Lost on Koh Tao

I am still staying on the little island just north of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui located east of the Thai mainland. Of course, some things are different here and so our first challenge was to parttime share our bungalow bathroom with a cockroach of the size of an egg for a day. Sandra and I managed to overcome our natural disgust, accepted him and called him Thommy. However, we are fine with him leaving us again and ensuring he is not coming back.


Anyhow, the delay of our departure is due to the Padi Open Water Courses. I joined Simple Life Divers for the Padi Open Water. Together with our instructor Nicki, I managed all theoretical class room trainings and the confined pool session for the handling of the equipment (getting used to BCD, respirator and mask removal ect.). The first day of open water out on White Rocks and Japanese Gardens was quite an experience. Getting on the diving boat we prepare our equipment and get the last instructions from our instructor. The water looks amazing with deep clear colours. It is our turn. I get on all the equipment, do the buddy check. Standing at the back of the boat, I halfinflate my BCD, left hand is on the weight belt, right hand is on my mask and respirator. I focus on the horizon, take a big step and enter the water with mz 15kg equipment. Fighting against my fear of open deep water as well as fish (especially big fish), it is amazing to breathe and focus and actually be part of the aquatic environment. Everyone should have this on his list of things to do in his lifetime. With two further dives the next day down to 18m I complete my open water certificate. On my last ascent to reach the surface again, I am sad to leave the water again, so I spontaneously decide to join the Advanced Open Water Padi Course including 5 more dives down to 30 m.

Back at the diving school, I get my teaching material and the first briefing for the next day. The first diving site is Chumpon Pinnacles far out in the open sea having my first deep water dive there including an nitrogen narcosis test (whether my brain functions at 30 m depth. Luckily, it does!) and the observation of reef sharks. Hearing the word shark, I am feeling this inner tension and my heart starts bumping. More about that tomorrow.