My Off-Dive Season Dive Plans

Yes, I am bored.

Hopefully in 5 days time I’ll be breathing underwater again. I still don’t know of when will my Trimix course be held, but I suspect it won’t be anytime after mid-November. After that it would be almost impossible to go by speedboat to Tioman from Mersing. Well, it’s not entirely impossible but a normally an hour an a half journey would become 3-4 hours instead. Yes, I have done that trip during the monsoon. I don’t mind the huge waves, but the smell of puke because some of the passengers who do not have sea legs would be throwing their guts up.

The Northeast monsoon season is actually the best time to dive. It can be tiring due to the surge caused by the huge waves that roll 25m above your head, but the visibility is generally better, the sharks are bigger, and there is almost always more pelagics to be seen. Fishes are plentiful as many fishermen do not dare to brave the seas during this season.

It starts mid October for the Terengganu islands (Perhentian, Redang, Lang Tengah, Bidong, Kapas, Gemia, Tenggol), and mid-November for Tioman, Aur, Dayang and Pemanggil. It should last through February for the Pahang and Johor islands, and mid-March for the Terengganu islands.

I have done plenty of monsoon season dives. I always enjoy the rush of getting to the dive sites, and getting back on board the dive boat. Very challenging. Yes, crazy, but nice. What is life without a little bit of insanity?

So what are my plans for this off-dive season? Notwithstanding the courses, here are my plans:

October 07

Second Hari Raya – Perhentian
End of October – Either exploratory dives in Perhentian or Redang

November

Tioman

Diving the wreck of the German submarine U-859 with Adzri to do videoshoot.

December 07

Pulau Jarak

Diving the wreck of the Italian submarine UIT-23 Reginaldo Giuliani with Adzri for a videoshoot.

January 08

Diving the wreck of the Indian bulk carrier ICL Vikraman sunk off Port Dickson in 102 feet of water in 1997 with the loss of 28 lives. This dive will be done with Adzri again for a videoshoot.

Hoping to do the islands of Mantanani, Gaya, Sapi, Mamutik and Manukan.

February 08

Pulau Payar

After that, I’ll be back in the East Coast.