Why do I always make a point to celebrate small successes or little achievements? Some may see such things as not important but I think it is. Celebrating little achievements helps us track our progress. By acknowledging these smaller milestones, we get a clearer perspective on how far we have come in our journey. It allows us to evaluate our strategies and make necessary adjustments to achieve our larger goals and helps cultivate a positive mindset. Personally speaking, celebrating small achievements helps me focus on the positive aspects of my efforts and fosters a sense of gratitude and contentment.
Here’s celebrating mine and my instructor’s achievements and milestone in freediving. PB for me and AIDA Competition Judge for him. I just broke my PB last weekend while Swen has just passed his AIDA Judge’s course. A small milestone for me while a big one for him.
Congratulations, Swen Becht for being an AIDA Judge. I’m so proud and happy for you. I can now let my imaginations run wild all the way to Panglao or Vertical Blue and feel like a real athlete when I train with you. 😂😂😂
My current PB FIM- 23.2m CWTB- 20.3m DYN- 30m STA- 2 mins 6 sec
Let’s not talk about my pool skill. My DYN and STA are sorely stagnant. I haven’t been doing anything about that so it still sucks big time. But I did move up a little bit for FIM on my school’s leaderboard, so yay to that! 😂😂😂😂
Although there’s still much to improve but I’m pretty happy with my depth attempts progress. I’m still doing the 1m at a time thingie, so it will take a very long time if I were to attempt deeper depth…say…25m below. I hope I can hit 20m below consistently through both FIM and CWTB one fine day. That’s my goal for now.
There’s so much to improve, and I noticed that I need some skills upgrade when it comes to relaxation. My focus tends to break when my body feels the changes in temperature and when my awareness of surroundings becomes really hyper and really intensified.
I think it’s time for me to go back to my Saturday’s meditation session with my Reiki Grandmaster and focus on all the inner energy works so that I can go on a somewhat meditative state while freediving. The reason why I kinda stop meditating so much these days is because I tend to go into astral travel mode and I’m not grounded and need to be called back. 🤧🤧🤧
It was the 7th day of the lunar calendar yesterday, also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day. Remember the Chinese mythology story of the star-crossed lovers, Niu Lang and Zhinu (The Shepard Boy and the Weaving Girl), who went on a lovey dovey mode and somehow angered the big boss in heaven and were punished to be separated and were only allowed to see each other once a year on the 7th day of the lunar calendar on a magpie bridge? Yea. Chinese Valentine’s Day is celebrated by the Chinese to commemorate the love of these two poor unfortunate souls.
It was a rainy day…as it would always be on 7th day of the lunar calendar. For a moment I wondered if Niu Lang and Zhinu would be able to meet on the magpie bridge since it was raining.
Ya, I know. I’m a hopeless romantic. The day would have been just another day staring at the screen while trying to clear all the backlogs of work I have if it were not because of these bunch. Yep. It was a last minute freediving trip to Tasik Bandar Saujana Putra. On a weekday. Ditch work, ditch meetings, ditch everything and jump into the lake to dive. Isn’t that cool? Yes guys, I dive tankless now and there’s no going back. 😂
Thank you everyone for making this day an interesting and an adventurous one. You guys are the best!
My dives do not end until everyone is safe at home, and here’s debriefing over lunch with my freediving instructor over what I can improve for my next dives. There’s plenty of things that I still need to work on. I still need to get used to freediving in the dark and get over the consuming shock on my body when thermocline hits, and I still need to work on my CWTB skills, but still, I feel quite accomplished with my progress, cuz I broke my previous PB record again during our lake session. Yea, bebeh…breaking my own records, 1 meter at a time. I can now dive down quite comfortably to 21 meters in one breath. I dive tank-less now, gaisssss. Made me feel so cool!😎 😂😂😂
Current PB FIM-21.9m CWTB-19.9m STA- 2:06mins DYN-30m
I know I need to start attempting to break my PB for STA and DYN too. The numbers don’t really match nicely with my depth attempts. I haven’t been doing anything about that since I was certified. Lack motivation cuz no safety buddy that I feel comfy with. Plus, I like depth better.😂
Til then, guys. Hoping to share with you more on my freediving adventures soon.
