Scuba

December 8 and we start our PADI certified open water diving training. We meet our guide, Richie. Richie's chilled-out manner, Northern England accent and long wavy hair sort of reminds me of George Harrison. Originally it is just Steph and I, then later another girl, Leanne from Melbourne, joins us. The first day is spent in the class room watching instruction videos with corny american narrators and that look like they were shot on videotape in the 80's and later transferred to DVD/VCD. We do some quizzes and then a final exam. 

The next day we do our first underwater exercises. These are usually done in a pool, but luckily (or, in Steph's mind, scarily) we get to do these in the shallow waters off the small island of Sibuan. Here we learn to set up our dive equipment and go through some routine safety tests, like transferring and clearing regulators and masks. Probably the most challenging of these tests is taking off our masks underwater, waiting for thirty seconds, then putting them back on and clearing them of water by pressing the tops and blowing forcefully through the nose. It is now that Richie's relaxed ways really help out - he calms Steph and guides her through a moment of panic when she removes her mask.

(Steph's note: The fear of water rushing up your nose while you are 12 meters underwater should be considered as a rational, life saving fear. Somehow neither Michael nor Leanne seemed to mind this utterly disturbing feeling, so I looked like a bit of an underwater weirdo when I grabbed hold of Richie and tried to bolt for the surface). 

Sibuan.

On day three we head for the island of Mabul, where Steph and I will be spending the next two nights. After some more training exercises we do our first proper dives.  Our last dive of the day is cut a little short because Steph and I use up too much of our air in a compass exercise gone awry -  I end up sharing Richie's air, using his secondary regulator. Sharing air with a man underwater is a unique and strangely intimate experience. In the afternoon we sign some documents - we have passed all of the tests and are now licensed scuba divers! 

Day four we do three more dives off Mabul with a new instructor, Jack. We see an incredible array of fish and corals. We also see giant Green Sea Turtles and Broad-club Cuttlefish. None of them appear to be very bothered by our presence. By this time I feel I'm getting better at controlling my breathing and buoyancy. Everything slows down underwater. It is very peaceful and the sensation I imagine must be something close to that of a bird in flight. 

Mabul.

Our final day of diving is off the island of Sipadan. Sipadan is the jewel in the crown of the islands off Semporna. It is considered one of the best dive sites in the world. In an effort to protect the island, all lodgings have been closed there and visitors are restricted to a maximum of one hundred and twenty per day. In the morning there is a storm and the water is very choppy. I get seasick and throw up from the side of the boat right before our first dive. I feel fine once underwater (I'm told that I can vomit into the regulator if I need to - happily, I don't). On this day we took a camera with us. We have written down the names of some of the things we saw, however we are not so sure of others. If you know the names, please post comments below. 

The very stormy boat ride to Sipadan. 

Our diving team. 

Steph underwater dancing. 

Just one species of the beautiful coral beneath. 

A parrot fish brightening up the dark sandy floor. 

Michael replacing the regulator that Steph pulled out several times accidentally. 

Lovely yellow fishies.

An Angel Fish swimming below. 

A school of beautiful Banner Fish. 

Oriental Sweetlips circling in the current.

Two Bumphead Parrotfish playing near our feet. 

Steph bravely swimming upside down. 

Two Crescent Tail Bigeyes.

A school of colourful Dart Fish. 

An Angel Fish kissing the coral. 

Michael taking of his mask with ease. (Showing off!!)

Our first Green Turtle of the day. 

A Batfish obscuring the bottom left.

A sunbathed Green Turtle. 

Swimming below us. 

Swimming above us. 

A coral hideout for fish. 

Our first White tipped Reef Shark.

Swimming safely below. 

OK? OK!