Diving Sipdan - Uncle Chang's :)

Sipadan Island

When I got to Semporna I had to choose which dive operator to use. I decided to go with Uncle Chang's as I wanted to stay on Mabul, an island close to Sipadan. I got in too late and had to spent the first night at the Dragon Inn in Semporna instead of at Uncle Changs which was a pity. However the hotel was bliss, a floating hotel with good rooms. Although once again it called for an early start: 6.30am..... getting really tired of these short nights - God I needed some sleep!! The boat to Mabul left early in the next morning and before we knew it, we were there!

The Rock Stars

We were met by the traditional 'Uncle Chang's Welcome' a band playing - the first thing that goes through your mind is 'What on earth is happening???', the next is 'Smile people are watching!' :) and the next is wow I'm actually here and boy we're off diving in a mo where's my room and lets get going!

Uncle Chang's - The Restaurant

I noticed immediately that the group there was a good one and I was looking forward to chilling out with them and getting to know them at the party later that night. Chez Uncle Chang's ...there's a party every night.

The Drum Kit was made of Bins - It was incredible

Sipadan is the island on which 21 foreigners and Malysians were abducted by 6 men armed with AK-47s back in 2000. Its a beauty of a spot and now the Malaysian Navy have a base there and keep watch 24/7. No one is allowed to walk around the island or to stay overnight and only 150 dive permits are issued a day which makes it really difficult to dive there on an ad hoc basis.

Sipadan Beach

The 3 dives there were a lot of fun - my dive buddy, a Frenchman called Patrick. He was a dive master so no babysitting all around! Great! As for the actual diving well it was good - wait a second what I'm I saying? It was GREAT - I saw my first hammerhead shark!!!!

Rudy Kissing His Hammerhead Pendent

I have been lucky, very lucky. We were over the moon! Rudy our DM was amazing he spotted it. Patrick and I swam out fast, we managed to get to just two metres away from it. Patrick has the shots and I hope he will email me one! The return boat trip was a good one, spirits were high. The arrival back at camp even better - all on-board took on the hammerhead sign to alert the poor divers at camp (those who hadn't been with us) as to what we had seen!! Cruel!! Hehe

Town Cry: Hammerhead!

Mabul is a tiny island with a little village and a couple of high-end floating resorts that charge at least 200/400+ dollars a night. Uncle Chang's is a floating outfit that caters to us backpackers charging just 50 RM a night. It was lovely.

Ed a Dive Bud

The sun set and the evening warmed up slowly. Uncle Chang was there in the flesh and this meant that we all got free drinks all night long. The boys on the home team turned into rock stars and had us up and dancing the night away and once that was over the air was still and the temperature hot, it called for a midnight swim.

Sunset Swim

The next morning called for more diving, this time Mabul, I was unlucky, unfortunately Sipadan was all booked up but Mabul was great too. The visibility here wasn't too good but we saw good marine life. That evening it was back to the Dragon Inn in Semporna. I could have just missed my flight(s) to Kuching.

ADIEU!

I have been lucky extremely lucky. I have seen the most amazing wildlife and met some wonderful people. Just catching up on the Borneo blog entries tonight (its 2am now) has reminded me just how lucky I've been.

PS: just reading an email from a great pal back home whilst adding the pics to this posting and this last bit's cracked me up! Forgive me babes, I just have to publish this!! Haha !!

'...And.... next time an opportunity/crazy thing turns up your way - say YES!!!! you live only once and are on holidays for G's sake!!! ;o)'