Stories about the aquatic experiences that shape who we become back on land.

When did your body last tell you to bolt? Did you listen?Astronaut Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman: 328 days aboard the International Space Station. In April 2026, she flew around the Moon on Artemis II, the first woman to do so. The crew travelled nearly 253,000 miles (406,000 kilometres) from home, farther than any humans have ever gone. Christina is a surfer and sailor. One of her personal projects on the Space Station was photographing surf breaks. Search #SwellFromSpace to see her orbit’s-eye view of some of Earth’s most celebrated waves.Christina takes us back to a solo dive trip in Australia at 18, where a scuba emergency triggered panic and a rapid ascent. The moment became a lifelong reference point for self-reliance and for recognising fear in her body early. We follow that lesson into surfing, which she took up at 35, into astronaut training, and talk through some of the tools she uses to stay steady under pressure. Christina describes water inside a spacecraft as something you have to constantly contain, while outside the window Earth is clearly an ocean planet. We talk about the far side of the moon, seeing our planet small enough to hide behind her thumb, and why space exploration is no excuse to abandon Earth. We also get into inclusion at NASA, how “firsts” happen, the role surfing played through her years of astronaut service, and the kind of intelligence Christina values most.Send us Fan Mail…Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by AndysixstringJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast …Thanks to our generous sponsors this season:Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planetNgalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new lifeSodii: hydration for salty humans…Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.