Background on Turtle's Tomb in Sipadan:
This is my second visit to Sipadan. I first went there in Sep 2017. This time we decided to try the Turtle Tomb's cavern diving in Sipadan. We managed to find a scuba instructor that does the cavern certification course in Sipadan. This time I flew from Senai to Tawau instead of changing plane in Kota Kinabalu. There was a Air Asia shuttle bus that pick up passengers from JB custom building on hourly basis to Senai Airport, but you need to prebook and pay a small fee for the service. The bus company uncle that work there called the driver and make sure he come and pick me up. I ended up as the only passenger on board that bus. Reached Senai Airport and took the flight to Tawau. Once arrived at Tawau, I took a taxi straight to Semporna and attend the theory course. Jerry was our cavern certification instructor (Austrian) and he explained the cavern theory to us before teaching us how to tie rope in a cave. It was during that time that the rescue of the 11 thai young soccer players in Chiang Rai was taking place so doing the cavern course helped us relate to the rescue effort on going in Thailand.
The next day, we went to practise our rope tying skill on the corals. While we were busy unraveling the rope, a school of bumphead parrotfish swam past us. After that Jerry made us do drills in the cave. We have to practise laying rope and retrieve the rope, take out our mask and get out of the cave by feeling the ropes without torch lights, as well as air sharing emergency drill. At one point, we have to take off our mask, swim out and wear back our masks, in the dark. All these drills were supposed to train us to take care of ourselves and our buddies inside the cavern.
During lunch time, I bumped into Afat, my previous dive guide in Sipadan in my last trip. He was leading a group of customers.
Once we have passed the drills, we did the real cavern diving. Jerry has planted some lights inside the cavern so that we can see the turtle shells inside the cavern. Some were still intact, some disintegrated. There was even a marlin skeleton inside. At one point, we were asked to turn off our torch lights. We kept quiet and enjoyed the little fish dancing in front of us, visible through the little light came in via the cavern opening. The little fish were so colourful, and somehow that scene left a deep impression on us.
We have finally been certified for cavern diving. I requested for another more in depth cavern diving experience, by going in deeper into the cave. After we confirmed the extra payment needed, Jerry went to prepare the logistics for the next day dive. The seafood dinner that I had this evening, caused me food poisoning. It was hard to do scuba diving when you have only half the energy left and had no appetite for food. Nonetheless we proceed to do the more in-depth cavern diving. This time round, Jerry planted some air tanks in the cave itself, since we will go in for a longer duration. I had to carry a spare tank with me when I go in, and a change of tank will happen half way through the dive, to switch to a new air tank. It was my first time carrying two tanks, i was nervous. During the confusion, i dropped my camera, and all the pictures that my dive guide Aman took for me for the past few days during our fun dives were all gone. A big mistake on my part, i didnt backup the pictures.
We went into the cavern as per the last few dives and saw more turtle shells. Supposedly, one can dive all the way in and exit from the other outlet of the cave, but only for trained personnel. We were contended with just diving within the boundary of our safety zone.
We were lucky to be able to secure 3 day of Sipadan permits out of 6 days of diving, to complete the Sipadan cavern diving course. The dive guides Andy, Aman have been of great help. Jerry was amazing, strict but effective. He is the only one doing the course in Sipadan. Turtle's Tomb is really a very unique dive site.
The pictures below were taken by my friends. I will be back to take the pictures that I lost to the sea this time!
Theory session:
We had seafood here, unfortunately I was down with food poisoning there after.
Group picture on Sipadan Island.
Inside Turtle's Tomb:
Thank you for reading, please feel free to read my other diving blogs by clicking on the link: www.lamtravels.blogspot.com.
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