20th May 2007
Tuesday
Overdue post - Diving trip 13042007

For today's post, I will attempt to share my Dayang trip, which is horribly overdue by a few months. Stay focused and read on.

On black friday, the 13th of April, I went down to Mohamud Sultan Road to meet up with the divers going for the trip. We set off in this minibus and suffered a lengthy road journey to Mersing Jetty. After the torturous land journey, we boarded our dive boat - Pelaris. The journey on Pelaris was interesting. The sundeck became our beds as we laid there and stared at the starry sky. The night sky is really something. Apart from the fact that the stars filled the skies from one horizon to the other, we managed to spot a few constellations and a hell lot of shooting stars!

We arrived at Pulau Dayang the next day around 4am. Following our disembarkment, we were sent to our rooms to get some shut eye. (From this point onwards, you'll know why divers put on weight)

First breakfast! Breakfast is breakfast. I can't say much about breakfast. Next event after breakfast is first dive of the trip. We boarded the Pelaris, and set off for our first destination - Sembukang. Geared up, and took a giant stride off the boat at 1115. First dive was spent with basic skills such as half mask clearing, regulator retrieval, Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent, and some other stuff. During this dive, we finned around a bit and saw a few cuttlefish and a gulfish. Surfaced at 1210 after spending 55 minutes underwater.

Lunch! Right after first dive, is lunch. Lunch is lunch. Nothing much to be said here too. Boarded Pelaris again and departed for Lang Bay. Dive two commenced at 1444. Basically this dive was to practice our fin pivoting and hovering skills. Current was pretty strong and we were fighting against the current rather uselessly. Exited water at 1538 after 54 minutes underwater.

Guess what's next? Tea time!

Well, the rest of the dive was pretty much the same. Dive, eat, dive, eat and so on. Now you people know the reason why most divers are chubby!

The most memorable event of this dive would be the school of fusilier. It really is amazing to see a whole school of fishes around you. Imagine you swimming in the sea. Suddenly you see a wall made up of fishes. Yeah, it was something like that. The only difference is that you can swim into this wall and the wall will move away from you. I had the privilege of being surrounded by the fishes when the other divers were chasing them. The experience was beyond words. Fishes all around you. Up, down, left, right, front, and back. All fishes. Damn pretty sight.

I'm missing the feeling of being in the water already. Of having absolute freedom in all axes of rotation. Of being able to explore a new world where not many people have experienced first hand.

All my friends, please go pick up diving and then we can explore this new world together!

Freedom is just a giant stride away
-Han Yong