Congo River Baisin 101

So what we have on the docket today is I'm gonna be discussing the Congo River Basin explorer Ash Dykes, what he's doing, when he's going, why, the dangers, all of that, because I'm currently super hyper-fixated on this.

It's all really taking place on YouTube and TikTok.

He's like live streaming the whole thing.

And then I'm going to get into the premiere of Sister Wives Season 21, which is crazy to me that we're on the 21st season.

And just some other, like, general pop culture updates.

Like things, you know, it, it, th- just updates, okay? So let's get into the Congo River Basin.

So first of all, before anything, before you listen to this, I want you to go to TikTok if you have it and start following a woman by the name of Shared With Sarah, S-A-R-A-H.

She is the Ash Dykes correspondent.

She is very familiar with the Congo.

She's very knowledgeable about basically everything that this man is doing, and she gives like very good cliff notes on like the updates and what's going on in case you missed his TikTok or whatever.

So just before that, I just have to say please go follow her.

She's absolutely incredible.

Now, I'm gonna say, for those that don't know, I'm gonna explain what the Congo River Basin [laughs] is, okay? Which you're probably like, "Sam, you don't need to explain that." But I just, just in case I might, okay? So the Congo River Basin is a massive geographic and ecological region in West/Central Africa spanning roughly 500 million acres across countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Equatorial Guinea.

Now, there's roughly 157 million people, and 60 million of them rely directly on the Congo Basin Forest for food, medicine materials, and shelter, et cetera, all that stuff.

Now, what he's doing is he is traveling down the Sangha River.

That is not the same as the Congo River, which I've learned is very important distinction.

He will be traveling down the Sangha River that then feeds into the Congo River Basin, and that, like I said, is not the same.

This is the second-longest river in Africa.

It's also the deepest, most lethal river on Earth.

It's about 720 feet deep.

[sighs] Like gives me anxiety even like thinking about it.

[sighs] And so who is doing this? Like, this is an important part of the story.

Obviously, his name is Ash Dykes.

He is a Welsh adventurer and extreme athlete.

So here are some of his missions.