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From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story

Speaking Sidemount by Steve Davis

Jan 26, 202601:02:08Sports & Recreation

In Episode brought to you by XDEEP, Steve Davis is joined by Gustavo “Tavo” Padilla-Pohjanen of Darkside Divers, Mexico. From a rocky start in snowboarding to discovering peace and purpose underwater, Tavo shares his rem...

About This Episode

From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story is an episode from Speaking Sidemount by Steve Davis. In Episode brought to you by XDEEP, Steve Davis is joined by Gustavo “Tavo” Padilla-Pohjanen of Darkside Divers, Mexico. From a rocky...

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Episode Details

Published Jan 26, 2026, 01:02:08 long, audio available.

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What is From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story about?

In Episode brought to you by XDEEP, Steve Davis is joined by Gustavo “Tavo” Padilla-Pohjanen of Darkside Divers, Mexico. From a rocky start in snowboarding to discovering peace and purpose underwater, Tavo shares his remarkable journey into diving, sidemount, and ultimately the caves of Mexico.Tavo opens up about the importance of foundational training, the need for a strong mindset and preparation before entering overhead environments, and how his passion evolved into Darkside Divers, a thriving training operation built with purpose alongside his wife, Laura. This is a must-listen for any diver curious about the path to becoming a top-tier cave instructor—and why “just meeting agency standards” isn’t enough.Guest BioGustavo “Tavo” Padilla-Pohjanen is a cave and technical diving instructor, co-founder of Darkside Divers in Tulum, Mexico. With roots in recreational diving and a deep commitment to progressive, foundational training, Tavo has worked with legendary instructors like Patrick Widmann, Fred Devos, and John Kieren.Host BioSteve Davis is a passionate sidemount instructor, technical diver, and the voice behind Speaking Sidemount. With extensive experience in sidemount and overhead environments, Steve brings deep insight and curiosity to every conversation.🎥 Watch full episodes & bonus clips: 🎧 Listen to the Podcast - Spotify | Apple | Google — search Speaking Sidemount Podcast📘 Sidemount books: Train with Steve: Support the show: Follow Steve on Instagram: @nzsteved🛠️ Thanks to our sponsor XDEEP - and to Tavo PCDarkside DiversFacebook: @darksidediversmxInstagram: @darksidediversEmail: info@darksidediversmx.comInto Earth – Mick Friis’s video with Tavo:

Where can I listen to From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story?

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Which podcast is From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story from?

From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story is an episode from Speaking Sidemount by Steve Davis.

How long is this episode?

This episode is 01:02:08 long.

When was this episode published?

This episode was published on Jan 26, 2026.

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Where can I listen to From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story?

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Which podcast is this episode from?

From BellBoy to Cave Mentor - Tavo's Darkside Story is from Speaking Sidemount by Steve Davis.

What are the episode details?

Published Jan 26, 2026 and 01:02:08 long