Out mermaiding with my beautiful mermaid instructor Carmen Hui and Farrah Mazlani . I was having a nasty migraine earlier of the day but once I jumped into the pool, I feel so good! Haven’t been mermaiding so much with my instructor lately, cuz we were both busy with our own stuff, so I’m really glad to see her back in action today. 🫂
And yeaaaa…I got a new tail too! It’s another guppy tail!
So in love with this new guppy tail. The tail has such a big and pretty flare.
Initially I thought it would be really heavy and hard to dive and swim in, but it wasn’t as heavy and draggy as I expected.
So this is gonna be my new favourite tail for practice.😍😍😍
Here’s sharing with you the videos of yours truly mermaiding in the beautiful guppy tail.
Played a little bit of a depth games at the lake with my instructor and ended up getting into Freediving Adventure Malaysia’s leaderboard. You know, I’ve never been a good student when I was in school.
I was the average kind of kid and didn’t shine in school. I’ve never made my parents proud and I’ve never made it as a top student throughout my entire schooling years, but yesterday it finally feels like I’ve accomplished something big as a student. I made it to the top 10 for two freediving disciplines in my freediving school; the FIM and CWTB.
So happy that I made it to 20m in one breath. That said, I think I’m beginning to really like diving deep in just one breath, so this won’t be my last time attempting to break my own personal best’s record. Posting this here for memories and as an inspiration for my next PB attempts.
Current PB FIM-20.6m CWTB-17.7m STA- 2:06mins DYN-30m
Thank you for coaching and being my safety, Swen Becht . I enjoyed the session very much.😄
Life can be pretty much hectic for me. There’s family commitments and then there’s work commitments. What I portray on social media might not be a true reflection of my reality. People often see me chillaxing and doing things that I like; scuba diving, mermaiding, freediving, martial arts etc, but trust me. I don’t have that much time to spare. I only make time for things that matters and more often than not, I work irregular hours and ended up working while everyone else is sleeping.
Anyway, it’s really rare for me to take a vacation, but when I saw Freediving Adventure Malaysia (FAM) was organising a freediving trip to Perhentian Island, I thought to myself; oh hey. Why not reward myself for a little escapade after non-stop taking up diving related courses since early of the year. I’ve passed my SSI Mermaid, SSI Dive Master and PADI Freediver course, all in a span of 6 months and it’s high time I take a little break and enjoy myself.
My recent trip to Perhentian Island was such unforgettable experience. Brace yourselves, guys. Long post ahead. Follow closely as I retell my story on how I embarked on a journey that was filled with thrilling underwater adventures, mermaiding, and scuba diving.
The trip was led by my expert freediving instructor, Swen Becht from Freediving Adventure Malaysia alongside with his team; Boey and Qihao. We stayed at Dlagoon Chalet, a pretty secluded chalet in Perhentian Island with a private beach of its own. They’re really patient and always made me feel safe and guided whenever I freedive with them. I’m so blessed to have met them. I would have not been able to fall in love with freediving otherwise.
I’ve met plenty of freediving instructors before throughout my entire career as a scuba diver. Some are even record holders and stuff, but there is nobody else I would openly recommend to those who would like to learn freediving than the instructors in FAM. They’re great at igniting passion and instilling confidence in their students. Freediving is a highly risky and competitive sport, and instructors can sometimes put lots of pressure on you during training. But with them, there’s no such thing, just lotsa assurance and lots of fun learning how to be a better freediver as you go along the way.
As I mentioned, this trip is a freediving trip. My journey took off with the necessary training to enhance my freediving skills. Under the expert guidance of my instructor Swen Becht and Freediving Adventure Malaysia’s team, I learned valuable techniques to explore the depths of the underwater world with ease and grace.
