In a ship’s log remixed for deep listening, listeners are immersed into the true and ongoing voyage of Arka Kinari, an ancient sailing ship transformed into a cultural platform to sound the alarm for the climate crisis. You’ll explore seas and sounds, visit mega-ports and stilt villages, navigate through cyclones and plastic gyres, anchor in post-nuclear atolls, be hosted by sultans, threatened by soldiers, and blessed by shamans. You won’t know where this story ends, because we don’t know either.
A creation of Grey Filastine. Launching June 21, 2026, with new seasons dropping each solstice and equinox.
Grey Filastine narrates Arka Kinari's journey through Caribbean islands and the Colombian coast, exploring life at sea and human connection.
4 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Melting
Grey Filastine explores the Atlantic's historical and environmental significance, highlighting climate activism at COP25.
27 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Old Continent
Grey Filastine navigates globalization's challenges, exploring North African culture and transforming a ship into floating art.
19 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Things Go South
Grey Filastine narrates the perilous first voyage of Arka Kinari, detailing smuggling and storms as the journey heads south.
13 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Season 1 Recap, Season 2 Coming Soon!
Host John Heilemann recaps Hell & High Water's first season, previewing the upcoming second season.
19 Jul 2026
And They Will Come
In the season finale, Arka Kinari takes form, gravity, and momentum. We become many, as an international team of sleepless masochists gather to refit the ship under constant police harassment in the mega-port of Rotterdam. They will come and we will build it.
Please Share This Link- https://beacons.ai/hellhighwaterpodcast (https://beacons.ai/hellhighwaterpodcast)
And Support on Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari (https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari)
Script, narration, audio production and sound design by Grey Filastine
Story Editing by Raka Ibrahim
Season Production & Graphic Design by Mat Jacob
Featuring the music of:
Colony Collapse by Filastine & Nova, remix by Squeaky Lobster
Baklava Balaklava by Filastine
Glass Seagulls by Filastine & Nova Spectralization by Filastine
Perbatasan by Nova Ruth Chatarreros by Filastine & Nova
Tulak Bala lyrics ancestral patrimony, performed by Nova Ruth
Song of Sybil lyrics ancestral patrimony rewritten and performed by Nova Ruth Concert Excerpts by Filastine & Nova Colony Collapse by Filastine & Nova, remix by Beats Antique
Featuring the guest voices of:
Arjen Van der Veen, from a public presentation
Lucy Gilliam, cited from a public lecture Nova Ruth Setyaningtyas
Aaron Meyer, using text-to-speech from his written messages
Foley Sounds of:
windy marina ambiance NL 1310PM 220810_0488 by klankbeeld --
Tectonic_1.wav by digifishmusic --
Shopping Cart 01.wav by Sonicorchestra --
Cardboard box - Havoc Bazaar by Vrymaa --
Engine Start 4416.wav by crattray1997 --
creaking sailing boat.wav by jimsim --
AE0093 Arlington Heights tornado siren test 08-04-09.flac by audible-edge --
Waves Crashing on shore. by Tom_Kaszuba --
vomit.wav by arnaump --
Container-port ambience SHORT 150907_0769.wav by klankbeeld --
crowd indoors bar.mp3 by impulse94 --
truck bed suspension interior inside squeaky ride by jerry.berumen --
MISC_Police_PA_Officer_Speaking_001.wav by conleec --
Various Handcuff Sounds by jtnewlin13 --
Police Chatter by -Andreas --
Circular saw 2.wav by tosha73 --
Pneumatic chipping hammer - Holman nc4 - Start 1 short by ldezem --
ELEMENTS_WATER_02_Phasin-bubbles.wav by suonho --
Water hose and faucet.wav by xenognosis --
Hand Pump by Jofae --
Dutch see-port ambience 170513_1141.flac by klankbeeld --
Steam whistle.wav by LG --
tug boat radio NL.wav by klankbeeld --
SparksFly8.wav by _bliind --
Welding Electricity Sparks by Wakerone --
12 Jul 2026
Burn The Ships
We cross the point of no return, foreclose other futures, and begin a worldwide dragnet for the right ship. During this hunt we hear the fascinating backstories of other people seduced by the sea.
