Alas! Victory beneath the surface

Finally! It's all done! I'm a certified Open Water Diver. The ordeal was treacherous but worth the while. What ordeal you may be thinking? Well the deal is you have to finish 2 modules in order to obtain a full fledge dive license, and 2 years ago, I only managed to complete 3 out of 4. Thus landing me only a Scuba Diver license. But this time, I was determined to finish it, to get it done with, to win that battle of mind over matter.

Pulau Dayang tucked away among many smaller islands is a popular place for Malaysians and our Sing neighbors to getaway for the weekend. But it’s quite a long journey with 4 hours on the road and another 4 hours on sea to get to this retreat. Our boat ride to the island was scheduled at 12 midnight on Friday and as we towed our scuba equipment and bag pack into the boat, my mind started drifting off to the life of illegal immigrants who alike take their journey in the wee hours of the morning to avoid commotion. What would be going through their minds? What lies ahead of them? Etc. (Thankful that I’m a citizen of a peaceful and prosperous country)

Our Saturday morning unraveled with two dives for warm up and another in the afternoon. This was when my skills were put to test. Prior to the skills test, my mind was battling with my physical capabilities. The body functions quite differently in and out of water, and I had a hard time adjusting to that. And for that reason, I was not able to do the “removal of mask underwater” skill the previous round. As I played the steps in my mind over and again, I gain needed confidence to pull it off. Finally at 8 metres below, with no where to run to and the surface way beyond my reach, the instructor signaled me over and asked me to demonstrate the skill. My heart was thumping yet my mind was at ease. I had to do this! Within seconds, everything that was playing in my mind came alive, I did it without a sweat. I can actually say it’s easy now. The excitement and joy that overcame me was incredible. And the following few minutes before surfacing the water was enjoyment rather than dread.

We enjoyed few more dives on Sunday with lots to see, feel and explore. The underwater world is amazing, with hidden beauties tucked on every side. I think I’m beginning to love it. Although the initial resistant did keep me at bay, but it’s one of the rewards of conquering ones fear. As for the rest of the OW students Jeffrey, Denise, Diane and Wei Sern they too passed with flying colors, showing agility for first timers underwater. They too have become new explorers of the submerged planet. “When is the next dive trip?”