coral bleaching

I’ve blogged in previous posting how beautiful and healthy the corals and marine life are in Redang. Unfortunately, not all dive sites are like that. Some of the sites surrounding Redang are closed down as the coral reefs at these locations have been adversely affected by a phenomenon called coral bleaching. True to its name, it describes the whitening of coral reefs due to increased sea water temperatures. If the water gets warmer, the tiny algae that give color and nutrients to corals, and help build their skeleton, disappear. The coral then turns white. Perhaps unsurprisingly, GLOBAL WARMING  is the culprit.

 

 

diving escapade

Last week, I went off for several days to Redang Island for my supposedly my last dive for the season. As monsoon months are fast approaching (also since fasting month is just around the corner), my friends and I decided to head on to Redang Island. The last time I was there was 3 or probably 4 years ago. Redang, particularly the Long Beach, sure has improved a lot. You can even find chalets that are ridiculously priced at USD250 per night now. However, my buddies and I decided to opt for a RM350/pax  for food + accommodation package (based on quad occupancy). It was a good deal, and friends and I had a blast! I guess the comfort is the least concern if you have a good company of friends. Enjoy the pics!

passion for diving

 

 

Diving is a wonderful way to get your mind off stressful matters at work. It brings in lots of joys and new experiences that stay with you for the rest of your life. For me, diving has always been a source of inspiration and something to look forward to at the end of a hectic work period.

I started diving with PADI eleven years ago, slowly gaining more confidence. The first lessons of Open Water Diving Course were at the pool with a bunch of beginners like myself. Slowly we learned about breathing and underwater safety. We listened to our instructors and looked up to them and soon were ready to move on and start diving in the wild in those professional wetsuits. Two years after, I took an Advanced Open Water License, giving me access to dive anywhere in the world – deep dives, wreck dives, night dives, drift dives to name afew. My diving certification didn’t end there. I was eager to learn more. In 2006, I was certified as an Emergency First Responder and subsequently, a PADI Rescue Diver.

Diving has given me the quality of pure entertainment and communication with nature on a very deep level. Although diving is still purely a hobby for me, I also have a dream of becoming a Diving Instructor one day – and living a simple life with family in a cabin by the beach ..hehheh. I only have one level to go (Dive Master) before I can even think of taking the Instructorship Course and Exam. I need to log in more dives and gain as much experience before thinking of going professional.

So, are you with me?

Those who are interested to dive, you can opt for either certification by PADI or NAUI. Here are the certification courses offered by PADI.

p/s – I will share some photos from my recent dive trip to Redang Island with my buddies tomorrow. It was  our last round of diving before the monsoon (and fasting) months set in.

Dive Weekend

No, I didn’t go diving last weekend. I just went to Malacca with family for a 3-day trip to our favorite Equatorial Hotel. But hey, we did dive into the pool , and it is one of my favourite hotel pools around. It’s called the Oasis – owing to a network of small shallow pools. 

So, what’s about diving? Nothing. It’s just that I miss diving so much With such limited time for myself now, I hardly dive anymore. But I still made a point to visit the Malaysia International  Dive Expo (MIDE) 2009 at PWTC last friday to check out the latest happenings in our local waters. I managed to sign up for my boss for a PADI Open Water Course too, and met the chirpy AF co-host Sarimah. I also voted for Pulau Sipadan to be one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. I’ve dived in Sipadan before, and trust me, it’s HEAVEN down there. If you need to vote too, please go to www.n7w.com and www.votesipadan.com.

Sipadan Island is the only oceanic island in Malaysia which rises 600 meters from the seabed, Sipadan Island is a world wonder in its own right. It is formed by living corals engulfing an extinct volcano cone which took centuries to develop. Located at the centre of the Indo-Pacific basin, Sipadan Island has one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity in its ecosystem. Emerging from 222 participating countries, Sipadan Island has been nominated as one of the 261 qualified national and multinational nominees. Your votes will decide which of these nominees will make it to the top 77 in each group category.

When I started diving 10 years back, I had one goal in mind; I wanted to become a Dive Instructor and Operator. I wanted to create a home by the beach, and to run a Dive Centre. While I still have a strong passion in diving, somehow, my goal started to deviate off the course. I started to dive leisurely, without logging my dives properly.

As I am now a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, and a Rescue Diver, all I need now is to log in enough dives (60 to be exact) before sitting for an exam as a Divemaster. Only after being certified as a Divemaster that I can seat for the Instructorship exam. Seriously, it’s not that far from where I am now. I have dived more than 60+, unfortunately I only managed to log 40+ ( I hope all my logbooks are still around to prove that). If I am serious about it, I can get my divemaster before this season ends, and pursue for Instructorship next year.

Do I want to do it? Do I want to run a Fitness One-Stop Centre by the beach where one can sweat, swim, sun, eat and dive at the same time? Sounds like a cool life huh! …. We’ll see. As for now, I’m still busy training clients in fitness.

p/s Will definitely hit the island next month for some dives. This time, I have to remember to bring along my log book. My daughter, Ariana, will be doing her first snorkelling trip (probably her second ….. her first was when she was 3 months old where she was placed in a float, and surrounded by beautiful coral  fish during our snorkelling trip at Pulau Sibu Besar …. hehehhe).