Country of residence: United States
Diving since: 2001
Level/agency of certification: PADI Divemaster
Forrest Galante is a wildlife biologist and television personality who hosted Extinct or Alive and Mysterious Creatures with Forrest Galante on Animal Planet, traveling to some of the world’s most remote locations to search for species thought to be extinct or on the brink of disappearing.
Raised in Zimbabwe on his family's safari operation, he has worked with wildlife since childhood, and that hands-on background shapes everything about how he approaches fieldwork. Today he continues that work through his YouTube channel, where he documents wildlife encounters and conservation stories for a global audience of millions.
His partnership with Cressi supports a broad range of fieldwork and expedition filming that spans terrestrial and marine environments. He believes deeply in the power of public awareness to drive real conservation change.
In his own words, here’s a little more about Forrest and what drives him in and out of the water.
How did you get into diving?
I got into diving because even though I grew up in landlocked Zimbabwe, when I was a kid we used to go to Mozambique and I just thought the ocean was the most fascinating thing in the entire world. After moving to California as a teenager I longed for that connection to the wild, wild world that I had known in Zimbabwe, and that was where I fell in love with the ocean.
I became so passionate about it and it felt like I was back in Africa, where you're not at the top of the food chain. There are huge marine mammals, great white sharks, tiny little fish, sea slugs, and everything else, and that was really what set me into diving and led me on a path to competing in spearfishing championships and breaking world records. I've just been in the ocean ever since.
What is your most memorable underwater experience?
I was spearfishing for tuna off the California coast when I looked down and all of a sudden I saw a football-size yellowfin tuna swing by. I thought there must be bigger ones coming, so I dropped down with my speargun and, as I aimed out, that same little tuna turned around and swam right toward me.
It was maybe 5 feet in front of me when a striped marlin came out of nowhere and skewered that yellowfin right in front of me and I just froze. It backed up and ate the whole tuna right in front of me and I was mesmerized. It was the most incredible Nat Geo moment that I’ve ever seen. It was truly spectacular.
What is your proudest professional moment?
I've got a few of those but to sum it all up, it’s currently rediscovering nine different species that were thought to be extinct. Four of those are sharks that we have rediscovered while diving and going on ocean adventures.
What do you wish more people understood about the ocean?
I just wish that more people understood that the ocean is not something to be scared of. It’s something to love and appreciate and enjoy but there’s such a common misconception about it. You hear people say “I'll never go in the ocean.” or “It's too scary. It’s too dangerous.” It's not at all. It's the most incredible playground. We have the entire world and the more that people utilize it and enjoy it, the more they'll fall in love with it. And the more they fall in love with it, the more they will want to protect it.
What advice would you give to a new diver?
Just go and do it. There is no advice or mentorship that can help. None of it matters as much as the amount of time in the water. Just get in the water. Do it, enjoy it, you're gonna love it. The ocean is incredible.
Pay your dues; not every dive is gonna be good. The more you learn your local spots, the more you can enjoy them and the better you'll get at understanding them and spend more time having great dives. So pay your dues and just get in the water.
What is your favorite piece of Cressi gear and why?
I love my Cressi Gara Modular Carbon Blade fins. Of all the fins I've ever had, those are the best. They keep me moving fast. They allow me to dive up and down, but honestly, I love all my Cressi gear. My Cressi Lampuga open-cell wetsuit is my favorite free-dive two-piece suit I've ever used. It's super comfortable. I've used it and so many different conditions, but between the wetsuits and the free dive fins nothing beats Cressi!
What does being a Cressi ambassador mean to you?
Being a Cressi ambassador means that I get to be part of an incredible, elite team of true water people who are so passionate about the ocean and its inhabitants. The fact that I have Cressi supporting what I do on YouTube, on TV, and all across the world with incredible gear and being such an incredible partner, just makes me feel privileged and honored to be a part of the Cressi team.
Find Forrest:
