George Petrou - Instructor Trainer / Explorer

Certifications & Qualifications

• Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer TDI #3787
• 3*** Instructor CMAS/EOUDA
• CMAS/EOUDA Cave Instructor, Wreck Instructor
• PSAI Instructor Trainer #912 | PSAI Trimix Explorer L.T #912
• SDI Instructor Trainer #3787 | PADI MSDT #64826
• Cave/Wreck Explorer - Rebreather Diver / Ice Diver
• All Specialities Instructor Trainer

Personal Background

Coming from an athletic football family, and having proudly served as a sergeant in the 2nd Parachute Squadron in the Special Forces, I have an innately developed instinct for adventure and exploration. However, my and my family's contact with the marine environment was non-existent.

Professional Certifications in Detail

TDI/SDI Certifications

• Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer (#3787, Oct 25, 2004) - qualified to 100msw
• Advanced Trimix Instructor (#3787, July 12, 2001) - qualified to 90msw
• Extended Range Instructor Trainer (#3787, April 10, 2002)
• Full Cave Diver (#107530, Aug 1, 2003)
• Intro Cave Instructor (#3787, Aug 15, 2003)
• Cavern Instructor (June 17, 2009)
• Basic/Advanced Nitrox Instructor (Feb 25, 1999)
• Visual Inspection Techniques Instructor (#376, March 9, 2004)

EOUDA (Greek Federation) & CMAS Certifications

• 3*** Star Instructor (#0071, March 12, 2018)
• Hypoxic Trimix Instructor (#0005, April 18, 2018)
• Wreck Diving Instructor (#0015, April 18, 2018)
• Advanced Nitrox 100% Instructor (#0006, April 18, 2018)

PADI & Additional Certifications

• OWSI (#64826) - Initial cert 06/07/95
• Enriched Air Nitrox Max 40% O2 (06 May 97)
• Master Scuba Trainer (2006-2008)
• Medic First Aid Instructor Trainer (2001-2002)
• DAN Europe member (2008) - Card #233826.2098.0000

The Beginning of the Journey

Having watched all these amazing, alien-to-my-eyes, Jacques-Yves Cousteau documentaries about underwater wonders, I was already unconsciously infected and secretly looking for an opportunity to get involved, to experience all of this.

The story begins around 1986 during a summer vacation in Mykonos...

At Platys Gialos, I recognized the figures of frogmen. Something stronger than my charming company called me, and I went to ask if I could do it too. Thus began an adventure, a life journey that would reveal to my eyes the wondrous world of our creator as he gave birth to it underwater.

A journey that had everything: enjoyment, experiences, successes, failures, effort, investment of time & money, disappointment, pain, fatigue, exhaustion, acquaintances, recognition, ingratitude, patience, perseverance, images, sounds, colors, nature...

Early Training

I completed my first course with Instructor Loukas Bistarakis, receiving certification from NAUI. It was concise, easy, pleasant, purely touristic, but it was enough to start everything.

The second course with the Friends of the Coast Group truly elevated my diving. I took it at the 2nd Port of Vouliagmeni with Stavros Bakandreas, an instructor I still thank today for the foundations he provided in proper and realistic scuba diving training.

Professional Development

At the educational level, I was initially trained at the Hellenic Diving Federation (3*** Instructor CMAS), then at PADI (Master Scuba Trainer), PSAI (Instructor Trainer Mixed Gas Open Circuit Diving Techniques), and finally completed my highest level of training with TDI (Technical Diving International – Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer) and SDI (Scuba Diving International - Instructor Trainer).

For his highest quality and most modern training, he was one of the few (at that time) Greeks who traveled to the United States of America, England, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Egypt in order to acquire specialized knowledge, skills and experiences. His highlight educational moment was the Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer TDI school held in Hurgada, Egypt at the Divers Lodge facilities, with instructors Karim Helal, Dave Crockford, Jayne Mayer, Ahmed Kamal.

The Foundation of HUE

The Hellas Underwater Explorers (HUE) Scuba Diving Team and School was created in 1995 by Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer George Petrou.

For many years, the HUE team has been a pioneer in educational and exploratory activities, as a close circle of "Technical Diving Maniacs" was initially created around George Petrou and subsequently a large number of scuba divers and non-divers who participated with great passion in all the "excursions".

Major Expeditions and Achievements

• 1998: Ice Diving Expedition and Training Course in Sweden with Divex/Lars Ljungqvist
• 2001: Exploration of Agios Nikolaos lagoon in Crete, collaborating with the Athens University Oceanography Department, resulting in the discovery of World War II military equipment
• 2001-2019: Exploration and videography of Kefalonia's lake caves: Chiridoni, Agia Eleousa, Karavomylos, Melissani, Zervati
• First cave diving school with TDI certification in Kefalonia
• Organization of two Technical Diving Conferences
• 30 diving expeditions to Egypt, Malta, and Cyprus

Educational Impact

HUE brought to the scene a new style of education where kindness prevailed, very realistic practice of exercises - underwater conditions and completeness in terms of logistical infrastructure. Most importantly, students and members had the opportunity to utilize all of this in actual diving and exploration missions.

The provision of high-quality content, manuals, videos, power points, diving software and the establishment of Quality Organized Education Standards combined with an Extroverted Ecological Consciousness and behavior, brought the revolution that was needed to "untie" the diving field from old pathologies.

Current Status

Today, Hellas Underwater Explorers (HUE), with a rich history, continues dynamically its Exploratory, Research, Scientific, Social and Ecological work with old and new executives.

The dynamic presence of our friend and Advanced Trimix Diver Vasilis Petroulias gives us the opportunity not only to create this website but also, as a genuine explorer, to contribute to the restart of a new era of exploratory activities for HUE.

Acknowledgments

I must thank my beloved parents Dimitrios & Victoria Petrou from the bottom of my heart for the love, patience, trust and support they have given me throughout all these years of diving. It is thanks to them that I am what I am and what I have been able to achieve.

I would also like to dedicate this website to my dear friend Thanasis Nikolaopoulos who left us too soon.

George Petrou
Founder and Leader of the Hellas Underwater Explorers (HUE) Exploration Team

Hellas Underwater Explorers (HUE) and the contents of this website are the property of George Petros. The rights to the photographs belong to their creators.