Project Aware (Perhentian 2 Oct - 5 Oct 2003)

[nleong]

Hi Guys/Gals and Divers wannabes,

I'm back in one piece. Altho' I have to drag myself out from bed this morning to go to work. Got back at 4am. A long and grueling bus ride.

It was a memorable trip seeing how we as divers can contribute to the concersavation of the living reef.

We learnt how to control our bouyancy and different finning style as not to damage the fragile living corals and ourselves and at the same time conserve air so we can see more things

Anyhow, no pixs yet, but heres some narration from Day 1.

Starting from the night ride from Orpheus to the jetty. Stopped for supper over at yong Peng and afterwich, full stomach and getting ready to go to sleep. 2 hrs later, heard a big loud thud, thought its just some log. But then 5 mins later another thud. Oh oh.... something is not right, I thought, as true enough, we had a punctured tyre. And best thing of all, we have all the tools except the spanner. Duh!!! But its a relief after 1 hr wait, the driver managed to dig/beg from somewhere. Its amazing seeing how quick and swift they are changing the big tyre and its the inner one somemore. Well, thereafter, everything's fine till the morning.

Upon arrival on Perhentian Island, we checked in and was introduced to the dive centre and at about 10am had our first briefing for our first dive, the Peak Performance Buoyancy 1.

This we learnt how to control our bouyancy using our lungs, staying at neutral bouyancy. Correct finning techniques to hover around horizontally.

It was beneficial, tho' still clumpsy for this dive, but the 2nd dive (PPB2) later in the day, started to get use to it. Less the fin backward one, instead of going backward, i keep going

forward. But at least now i can hover around long enuf to grab a shot of the clownfish

The rest of the day was spent eating and buming around on the beach. As it was a tiring day due to the travelling, we turned in early somemore, that night

thunderstorm. So the Reef conservation talk was cancelled.

For Day 2, it was the underwater cleanup and beach clean up. Altho' perhentian have less rubbish compared to other dive sites, we still find some

bottles, plastic ones, glass ones, cigratters box etc. And one of our task is also to remove the Crown of thorns from the corals so to save the

corals. And we did removed 2. And guess what, I'm the unlucky one who get to hold on the net thru out the whole dive and missed my photo opportunity with

the sea turtle, HUGE colony of bubble corals which looks like brain from far and a Titan Triggerfish!!! Yes, a triggerfish, well not sure if its a Titan, at least

that's what the instructor who lead the dive say it is.

In all, the clean up was a success, the other groups came back with loads of rubbish, and more Crown of Thorns. Took some pixs of it, Will show it

once i get it develope. One group came back with a huge net, wonder how they pick it up to the boat.... hmmm...

Then coem the party night, and the traditional drink from the snorkel event. Haha... those got certified there will know whats that

Well, think some guys partied till quite late, as can hear the music thumping away from the room. Anyhow, I was too tired to go bother abt it.

Come Day 3, the last dive of the season, we all very excited as we were going to Tokong Laut (Temple of the Sea). Was told its a magnificient sight there

and once there, will get addictged to diving. Well true enough its a nice sight, sea whips, soft carnation corals, acroporas, table and staghorns and

even an Anemone City. You name it, you will it. Even saw a small moray eel coming out to check out whats happening. A porcupine fish hovring below.

Alas, the current was too strong for us, we are running out of air and have to ascend. Believe it would be better if the current is weaker and vis is better.

And then the long and grueling journey back home....

Will go back for more next year.

So, thats about all. Hope you guys don't find it too lengthy. Will post some pixs soon. Stay tune

[Achilles Tang]

I wonder when I will pay homage to Tokong Laut again... the bus journey was hell. Maybe if I can fly there... I wouldn't mind.

Hopefully AirAsia will have a cheap flight from JB to KL to near that place.

[hoppinghippos]

wow nleong, from just passed OW to project aware diver! you've come a long way man!! congrats!!!

[Sinn]

pics pics pics !!

[nleong]

wow nleong, from just passed OW to project aware diver! you've come a long way man!! congrats!!!

haha... thanks for the compliments. But still I'm only an OWD.

[nleong]

pics pics pics !!

patient patient. Just got back my camera only. Will send in the film this morning.

[kelstorm]

WE WANTS PICS!!!!!

[nleong]

Ok. A teaser. The snorkel drinking session

[marvellous07]

we want pics... we want pics...

hahaha... norman very nauti on the trip arr.. tsk tsk tsk... oops.. shhh... hehe

[hoppinghippos]

nleong: how you know about project aware trip? next time post and let everyone know leh!

[nleong]

nleong: how you know about project aware trip? next time post and let everyone know leh!

I did posted on this site wat. Its in the tioman pixs thread. And when I wanted to post a new thread, SRC went down... so too bad lor anyway, pix ready. will be uploading it soon, once i converted them to smaller size.

[nleong]

Ok. Here's some underwater pix. This series is about us doing the PPB skills.

First pix - before going down, while waiting for the rest. I put my face down and saw these fishes and took a few shots. Not sure what they are. But looks like sergeant major. Anyone can confirm ?

[nleong]

Next 2 pix showing 2 of the guys trying to swim thru the PVC made square. Idea is to streamline our equipment. Neutral bouyancy and swim thru. to simulate a tight environment, so that we will not bang here and there, epseically rocky areas.

Well, we did several times, cos equipment keep popping out, or either the tank 1st stage keep getting tnagle with the PVC. I like this the best compared to the buddha hovering skill.

[nleong]

next one.

[nleong]

ending this first series with a not so good shot of the environment of our 1st dive.

Taken while they were doing skills and I was looking ard taking pictures

[nleong]

Ok, the next 6 photos I like best. Very good job from the $38 camera

1st three shows what I think is a school of juvenile barracuda. I didn't notice it, until bob point out to me and I was actually swimming into them.

Its so fun watching them swimming here and there in a school, its an amazing sight.

[nleong]

again.

[nleong]

They were simply too fast for me to grab a up close shot and they are almost transparent. Think the adult ones would be nicer. Yet to see one. A must see on my list for next season

[nleong]

The next 3 shows some healthy SPS colony and a few anemone with percula hosting in them. Can give you some idea for scaping, especially the first pix.

[nleong]

another one

[nleong]

the anemone.

[nleong]

The next few pix are the last. Some miscellaneous stuff. There are some others showing we getting on the boat, rigging up etc. I shall not post them here to bored you guys.

Didn't take much pix, as vis not very good. Hope next year when i saved up for a better camera , will be able to show you better pix.

Thanks for reading!!!

[nleong]

the 3 stooges

[nleong]

all of us after our 2nd dive on the 2nd day

[nleong]

The deadly crown of thorns. Sorry can't see very clear. But i think in all, we fish out more than 10 of them. These crown of thorns eat corals, and I did see the acros around it all dead, white skeleton.