Their passion for this beautiful sport was contagious, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and encouragement among my fellow trainees. With each practice session, I felt a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, breaking my own limits and expanding my horizons. Every dive was an opportunity to feel one with nature and discover the hidden treasures beneath the surface.
Here’s sharing some bits and pieces of my freediving adventure.
Dive site: The Police Wreck, Perhentian Max depth: 16m Free immersion line training with my FD instructor. I used to dislike this discipline but these days I feel okay doing it. Need more practice, though. There’s still so much to improve.
Something I don’t mind doing again; freediving down to see some boat wrecks. It feels so amazing to go down there in just one breath. I think I managed to go about 14-15m over here.😄
Nothing can ever compare to this. This is the most serene and zen moment that I’ve ever had.
Fun with the girls in my freediving family. Sunburned, don’t care. We had so much fun freediving around and doing our line training.
All the cute freediver guys, chillaxing at the beach after the line training and attempting PB.🤭😍
Me and my scuba buddy, mermaiding buddy, freediving buddy and bed buddy. Yea. We sleep together. Nothing scandalous there though. That dude is my husband. 😂
You know, our body is capable of many things. It’s our mind that we need to convince. I’m glad I made the plunge to go mermaiding and started freediving after that. I went from being terrified of depth without my scuba gears to this. I beat my previous 13m and went down to 16m.
Yea…I keep going deeper and deeper and keep wondering how much deeper I can go in one breath. It’s truly addictive. I feel like going deeper and deeper. 😂
Posting this as a motivation and inspiration for my next PB attempts. Hopefully I can beat my own PB next.
Current PB CWTB- 16.5m FIM- 15.7m STA- 2:06m DYN- 30m
Special thanks to Swen and of course, Qihao too for being my safety diver and making me feel safe during these attempts. I wouldn’t have been able to do so otherwise.
Yours truly with her husband and son.
A picture with my FAMily. Congratulations to all who were certified on this trip. And of course, congratulations to all the fun divers who created new personal best records as well. You guys are awesome. Special thanks to all instructors who helped us achieve all these. It won’t be possible without you. You guys rawks!
Apart from freediving, Perhentian Island also offered the perfect opportunity for me to embrace my inner mermaid.
And so I did. I was lucky enough to have Boey, Freediving Adventure Malaysia’s in-house mermaid instructor along during that trip. She was kind enough to facilitate my mermaid dives throughout the entire time I was there when we were not doing our freediving training.
Donning a pretty tail and graciously gliding through the crystal-clear waters was a dream come true to me. Mermaiding brought out the playful side of everyone, as we twisted and twirled, chasing imaginary underwater treasures. It was a magical experience that made me appreciate the beauty of the ocean and the freedom to indulge in our imaginations without restraint.
While my journey primarily involved freediving, I couldn’t miss out on exploring the wonders of the ocean’s depths through scuba diving. Here’s a picture of me and Abang Azharil ARt, whom I fondly addressed as Masterji. He was my scuba guide during the trip . Masterji and I have been friends on FB for quite some time, but have never met outside of social media. I’m glad I finally met him and managed to squeeze some time to go scuba diving with him during that trip. With his expert guidance, we embarked on underwater expeditions that showcased the vibrant marine life that surrounded us.
All geared up for scuba diving.
A picture of me with my freediving as well as scuba buddy, Kingston Tan. He decided to join me, my hubs and Masterji as well for some scuba diving.
From kaleidoscopic coral reefs teeming with life to enchanting schools of fish dancing in harmony, each dive felt like entering a living, breathing painting. The thrill of spotting exotic creatures, such as Nemo hiding within anemones, or encountering graceful sea turtles, created an immeasurable joy that words can hardly capture.
The most memorable spot is this, the San Choi Wreck. This is a well known dive spot in Perhentian and it’s my second time here.
It’s home to thousands and thousands of fish and marine lives.
The first time was with my instructor and we were freediving. I didn’t manage to dive deep and see much during the first time cuz I was already tired from my line training by the time we visited the site. I think I just went like…5m and called it a day. 😂
Glad we went scuba mode to this site again the next day. There’s so many marine creatures to see. Max depth for this site is just about 16-17m, so it’s quite a good site for open water divers as well.
