David Goh's Scuba Diving - Pulau Aur / Pulau Dayang

This page has been featured on the DSO Intranet
This page has created on 01 November 1998. Last updated on 20 November 1998

Under the auspices of the DSO National Laboratories Recreation Committee (DSO RC), a scuba diver course was organised for staff and their friends. Four trainees and two leisure divers followed the NAUI Scuba Diver programme conducted by Mako Sub-Aquatics. The open water portion of the training was conducted at Pulau Aur.	Story by: David Goh NAUI Divemaster Photos courtesy of: Tan Ban Huat
	The trip began with a bus ride from the Mako office leaving at about 8 pm. After clearing the Singapore-Malaysian border, we arrived in Kota Tinggi where there was a break, for a "leak", some refreshments, and perhaps a bite to eat... and then we were off... pressing on to the east coast.
Arriving at Mersing, we boarded the boat. It is fitted for diving with tank racks, etc. By this time, it was nearly midnight. The first order of business was to stow away the gear so that nothing takes a swim while we were travelling, and of course...
	... the next order of business was to find a nice spot to sleep where one wouldn't roll off and fall overboard while sleeping! It would a some hours yet before reaching the island, so getting some sleep while one can is important.
Ah, here's what the resort looks like by day. Of course, one wouldn't see it like that on arrival at the island. It would be quite dark, at about 3 to 4 o'clock in the morning. After transferring to a small launch (boat), we would be brought to the beach... then it's "shut-eye" time till morning, when the day's diving programme would begin.

	"Atlantis Bay" Dive Resort is a quite decent, with a beach and a "house reef" if one could call it that.
Here's a good look at the dive vessel.	Group pix: Click for enlargement
	Pulau Aur is mostly rock. So one would expect to see this kind of coast line as one travelled around to the various dive sites.
	Ah... so, time to dive. Gearing up...
... and then rearing to go!	It's a tense moment...
To getting into the water on this boat, one can either take a "giant stride" off the transom at the stern (tail end) of the boat	or from the deck on the port (left) or starboard (right) sides.
	Here's the "blow-by-blow" look at what a "giant stride" entry feels like... ... just stand at the edge, hold on to your mask and breathing apparatus with the right hand, instrument console and weight belt buckle with the left hand, and take a deep breath, then make a "leap of faith"... Here we go...
	... splash down... ... and suddenly we're in the water... bubbles, bubbles everywhere...
Finning on the surface round to the bow (front) of the boat ...	Getting ready to descend into the deep blue sea at the anchor line...
Initially, everyone was tense...	clutching the line all the way down...
but soon, one realises that it's all right after all... it's a fascinating too ...	...seeing new things... experience new things like breathing underwater...
	... experiencing weightlessness and the joy of neutral buoyancy... and some levitation?
	... what a feeling! This feels great!!! I feel good... Hey! Great dive! That was fun! Then climbing the ladder to get back on board...

Then when one is nice and dry, all cleaned up, either on the boat or on shore, record the dive in the personal dive log books, committing the memories and experience to writing...	Nothing like a beautiful sunset to end each diving day! (Pulau Dayang is on the opposite side of this channel)