James Nestor

The Freedivers Who Eavesdrop on Whales

It's not easy to swim with sperm whales: they're hard to find, hard to reach without adequate diving experience, and they just might swallow you up if you get too close. But how else are we going to crack their complicated language system? A group of rogue freedivers takes the plunge.

In 1950, a young Australian mining engineer named Ben Carlin set out to do the impossible: circumnavigate the globe, by land and sea, in a single vehicle. In Half-Safe, the latest story from The Atavist, James Nestor sets out to uncover Carlin's fate and fin

JAMES NESTOR takes a freediving lesson

Open Your Mouth and You're Dead

The freediving world championships occur at the outer limits of competitive risk. ­During the 2011 event, held off the coast of Greece, more than 130 athletes assembled to swim hundreds of feet straight down on a single breath—without (they hoped) ­passing out, freaking out, or drowning. Meet the amazingly fit, unquestionably brave, and possibly crazy people who line up for the ultimate plunge.

The Year of Giving Adventurously

You're ready to act on those good intentions, but how do you know the organizations you're backing deserve your trust? Here are the 30 best—smartly managed groups with transparent financials, efficient spending, and track records of on-the-ground success.

A look at the outermost limits of human performance, from the fastest marathon and longest swim to smokingest fastball and deepest freedive.

Norway is home to some big, beautiful waves, but there's a catch: They're above the Arctic Circle. To test the chilly waters, Outside sent a crack expedition team whose members came back with ice-cream headaches, cod on their breath, and incredible tales of adventure on surfing's coolest frontier.

Restrictions on personal watercraft threaten California's baddest wave