Past Scuba Experience - First Certificate and Swimming with Nemo Fishes in The Red Sea (10 pictures)

4 Years ago I realised I want to see the world deep down in the sea. I love adventure and I like to try as often as possible something new. I did some research and found that in Romania I can have a course that will give me a NAUI certification valid worldwide. The cute thing was that the course in my favourite place Vama Veche and it was not expensive for my lifestyle back then. So betting all in I signed the form that they will not be responsible for my death just in case :D The course was one of the most difficult things I've done in this life. It was one week and much harder than I expected. The easiest part was the theoretical part, as I am an engineer I could take very easy all the pressure transformations and information about what can go wrong.

We started easy in the first day by diving into a swimming pool, getting used with carrying all the heaving equipment with us and try to forget that we know how to swim (maybe is counter-intuitive but diving does not require swimming). All went well and i did not experience any panic attack, even tough they told me that is very likely and could happen. So happy as a bird I went for the first dive in the Black Sea. The feeling was indescribable. In Romania we have little seahorse, so so cute. At the beginning I could not sea much from the excitement. I dive first time to 10 meters, the sand was dancing around and I had this funny feeling that I am in a closed snowflakes globe. I only stayed there few minutes but I could see the magic. On the third day we went even further down, up to 20 meters learned the sign international language and had my first panic attack :D Let me inform you that 20 meters is so far when you panic. My mind was sure that the end is near and send fast signals to my heart. The divers rushed with me towards the top I could not breath even when I was out of the water. It will take me another good 30-60 minutes to calm down and try again. Yes I am a masochist sometimes, for the good reasons :) I knew for sure that the fear was just my limbic brain trying to helping me in something that was perceived as a life/death situation. I knew also that if I will not try again then, I will never wipe from my brain the fear and I dont want to accommodate these feelings inside my head.

The rest of the course was smooth without any incidents. I dived at night and the water was sparkling magic. I learned to help another diver by relaxing over there and offer oxygen if ever needed, you only can do this if you take off your equipment and learn to trust the sea. I've learned amazing things about body control and also that deep down there is only place for friendship and trust, so kind of my ideal world. I dived in the end up to 40 meters and said hi to the little seahorse passing by. I learned to move/undulate a bit like the fishes.

The instructors told me that the best place to dive in this world is Red Sea and Caribbean Sea. So I book my first tour of Egypt with thinking to use my recently gain knowledge. The experience exceeded my expectation about what beauty under the sea can be. I knew that I will see fishes and corals, but I just felt that my version of heaven is over there. Peace and quiet and my instructor gave me a ride even further down, as i was one of the only that did not had fear or felt sick. I was just happy enough that I knew that I will never be upset if I will die soon after. Well, never happen as I am writing but the remembering of those moments is bringing me some grace for this wet London day :)

See the pictures below :)

Hugs from a wet soaked London,

Teo