Bandar Aceh & Pulau Weh

This gonna be the last dive trip for year 2012.  The whole trip was planned during the 2012 MIDE because of this irresistible dive package, less than a grand for 5 days 4 nights but already bear in mind not the luxury type of the dive resort.

Trip started with the early flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bandar Aceh which took us about 1 hour and 25 minutes flight time. However ferry was scheduled depart from Bandar Aceh to Pulau Weh or Sabang as known by local at 4pm.  So we got some spare times before departure.

As this was my first time here at Bandar Aceh, I can see the rebirth of this city after the Tsutnami hit in year 2004.  Not to forget visiting those memorial place like the fisherman boat on the roof of inhabitants house.

The barge in the picture was swept away by the astonishing wave of the Tsutnami 6 km away front the sea and finally landed at the mainland of this Banda Aceh.  I can't imagine how scary is the impact of this Tsutnami disaster. Anyway the local people was thankful and having a great promise for the future after the clean swept of this Tsutnami because it's gonna be a new chapter or beginning of their story to be tell.

Ok back to the Pulau Weh diving story.  I was staying at this Stefan Sea Sport which is about 30 minutes ride from the pier.  Nice and cosy resort and served only small pax of divers about 10 divers each time.  

Our lodge

Following the 4 days were just another nice and easy dives. I got to say Pulau Weh dive sites were totally different from those located east coast of Malaysia.  Most of the dive sites here you can easily descend below 25 meters, this gonna shorten your bottom time. I was mostly staying on top and enjoy shooting with my Canon S90.

There was this group of diver using HD Hero 2 sport camera for underwater video, I was really impressed with the footage from this tiny little compact camera. Well gonna target this in the near future and hope to share some underwater video during my next update of my dive blog.

Koh Lipe Getaway

This is the last minute plan to this "Maldives of Thailand" Koh Lipe island by bunch of my wife best friends.  I have heard about this island for quite sometime and finally I'm here. Sorry son, daddy will take you here in the near future. 

Day 1

Leaving Alor Star town early in the morning at 6 o'clock and the journey took us about 3 and half hours to reach the Pakbara pier. And from the pier to the island took about 1hour and 15 minutes to reach the island by using 4 x 200 engine speed boat. Long tail or fishing boat definitely can't make it in this short time.

We were staying at this Mountain Resort, generally I'll rate this a quite decent resort to stay but sadly there was no door front beach side, you gotta walk for 5- 10 minutes to the beach.  Resort services was good, they got this buggy car on standby to take you out of the resort to the nearby restaurant or any water sports activities centre.

I was so excited as this is my first time diving overseas but plan to dive in this very first day in the island but somehow due to the weathers........ first day dive had to be called off.  I pray to the God will be a sunny day the next day.  An advice here never come to the island during low season except you are going to stay for a week or  two and bet for the good weather.

Day 2

Thank you God for answering my prayer, it was a sunny day today. Took our breakfast at Satun Diving Centre, a little pricey breakfast with 2 slices of bread and 2 fried eggs cost 140 bahts by Mr Bank, the chef.  Following with the day trip boat diving to 3 dive sites named Stonehenge, Koh Hinru and Jabang.  I was hoping to see some big stuff like manta ray and whale shark for this trip.  But seems like I have to keep on diving and looking for them. Still no chances spotting them open water.

Polyceridae (pikachu)

Flabellinidae

I had never spotted these 2 nudibranches before in east coast Malaysia, these are new in my personal portfolio. Besides this lion fish are everywhere, like a permanent residents in this lovely island.  My first time spotted a seahorse also at this island. There are so many macro life here but with limited bottom time looking for them. Won't missed out the turtle too.

Lion fish

Seahorse 

Soft corals

Stone fish

Finished our second dive at Koh Hinru, Joan and me was brought to a seems like a private beach to have our lunch and surface interval. Lunch on this private beach without anyone around was like living famous, like you owned the beach, that was cool. 

Private beach front

Taking lunch

Surface view of Koh Hinru dive site

After lunch

Our last dive was at Jabang. This site was full of soft corals, those corals are so color rich and healthy.  Not forget an very obedient cuttlefish was there posing for me to shoot. I was so excited as this is also my first time seeing cuttlefish underwater. 

Soft corals

Day 3

I'm gonna say this indeed an awesome trip but too bad we were only staying 3 days 2 nights.  We're leaving early at 9.30 morning back to Pakbara pier. I promise myself will definitely come back again. Just wait for the Koh Lipe part 2.

Apple TV 3rd generation

A long awaited Apple TV finally officially released in Malaysia.  What is so cool and good about this small little black box? First of all I was so curious about this device, i thought it was just like a common media player that sold over the market. But this device can do a little more which Apple claim it "AirPlay". Connect it with your HDTV, you can stream wirelessly almost any media from your iPad or iPhone even my Android phone media to the HDTV.

You can immediately watch 1080p movie of course with supported movie format. I got to say it is another cash machine for Apple Inc. you got to purchase or rent movie from iTunes store. However you can't denied they indeed give you good quality movie playback.

Read from some forums those genius are working hard on jail breaking this Apple TV, I'm here giving my full moral support to them.  I can't wait for some free movie in any time soon.

Baskin Robbins Gratitude

Beside the month with day 31st, what else can make the public to line up for this well known Baskin Robin ice cream. This is the compliment to our national hero, Dato' Lee Chong Wei who was recently won the silver medal from the London Olympic 2012.

Baskin Robbins was at first promised to share the joy to all Malaysians by giving one scoop of free ice cream if Dato' Lee Chong Wei won the first ever Olympic gold medal for Malaysia.  However the reality was cruel, He won the silver medal.

A quote from an ESPN commentator: "LCW is such a great guy, but Lin Dan is a bit arrogant. Skills win you medals, but attitude wins hearts." I personally think that because of his humble and great attitude, Baskin Robbins Malaysia was showing their appreciation and respect to Dato LCW, that's why Malaysians still enjoy the free scoop of ice cream.

I would like to say Dato' LCW, You make us so proud of you, although you didn't bring back a gold medal for us, but i believe you are still the winner in every Malaysian's heart. Wish you luck in coming 2016 Olympic game.

EFR & Rescue Diver

After so many years of being AOWD, I had finally decided to go one step further for this EFR & rescue diver.  This as well as taking me one step closer to my goal or my pure personal achievement to the instructor level, hopefully I can achieve that.

So for the rescue part, you have to do about 10 rescue skill. With my experienced instructor, I had done it within a 2 hours dive at the shallow water about 5 meters depth to finish all the skills needed by PADI. There was this unresponsive diver rescue which I found mostly come into situation if there is any emergency happened underwater. Next thing will be panic diver, tired diver and lots of rescue skills to be learned. My instructor had pointed out some skill teached on the PADI which is not really convenient or come handy while doing rescue, but we discussed and add on with some of his real scenario experience such as diver tow method. Anyway I still learned lot of knowledge during this rescue course.

Next part, EFR (Emergency First Response). This particularly important and very good for everyone. Well equipt with this EFR knowledge, you are not only gaining the knowledge but you are helping your surrounding people, old folks,toddlers at home if in case emergency happened while waiting for the emergency medical service. 

5 important steps from my instructor which is A=checking airway, B=breathing, C=chest compression, D=difibrillation, and  S=serious bleeding. Beside this, CPR also one of the core skill from the EFR.  I did some CPR practice on the mannequin. 

Well all of this are mainly for safety precaution, we all do not want any accident happen while diving or out on the land. Just prepare yourself and dive safe to avoid any careless or human nenegligence incident happen.