Meet Thad Carhart: Writing About Place

Meet Thad Carhart: Writing About Place

Author: A Julie Sunshine Production November 20, 2025 Duration: 16:03

It took Thad Carhart a long time to believe he could be a writer. He worked a whole slew of jobs from State Department interpreter to Apple marketer before he found his true love. During a self-imposed sabbatical in Paris, he wrote his first memoir, The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, and much to his surprise, it became a New York Times bestseller.

Thad tells us stories of life as a military brat, why he became a lawyer but never practiced, his undying love of San Francisco, and why the Dolphin Club will be the subject of his next book.


The cold, swirling waters of the San Francisco Bay are a character in themselves, but the true heart of this place beats within the 2000 Stories from the Dolphin Club. This podcast, an intimate production from A Julie Sunshine Production, isn't about athletic feats, though they happen daily. It's about the people. Each conversation pulls back the curtain on a unique, saltwater-stung community, revealing the personal histories and unexpected motivations that draw individuals to this iconic, challenging stretch of water. You'll hear from lifelong rowers with hands like weathered driftwood and newcomers confronting their fears one stroke at a time. The stories collected here form a mosaic of human experience-tales of loss, resilience, quirky routines, and quiet camaraderie forged in the fog. It’s a deep dive into the journals of daily life, exploring how a shared, almost ritualistic engagement with the natural world shapes culture and identity. Listen to this podcast for unvarnished, often humorous, and profoundly human accounts from inside the clubhouse and out on the open bay, where every member has a tale worth hearing.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

2000 Stories from the Dolphin Club
Podcast Episodes
Meet Emily Nogue: A Real People Person [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:29
Many people come to the Dolphin Club to swim and end up staying for the people. Emily Nogue did the opposite. She joined the club following the death of her husband John Nogue to feel his presence where he felt most at h…
Meet Keith Howell: Logging Miles and Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:23
Keith Howell has traveled the world, starting in Manchester, England and eventually finding his way to San Francisco. He edited publications all along the way until he retired and took up the mantle of editing the Dolphi…
Meet Humaira Ghilzai: Nourishing and Noorishing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:30
Not many Afghan refugees from their landlocked country grow up to be passionate cold water swimmers. But Humaira Ghilzai breaks all the rules. Her passions include helping to educate young girls (and boys) from her nativ…
Lauren Au Brinkmeyer: The Goal Getter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:14
Some people set goals. Far fewer actually get them. Lauren Au Brinkmeyer does both. With speed, humility, a huge smile, and a hearty laugh. She credits the Dolphin Club community, and her extraordinary organizational ski…
Meet Nathaniel Berger: Piloting Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:19
Nathaniel Berger feels most at home when he's either in or on the water. Whether swimming or leading others to safety, he's a natural born pilot and coach — both on land and water. Learn about how Dolphin Club swims are…
Meet Theresa Kolish: Living With ALS and Joy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:10
Members of the Dolphin Club always have a lot to teach us...and swimming and boating are usually the least of it. Theresa Kolish, who has been living with ALS for three years, teaches us all with humor, honesty, and grac…
Meet Amanda Ernzer: Channeling Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:12
Amanda Ernzer is certainly not the only Dolphin to have swum the English Channel...but in 2025 she was the fastest American to complete the feat. Amanda tells us how and why and what it took — physically, emotionally, an…
Meet Maggie Lonergan: Piloting Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:24
Maggie Lonergan got her start swimming at night and she still prefers nocturnal swims in the bay. Only problem: the sauna isn't open late enough...and she might just love the sauna more. Hear about winning the official S…
Meet Phil Gaal: Aging Graciously and Gratefully [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:53
In just a few days, on October 25th 2025, Phil Gaal will swim across the Golden Gate for the 16th time. That's a feat for anyone, of any age, but at 90, it's truly golden. Phil exudes a joy for life and endless curiosity…
Meet John Ingle: The Music Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:43
You may know him as the Dolphin Club's manager, but John Ingle is far more than the job title. He's also a professional musician, nature lover, chef, traveler, friend, spouse, proud Dad, and I'm sure I left out a few. Wo…