More great 08 look backs...

Mini Tarts: In continuing with a look back at last quarter of 08.

Tioman - Sept 08

The previous posting saw me hiking to the peak. This one will see me diving down deep. Yup, it was the month I was going to get my PADI license and it was a long time coming! The dive spot...the oh so NOT popular diving island of Tioman. This island however will always bring back awesome memories along with a seed planted in my thoughts of the possibility of long distance relationships. That seed was planted nearly a year ago to this month, looking bad you just cant help but thing of the what if's...

Moving along...
If you ask me what are my thoughts about learning the course in the island itself...I would say its a wee bit rushed. Would prefer the studying and test to NOT BE on my 4day trip, as it was dive, study, dive, study, dive, swimming test, nearly drowned, test, dived, swimming test in that order. Nearly drowned?? More on that later. But like I said, in a nutshell, its a focused trip designed to get your diving license. Forget the relaxing and lazing you usually associate with beach / island holidays. Oh yeah...forget the photography part too! :(

With the heavy and focused schedule, I did bear in mind of how I should enjoy the moment. And enjoyed I did! Surreal experiences along with the overcoming of fear being underwater plus the successful dives and gorgeous views of the deep blue sea made it totally exhilirating! The sense of calmness while literally weightless and watching the underwater world come to life made it all worth it. What would ve made the dives perfect would be to see the rare underwater creatures that gets you excited after the dives, notably sharks or turtles. That however was none existing, although I could've sworn I saw a treasure chest...oh wait, on second thoughts I think it was my dive instructors "treasured chest"!

No this posting is not a promo for anyone to dive, simply because what I've experienced cannot be justified for in words nor pictures (if I had any). In the literal sense, its something you must experience for yourself to see what you believe.

So...the "nearly drowned" issue.
Here we go. On the 3rd day and it was after our 3rd dive. We were then told by our instructor the swimming test will be done right in the middle of the ocean. I dont wanna give excuses like we just had lunch on the boat (not so tasty chilly mi hun), choppy waters (the current was bloody strong) or that I am a weak swimmer (i suck at freestyle!), but yeah...so we had lunch after our morning dive on the boat that was swayed by strong currents... our instructor then pointed to a rock island bout 50-70m away as our halfway point to swim to and return back. A hard lump gathered on my throat, before she (our instructor) continued to say that we cannot use our snorkels or fins and if we're using a dive suit, we must wear weight belts! Ok so we all jumped in, correction: I precariously got into the water. Swam myself to the rock island...phew, made it...now lets head back, others are totally in front of me, exhausted...shit, left calf muscle is pulling...really bad, no...damn it...right calf is pulling too...damn it cant kick the water, body isnt floating properly...tried to keep afloat but struggle even more...gulped few mouthfulls of sea water, tried to cling on rock island but no grip, sharp rocks cut my fingers, not good....very very exhausted, head submerged in the sea...oh wow, what a gorgeous sight, corals are sooo beautiful....more gulps of sea water...emerged and yelled for help...damn it no one can see me nor hear me...yelled even more...legs are killing, first thoughts of drowning...stay positive, at the very least i would be CPRed and I would survive....more sea water, HELLPPP...first person jumping into the water, then the instructor, damn it...long way to get to me, just need to kick a bit more and keep afloat...and finally, cling myself on the guy while instructor stretches both my leg. What an episode... back on the boat I felt like passing out, not before feeding the fish with my barf!! Decided to skip the final dive...while I was about to pass out I thought I wasnt gonna get my license anymore!

Well, as it transpired, i did pass it. Ironically in the written test at that night, I scored the highest! Way to go to make up for nearly drowning! For the rest of the would be divers it was done...but I had to still partake in my last dive the very next morning of my last day, even more rushed! But despite it all...no more stupid incidents and yes...I retook the swimming test but this time it was from shore to somewhere in the ocean and back. And yes...finally I can dive!