Written by Alexandra Dimitriou
Scuba diving has lead me to every joyous occasion that I can think of in my life. It keeps my family together, introduced me to my husband, unlocks the entire planet and I’ve made some of the best friends that this world has to offer.
My story is perhaps similar to most scuba enthusiasts. It is filled with passion close to bursting, as full as your equipment bag before a highly anticipated dive liveaboard trip. How does my story compare to yours?
So, what makes me smile? What makes my eyes shine with happiness? Where do I start?
A family passion
From as early as I can remember I could swim. As early as my mouth could fit a regulator I was diving. As soon as I was old enough I became PADI certified, I was. My father was crazy about scuba and I guess it’s just in my genes. I love it. Everything about it. Scuba was my destiny and you can’t fight destiny – just ask the Marvel Comic Book God Stan Lee.
Diving wife – happily married with sharks
As a PADI dive center owner who opened her doors in 2012 I had a welcome visit from my PADI representative in 2013 to assess and assure that my new dive center would be a success. To be honest, I was petrified. Scared beyond belief that my dream dive center would be rejected. I thought that Captain PADI was going to be a giant diving inspector sent to rip my little dream to shreds. I dreaded it like going to the dentist. Looking back, I was such a fool. The PADI regional manager was named Sascha and I was expecting a woman from America after our email correspondence – after all Sascha Is a girl’s name in my experience!
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sascha turned out to be a hairy Swiss guy who looked like he was born on a surfboard. Sascha was all hair and teeth, he had big green eyes and an even bigger smile and when I met him I was taken aback to say the least.
He was so supportive. So full of commendations to the layout of my little Scuba Monkey. I showed him around and then I made us a giant frappe as we sat outside to talk business. I had a lot of questions. He had all the answers. He laughed at me as I wrote everything down diligently like an eager university student. My fear turned into admiration as I realized there were many aspects to the business of diving that I had not even thought about. He was patient. Very patient.
As one frappe turned into two, then into three, I ran out of milk. The dive center working hours came to an end and my staff went home. Sascha and I we were still outside, and I offered him a post work beer and asked if we could continue. If he had the time.
He did.
As it turned out he had a lot of time. All the time in the world in fact!
Something clicked that day. When every subject was spoken about until there was nothing left there was something in the air. He joined me and my friends that evening for dinner as it was his last day on the island and I didn’t want the night to end.
But it did. He flew back to Switzerland, and we stayed in contact. I tried to push him out of my mind, but it was easier said than done. What started as a professional visit turned into a romance that swept me off my fins.
We were married 2 years later in the Bahamas with an underwater Preacher, my diving family and 40 shark guests. It still feels like a honeymoon. This wouldn’t have been possible without Scuba in my life! Now every trip we make is a diving one. We have a rule now that every time one of us has a birthday ending in a “0” or a “5” that person decides where our next scuba trip will take place. Last year it was my 35th birthday and I chose the Philippians, Sascha is next up and I bug him daily to choose our next dream because I want to start booking, even if it’s 3 years away!
Our adventures never end. Our conversation never runs out. Our fiends base continues to grow and I’m excited to see him every day. In a perfect world, it is a perfect marriage and my biggest wish is for it to continue until I need to have a specially formed set of diving dentures to carry me into my twilight years with him as my buddy!
I’m a lucky lucky girl and it’s all thanks to scuba diving!