Script, narration, audio production and sound design by Grey Filastine
Story editing by Raka Ibrahim
Season production by Mat Jacob
Featuring the music of:
Quemar las Naves by Mohama Saz Senéscence by Filastine & Nova
The Last Redoubt by Filastine Some Fake Turkish Pop generated by Filastine The Freaks by Deadwood
Alfonsina y El Mar written performed by Nova Ruth
Laksamana Raja di Laut by Iyeth Bustami
Featuring the guest voices of:
Christophe Swoboda
Sofia Kuczera using text-to-speech of her writings
Pieter Heemstra cited from a YouTube video profile
A Woronora video commenter as voiced by Thomas Henning
Featuring the sound effects of:
fire-whoosh.wav by hnhnh -- https://freesound.org/s/244926/ (https://freesound.org/s/244926/) -- License: Creative Commons 0 Landing Airplane by Bidone -- https://freesound.org/s/183874/ (https://freesound.org/s/183874/) -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
121023 Car passes wet street rain splash, urban residential, Toronto.wav by TRP -- https://freesound.org/s/616807/ (https://freesound.org/s/616807/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
Thailand Bangkok traffic dense gridlock foreign cars, tuk tuk motorcycle taxis, scooters, motorcycles.flac by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/177522/ (https://freesound.org/s/177522/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
TukTuk_Drive_Transport.wav by uniuniversal -- https://freesound.org/s/658928/ (https://freesound.org/s/658928/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
The creation of Hell & High Water is supported by the Liminous foundation, Climateworks, and people like you joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari (https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari)
5 Jul 2026
The Beach of Broken Dreams
Discount time travel. How the shipping container birthed globalization and strangled the sailing ship. Shipbuilding with the boogeymen. Designing a 21st-century ‘wayang kulit’, the art of music, story, light and shadow. ~~~~~~
Script, narration, audio production and sound design by: Grey Filastine
Additional story editing by: Raka Ibrahim
Season production & graphic design by: Mat Jacob
Created onboard Arka Kinari while anchored at the ports of Cirebon (Java, ID) often as the guest of Smiljan Cafe, and in Serangan (Bali, ID), and in Kochi (Kerala, IN) as a visiting artist at the Lalithkala Akademi
Featuring the music of:
Halycon by Filastine & Nova
Lalove by Serang Dakko with Arrington de Dionyso
An Arch by Brent Arnold
Ja Helo by The Infernal Noise Brigade Sampah Pergi by Nova Ruth & Anabel Laura
Singularities by Filastine Night X by Brent Arnold, Filastine Remix
El Dia Que Naci Yo by Imperio Argentina
Featuring the voices of:
Nova Ruth Setyaningtyas & Silvia Indriani
A few travel vloggers who I’ll do the favor of leaving anonymous
Haji Uli as voice acted by Abdul Fatah Adhitya
Using the foley/fx sounds of:
Shanghai Subway samples by papilio_kohlanta -- https://freesound.org/s/620112/ (https://freesound.org/s/620112/) -- License: Attribution 4.0
Cow Bells by Fabrizio84 -- https://freesound.org/s/457665/ (https://freesound.org/s/457665/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
Plastic_Creak_01.wav by dheming -- https://freesound.org/s/274977/ (https://freesound.org/s/274977/) -- License: Attribution 4.0
Ghostly Whispers by dimbark1 -- https://freesound.org/s/316797/ (https://freesound.org/s/316797/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
Container-port ambience SHORT 150907_0769.wav by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/323424/ (https://freesound.org/s/323424/) -- License: Attribution 4.0 Citation
Bira ambience from the documentary film “Spice Island Saga”
Chickens_waiting_to_be_fed_farm_light_wind_bird_song by nickmaysoundmusic -- https://freesound.org/s/724216/ (https://freesound.org/s/724216/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
Cuckoo Clock-Half hour.wav by lonemonk -- https://freesound.org/s/88725/ (https://freesound.org/s/88725/) -- License: Attribution 4.0
traffic heavy dense slow moving motorcycles cars haze rumble some echo honks Kampala, Uganda, Africa 2016.wav by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/407220/ (https://freesound.org/s/407220/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
tape calculator.wav by Tomlija -- https://freesound.org/s/97286/ (https://freesound.org/s/97286/) -- License: Attribution 3.0
Printer calculator.wav by Pantax -- https://freesound.org/s/702419/ (https://freesound.org/s/702419/) -- License: Attribution 4.0
The creation of Hell & High Water is supported by the Liminous foundation, Climateworks, and people like you joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari (https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari)
28 Jun 2026
Bottoms Up
How to transform a hazy dream into a real thing? By learning from who came before. From showboats to utopian sea-steaders, pirate radio vessels to the dodgy business of “flags of convenience," Bottoms Up gets dirty with wood and steel, sweat and study.