Beyond the breathtaking marine adventures, my trip to Perhentian Island was made unforgettable by the wonderful people I met along the way. Swen Becht, my freediving instructor and mentor, not only taught me the art of diving but also instilled a sense of respect and love for the ocean within me. The bonds I formed with my fellow freedivers, buddies on scuba dives, and even the locals added another layer of richness to my journey. The shared laughter, encouragement, and support created a sense of unity that made every day feel like a celebration of life and friendship.
My journey to Perhentian Island with Freediving Adventure Malaysia was a vibrant tapestry of thrilling underwater escapades, carefree mermaiding, and awe-inspiring scuba diving experiences. Every glimpse into the underwater universe left me feeling not only exhilarated but also deeply connected to the pristine beauty of nature. It served as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect and cherish our oceans. As I reminisce about this incredible adventure, I am filled with immense gratitude for the joy, positivity, and personal growth it brought into my life. Perhentian Island will forever hold a special place in my heart as a sanctuary of bliss and unforgettable memories.
Just last night, my fellow freediving enthusiasts and I embarked on an adventurous movie night at FAM-Freediving Adventure Malaysia.
With slices of pizzas in hand and anticipation in the air, we settled down to watch Netflix’s captivating documentary film, ‘The Deepest Breath.’
Guys, grab your snorkel and get ready to dive right in as I share our exhilarating experience during this fun-filled movie night!
When it comes to movies, there’s something uniquely exciting about watching one that centers around a shared passion. As freedivers, we were thrilled to discover ‘The Deepest Breath’ on Netflix. This film promised to immerse us in a world competitive freediving, heartwarming relationships, and adrenaline-fueled diving moments. Naturally, our expectations were high, and boy, did it deliver!
Nope. I won’t be giving you spoilers, but all I can say is from the very first dive in the movie, we found ourselves entranced with details.The scenes were so vivid and immersive, it felt as if we were freediving right alongside the divers.
‘The Deepest Breath,’ much like freediving itself, emphasized the importance of camaraderie. It shows us a journey of a group of divers who became tight-knit underwater family. Their friendship and support shone through as they navigated challenges, faced their fears, and celebrated successes together.
As freedivers ourselves, we resonated deeply with the movie’s depiction of the thrill and tranquility found beneath the surface. The film’s exploration of the physical and mental aspects of freediving reminded us why we fell in love with this sport in the first place. We left the movie night with ignited passion, eager to plan our next adventure and dive even deeper.
‘The Deepest Breath’ brought waves of excitement and joy to our freediving movie night. From the captivating scenes to the stunning underwater visuals, the film made for an unforgettable experience. Watching it alongside our fellow freedivers added a sense of community and enthusiasm that made the night even more special.
Whether you’re a seasoned freediver or simply curious about the sport, ‘The Deepest Breath’ is an absolute must-watch. So grab your dive buddies, cuddle up with some delicious pizza, and prepare to be submerged in this underwater adventure.
Here’s one for the album. I’m so grateful that FAM organized the fun movie night for us, and hopefully, there will be much more fun nights like this to come.
If you have been following me on my social media you probably know that I’ve just recently passed my PADI Freediver course with my instructor Swen Becht. It was an incredible journey and here’s visiting my instructor and his team at their cozy nook; Freediving Adventure Malaysia- a freediving school & shop specialised in all things freediving.
I cannot speak highly enough of this specialized shop. As someone new to the freediving world, I was looking for a place that would not only offer top-notch courses but also provide high quality freediving equipments and apparela. Freediving Adventure Malaysia, or better known as FAM in the freediving circle, exceeded my expectations in every aspect.
First and foremost, their range of freediving courses is diverse and catered to various certification bodies such as PADI, AIDA, and Molchanovs. This is such a great advantage as it allows individuals to choose the certification that suits them best. The instructors at FAM are highly experienced and passionate about what they do. They truly care about their students’ progress and ensure a safe and enjoyable learning environment.
