Having been a glider pilot and - instructor for more than 30 years I have dedicated myself to diving and water activities at a rather mature age. Already as a child, I loved water and swam below the surface more than above, and I had my nose stuck to the TV screen when they showed movies with Jacques Costeau. In 6 years I have accumulated more than 300 dives and close to 200 hours "below", most of which in the cold, low-visibility waters around Denmark,and in drysuit as well as wetsuit. Originally educated in the PADI organisation, my path happened to cross that of an UTD instructor and I have passed a number of courses under that organisation as well. Here the skill requirements are much higher than in PADI. That gives extra attention margin and an ability to put PADI training into a wider perspective. ("Who knows PADI who only PADI knows"). In the winter of 2019-20 I acquired a boat drivers license which also permits me to run a speedboat. I also have a mixer/blender certificate.

I have pursued a career in instructing rather than one in Tec- or cavediving because, I am chasing a particular feeling of joy, one I have felt many times as a gliding instructor, that of helping other humans overcome barriers in an educational process. I love to see and share their joy once they succeed, and they can spread their wings (or fins). The more difficult the voyage has been, the merrier the joy. In gliding I have worked to enable wheelchair users to fly gliders in an inititative that I initiated myself, inspired by work in other countries. I am the coaching type, not the instructing type. I always base my training on the students experience of his/her own situation and provide gentle coaching with great patience. Rarely do I say NO, but I have limits. Many years of working with safety in flying has given me a safety mindset, which I try to pass to my students. One of the most important attitudes is: "If there is doubt - then there is no doubt". The students must accept and pay attention to their own skill limits. I am also the type of person who will carefully explain the safety rules, not just WHAT they say but in particular WHY. Being an engineer by profession I have a strong theoretical background for understanding and conveying diving theory. Despite strong theoretical foundation, I am painfully aware that when it comes to a motoric skill like diving there are only three ways ahead: training, training and training. I have already worked 4 seasons with newly educated PADI-divers in Silkeborg by running weekly training sessions. These weekly sessions is an initiative that I have launched myself. I prepare the events, announce them, and offer my help as buddy and coach and I follow up with video- og photo reports. Participants love to see themselves as part of a good story. That attracts even more. Attracting participants to sports is something I have worked with for more than 25 years.

I have lots of other competences that might come in useful. For instance, I speak and write 4 languages (Danish, English, German, French) and I have no problems communicating with Norwegian and Swedish people in their own language. I am also very good a writing stories, articles, web pages, I can do video- and photo editing, I can fix IT, home pages, I can organise and manage and I can get things under control. Some competences come from business life, others from my 30 year long career in clubs run by volunteers. 

Short description: fiery soul in control.