Script, narration, audio production and sound design by Grey Filastine
Story editing and sound design contributions by Rabia Williams
Additional story editing by Raka Ibrahim
Season production & Graphic Design by Mat Jacob
Created onboard Arka Kinari while anchored at the ports of Serangan (Bali, ID) and Cirebon (Java, ID) with special thanks to Smiljan Dutchbook for letting us work hours and refused to let me pay for our coffee
Featuring the music of:
Ten Thousand Dolphin Angels (Brent Arnold)
Hypnotico (Filastine)
Drone Silences (Filastine)
Featuring the voices of:
Christine Handt, by voicemail
Margaret Drummer, using Text-to-Speech from her written messages
Moxie Marlinspike, using Text-to-Speech from his written messages
Biosphere participants, cited from the documentary film “Spaceship Earth”
Donald J. Trump, public speech
Using the foley/fx sounds of:
MELISSE_Nicolas_2019_2020_Submarine.wav by univ_lyon3 -- https://freesound.org/s/485837/ (https://freesound.org/s/485837/) -- License: Creative Commons 0 Typing on a keyboard by SamsterBirdies -- https://freesound.org/s/489424/ (https://freesound.org/s/489424/) -- License: Creative Commons 0 Flag in the wind by felix.blume -- https://freesound.org/s/612838/ (https://freesound.org/s/612838/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
The creation of Hell & High Water is supported by the Liminous foundation, Climateworks, and people like you joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari (https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari)
21 Jun 2026
Pilot Charts
Meet your captain & narrator, find out why we chose to abandon the stage for the sea, and why we chose to sail within the Indonesian archipelago. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and the waters are already rising.
We need your help to reach more ears. Please rate & comment wherever you listen. Even better, suggest Hell & High Water to a few friends by sending them this link https://beacons.ai/hellhighwaterpodcast (https://beacons.ai/hellhighwaterpodcast)
Script, narration, audio production and sound design by Grey Filastine, with the following contributors:
Story editing and sound design contributions by Rabia Williams
Season production by Mat Jacob
Created onboard Arka Kinari while anchored at the ports of Cirebon (Java, ID) and Serangan (Bali, ID)
Music, with the permission of the artists:
Nusa Fantasma (Filastine & Nova) Informal Sector Parade (Filastine & Nova)
Live at a Juvenile Prison (The Infernal Noise Brigade)
Miner (Filastine & Nova)
Kebyar Terompong (Gamelan Ubud) Jaranan (Senyawa) Shanty Tones (Filastine & Nova) Hall of the Khan (¡TchKung!) Murka (Filastine & Nova)
Using the foley/fx sounds of:
Heavy Rain by lebaston100 -- https://freesound.org/s/243629/ (https://freesound.org/s/243629/) -- License: Attribution 4.0
Diving with whales.wav by KEVOY -- https://freesound.org/s/82325/ (https://freesound.org/s/82325/) -- License: Creative Commons 0
The creation of Hell & High Water is supported by the Liminous foundation, Climateworks, and people like you joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari (https://www.patreon.com/c/arkakinari)
31 May 2026
Introduction (first episode out June 21, 2026)
In a ship’s log remixed for deep listening, listeners are immersed into the true and ongoing voyage of Arka Kinari, an ancient sailing ship transformed into a cultural platform to sound the alarm for the climate crisis. You’ll explore seas and sounds, visit mega-ports and stilt villages, navigate through cyclones and plastic gyres, anchor in post-nuclear atolls, be hosted by sultans, threatened by soldiers, and blessed by shamans. You won’t know where this story ends, because we don’t know either.
A creation of Grey Filastine. Launching June 21, 2026, with new seasons dropping each solstice and equinox.
Inside a recent episode
Trouble In Paradise
Published 11 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] A ship has no headlights, and while sailing blindly into the pitch darkness does take some getting used to, you must trust the charts, compass, and radar to do the looking forward. The ship's running lights are purely defensive, which is to say that they don't help you see anything, but help you to be seen by others. A red lamp on the port side left, and a green lamp on the starboard right side. After your eyes adjust to the darkness, you begin to see a glow from these dim lamps reflected in the sea foam. Just when you get used to the foam glowing an eerie red while gazing to port, a turn of the head presents the sea as a ghostly green to starboard. […]
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