Hello (Gia sas!) from Athens, Greece

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ellinida

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Location
Greece
I am glad I found this website. It's well organized and frequently visited/updated. I'm looking forward to chat with members around the world.

Who am I? I am "Ellinida" (user name) and it means Greek female (spelled out "Ελληνίδα" in Greek letters). I live in Athens, Greece and I visit USA 4 times a year (approx.). When I am in the states, I try to squeeze a diving vacation in my schedule. My base (as in free stay) in USA is in CT, NJ and NY as most of my friends/relatives live in the tri-state area. I returned to scuba diving after a 1.5 year break due to pregnancy and nursing. It was not easy but not impossible!

Personally, I've been drawn to diving for two reasons. There are times when I dive to escape and relax, and others when I'm seeking an adrenaline rush. But for me there's more to diving than its mental health benefits or its emotional appeal. I love it because it's also intellectually engaging. Call me a geek, but one of the strongest appeals that diving holds for me is that it's so deeply immersed in science.

Finally, I love scuba because it's not only fun but it's also good for my body. Diving physicians believe that the more physically fit the individual, the less risk in diving. For me, this is the only hobby that motivates me to stay physically fit. Exercise and good nutrition have become part of my lifestyle - just like getting up in the morning to go to work. Everytime I exercise at the gym or run/walk outside, I think that 1) I'm more physically fit (than last week) and I will use less air, 2) I reduce the risk of heart attack, and 3) I reduce the risk of developing DCS. Before I discovered scuba diving, I used to fool myself by exercising three months prior the summer season to look good at the beach or fit in my cloths. Now, I exercise 3 times a week to build strength (lift all the diving gear - tank, weight belt, etc) and stamina for unexpected physical stress such as swimming against a current, climbing onto an unsteady boat, or rescuing a "tired out" buddy.

Stay fit & Dive safe! Good divers are always learning ..
 
Hey ellinida, welcome to SB. Very nice first post and very informative. Plenty of divers from around the world to chat with here on the board, enjoy.
David
 
Welcome to SB, Ellinida! I have a dive friend (Rania) in Thessaloniki who has been trying to get me back to your beautiful country to dive with her. I was there many years ago to free dive, but no SCUBA yet.

If you get out to Catalina, it will feel as if you are back home. My island is also Mediterranean and reminds me very much of the Greek islands Rhodos and Crete which is where I did most of my free diving!
 
Hello Ellinida,

I am also a new member and have reconized how informative this site really is. So far everyone I have spoken with is wonderful.

Best of luck to you,
Tyme

ellinida:
I am glad I found this website. It's well organized and frequently visited/updated. I'm looking forward to chat with members around the world.

Who am I? I am "Ellinida" (user name) and it means Greek female (spelled out "Ελληνίδα" in Greek letters). I live in Athens, Greece and I visit USA 4 times a year (approx.). When I am in the states, I try to squeeze a diving vacation in my schedule. My base (as in free stay) in USA is in CT, NJ and NY as most of my friends/relatives live in the tri-state area. I returned to scuba diving after a 1.5 year break due to pregnancy and nursing. It was not easy but not impossible!

Personally, I've been drawn to diving for two reasons. There are times when I dive to escape and relax, and others when I'm seeking an adrenaline rush. But for me there's more to diving than its mental health benefits or its emotional appeal. I love it because it's also intellectually engaging. Call me a geek, but one of the strongest appeals that diving holds for me is that it's so deeply immersed in science.

Finally, I love scuba because it's not only fun but it's also good for my body. Diving physicians believe that the more physically fit the individual, the less risk in diving. For me, this is the only hobby that motivates me to stay physically fit. Exercise and good nutrition have become part of my lifestyle - just like getting up in the morning to go to work. Everytime I exercise at the gym or run/walk outside, I think that 1) I'm more physically fit (than last week) and I will use less air, 2) I reduce the risk of heart attack, and 3) I reduce the risk of developing DCS. Before I discovered scuba diving, I used to fool myself by exercising three months prior the summer season to look good at the beach or fit in my cloths. Now, I exercise 3 times a week to build strength (lift all the diving gear - tank, weight belt, etc) and stamina for unexpected physical stress such as swimming against a current, climbing onto an unsteady boat, or rescuing a "tired out" buddy.

Stay fit & Dive safe! Good divers are always learning ..
 
Hi drbill,
Listen to your friend, Rania! I will try to get out to Catalina. :) Greece is a beautiful country for diving. The average visibility is 70 feet or 21 meters and the water is warm in the summer months. Unfortunately, divers must have permission from the local port police to dive since there are hundreds of sites marked for archaeological study. These areas are off-limits to recreational divers. If the divers are diving with a recognized dive center they are covered by their license and there is no need for a permission from the local port police.

Some of the most popular areas include Crete, Rhodes and the Aegean coast. Divers also head for the Ionian Sea islands, particularly Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and Corfu. These islands boast reefs, walls, drop-offs and caves (for advanced divers). There is a spectacular shipwreck site on the west coast of Corfu, and the modern-day wreck near the island of Paxos. You will frequently see grouper, moray eels, jacks damsel fish and octopus.
 
Welcome ellinida this is a great forum for diving.
 
Welcome to SB.com. Great reasons to Scuba....!!

PM me if I can help you find your way around here....

don :cowboy:
 
ellinida:
Hi drbill,
Listen to your friend, Rania! I will try to get out to Catalina. :) Greece is a beautiful country for diving. The average visibility is 70 feet or 21 meters and the water is warm in the summer months. Unfortunately, divers must have permission from the local port police to dive since there are hundreds of sites marked for archaeological study. These areas are off-limits to recreational divers. If the divers are diving with a recognized dive center they are covered by their license and there is no need for a permission from the local port police.

Some of the most popular areas include Crete, Rhodes and the Aegean coast. Divers also head for the Ionian Sea islands, particularly Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and Corfu. These islands boast reefs, walls, drop-offs and caves (for advanced divers). There is a spectacular shipwreck site on the west coast of Corfu, and the modern-day wreck near the island of Paxos. You will frequently see grouper, moray eels, jacks damsel fish and octopus.

Efharisto (my Greek characters don't seem to copy to this SB post)

Bill
 
Greece sounds wonderful. The people, the history...the diving! Welcome to the board. (We are planning a trip to Greece next Spring.)
 

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