It all began there…..and here I am

 

I started to dive when I was 16. A friend invited my to try diving in the beautiful mountain of Austria. Well, I was young I needed the kick. So, we went to meet Harald Zeller. He runs a divecenter in the south of Germany.(-> http://www.taucherhof.de ) It was in 1989, so diving was dominated by „real guys“ and „real girlz“. So I learned it ol’ school like.

To see bigger versions and more photos of 1989 click here.

We went diving in Salzkammergut, a region more well known for its Austrian-Cliché-like landscape, food, music and you know all this. But there we were with our Volkswagen-Transporter and a trailer for all the tanks. In the middle of Dirndl and Lederhosen-wearing hikers we started to dress our neopren-suits.

And then I did my Discover Scuba Dive. Guided by Harald we went into St.Wolfgang-See, just a little tour along the bank but it was enough to get infected. I remember wearing a small 5l-tank, but I don’t remember how long we’ve been there. Doesn’t matter. I started my Open Water Scuba Diver the next day.

Since then I dived in several seas and lake around the world. Mostly in the Mediterranean.

me with a red-dotted line siphonophore – wow! dangerous…

After all this years passing by sitting behind a desk doing consulting and managing I never forget the dream – become a full-time diver. live your passion.
And then at the end of 2004 I decided to do it. Quit job, leaving my beloved Berlin behind and – GO DIVING.

Never regreted it. Became an Instructor in 2005. After all it is a job and your life has all the ups and downs like before, but having the possibility to be in the water as much as I can, peace is here with me more and more.

So how did you start? Comments are welcome.

~ von Jens am Januar 16, 2006.