NHA TRANG, Vietnam (21 Feb 2007) -- A sea wolf has been surfacing in oceans around the world, diving at different spots to view coral reefs, and now seems to have made a home in the world-famous Nha Trang Bay in central Vietnam. No, the sea wolf is not the rival to the legendary Loch Ness monster nor the shy Sasquatch, the mythical half-man half-ape called Big Foot, claimed to have been sighted in American forests. Sea wolf is a nickname for Frenchman Jean Pierre, bestowed by friends and colleagues describing his penchant for scuba diving. With a 35-year career in diving, a third of which has been in Vietnam, he has largely been credited with laying the foundation for the diving scene here. He introduced and popularized scuba diving in Vietnam back in 1995 when he arrived in the country for the first time, finding it a haven for his passion, including Nha Trang Bay, home to a world-class diving environment. My home is the sea Most of his discussions center on one thing – the surrounding maritime environment, and of course, diving. He has endless stories of the sea, animated colorful fish, scarlet lobsters nestling in rock caves, or bushes of coral swinging in a bed as if they were dancing. "I love the sea," he said, "It's a deeply rooted passion of mine to admire the beauty beneath the waves." He said he has taken the plunge into the Atlantic, Indian oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, and small islands in Central America. "It's really a different world down there, difficult to even put into words. A fantastic place naturally decorated with a unique beauty," he said. "You can feel and see the miracle that Mother Nature has left us, the sea bed is by no means a flat surface. With just one step, one can move from 60m depth right to the surface." A diver is allowed to be one with nature and with other creatures. Scores of big and small fish, as aggressive sharks and as colorful coral and seaweed, he said. "My home is the sea," Pierre said. German Jean Guendel, a colleague of Jean Pierre's talks of his friend's diving skill and is the one who originally gave him the moniker. "In words, this guy is definitely a sea wolf, there's no other way to describe his passion for this kind of sport and leisure," Guendel said. A love of Vietnam Twelve years ago, he discovered the beauty of seas at Nha Trang Bay and Hon Mun Island. From that moment, one he termed a 'milestone' in his life, he vowed to return. | | Coco Dive Center founder Jean Pierre pioneered all things scuba diving in Vietnam. Having been granted a certificate as a Master Scuba Dive training instructor by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Jean returned to the country that same year with a plan of setting up a training club in Nha Trang. Initially, he selected some young local guys and trained them to become assistants and established the Coco Dive Center. In the following year 1996, success surpassed his imagination and he decided to sell his diving club in Thailand to focus on training and doing business in Vietnam. Since then, the sea wolf and his wife spend nine months a year living in Vietnam and three other months to return to his home land to visit relatives and friends. According to the Frenchman, certifying divers is a unique career that requires the trainer to have a passion for the seas. Diving has developed well in Vietnam. At the moment, there are 10 diving clubs in Nha Trang to meet the increasing demands of travelers. Jean said in the coming years, he would try to pull down price of diving so that everyone, including Vietnamese, can enjoy it. "US$30 - $35 an hour is too expensive, I want to make it much cheaper," Pierre said. But for now, it remains a sport taken up by foreign visitors, destined to be opened to all to demonstrate the importance of protecting our marine environment, if the sea wolf has his way. SOURCE - CDNN NewsWire, Thanh NienSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
