Underwater Breathing

On 2nd June 2009, I can breath underwater!!! Welcome to the confined pool scuba diving training held at Outram Secondary School, a hilltop school established in 1906 with a rustic feel in it. Very quiet and peaceful place except for the shower room which look rather spooky.


The first time experience of using the Scuba gear underwater is surprisingly pleasant. The air from the tank taste so much cleaner and better than our lightly polluted air from the environment. Boy was it heavy when we step out of the pool with it after the end of the training. It felt like hauling those field pack I got during Basic Military Training (but slightly lighter). Rule of thumb, always inhale and exhale deep and slow.

To really qualified as a Open Water Diver, it is a requirement not only to complete the knowledge examination but you must be able to demostrate that you can swim 200m unaided without time limit or 300m with snorkels and mask. Furthermore, a 10min water threading is a requirement as well which is pretty much the most tiring highlight of the first training session. All this is for the instructor to know your confidence in the water.

Some of my training buddy could not sustain for 200m swim or the water threading and have to try again today. I really really really really really wish for them to pass this physical test! Our training group will be heading to Tioman together this weekend and the friendship had grown after the first pool lesson, I'll be sad if anyone of them could not join us.

In my group, there is 3 guys from Denmark, 4 French and 2 teachers from Greenridge Secondary School who will be with me this weekend diving at Tioman. My friend from Thailand, an Advance certified diver, will also be joining me and she will be my dive buddy for the weekend. But of course! Since its such big group, everyone buddy everyone! ahahahah.

Meet our lead instructor....Jeremy from Waikiki. He look tough and he look like a Naval Diving Unit combatant with the scare on his left arm. However he said he is not previously from NDU. My comment: Very good instructor and had clear well organized teaching methods. Not too mention a calm and approachable personality. He always welcome question and is very strict about adopting good dive practice from the start.

Jeremy. He just had very dark complexion, nothing to do with my camera.

Meet Hashire, assistant instructor to Jeremy. I thought he is from some South American country like Brazil. Turn out to be Mr India. He promise to teach the me, the new dog some tricks at Tioman. A Divemaster in his own rights.

Hashire the Divemaster

Robin, the other lead instructor was not in any of the pictures. He is too shy to have his pictures taken. :)

So tonight will be the last Diving lesson at Outram Secondary School. The Pool lesson is interesting enough, just can't wait to be at Tioman and watch some beach turtles and reefs.