Hi, my name is Magnar, and I am from Norway. I was born with skis on my feet (at lest is it what we Norwegians like to believe). I used to trek in the forests and the mountains. The ice-cold ocean had not much to offer. But at least did I learn to swim.

Some time ago did I get the opportunity to stay in Maldives. The white beaches and the coconut palms made me feel like being in paradise. But after a while did even paradise start to be boring.

So I went to the dive center and borrowed mask and snorkel. As I splashed around in the water, I discovered two things: First, I was able to float, which was a great relief! Second, there’s a lot more to see under the surface than above it.

When I finally had assured my self that I could not sink, I went with a boat  on a Whale Shark safari. You always have a 50/50 chance to see the shark. The first trips were not successful, and we ended up snorkeling at a reef instead. But on the fourth trip was I lucky and found myself swimming next to a 9 meters long Whale Shark. That was awesome! But the problem was that I was not alone. There were other boats there as well, and 50 other people were trying to do the same as me. I got a kick in my face. But nothing could take away the smile in my face when I surfaced.

Every time I borrowed snorkeling equipment at the dive center, the dive instructors asked me when I would start diving. I politely said “no thanks”. But after the seeing the Whale Shark in the crowded water, I changed my mind. I thought that it would be better to observe the fish from a deeper perspective. So I started at the dive school.

The dive course removed my fear for staying under water, and I could start to enjoy the beautiful corals and the variety of fish. You can easily see hundred different fish species in a single dive.

One of my hobbies is photography. I bought a waterproof compact camera and a waterproof case. As my underwater photographing skills evolved, I started to show the pictures to other divers, and they started to ask for copies. One thing lead to another, and you are now looking at the result. Enjoy!

Magnar