: What Barefoot Luxury Actually Means
The phrase "barefoot luxury" has been worn smooth by marketing. On Alphonse Atoll, 400km beyond Mahé, it means something real — an owner-run lodge where the pool sits empty because everyone's out with the mantas, turtles and sailfish. What it's like, and when to go.
Soundings by post
Be told when the next one lands.
A short note when a new sounding is published - nothing more, and separate from any enquiry.