Scuba Diving, Borneo Reef World

I went scuba diving last week and didn't meet any sharks. I did, however, snorkel among plastic bottles and baby diapers. Such is the state of the waters at the islands off Kota Kinabalu. Now that the timber is gone, the oil and gas are 'hijacked' and the palm oil prices have dropped, it is more crucial than ever for Sabah to safeguard the last remaining resources--its rainforests, beaches and seas. And yet, a walk along Tanjung Aru Beach is a saddening experience. There's thrash everywhere and the air stinks. Why have the food stalls on that beach? Why can't it be a park?

Anyway, here are some pics from my first scuba dive. I was too nervous (hate deep blue waters) to really enjoy myself, and I had trouble equalizing the pressure; my ears hurt and I feared that my eardrums would pop. I thought I'd panic and forget how to replace the the oxygen regulator so I cheated by holding on to it all the time. The water wasn't as clear that day because of the rain we've been having, but we did see some colorful fishes (one had colorful dots AND stripes, the full monty!) and corals. It's a different world underwater but I was relieved when I saw the poles and flippers because it meant we were near the surface. I think I'll stick to snorkelling.

Check Borneo Reef World's website here.

The boat that took us to the pontoon.



Crash course by the dive master.


The pontoon, largest in South East Asia, measures 888 sq meters.