European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 01, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Oca id a if in a perfect spot for Amateur divers to get fins wet i had taken a beginner s scuba diving course in san Diego a few years ago but i did t finish it. Almost drowned instead. This had to do with the fact that i was afraid of the water to begin with i suffered from a severe Case of jaws syndrome phobia and More important/1 did t feel comfortable with or have Confidence in the instructor the dive site was in Mexico and the water was cold the visibility was Poe the Waves Yvere heavy and the Overall effect was that i breathed in far " More water than air. But time heals All wounds As they say and heading to Malta i told myself i should at least try scuba diving one More time. No Sharks around Malta anyway i a very glad i did Malta s Calm Clear Blue water made a great difference and Alex Udo and Matthias the instructors at the octopus gardens diving Center were a gregarious _ re esome who love diving and their enthusiasm rubbed off. Their relaxed professional manner put me right at ease. By the third dive i had lost my jaws syndrome phobia completely. I even looked Forward tothe next dive. The area off Malta is called the big Blue and rightly so. The Waters Are a wonderful variety of blues the visibility is outstanding and the corals and reefs burst with color. The area lacks the huge masses of fish found in the Bahamas or the red sea but the underwater life is still _ plentiful. On one dive Alex came across a Small octopus and let us Al touch it. It had surprisingly smooth skin. After an Ink Jet shot or two Alex took out his regulator kissed the octopus goodbye and let it go on its Way. Markind. The open water certification costs 99 maltese lira about $270. This beginner s course runs from monday through saturday and includes eight dives Al the equipment mask snorkel fins wet suit regulator tank buoyancy control Vest and the colourful fishing boats called Luzzo i maltese area traditional Symbol of Malta and can be seen in Many harbours and Bays on the islands. Not holding your breath underwater and buddy breathing Are just two skills new students must learn left. The Clear clean water and Sun draw tourists to the Island below. For is Matthias Rit Ettinger for is James Hudson Moore or for is James Hudson Moore or.  of Jaiswa Nuu Auri pm win a a diving student puts on Herp ight Belt before a dive in Malta s big Blue. Veight Bell and the tests. Each dive is explained in detail to both uncertified and certified divers. We were divided up into Small groups of no More than four per instructor and told where and How deep we would go what we should see and what we might expect in the Way of fish. We Rode in a brightly coloured makes boat to each site. After the dive we talked with the instructors about such things As what we saw what we did and what we would have done in an emergency situation. At the dive Center we cleaned the gear in fresh water rinsed ourselves off and replaced the gear. Then it was time for a late lunch or an Early very big dinner. The advantage of getting your certification in a week depending on your passing the written and practical tests at the end of the course is that you Are diving every Day sometimes twice a Day. Also you Don t have to spend much Bif your class time reviewing material Learned and probably forgotten in the course from two weeks ago. Doing this much diving m a week still leaves you time to explore the disband shop or just relax by the Pool and read a Book. The Best time to dive is from april to november. The water is generally too cold Between december and  take the plunge and explore Malta s big Blue. A full listing of dive centers is available from the National tourist office of Malta 280 Republic st., Valletta Malta. James Hudson Moore or. 10 stripes Magazine september 1,-t994 l