„If we go on holidays to Thailand, we have to get a diving license. Both of us.“ My friend is pretty clear on that whereas I have my doubts. Diving? That’s dangerous, isn’t it? Big fishes. They can eat me alive! Not good… But my friend is right and I absolutely want to go to Thailand, so I have to face the challenge.
After doing some online research, I’m finding a Dive Center in Munich, which is close-by. “Discover scuba diving for 50 EUR.” That’s good for a start. I prefer that over getting essential survival knowledge from a half drunken Barkeeper/Hotel owner/Dive Master in Thailand. That’s what I thought at that time. So we inscribe for the class in Munich. 1 hour theoretical knowledge in Bavarian language followed by diving in a 5m deep indoor pool. They give us instructions on which rules to follow while diving and how to use the equipment. I didn’t know there is so much hightech involved when diving! I am really impressed.
After having learned the rough details, we’re getting our equipment on: suit, fins, regulator, air tank, weight belt, mask, snorkel. We have to rent everything as we are not even in possession of a snorkel. I haven’t tried snorkeling before. To be honest, I don’t always want to know exactly what is underneath me when swimming in the ocean. But OK. We start our course with snorkeling. Back and forth, several times with our equipment on, then we decent. I am a bit worried about my ears. Since I had a terrible inflammation of the middle ear years ago, I am super cautious with my ears. So I am decending while holding on to the ladder and going down one step after the other, really slowly. After each step, we equalize the ear pressure and give a short OK to the Dive Master. Then we continue to decent. My friend is on the other side of our Dive Master and I can tell that he will be bored, soon. He is already experimenting with the buoyancy. Air in – air out – he seems to know already how it works, while I’m still holding on to the stairs. I am absolutely focused and surprised that it works alright with my ears. Suddenly my fins touch the ground of the 5m pool. 5 meter! Great! I am really proud. And then, when I turn around, I am absolutely fascinated. A few apnoe divers (those guys without any equipment) are floating towards me and the ceiling lightning is reflecting in the water. A magical moment full of silence. It feels like being in another world. It has to be so great to dive in the ocean!
Back on the surface, we are both completely flashed. Our Dive Master suggests to do the theoretical part of the license, the test and the pool dives here in Munich and to complete the license in Thailand with only having to do the open water classes there. That is possible? Perfect. That’s a plan.
Three weeks later we are in paradise. And we are so happy to not having to study for the test during our holidays. The Thai Dive Center accepted our referral from the German Dive Center without any problems. After submitting our medical certificate which we got from our doctor in Germany, we inscribe for the Open Water classes. It’s so exciting!
Sea stars are blue. And huge. I feel like being a scientist exploring an unknown world.
After a few years holding an Open Water Diver certificate and having done many dives in the meantime, I am still not regretting the decision or the money invested. It is always fascinating to go diving and to experience the absence of gravity. Contrary to my initial expectations, the Dive Centers which we saw in Thailand are all perfectly equipped and the Dive Masters are all very reliable and professional. I can only recommend to experience diving!