21 Dec 2008

After a tiring day, we recharged a bit and get ready for our day 2 challenges. I suppose, day 2 will be more relaxing cos there isn't going to be skill demo but more of getting ourselve aquainted to diving. It will be nice to have a leisure dive.

Macdonalds Breakfast

We left for our day 2 dive on a bigger boat

Equipment Ready????

Enjoying the scenery on the way to our dive site

Soon, we are all called up to the front deck of the boat for our briefing and theory lesson. Our instructor taught us basic navigation skill and go thru all safety check and procedures with us again.

Underwater Compass

Instructor giving us navigation lesson

Superman????

Wei!!! Dun just look at the water. Get into action!!!

Sure or not?? Out Of Air?
You are still on the boat!!!!

Soon, we reached the dive site and get ready for our dive. Did our pre-dive safety check and one after one another, we jump into the water.

Picture of diver descending

We did some basic skills and for te first time, we get to dive away from the anchor line (safety, grouping area). I wanted my wife to have the compass as I want her to overcome her navigation fear. I am fairly good at using the compass.

My decision was right, at the beginning, she was not very sure but I told her to lead and that forces her to set the bearing and dive out. To my surprise, she kept her course and even managed to dive back to the original location. Job well done!!!!

With that, we officially passed out as certified diver under the standard laid down by PADI.

Cheers!!! We are divers now!!!

We board the boat one by one and unrig the equipment. We now set our course home. Many of us gathered that the front deck and the instructor tell us more of their diving experience and of course to encourage us to go for the advance diving course. YES!!! We will be doing the advance course in early may 2009.

Home Sweet Home

Our instructor issue us our diver log book and we record readings of our dive for the first time.

Our Diver Log Book

Instructor acknowledging our dive records

Congratz!!! Diver - Toh Chen Lim

Congratz!!! Diver - Seah Kah Wei

Congratz!!! Diver - Trevor Woo

Congratz!!! Diver - Veriyanti (Absent with apologies)

That marks the end of our open water diving course and if you want to know more, you may visit http://www.sunnycove.com.sg/. The instructors are cool and friendly.

Washed up and left the place after bidding farewell to our instructors. We shall meet again on 24 Dec at Sunny Cove grand opening. Decided to head to Braddell for Chicken Rice.

One of our favourite Chicken Rice Stall

Close up on the tender and tasty chicken

Speciality Prawn Roll with sause using special recipe

Dumpling Soup goes well with chicken rice

We are all damn tired and we headed home to rest. I slept from 3.00pm - 7.00pm. Frankly, still not recharged yet. But wife is hungry, so went to Upper Thomson Rd, Longhouse for our Prawn Noodle.

Veri's Prawn Noodle

My Pork Rib Noodle

Fried Carrot Cake to Share

Headed home after dinner to continue with our rest part 2. But once I was home, I went online and was chatting with friend and doing work till 5am in the morning.

20 Dec 2008

Wow Wow Wow!!! Today marks the first day of our open water dive. If you dun know, this was my dream at the age of 11. My parent didn't allow me to do that due to safety reasons. What a long wait and I am finally fulfulling just one of my dream.

Jia Wei stayed over at our place so we went for breakfast together at Jalan Kayu.

Since we are quite late. We rushed off to West Coast hitting the speedometer at 110 - 12okm/h.
It took us 18 min from Jalan Kayu to West Coast.

What a nice place to start our day

We were greeted by Thomas who spotted us and directed us to the marina.

Place where we board the boat that take us to the dive site

Dun dream abt it. We dun need this 5 star yatch to take us out

Veri, Jia Wei and Chen Lim ahead of me.

After boarding the boat, we received a short orientation and briefing. Soon, the engine roared and we move out of the marina. The sea is quite rough and from time to time, we need to hold on to something. At the same time, we started to prepare our diving gears.

Quick! Get your gear ready!
I am not going to do it for you! You are my buddy not wife now!!!

As we make our way to Pulau Hantu (Ghost Island), we get a chance to see the coastline of Singapore in the west. Mainly facilities related to the oil and gas industry.

Projects are stressful.
Let's all unwind and focus on getting our diving certification!

Our instructors will not allow time to be wasted and diving briefing begins very soon. Nicky, our instructor run thru the activity list with us and also set expectation for the day. He run thru the skills again and to ensure certain safety measure is in place.

Still not sure. Better ask before you get down there!!

Time passes very fast. Soon, the engine slient down and we realise we have reached our dive site. Briefing is still in progress. After the final check, we were asked to get ready for our dive.

Buddy of the Year!!



Me getting ready for dive too!!!

Since I do not have an underwater camera. I will not be able to show you pictures of our dive. We make 2 dives and demostrate the skills that we acquire over at the pool dive. These are mainly survival skills that are essential when we dive in the open water.

By 12.00pm, we are all back to the boat and getting ready to go home. We have done well and managed to complete our skills.

Guys!!! This is the class of diver graduating 21 Dec with Sunny Cove

Victory for day 1!!!!

Just look at the equipment.
This is not a simple activity.

Cylinder Rack.
Air are stored in these tanks for us consume under water

Regulator that supply air from the tank to the diver.

BCD - Bonyancy Control Device
Attend the course to know how to use this

Weights that help us to dive

Close up of the tank!!

Weight Belt that holds the weights

Flipper tat goes to our feet

Surrounding of Palau Hantu

On our way back

Just look at the logistics involved to go for a dive!!!

We washed up and went for lunch with our course-mates and instructors. Getting a place for all to agree isn't that easy a task. Finally, we agreed on IMM. Brought all to one of our favourite Hong Kong Cafe.

My Wanton Noodle!!!

Coffee mixed with Tea

Group Picture of our course-mates and instructor

After lunch, I drove my wife down to beach road to get more diving gear. I got myself a wet suit as I have bitten by some sea bug. I wanted a full wet suit for maximum protection. After getting our gear, we went to Leisure Drome for tea break.

Our Tea Break at 4.30pm

Veri finally get to taste this Ugly Chicken Puff by Starbucks!!

My favourite Christmas Special Drink - ToffleNut Latte

Left home and cancelled all our evening activities as we were damn tired.