Advanced Open Water Diving Course

Another day of diving, I can’t wait! This morning’s dive is my wreck dive and as such we head to the Bounty Wreck. A ship that rumour has it, it’s owner sunk on purpose during Bali’s last economic recession, not wanting to be forced, like many of their Chinese Indonesian counter parts were being forced, to sell for below market value to Indonesian locals. The Indonesian locals were pushing out many of the Chinese and their families that had settled around these islands. The wreck is beautiful, an old wooden boat surrounded by wildlife. We see a mixture of marine life: Yellow Box fish, Green turtles, Trumpet fish, Clams, Lion fish, a giant Puffer fish and the highlight of the dive is a very active and large octopus. The octopus is walking around the wreck its colouring morphing to match its background as it moves, it was majestic and beautiful.

Ready to start my advanced course

Lion fish
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Schoolmaster Snappers, Batfish, Sweetlips
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Another dive done and I only have two more to do to pass my Advanced certification. The next is my deep dive. Now I am doing advanced I am able to dive up to 30 meters deep, significantly more than the 18 meters allowed with the basic Open Water. This means that when we head to Shark Point again, even though I have been here before there is different stuff to see, including another ship wreck. The dive starts great with Jack, Nia and me seeing two full grown White Tip sharks resting on the bottom as soon as we descend into our dive, followed by turtles, eels, Batter fish and more. The wreck itself is a more modern metal boat, but is equally beautiful. There is something unreal about the mix of human invention and nature colliding like this, the boat clearly is a boat, but now it is more of a birth place of coral, a home and hunting ground for an array of wildlife – a sight to behold.

The next day I take it easy, I let myself have a lie in and spend the day watching a series called Oz on Prime. Later I am going on a fun dive with Blue Marlin. As I booked with a deposit online, the company is giving me a free dive so I have decided on another night dive. However, I nearly missed it, after going for lunch I come back to my room and have a nap and I don’t wake up until 5:15pm. The boat leaves in 15 minutes, shit! I scramble myself together and run over to Blue Marlin. When I get there I meet up with Jack and his new instructor and, for this dive, we are being joined by a guy also on a fun dive. We load onto the boat, this time heading for Sea Horse Bay. It is a 30 minute boat ride towards another island. It is an amazing dive. Like I mentioned before I find night dives so peaceful which allows me to better control my breathing and therefore buoyancy, meaning my air lasts longer. Unfortunately, we don’t see any seahorses but there is plenty of other fish about, we see Turtles, Cuttle fish, Lion fish, Hermit crabs, a giant Frog fish, a Ribbon eel, a Giant Puffer fish, Black Star fish, Razor fish, Trumpet fish, Anemone fish, Clown fish and more. It is a great dive especially as I got it for free!

Underwater celebrations!

And now a qualified Advanced Open Water diver

Breathing exercise
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My final dive is the one I have been most worried about, my Peak Performance test, a test of ones ability to control your buoyancy using just your breath, as well as with your BCD (buoyancy control device) when handed a weight and when handing off a weight. Breath control is the area I need to work hardest to improve, although I am getting better, my average dive time improving from roughly 40 minutes to almost an hour over the last few days. This final dive is back at Turtle Heaven. As Jack was one dive ahead of me he has now passed his advanced but tags along and even gets involved in all the tasks although it is just a fun dive for him! After we have both done our skill tests – the last involving head butting over a torch that had been balanced on the bottom, this done whilst completely vertical and then regaining buoyancy, all without the use of your hands, not an easy task – we carry on with the dive. We see Turtles, Lion fish, Moray eels, Trigger fish, Box fish and a Romona fish. With that dive completed I have passed my advanced certificate and qualified to dive with an equal or more advanced buddy for up to 30 meters. To celebrate Jack and I go for a pizza once we are back on shore and I go to bed happy with myself and ready to go diving in Oz. Great Barrier Reef here I come!

The next few days passed with a similar routine, I decide to give myself time to chill. So I have a lie in everyday until it was time to leave Gili T. I only venture from my bed to get lunch or dinner. I do meet up with Jack a couple of times, the first being on Monday as that is party night at the Blue Marlin. Only problem being Jack and I are avoiding alcohol at the moment so we only last one coke each before the music and party spirit becomes too much for us. It is nice to see Nia and Puja letting loose. At one point Nia, a little inebriated, comes up to Jack and me proclaiming we are now members of the Blue Marlin family and that it has been a pleasure to teach us. Evidently some people can be a real pain, especially the surprising number of people that come wanting to learn to dive even though they can’t swim and have a fear of open water. She also tells me to be thankful for my mother, as mothers are as close to God as a human can get, as they create life inside of them and that I should tell my mother that I love her and thank her, on behalf of Nia, for raising a son that was such a pleasure to teach. So mum, I love you and thank you for raising such a great son! During my chilled days I also try a nice Japanese restaurant and go for a Mexican on my final day with Jack. Before I know it it is time to get back on the ferry and head back to mainland Bali, having had a great time the last few days.

The wonderful Puja and Nia of Blue Marlin Dive

Seriously for anyone wanting to learn scuba I cannot recommend Blue Marlin enough, they have multiple schools, one even in the UK. Their staff are amazing, the prices were more than fair and if you wind up in Gili T the water is clear and the dives magical!