That evening assignment was none except at night, to watch the OWC video. We decided to explore the kampung (village) together before night comes. We can see the kids playing happily with the sand, playing kites, jumping here and there with the rubber strings..no idea what you called that? but I've played that before! When night falls, you'll have free entertainment! The locals will sit at the bridge, sang and played the guitar.
Actually am anxious about what we have to do the next day....s
cared,
uncertainty, excited! I sat down quietly on the wooden
floor where the staircase down to the sea are.. looking up, admiring the starry sky, feeling blessed ....such a romantic feeling then!
First day of our challenge came! After breakfast, we were briefed
on the dive equipment and introduced to the BCDs (Buoyancy
Control Device), cylinders, valves, Regulators (first stage, second
stage, Submersible Pressure Gauge-SPG, alternate air source), masks,
snorkels, fins, weight systems. Yeah we learn about common hand
signals too!! so that we were able to communicate under the water :)
It's fun LOL
Before each dive, we have to check this
BWRAF - BCD, Weight, Releases, Air and Final Okay! before we jump! I
was so nervous as I'm afraid I can't remember everything. I took a long
time to even attached the low pressure inflator.. My right thumb was
totally exhausted and everyone was already doing the rest. I told
myself, NO! I have to be able to do that.. and I use my left thumb and
pointer to push the low pressure inflator and yessss, I did it!
There
we go to our very first confined water dive at 5m deep. Well, my heart
was pumping fast but I told myself, breath in and out.
Remember, the most important thing is to breath and not hold your
breath! Ensure nobody was at the back of you before you jump backwards
to the sea! I was a bit panic to be pushed backwards to the sea.
My very first time in the sea!!!! I can't believe that am doing this!
and at this age! LOL yes, it needs a lot of courage, braveness,
determination to do what you wanted.
We did a few
stunts in the water. Breathing in and out through our second stage,
clear a partially and fully flooded mask, the scariest part - took out
our mask and wear it back and clear the water too! I was like OMG??
what? so fast? I try to calm myself by breathing in and out slowly and
steadily. After all it's not that bad. Another extreme stunt, was to
remove the mask and swim for a distance and wear it back. Wowwwwwww,
can't imagine that.. we made it too!!! It's totally blurrrrr without the
mask.. I can only see some colors of their dive suits.
We
went to Paradise 1 again after the noon break and dive till 8m deep. I
was a bit surprised that we have to do that 'taking out mask' again!
I've forgotten how to clear the water inside the mask :P I was super
panic then! It took me quite some time and finally done! Then we also
did a few other stunts like recover our regulator hose from behind our
shoulder, trying our hand signal to tell our buddy - out of air and need
to breath using their alternate air source supply, etc. Frankly, I do
not really have the mood to see any thing then ... as I'm trying to be
neutral in the sea, but I was almost always down to negative buoyancy.
We do saw some corals, sea turtles, fishes swimming around.. but I was
not relaxed at all.
I was relieved when we were back
for dinner.. super relief, that I've gone through the most challenging
part of the course, I thought. The best moment of the day is getting to see the sky in the apps that someone was watching.... I feel extremely sweet and romantic at that moment... I melted!
Night came and we have to watch the video
.. yes, feeling sleepy and exhausted for the day! Once the music was
played and songs were sang by the locals, I get into it again.. enjoying
every moment of it.
Second day of our OWC!
Still feeling scared! Extreme intense feeling.. my heart rate jump
up! Trying to cool myself by singing in the boat.. "Let it go!... let it
go!.. don't hold it back anymore!" to calm my heart beats, to sing my
strength out! to comfort everyone on board who are feeling the same as
me, especially Melody. She was with her boyfriend, Scott and she doesn't even know how to swim. Don't you think that she's very very brave?
We went to Smart House Reef to dive till 12m deep, to Kapalai House Reef at Kapalai Island to dive till 16m deep and finally at Eel Garden to dive till 17.7m deep. We did some training at the surface of the sea, eg. BCD removal, clear a snorkel of water without lifting our face from the water, exchange snorkel for regulator and vise versa, remove our weight belts, cramp removal on your buddy and yourself, tow a tired diver, etc. Under the sea, we also did buoyancy control, disconnect low pressure hose, assume there's no air and take deep breath and 'Aaaaa' till you reach the top surface and orally inflate BCD, etc... The funny thing was, I always feel like swimming with my hands as if I'm in the pool...I have to remind myself, hands must not moved! Fold your arms! I was like racing under the water too.. flag my fin fast LOL! It should be slow and steady... am so used to my weekly swimming challenge :P
At the end of this trip, the boat stopped about 300m away from our home stay and we have to swim with our snorkel and fin back home! I feel nice swimming this way! I can see hermit crab and star fish on my way home :) Oh yeah, last thing was to float for 10mins on the surface of the sea.. I cant really float that long. I was not relax.
Third day OWC
It's just exam day!! However we did the 'you jump, I jump' stunt with the locals in the morning. It's so fun..I've never done that before! I did jump from this high, and also did many rounds at the lower stage. I admired the way they jump and swim.. just like a fish! Very smooth and nice flow into the sea water. To them, the sea was their land... as if they were just bracing walking through it. Life is just so simple yet happy.
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| Photographed by Kevin Su |
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| Photographed by Kevin Su |
After the exam, it's leisure time. Again we venture into the kampung! Walking longer distance to the Mabul Bungalow house and then to the other far end, Borneo Diver Resort. Snapping more photos around with the local kids.... and with the handsome locals (that we know) there too! :)
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| Life is an adventure.. follow where your heart goes |
Kevin did a night dive that night with our diving instructor, John. Elaine, as usual, like to whatsapp her friends. I was sitting down at the 'jumping stage' enjoying my chat with a new friend, Lau that was there alone. Listening to Lau's story was interesting. We chatted for quite some time till the locals start to sing songs again. I joined them in their singing and Elaine recorded the enjoyable event. I really like to sing.. missing that very much!
Night time we venture again into the kampung.. it's dark! but that's where you can spot more stars! Love to see the starry sky... and in the apps too. Romantic night!
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| Photographed by Kevin Su |
