First time - Taganga 1999
Ensimmaiset sukellukseni (Finnish)I started to dive while I was traveling in Colombia 1999. Couple fiends of my were going for diving to Taganga, near by Santa Marta. I dicided to try.. and I was sold at the moment. After my first intro-dive with Monica, I wanted to have a course. I felt like I belong to the sea.
My dive instructor Fredric was a French NAUI course director. After my first course dive, I hade a change to get to the Advanced scuba diver course. So my thrid dive was a deep-dive. HUH! 3rd dive and 35 meters!
All went well and I got my diving certifications as well a lot's of good time.
Going pro - Taganga 2001
After a year I was back in Colombia in December 2000. This time traveling for longer time. I had wondered a long time what to do for living while traveling. There I was - in the beatiful Caribean, by the sea - It wasn't that big choice at all ;)So I did my next 4 diving courses there. First 3 (Medic First Aid, Rescue Diver and Divemaster) with Valerie from France. And at last Assistant Instructor with an German ICD staff member.
At Taganga course fees were in 2001: OWD $150, OAWD $150, Rescue $170, Divemaster $500 and AI $170
After working an while until February 2001 I continued my trip to Cartagena and Panama. I still had the feeling inside me that I _need_ to go diving again.
Working - Isla Utila, Honduras - 2001
I got my change when I got to "travellers diving Mecka" - Isla Utila, Bay islands. There I browsed around the 10+ dive shops looking for a job. The second day I got work with Parrot's dive center as Divemaster. Back in the water again!
Working - Similan Islands, Thailand - Nov 2002 - Mar 2003
I had a chance to work as a tour leader on a liveboard for Chalong Seasports for the winter 02-03. Exelent dives and enjoyable work. Lots of sharks, mantas, turtles and other marine life. I can strongly recomend the place.It's sometimes difficult to express the feelings when diving. For me it's just pure enjoy (ok, when it's cold, it's not so nice ;). An example. One morning in Taganga I was in really bad mood. Lousy sleep with early awakening - not my business. Anyway. I was not feeling to have any extra conversation while on the boat to divesite - everything just irretated me. But.. The second I got to the water - it was all gone. So wierd but nice feeling! You should really try diving one day - it's worth the try.
My Divelog
Here is some dive pictures pictures from Colombia, Honduras, Thailand and Finland.
Taganga, Colombia 1999
| Taganga, Colombia 2001
| Isla Utila, Honduras 2001
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Helsinginranta, Finland 2002
| Ojamo, Lohja, Finland 2002
| Phuket / Similans, Thailand 2002, 2003
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