The training packages offered by FAM are outstanding. They provide a comprehensive learning experience that covers all aspects of freediving. From theory to practical sessions, the training is well-structured and progressive. Their approach caters to individuals at different skill levels, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced freediver.
What truly sets FAM apart is a one stop centre for freediving enthusiasts. Being able to find everything I needed in one place made my experience so much more convenient. The staff are knowledgeable and guided me in choosing the right gear that suits my needs instead of just focusing on making profits. This is absolutely commendable.
The equipment is of top-notch quality, which not only enhances my performance but also ensures divers’ safety during their dives.
The team at FAM is incredibly friendly, approachable, and always ready to assist you. They have created a warm and welcoming atmosphere in their shop, making you feel like part of a close-knit freediving community. They are more than happy to share their expertise, answer your questions, and provide guidance even after completing your certification.
Overall, my experience at FAM- Freediving Adventure Malaysia was exceptional. The courses are top quality, the instructors are passionate and knowledgeable, and the range of equipment and apparel is impressive. I highly recommend FAM to anyone interested in embarking on a freediving journey or wanting to further enhance their skills. You won’t be disappointed!
For more information on FAM, kindly hop to the links below:
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The much anticipated opening of King’s Park Gallery is finally opened today in Genting Highlands.
In his welcoming speech, Mr Sean Chen, Executive Vice President of King’s Park said the development, a RM10 billion gross development value project, would be poised to the new central business district and integrated entertainment hub in Genting Highlands. The development will benefit greatly from the influx of investment and development opportunities in the central area of the Genting region. Genting Highlands is projected to receive 53 million visitors by 2026 with a catchment area of over 700,000 people within a 5-kilometre radius.
Leveraging on the already high tourist arrivals at Genting Highlands, King’s Park Genting Highlands is a mega development in partnership with Yuk Tung Group and the Association for the Promotion of Higher Education in Malaysia (APHEM). The development spans over 61-hectares of freehold land, comprising an integrated entertainment hub that includes a unique blend of commercial and recreational offerings.
Sean added, ‘This grand project will be segmented by phases. The first phase involves the provision of commercial shops that will provide our distinguished guests with a cinematic retail experience. We have spared no expense into injecting a unique sense of charm in each of these shops.’
King’s Park development rife with potential, and this project would be a beacon for foreign investment to create a dynamic ecosystem of opportunities. The potential for growth and success within this Central Business District is boundless, and King’s Park extend a warm invitation to global investors to be part of this remarkable venture.
As the project progresses, King’s Park anticipates a multitude of businesses, residents, and tourists to be drawn to this thriving hub, cementing its status as the pulsating heart of an active and exciting region. King’s Park hopes not to build just a development, but a thriving community that embraces progress, innovation, and endless possibilities.
In addition, this development lies a commitment in creating a significant number of employment opportunities for the local community and beyond. By involving the local workforce in various aspects of the project, from construction to ongoing operations, we can foster economic empowerment and uplift livelihoods.
The King’s Park commercial centre features a 2,000m stretch of cutting-edge pedestrian street shops. The 12 blocks that will house a total of 360 shops are masterfully designed and based on colonial and vintage architecture. Each retail block unit is held under a freehold strata title and has its own identity and façade design. The size of each unit averages 7m by 23m. Most ground floor units will have exceptionally high ceilings measuring 6.5m, with an option to include a mezzanine floor. The highlight of some of these shops are alfresco terraces plus duo entrances to allow free flow and easy access for visitors.
What distinguishes King’s Park from the rest of the retail shops available in Genting Highlands is that it is an integrated entertainment hub. There will be a significant presence of internationally acclaimed brands, with new experiences to be introduced into the development which are not yet available in Malaysia. There will be many outdoor activities such as eco-sports, mountain biking trails and attractions including theme parks, and, the world’s largest terrarium at more than 600m in length.
