Brotherhood Beneath the Waves

In 2023, I was invited by my long-time friend Suwanda to join a great crew of guys on one of his shipwrecks. My brother Gino and I spent three days and two nights living on a 13-metre fishing boat with a small local crew, diving to depths of 57 and 60 metres. Beneath the calm surface lay history itself — ancient ballast stones, porcelain fragments, and the silent stories of a Portuguese ship lost centuries ago. To be there with Gino was a reminder of how far life can carry you when you keep saying yes to your dreams.

Those dives weren’t just about exploration — they were about reconnecting. Two guys from different worlds, united by the same passion and respect for the sea. We share a brotherhood that words can’t touch. I came away from that trip renewed, grateful, and humbled. Eating hand-to-mouth — fish heads and rice — and letting go of the noise and wants of the outside world gave me a clearer picture of what truly matters.

I haven’t touched alcohol since that trip, and I’m grabbing every opportunity life gives me. Thanks, Gino. Thanks, Suwanda.