My First Diving to Nusa Penida

Allright, I told you all about how I want to go diving after my seawalker experience to the bottom of the sea. I now got another invitation to try diving in Nusa Penida by BIDP. I’ve never been diving before so this will be my introductory diving experience.

I went with my friend, Cole. After a few trouble on the road, his motorbike tyre was broken, and the we try to find a service station and left the motorbike there because we don’t want to be late. We stopped a taxi but then the taxi driver was so impatience he left us after a few minutes waiting, so we have to run behind the taxi and scream to him to stop and wait for us. The taxi finally stopped and the driver told us that he thought we cancel the taxi because he’s been waiting too long, OMG it’s only 2 minutes.

Anyway we thought that we’re late but we’re not. In fact we’re the first persons arrived at BIDP’s office. 10 minutes later a couple from Singapore arrived and then another 3 persons joined. We tried the dive suit, the shoes and the life jackets. Then they drove us to Sanur beach where a very bright yellow BIDP boat wait for us. Let’s go to Nusa Penida

The boat trip took about 1 hour from Sanur to Nusa Penida. Our first dive will be at Manta Point. The singaporean couple told me that I was lucky that my first dive at Nusa Penida. I feel lucky too and really excited to go underwater. When we reach at Manta Point there were several boats from another diving company. Our diving guide said there must be lots of diver down there wanted to see Manta.

All other diver in our boats are experienced diver only me and Ngakan are the beginner, really beginner. So they rolled back to the water one by one while we’re just watched them gone to the deep blue sea. I thought the roll back thing is really cool and I wanted to do it too but my guide told me that he will put my equipment in the water since I am a beginner. So I went down to the water and my guide put the fin, the life jacket and the oxygen tank while I am floating in the water. Not really cool.

My dive master then told me whenever I am ready he will push the button in my jacket to make us sink, then I must equalize my ear to avoid the water pressure.. I was scared, so as Ngakan. We dive slowly until we reach 5 meters deep. I couldn’t let my hand off from my dive master since I was scared that I can’t control myself underwater.

Only 5 minutes down there, I saw nothing but a big ugly corals in the midle of the sea. I thought where’s the manta? The I saw my guide’s hand shaking me and pointed to a dark creature swam closer to us. OMG that was Manta fish. Very big, the size of my garage I think. I thought Manta fish was small and cute but this Manta was far from small but still cute. Other divers swam closer to the Manta and some took the picture. I have no underwater camera so I can’t take any picture. Pity me I really wanted to take picture with Manta so I can post it on Facebook. ;p

After Manta Point, our boat leave for Crystal Bay. Here we stopped and have our lunch in the land. I am glad we eat on the land because being in the boat make me sea sick already.

After lunch, Ngakan said he won’t dive again because he don’t feel good about diving. Poor Ngakan he’s scared of the sea and he told me he’ll never dive again. Whatever, I don’t want to miss this dive again. I know our first experience at Manta Point is not really good but it’s our first dive ever so it’s a bit scary and maybe we’re not get used with the equipment and being underwater yet.

I told my guide that this time I want to do the roll back thing like other professional diver did. So he put all my equipment on the boat the I rolled back to the water. It’s cool really cool. I feel like a pro…

Since Ngakan didn’t dive again the dive master will only took car of me which is better. I dive 11 meters down and I saw these really beautiful corals. It does look like paradise here, the corals are colorfull I even touched a corals and they suddenly popped in to the rocks, really pretty. I ask my guide not to hold me all the time because I want to swam alone. I mean he’ll still be right by my side so I feel safe because the under current here is quite strong. I dive down untill 20 meters depth and more pretty fish I saw, more pretty corals I really love it.

I felt like only 5 minutes down there (it does feel like 5 minutes) when my guide told me that we have to go up. I said I don’t want to with my hand sign to but he insisted that we go up. When we reached the ocean’s surface I told him that I still wanted to be there but he told me that my oxygen can only supply me for maximum 1 hour and we’re already 45 minutes down there. Oh…..

The view that I saw at crystal bay really impressed me. NO wonder people love to dive, the view underwater is really pretty. My guide also told me that sometimes Mola-mola fish can be seen in crystal bay. I feel like I wanted to dive again, maybe next time in another place…