After a few months of "ding ding dong dong" preparations and divers roll call, on the 9th of April, 2009, SafetyStop buddies landed our feet first time ever on this mysterious piece of land on the east coast of Penincular Malaysia, Tenggol Island. Based on so many reviews and readings on the net regarding about the island marine lives and of course, the superb nudi branches species surrounding the island, we are so desperate to set out fins into the nearby water to check them out one by one. Thanks to Scubatex Ahmad, our honourable DM for this trip, we were able to set for 10 ultimate challenging dives this round.Why I used "challenging" to describe Tenggol? For divers whom are out there haven't been to Tenggol before, "Tenggol Diver" would be a foreign term for you and me even. But the moment you set your fins into the checkout dive point the House Reef, you will find yourself drifting slowly towards the direction to the north - Welcome to Tenggol, dudes! Tenggol is definitely a great training ground for divers who are looking forward for drifting and currents. Out of 10 popular dive sites, 9 out of it are currents drifting dive sites. Not even talking about the famous "Tokong Laut" (Highway) which of course we didn't go due to the stunning DM remarks on it (4 hours to Pulau Kapas and 48 hours to Pulau Redang if you mistakenly carried by the highway currents out to the open sea), all other dive sites are surrounded by minor currents as well.
As for this blog, I would first elaborate my memorable and my favourite site for this trip - "Tokong Timur" The White Rock.
You do not need to descend to 21M to find the beauty of the White Rock corals as all that really impressed me are located just nice at the depth of 10-12M. We were dropped off at the current breaking point and descend to 10M (initially suggested to be the gathering point by DM). Unfortunately it was the north current that particular time and after descending, we lost visibility of each others. My vis is only about 1M and luckily my buddy is still sticking with me. So we keep thrusting forward maintaining as the reef on our left in hope to meet with others. Though we had ran out of each others but the views are just simply amazing that I do not panic at all but appreciating whatever heading my way. We caught some angel fishes (both yellow and blue), great foundation of anemones, great corals wall structure (like some sort of Sipadan Island mini version), group of small groupers, and stuff.. After about 30 minutes dives, I ended up finally with both Buddy Jimmy and Buddy Calvin but we are still no sight of the rest. So we decided to keep up on our own adventure expedition until I finally saw 2 more divers passing by DI Kim Seng and Buddy Lai Yin. But they were heading the other way round. Since the scene was superb, the three of us decided to move on. This is where our legacy begins.
By the time my air reached 50Bar, I knew its time for me to do my safety stop which I thought we already had made a round trip around Tokong Timur. Unfortunately, we haven't! I had to hang on to the coral rocks in order to do my safety stop because the underwater current keeps pulling me away. So as Buddy Jimmy and Buddy Calvin. By the time we ascend to the surface, we was astonishingly found ourselves on the other side of the island and the boat was not there. I was shocked and mind is totally blank since it was not something I expected. The worst situation is I am out of air (already touching 0 bar) and mask is off my face. We had no choice but being splashed by the strong waves on the surface towards the rocks. Then we made another wrong judgement as human instinct, we thought we could just climb up the rocks to cross over to the over side of the rocky island to reach for our boat.... this is totally OUT-OF-MIND!!!! B. Jimmy was swimming in front towards the rocks followed by me and B. Calvin at my back. Then a huge hurrican waves started to spinning around from my back towards B. Jimmy. We were being pulled and pushed continuously towards and back from the rocks. Then I saw B. Jimmy successfully got himself off the water and sitting on the small rocky foundation. At this moment, I got to grab tight at the rocks thinking that I could climb over through that path. Then another "washing machine" waves started to roll from my left where I saw B. Calvin had been rolled in by it coming towards me.... With my eyes closed, I was being threw out of the rocks and rolled over to where B. Jimmy sat. I could still remember my gears and tanks banging into the rocks as I rolled over and over again. By the time I could held myself up, another wave came around and gave me a lift into the ocean again. But this time, I was on the other side of the rocks where our boat lies. Praise God! It was really an amazing grace for me to survive the hit... But both of B. Jimmy and me were still awaiting for B. Calvin to climb over... but he did not! I was so terrified that something bad might already happened to him... After realeasing our divers help sausage, I saw B. Calvin successfully climbed over and I was so relieved at that time.... A few scracthes on our suits, gloves and ourselves reminded us that there is no joke to be a "Tenggol Diver". Reviewing what had happened to us, I would strongly recommend all divers out there whom like to challenge Tenggol, please reming yourselves about Buddy Breathing technique and stay away from the rocks.
Though we ended up with this experience but the three of us still looks forward for another dive at The White Rocks!
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2 comments:
Dudes, we almost lost 3 buddies at the White Rock, Tenggol. So what may look harmless on the surface may not be so when you're actually fighting for your life there. Rule #1 - Keep away from the rocks. Swim away after doing your safety stop about 20m before surfacing. Rule #2 - Look up. If you see white lines of waves foaming, that means it's quite a splash on the surface, it's going to be rough, so go further out where the water is not so choppy. Rule #3 - Inform your buddy.
Usually where there is a small u-shape area where waves are splashing, this is the most dangerous area. The waves will continue to drag you down and throw you against the rocks, boats can be smashed in pieces, imagine what it can do to divers.
B. Simon survived the ordeal with bloody arm, torn suits and wasted gloves and dented air tanks. B. CAlvin almost had an appointment with God but he was saved, amazingly, but not without scar marks to show for it on his knees and bruises in other areas. B. Jimmy is a rescue diver. What we didnt know is that the only rescuing he can do is himself. SO he came out of this alive, well and unharm. He was swimming away from the rocks, deploy sausage and seek for help. So all claps to all 3 buddies who came back. Tenggol, we're not finish with you yet!
The only Rescue Diver we met at that point of death had already done his best for us, I perhaps. That's why he had been maximizing his appetite in order to show appreciation to his life.... hahaha! For those whom had been in Tenggol should know what I am talking about, rite??
Keep Diving!
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