I'm back without the PADI Open Water certificate.
Instead I was given the PADI Scuba Dive because I couldn't withstand the cold temperature in the water.
What's the difference between these two?
PADI OW gives you the privilege of diving as deep as 18m with a buddy independently whereas PADI SD only allows you to dive to a maximum of 12m with the presence of a divemaster.
It's a shame that I failed to make the mark. However I managed to overcome my phobia and just when I thought I have achieved my personal velocity, my physical disability killed the joy.
I went through all the theories, grasped the general rules and techniques of diving... but it was a different story in confined water. I struggled with my buoyancy and tried my best to control my breathing through the regulator. It's not easy to breathe with your mouth all the time, especially when the air you breathed was limited and artificial. Moreover you were few metres deep underwater with a possibility of drowning, should you screw-up your equipment.
On the first dive, I shivered so badly that breathing started to get irregular and my pee just couldn't release out to warm my body. When we came up, I was given sharp pointers by instructor on how to get it right for the second dive. By then my ears were full of seawater that I couldn't think straight. Blame it on me, as I didn't equalize properly when we descended. The second day I braced myself for the lesson and performed pretty well... until coldness seeped in. I started to shiver and it affected my buoyancy. I guess it irritated Buda (instructor) and he cut short the dive. During the break he politely suggested that I should stop and be certified as PADI Scuba Diver. What can I say? He pointed out that I had hindered the progress of his modules and Clifford was diving like a pro.
So I gave up and Cliff completed the course without a hitch.
Even though I was discouraged/disheartened/disappointed, I congratulated myself on the success of diminishing my phobia. It was a good experience. Looking at the fish at 8m underwater with my mask was like admiring them through an aquarium. I saw jellyfish, sea cucumbers, weird-looking corals, zebrafish, rainbow fish and farms of sea urchins. Though I didn't get to see larger fish I think this is my new beginning. I want to see more, I yearn to swim with the turtles, I wish I can touch anemones...
But I'm still not comfortable in the water world and I have lost huge amount of confidence in diving. I was ostracized by Buda and Drew with fake smiles and cold demeanor. Nothing could describe my feelings during the last two days of my stay. Buda made it worse with his sarcasms and I REALLY DETEST HIM.
In any way, Cliff encourages me to give it another try by engaging Charlie's help. And never again will I return to Buda for the course, this fat botak irks me with his larger-than-life boostings and incessant self-indulgence.
Diving aside, we enjoyed our week's stay in Tioman. We miss the sound of seawaves lapping the shores, the velvety clear blue sea, the beautiful sunsets and lovely cats. We got up close and personal with some of the kuchings and named them as 'Gingerbread', 'ShortBlack', 'TomCat', 'Ginger', 'CactusTail', 'HotMama', 'Blackie'. They occupied most of our free time.. as there isn't any nightlife in Panuba. It's a private beach and reaching to other villages requires sea taxis (inconsistent availiability still perplexes me) or a minimum of an hour's trekking in the dense jungle. In Panuba we also witnessed the appearances of snake and monitor lizard. For city dwellers like me, it was quite an encounter that you can't compare to those in the zoo :)
shortblack and gingerbread
In one way or another, the whole diving adventure marred the vacation. But I'm still thankful to be given the chance to explore the underwater world that I'm always afraid of.
Thus, it's...
A for efforts and F for fucked-up certificate
:P
(more photos will be uploaded to online album.. soon)