How I became a PADI Open Water Diver

These picture series show some impressions of my open water diver training course.

I attended the course in the "Jasmin Diving Center" of Monika Wiget in Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt in September 1998.

The facility of Monika I can highly recommend regarding professionality, service and the friendlines of staff. Besides supply of full equipment they also provide an airconditioned class room for teaching theory. Instruction language was german. I don't know of others, but may be english too. To say it short: A worth to visited dive base.

And now see the pictures ...

Click on the image if you want to see it full size.

First of all: Theory!
Here you have an impression of the class room at this dive base.
Matthias Petri was our PADI certified teacher. He was an excellent trainer and did a very good job with our group. He is a very patient guy. Thank you very much Matthias, hope you will read this anytime!

Short briefing before our first freewater dive. The trainer explains the excercises we are going to learn during the drive.

The "toughest" part of all, getting into the diving suit at 40° Celius.
Damned, nobody told us before, that it would be a lot easier, when the suit was wet!

Putting on the weights.

Buddys always help each other - getting into the jacket.

Return from our first free water lessons.
Exausted but happy!

Everything is OK!

The subsequent dive lessons were done from the boat, the "Shahm El Behar". Two dives a day, means two times fun!

Lessons explained on board before the dive.

The is me, the author. Depth about 30 feet.

The picture has been taken by my buddy, Jürgen2.

Thanks buddy!

Diving makes hungry.
The food on board was excellent and sufficient for everyone.

Food makes sleepy - surface break between dives.
Very relaxing but GOOD for tanning :-))

Finally we made it!
Four new born OWDs!

Some impressions of the
Red Sea wild life. The following pictures are from Jan Frenzel, they are very realistic. The animals displayed I've seen myself, but unfortunately without having a camera!

Thanks Jan!

A blue spot sting ray.

Trumpet fish. Very common in the red sea.

Last updated: 16.04.2001

	First of all: Theory! Here you have an impression of the class room at this dive base. Matthias Petri was our PADI certified teacher. He was an excellent trainer and did a very good job with our group. He is a very patient guy. Thank you very much Matthias, hope you will read this anytime!
	Short briefing before our first freewater dive. The trainer explains the excercises we are going to learn during the drive.
	The "toughest" part of all, getting into the diving suit at 40° Celius. Damned, nobody told us before, that it would be a lot easier, when the suit was wet!
	Putting on the weights.
	Buddys always help each other - getting into the jacket.
	Return from our first free water lessons. Exausted but happy!
	Everything is OK!
	The subsequent dive lessons were done from the boat, the "Shahm El Behar". Two dives a day, means two times fun!
	Lessons explained on board before the dive.
	The is me, the author. Depth about 30 feet. The picture has been taken by my buddy, Jürgen2. Thanks buddy!
	Diving makes hungry. The food on board was excellent and sufficient for everyone.
	Food makes sleepy - surface break between dives. Very relaxing but GOOD for tanning :-))
	Finally we made it! Four new born OWDs!
Some impressions of the Red Sea wild life.	The following pictures are from Jan Frenzel, they are very realistic. The animals displayed I've seen myself, but unfortunately without having a camera! Thanks Jan!
	A blue spot sting ray.

	Trumpet fish. Very common in the red sea.