To emphasize the magnitude of the integrated entertainment hub project, there will be approximately 18,680 sq m of ‘Truly Asia Cultural Streets’. The ‘Truly Asia Cultural Streets’ at King’s Park will allow patrons and visitors to experience the metropolitan charms of famed and acclaimed streets such as Seoul’s Myeongdong, Osaka’s Ebisubashi-Suji, and Bangkok’s Khao San Road, where neon lights and signages play an important part in its exciting aesthetic. This cultural labyrinth is designed to encapsulate the spirit of Asia, showing off its diversity and energy.
With Muslim communities forming over 65% of Malaysia’s population, King’s Park proposes to include an international retail halal hub and a halal luxury boutique hotel. This will attract local and overseas Muslim tourists and will promote diversity and inclusivity, tapping into the rapidly growing market for halal-friendly travel and dining options. With so much to offer, a day trip to King’s Park would not be sufficient. For those who wants to stay longer, King’s Park raises the bar by offering various five-star hotels, including the luxury Swissôtel Genting Highlands which is scheduled to open in 2028.
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The first phase of commercial and retail shops is scheduled to open in 2026. Neighbours include luxurious residence developments, Awana Golf Resort and Genting Highlands Premium Outlets. Like its neighbours, King’s Park enjoys cool weather of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius throughout the year and is surrounded by a 130-million-year-old jungle rich with flora and fauna, waterfalls, and fresh air.
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Pulau Undan, located in Melaka, Malaysia, is a remarkable marine park known for its rich biodiversity and stunning coral gardens. However, like many other marine ecosystems around the world, it faces numerous challenges such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. To address these issues and conserve its marine life, Jabatan Perikanan Melaka has invited us, a group of individual scuba diver volunteers to remove ghost nets and promote coral propagation in the area.
Ghost nets, often lost or abandoned fishing nets, pose a significant threat to marine life. These nets continue to trap and kill marine animals, including fish, turtles, and dolphins, long after they have been discarded. Understanding the urgency to address this issue, the marine park conservation program at Pulau Undan has initiated a volunteer-led effort to remove these deadly nets from the surrounding waters.
Empty can make most noise, won’t you agree with that? Well, many people are like that. They talk a lot when it comes to conservation works, but when asked to contribute their time, efforts and energy, most of them shy away from getting their hands dirty.
I’ve seen plenty of those all talks and no action, but my teammates are not like that. They have that charismatic quiet strength in them. They’re definitely all action and not much talk and walk their talks with the CAN DO attitude.
Underwater clean up work is never an easy task. Even more so if the dive site is a low vis site. Some certain sites in Pulau Undan where most ghost net lies are exactly that-not for petty divers. Extensive dive plans are usually made to ensure the safety of the divers and it takes a lot of guts to do this kind of conservation work. The method and dive plans used for ghost net removals in limited vis sites is totally different from sites that offer crystal clear view.
If there’s somethin’ strange in the neighborhood Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! There’s somethin’ weird and it don’t look good Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! If there’s ghost net strangling corals under the sea, who you’re gonna call? GHOSTNET BUSTERS! 😂😂😂😂 Yep. My alter ego Auntie Cleaner is back in Pulau Undan at Taman Laut Melaka again this month. As usual, we were assigned to do underwater clean up again and here’s what my superhero teammates hauled up. More than 200kg worth of ghost nets! This time around I was also given the opportunity to visit and study the new fish homes and coral table over there where we learn to do some coral propagation stuff after our clean up works were done. Admittedly, my knowledge in that department is abit lacking and I’ve learned quite a few things during this volunteering trip, particularly in fish and coral identification study. I am grateful that things went smoothly this time in comparison to the previous round where it was quite nasty terms of undercurrent and visibility and we managed to complete the task given without a hitch. I like working with this bunch of buddies. They’re the best teammates ever and they always keep my moral up. They’re no nonsense type of people, and they always gets the job done quietly. Thank you everyone for diving safe and the job well done. Thank you for taking care of me throughout the entire trip and thank you Jabatan Perikanan Melaka for inviting us. Your trust in our ability is most appreciated. Pictures credit to photographer extraordinaire Abang Syam Cino . #iamssi#wearessi#ssimermaid#underwatercleanup#dofmelaka#wearessi#iamssi#realdiving#ssiambassador blueoceansprogram, #ssiblueoceans#marineecology @blueoceansprogram
Here’s a tribute video to my teammates, the volunteer divers for the Marine Park Conservation program by Jabatan Perikanan Melaka (DOF Melaka).
