Yahoo! My face in the paper!
Wow! This must be a dream. I was in the newspaper! A local daily - Utusan, written by another diver, Hazlan, about the trip to Sipadan. Thanks Hazlan!
Stangely, he concentrated on my last dive at Sipadan. The “Armageddon-like” last dive in search for the pygmy seahorse, was filled with adventure and almost death defying instances!
Thanks, BoBo!
May 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
wah…..so hamsem one you! Can you scan the paper and send to me?
May 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
what death-defying circumstances? pls elaborate
May 27th, 2007 at 8:14 am
oh dear ! oh dear Doctor George:
when i see this post.. i smile… (facing the laptop) keep on smilling.. i just can stop smile!! too happy u know.. seeing our hero Doctor George in “Utusan!”…
i will go to National Library today.. to pinjam the newspaper and make a photocopy.. and keep it frame!!! (will blog about ~u Armageddon~ in my blog too!!!)
Armageddon ! (*o*)
hugs~
May 27th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Thanks rachealliang, and thanks for blogging about it too. Yipee!
Sis, will try to scan and send it to you soon! Well the death defying mission is actually stated there under the picture and reported in the paper.
The “Armageddon”
Introduction:
Pygmy seahorse is a tiny creature not known to be found in parts on Malaysia. So, on our first dive there and when the divemaster told us there was this cute small tiny creature we were excited. He managed to show us the spot and pointed out the pygmy. Very few of us managed to see as it was tiny and the camouflage was excellent. We tried to catch it again the second time around but failed to spot the pygmy. Days passed by and almost all the divers with a camera had a picture of the pymy and those that did not, manage to see it!
The Mission:
Frustrated, Douglas and I decided to do a final dive to search for pygmy. Nobody else wanted to follow. We were pushing time to our “no flight time” rule - no flight within 24 hours from last dive.
It was close to sunset, when we decided to plunge into the sea. The preparation was heralded by our friends and it felt like a final send off! Scary but exciting! I think they thought we would never come back.
Douglas and I found the site fast and started our search. 20 minutes into the dive, Douglas signalled that he had found the pygmies - yes two of them! Then started the photo session - we shot and shot frames after frames in turns till the pygmy became blind! Then I realised that I was running short of air! Signalled my buddy who was taking a video shot - the only video shot - hoping National geographic will buy! I signalled to him again and we set off to find our marker to begin ascend. Marker found, air in my tank low, low! Ascended without holding on to the marker rope as we did not feel any current. Next thing, we were drifted far away like log woods to the middle of the sea where sea traffic is high! Douglas released his safety balloons (sausage) and we were worried, excited and were narcosis! We were laughing while calling for help!!!
The boatman came and rescued us. That is when the second death defying incident occured!
The final act:
We were at the platform and I efficient as ever had already packed everything to move from boat to platform. While shifting with one leg on the boat and the other on the platform, the current pushed the boat away! Yikes ! I threw my stuff onto the platform and let myself drop into the sea.
Shocked, I was drowning! I forgot I was carrying weight belts on my waist!! I removed it from my waist and suddenly my sentamentalism told me be kind to the belt! Refusing to let it drop to the sea bed, I held on to it only to pass it later to the boatman who jumped in to save me as I was still drowning! The boatman whose initial aim was to save me got confused when I quickly passed him my belt. I quickly grapped the edge of the boat and then another joke took place. My buddy who was watching everything, saw a pack of cigarettes floating behind me and rather then telling the boatman to save me, he instructed the guy to save the pack of cigarrettes! I got myself savely on board, tired , excited and pumped with adrenaline! However, I was laughing away as I was probably having nitrogen narcosis or famously called narced!
That’s the story sis! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
May 27th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
so scary! but pls do not do this again!
May 27th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Hiyah sis, life is short so live it to the max! I enjoy the sport and has always desired to do scuba. I must say it was dangerous - but I did not panic and was thinking throughout the way all the possibilities.
May 27th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Wonderful escape.Pl don’t do adventure or mishap again.Looks very handsome pose.
May 27th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Thanks mom!
May 27th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Wah, George, famous already. Great photo.
While you are having fun, your family worries about your dangerous adventure.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Wow… what death defining stunt!!! Hehehe… looks great on the papers doc.
May 28th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Fuiyoh….dem dangerous la…thank god you are okay..Wahh…celebrity lliao…got face on newspaper…hehe
May 28th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Err..george..soli hor..pinjam skejap…
Rachaelliang…How to read ur post jek?…all oso password protected one..
May 28th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
WOW !!!!! you are FAMOUS !!! I need to pick up scuba diving someday ..
May 28th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Judy, hi again! Well that is what family is there for, isn’t it? :))
How is your diver friend doing? Hope my reply helped!
May 28th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Oh thanks Kurt! Living life at the edge!
Eve, thanks. Never comment on the picture meh!
May 28th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Just tell me when, sbanboy! You will nevr regret it!
May 29th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Congrats! So famous already!
This newspaper article and pic of you will surely open doors to something good?
May 29th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Eh, I wonder how many kilos on your body with all the gears? Looks so pro!
The underwater scenery is very mesmerizing but still no thanks, I scare of water. In an open sea somemore. hahaha
Ay, life is more precious than the belt lah
May 30th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
wow, dr george, still remember the time we did beginner scuba course together? i’m one of the UM medical student. Your adventure was scary! i went to Sipadan after getting my advance license, and logged 12 dives in 2.5 days! i thought i was crazy till i saw your adventure.:) hahaha. i had one accident there too, when doing night dive. i hit my head on the coral reef while ascending. poor coral reef, a large chunk of it got broken. Anyway, saw you got a new diving camera!wow x 100! cheers.:)
May 30th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
hoiling, come on! It is not that scary! I suppose all the equipment and all on me must weigh about 20kg.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
colafish, nice to hear from you but am unable to identify you from that small avatar on your cute blog. Welcome!
Any more dives after that incident?
May 31st, 2007 at 5:41 am
Fuyohh.. looking dem good.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Thanks Bernard.