Spreading the LOVE for diving

How do you feel each time jumping into the water?

Honestly? I still get nervous everytime I jump into the water, mainly because I have experienced equipment failure before apart from difficulties in getting down as every dive is different, and as the saying goes, anything that can go wrong, can go wrong. And it's always better to have things go wrong at the surface than when you are 90ft under. 

At the recently concluded MIDE (Malaysia International Dive Expo) held over the weekend in WTC Kuala Lumpur, I had the opportunity to catch up with old friends and met new ones.. 

MIDE was supposed to be "international" but because our borders aren't open yet, there's no overseas exhibitors this time around.. Many local dive centers also opt to stay away - I wonder why - maybe because it's the year end? 

But isn't now the best time to capture the 2022 dive season? 

Whatever, I would say I did have a good time, just catching up with people I've not seen for a while, dive instructors, dive crew etc.. 

As always, my first stop was to B & J Dive Centre booth, to say hi to everyone there.. B&J was my dive center where I took my Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox, Emergency First Responder (EFR) and Rescue Diver courses.. 

Everytime I am in Tioman, I feel at ease because I know everyone and everyone knows me.. Even the restaurant next door to the dive centre knows me as well - it's because of this level of keluarganess that I kept going back to B&J each time.. 

And I always bring new divers and accoompany them on their courses.. 

This time around was my "biggest haul".. managed to get 4 new divers-to-be to take up Open Water, and at the same time, I go for my fun dives.. I am not taking up any courses for time being, because all I wanted to do is dive and dive.. 

I have a few specialities I want to take up, such as cave diving, wreck diving, deep dive, drift dive, but all these can be taken any time - or even if and when I eventually take up PADI Divemaster.. 

So for 2022, I have 2 trips booked with B&J already, one for 3D2N (as always I will surely extend), and another 4D3N to coincide with my friends taking their OW.. 

B&J recently won the world's top 5 best dive center in the recent 2021 Dive Travel Awards, placing 5th while Scuba Junkie Sipadan won 3rd place! Congrats guys!

I also stopped by at Scuba Dobedo Divers, another dive centre whom I've gotten to know so well during the MCOs as they kept us divers sane with all the webinars and education talks, and with an extensive shop stocking up just about anything imaginable, I've spent some money with them as well, stocking up on dive equipment.. At MIDE, I bought a mesh bag as well as a torch..

Can you guess which colour I bought?

Scuba Dobedo Divers is based in Cheras and they very, very recently, like a few weeks ago, was upgraded to a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center meaning they can now train instructors!

Also in recent weeks, I have since open up Twitter Space to talk exclusively on diving and on anything related to diving.. I find my followers on Twitter, many are interested or keen about diving, but there's no one to talk to, I myself have not found anyone until I began to talk about diving on other people's Space, and eventually hosted my own.. 

I have came in touch with other divers and non-divers, one in particular a teacher, whom we discussed about the possibility of me speaking about diving, ocean conservation, marine life to schoolchildren.. We haven't iron out any details as yet, as the school year will only begin in March/April.. 

That is something I find very interesting and takes me on my diving knowledge to another level, something I have always wanted to do, to spread the love for the ocean, for diving and for conservation.. 

Although I am no expert, but when others dive, they dive.. when I dive, I try to learn so much more about diving.. the more I dive, the more I wanted to know more.. 

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If you have any question about diving but feel want to remain anonymous to ask, feel free to comment or leave me email/message, I will try my best to get it answered. 

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Some photos of MIDE >

L to R: myself (and welcome drink courtesy of B&J), Diki - branch manager & instructor, Ben (big boss), Danny - my Nitrox instructor, Martin (big boss)

Consulting on behalf of my friends

She's petite but she's powerful! 
She's the lady of the reception and every thing you need while staying/diving at B&J!
Hello to Yati!

Last but not least, I've come to know Byron - the latest addition to the B&J crew. 
Byron just passed his Divemaster last month!

If anyone is keen for any dive course/fun dives packages, MIDE2021 rates are valid until end December for travel till December 2022... actually travel dates are flexible because of all the uncertainties in the last 2 years, and B&J has been so kind enough to make exceptions to travel dates... and if you book quoting my name, I'm pretty sure the bosses will hear of it and perhaps, they will remember you better, and tell me about it the next time I see them!

:)