Listen "S2 E19: Modern Day Castaway: A Gruelling 50 Days Alone on the Reef"
Episode Synopsis
Meet Mike Atkinson — former military pilot turned solo adventurer, survival expert, and filmmaker. In one of the boldest voyages ever attempted, Mike hand-carved a dugout canoe and sailed it 1,500 kilometres up the Great Barrier Reef — from Townsville to the Torres Strait — using only traditional, handmade fishing and hunting tools. No engine. No GPS. No esky.Surviving on stingray, dried kangaroo, and sheer determination, Mike faced crocodiles, storms, and solitude — all in a quest to reconnect with nature and spotlight the urgent need to protect the Reef and honour Indigenous knowledge.This is more than a survival story — it’s a challenge to all of us to rethink how modern life is pulling us away from what truly matters. What Mike discovered out there will both shock and inspire you.FOLLOW MIKEMike's Website: outbackmike.comMike's Insta: instagram.com/outback_mikeSupport the showHelp Keep Word on the Reef Afloat!Please take 2 minutes to fill out our Word on the Reef Listener Survey to help us apply for funding for the show!PROTECT THE REEF - Sign these Petitions Now! Australian Marine Conservation Society: Australia, it's time to lead on Climate Action! Divers for Climate: Sign the 'I'm a Diver for Climate' National Statement Australian Conservation Foundation: No New Coal and Gas! Queensland Conservation Council: Take Strong Climate Action and Build a Positive Renewable Future! Our Islands Our Home: Protect the Torres Strait Islands from Climate Change Greenpeace: Save the Great Barrier Reef! WWF Australia: Protect Nature Rising Tide: ...
More episodes of the podcast Word on the Reef
S2 E35: Muddying the Waters: Deforestation and the Water Pollution Crisis on the Great Barrier Reef
22/11/2025
S2 E31: Art Meets Ocean: How Creativity, Science & Community Are Protecting the Great Barrier Reef
10/10/2025
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