Coral Beach in Eilat

The dive site:


Across from the dive site:


Me taking a picture:


Me with dive buddy Hagai (he's the one with hair):


Me with dive buddy Hagai:


Me:

Hi!

Moi:

Coral:

Near coral:

On land after the last dive:

I'm Certified!

....or is that certifiable?

Yea! I passed the Open Water and written tests and will receive my PADI certificate tomorrow. I didn't want to ask, but I may be one of the oldest persons receiving the Cert in Israel. It turns out the PADI standards in Israel are more stringent and comprehensive than those in the U.S. Here they require additional Open Water classes (which wasn't a problem) but they want anyone over a certain age (like me) to have a stress test hooked up to an EKG before taking the course. I guess they have ambulance chasers here too. As it turned out, the dive center's doctor couldn't schedule the test in time so I kept taking classes. And lo and behold I finished the course....without the test....and I'm still alive!

Perhaps it's the physical effort, the excess nitrogen, the water in my ears, or the years, regardless, I don't recall feeling so tired....ever. I'm exhausted!

Tomorrow I'm taking an "advanced" Open Water dive, and they will have a photographer in the water. If I like the picture, I'll get it and post it here. But if everyone in a full wet suit, mask, and regulator, with hoses all around looks alike, you may have to settle for my photos of tropical fish and coral.

Stay tuned....

Underwater photo

Here's a photo from the dive shop's website. It shows more concentrated marine life than what I saw on my first dive, but it'll do for now.

Sign in Eilat

Eilat has a problem that many cities have.
















For those who didn't double click on the above photo, here's a close-up of the sign.

Scuba

Terrific! Had classroom instruction each of the first three days and practice sessions in the pool the first two days. Today was my first open water practice session/dive. Beautiful! Saw a spotted snake, a lion fish, lots of small colorful fish - some up to a foot-long, lots of coral and other marine life. No pictures yet, maybe tomorrow.

I don't recall scuba diving being so exausting!

Double click on the Eilat harbor picture and...

you'll see the Jordanian flag.

Eilat

I didn't realize the airport is in the middle of the Eilat....literally.

Eilat harbor and neighboring Jordan.


Plane landing.


DC-3 permanently parked at the edge of the runway.


Close-up of DC-3 permanently parked at the edge of the runway.