ike most people who end up with an enduring passion for something in life, it all started by accident for Daniel Sasse, the Thailand-based German who has become a driving force for marine conservation, whilst standing out as an award-winning marine photographer.
“Growing up as a young boy, we would always holiday to Italy, around the Adriatic Sea,” Daniel begins. “I loved it there – there was lots to do and I remember the year I first tried some shore fishing. Aside from swimming in it, it was my first real acquaintance with the sea, but I quickly realised that every time I caught a fish I was hurting it, and that filled me with a profound sense of sadness.
“At the same time it provoked a real interest in what those fish did to survive, and how they lived underwater.”
Equipped with a mask, snorkel and some fins Daniel embarked on snorkelling for the first time – he admits he’d jump in the water in the morning and would rarely emerge again before sunset, such was the majesty of what he saw and explored. From swimming close to fish corals, venturing into canyons and caves, the die was cast.
