More of underwater Brunei...

Dive Date: 6th April 2008
Dive Sites: Cement Wreck & Pelong Rock
Boat Captain: Azli, Hj Kula, Edward
Dive Buddies: TOO MANY!

There were over 20 dive buddies and all I can remember about these dives was... BACK-BREAKING...! I carried so much tanks, gearing up-down-left-right, finning up-down-left-right assisting open water students including Ping Ping my housemate, Reuben and the cutest of all.. Boon who panic like a lost baboon! Hee hee... but still the cutest oo.. so boonie keep it up..!

Here are some pictures taken by my buddies.



My favourite picture:

For more pictures, see Andrew's flickr.


Dive Date: 13th April 2008
Dive Sites: Aruns Wreck & Hornets Reef
Boat Captain: Azli, Man
Dive Buddies: Andrew, Steven, Joseph, Uwais, Rozi, Natasha, Anny, Helmy, Edi, Fanni

It's been a while since we last dive off Jerudong. This time round I was very excited to dive in Aruns Wreck again. The last time I dived there, I saw pipefish and Yellow + Black goby sharing the same "home"! I want to take more pictures...!

The first to descent, I went to secure the anchor line and was soon joined by dive buddies Joseph and Steven. Waiting for Andrew, who I usually tailed like a remora fish, I can't wait for him to spot more goodies to show us. Engrossed by the school of catfishes, I was trying hard to get a good shot but I still need to learn how to work my strobes! ARGHHH...! When I spotted Andrew, I am only left with 10minutes bottom time. Boo-hoo...! True enough, he spotted lots of goodies - Sawblade shrimp and pikachu nudibranch! *CRY* 10 minutes is not enough for me when I still struggle to position the strobe and playing with the settings. :((

During surface interval, I asked all that I can to learn how to position my strobe. Andrew gave me a few tips and tricks. *Splashhh* After descent, I went straight to the sawblade shrimp. Guess what? MY STROBE decided to die on me! *CRY OUT LOUDER* sighhhhh.... the focus light works but the flash just won't go... Why Why WHY AR...??

Anyways, I am still glad that I managed to see all these goodies. Besides, my pictures can't beat Andrew's pictures. :( DSLR kali ahhh.... Asian Diver also take his pictures for their latest issue kali ahhh... hee hee....

Here are some of his photos:


My favourites for this collections are the black & white background effect:

Diving with BSADC

Dive Date: 30March 2008
Dive Sites: USA Wreck & Cement Wreck
Visibility: 5m - 8m
Boat: BSADC's Downunder 3

I was running late. Unsure of how to get to Serasa Yacht Club, I called Simon to direct me. Arriving at the Yacht Club, Steven was there to help me unload my gears and I was told that tanks had been arranged and loaded. Sweetttttt.... One of the reasons that put divers off especially women divers are carrying the heavy tanks and gears onboard.

This is my first dive with BSADC - Brunei Sub Aqua Dive Club . It was a very comfy boat with plenty of space to move around with a bunch of enthusiastic divers and Nina a diver-to-be. Danielle the dive instructor and also the leader for our dives last sunday, briefed us on the dives sites, standard dive rules and procedures. It was very well organised, disciplined but yet fun. We even managed to stop over Kuraman to chill after two beautiful dives. How beautiful? Here are some pictures...


Beautiful cement wreck with abundance of marine life...





The highlights of the dives.

Pipefish spotted at USA Wreck. Click on the picture to enlarge. I love the red-dotted lips! :)


A couple of ornate ghostpipefish. Mommy is heavily pregnant! :)


Click on the picture to enlarge. If you look carefully, you can see the eyes on the eggs. Sigh.. if only I've got a DSLR or macro lens. Again... please donate to buy-caryn-a-dslr-fund! :D

Cement Wreck & Pyramid Reef

Dive Date: 28 March 2008
Dive Sites: Cement Wreck, Pyramid Sand-Patch, Pyramid Reef
Visibility: 5m - 8m
Boat Captain: Hj Kula
Dive buddies: Simon, Joseph & Eric

Whaleshark whaleshark where are you? :( We didn't manage to spot whaleshark, but nevertheless we enjoyed these dives very much. It was a cosy boat ride with plenty of space for only the four of us. Thank you Hj Kula for bringing us out!

Our first dive at Cement wreck was really cold for me. Temperature was about 26 degrees and I shiver mad in my 3mm wetsuit. Still testing my strobe light, I did not venture much around the site. Our 2nd dive, Hj Kula anchor down at Pyramid reef. But after we descent, we can only see sand and oh my... sand! Sand patch...! I got excited and patiently move around to look for gobies. We spotted diagonal gobies and yellow gobies. Absolutely beautiful, only wish that I have got a DSLR or a macro lens at least for better pictures. :(

After about 25 mins dive at the sandpatch and snapping away with Eric on the gobies, Simon and Joseph signalled to ascend. Simon was wondering hard what Eric and I were trying to photograph! hehe... For our 3rd dive, we descent at Pyramid Reef. Simon and Joseph spotted anemone crab where as me and Eric did our usual, practising with our camera on whatever we can find. :)

Here are some pictures...

Gobies & Shrimps


Nudibranch on starfish

Softcorals of the sea

Octopus & Nudibranch @ Cement Wreck

Eric with his toy... Canon Powershot G9 with Inon strobe and macro lens

Underwater Garden of Brunei

One of my favourite divesites in the Abode of Peace - Brunei Darussalam is Cement Wreck. Last sunday I managed to have two great dives and lots of fun with my buddies.

I love these pictures (above) taken by Andrew Chieng a lot. Hence, the size of his pictures uploaded are much bigger than mine (below). Sobs... hint hint... donate to "buy-caryn-a-dslr" fund. Hehe...





Azli, my dive si-fu (instructor) will be leaving for a two weeks holiday...
"Have a safe journey and great holiday with your family, sifu!"

Until then, I can't wait to breathe underwater again...

Cement Wreck & TAC Reef

Dive date: 22nd July 2007

Boat captain: Hj Kula

Dive instructors: Azli & Andrew

Dive Buddies: Caroline, Lisa, Rudy, Iskandar, Azam, Uwais

Sea Condition: Windy, hence choppy ride - hence, the sorebutt on the day after!

Visibility: 3m to 8m

Skills learnt: Assist certified divers - Lisa & Iskandar

Favourites from these dives:

Blenny again...!

Scorpion fish

Andrew spotted this beautiful frog fish - green variation. And, I caught a picture of it displaying...! Absolutely mesmerising....

Another good dives logged...!

Asta La Vista Babehhh! *Elvis has left the building...*