I claim no credit for the footage of the videos. Footage was mostly contributed by Azmir Khalid Syam Cino and Abang Rocky.
Equipped with cutting tools and specialized equipment, the Ghost Net team carefully navigate the reefs and search for any entangled nets. These nets are then cut loose and carefully brought to the surface, ensuring that no further damage is caused to the fragile coral reefs or the marine lives dwelling there. This isn’t an easy job at all, considering that Pulau Undan is famous for its low visibility and rough currents. Any lesser divers would give up abort the dive within minutes of entering these challenging sites.
Here’s what my teammates managed to bring up this time around.
More than 200kg worth of ghost nets.
Can you imagine what sort of damage that these have made and would have still been making should these still remain at depth in Pulau Undan? I’m glad we managed to remove this to prevent anymore damages in the area.
However, the conservation efforts go beyond just removing ghost nets. Recognizing the vital role that coral reefs play in maintaining the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem, our team also actively participates in coral propagation initiatives where we work alongside local experts to identify healthy coral colonies and carefully collect fragments for propagation.
I had the opportunity to visit the coral propagation table for a little while at Pulau Undan after the ghost net removal was done, and discovered that coral propagation works demanded totally different skill sets in comparison to removing ghost nets. It requires a lot of meticulous patience and fine motor skills apart from needing to be mindful of the marine creatures that might be curious about you while you’re working. This field of underwater clean up and conservation definitely requires a lot of knowledge and classroom efforts. You need to study, study, study and do more studies before you even consider doing this.
On another note, I saw lotsa coral fragments scattered around; which is not at the coral table area during inspection and I’m not sure what causes such a terrible mess. I guess this site needs more observation and extra care from us. Logically, that’s not supposed to happen, but hey…the underwater world can be unpredictable, so there is that.
That said, I’m glad that me and my buddies managed to complete the task given with ease. During this dive, we were supposed to remove dead coral fragments and quickly replace it with new ones, after which, clean ups in the surrounding area; eg: remove rubbish and ghost net pieces are resumed.
I have to say, the ‘riding the wave skills’ that I learned during mermaiding really comes in handy while doing clean up work over here at this particular site. As it’s really shallow dives, divers can be easily affected by the rolling waves.I would have felt this site particularly difficult should I have not learned this skill before.
I’ve learned a lot from this single dive and am hoping to develop more skills through this from now onwards.
Video footage materials were taken by underwater photographer extraordinaire Syam Cino and I claim no rights whatsoever to it. Video is strictly for personal documentary purposes only.
Coral propagation involves the process of growing new corals from these collected fragments and we have to attach these fragments to artificial structures called coral nurseries, providing them with a suitable environment to grow and thrive. Once these new corals reach a sufficient size, they are transplanted back into the natural reef, helping to restore and enhance the overall health and diversity of the marine park.
In all honesty, it’s not an easy job protecting the marine life at Pulau Undan. Our efforts hopefully will not only contribute to the preservation of a fragile ecosystem but also raise awareness about the negative impact of human activities on marine environments.
Here, I would like to thank all my teammates for a job well done. I hope that our volunteering efforts will make a substantial impact on the health and sustainability of our oceans. I really hope that our collective actions will one day transform Pulau Undan into a model marine park where corals are thriving, and marine species can flourish undisturbed.
Disclaimer: We were invited by DOF Melaka and we were not representing or associated with any profit/non-profit organization or any non-governmental bodies during this program. We are individual volunteers and are self-funded. We were not paid to do the conservation work, and received nothing in compensation for our efforts.
