It is difficult to step out from the shadow cast by a famous family member long in the spotlight and to stake one’s own claim and create a different identity. I was reminded of this while reflecting on my relationship with diving in South Africa.
Born in Uruguay in 1982, Alejandro Garbino, MD, PhD, has been fascinated with air and sea since he was young. His passion for the air stemmed from an uncle who flew banner airplanes along the beach.
When you get off the boat on Sabang Beach, near Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island in the Philippines, a sign that reads “Welcome to Sabang, Your Gateway to the Center of the Center of Marine Biodiversity” greets you. That phrase defines the diving in the region, as you will not find more fish species anywhere else on Earth.
I have been a fossil geek my entire life. In 2012 I moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and in the past 10 years I was able to turn a hobby into a living. Scuba diving for megalodon teeth in the nearby fossil-laden rivers, such as Cooper River, seemed like the most logical step seven years ago, and I haven’t looked back since then.
Diving at night provides an exciting new dimension in underwater exploration. As the light fades and darkness spreads through the water, marine life exhibits different behaviors, and the underwater world takes on a new and ethereal quality.
I am grateful for the safety information DAN publishes, their recommendations for dive medicine physicians, and the peace of mind their insurance coverage provides.
