Perhentian Islands Trip Report (22/7 30/7)
My Trip started out of Singapore. Left by Train from the station at Tanjung Pagar. An upper sleeper berth all the way to Tanah Merah. The whole journey started at 2000 hrs on the 21st and I reached Tanah Merah at about 0900 hours on the 22nd. From Tanah Merah, I caught a Taxi from the taxi terminal to Kuala Besut for 30RM. Reached K.Besut about an hour later and stopped at the ferry terminal, bought a return speedboat ticket for 60RM, boat left K.Besut at 1030 hours and reached my destination Long Beach about an hour later. I went to Coral Sky Divers (www.coralskydivers.com) as it was the operation that was recommended to me by some people from this board and this German guy I had met in Tioman. Stayed at the nearby Panorama chalets, pretty decent rooms as my standards are not so high. Quite comfortable enough.
The staff at Coral Sky were extremely friendly and made me feel at home, I was on this diving trip alone and they certainly made me feel very welcome.
Info on the Staff at Coral Sky:
Yves and Erika: They are the owners of the dive operation and are very nice. Yves is not as friendly but can be very funny once you get to know him better, Erika loves to dive and doesnt often do fun dives, instead she teaches courses. Turned 40 on the 24th July (But Shhhh Dont tell anyone)
Instructors:
Dave A South-African who is in his late 20s to early thirties, nice chap who never seems to be without a smile on his face.
Rory A 40 year old instructor who comes from UK, looks 50 though but is energetic and playful underwater, was credited in Sport Divings June/July 2002 issue for the article on the Pygmy seahorse at Lord Howe Island in Australia.
Nick Another Brit, late 20s, very funny with his normally disgusting personal jokes, was performing fire breathing tricks at Erikas 40th birthday.
Baron A local instructor with long hair that doesnt seem to get burnt when he performs the fire tricks with the stick and the chain, very talented with a good sense of humour. A firemaster who is also an arrogant bastard (His own words)
Asst. Instructors:
Jim: Didnt get to talk very much to him, but he got burnt while playing with the fire chains. UK, early 20s.
Ed: UK, early 20s, was learning the finer points of teaching from Erika but is a little of an air hog underwater.
Divemasters:
Ben A Dutch DM who has been traveling the region and has more or less settled in Perhentian for the season. He was my DM for most of my earlier dives there.
Yvonne A student on vacation from UK. Was my DM for most of my later dives.
Jenny I think shes the hardest working DM. Probably does up to 3 dives a day and seems to pull duty for the night and sunrise dives. Was DM for 2 of my dives.
Boatmen:
Burong and Yee - Are pretty funny when they are ribbing the DM while they are out on the boat.
Others:
Charlie aka Charlotte Also a diver but doesnt get to go out much due to kitchen duty, she bakes the cakes and she does a mean chocolate orange cake.
ME: Early 20s, suffering from wanderlust and an addiction to the deep. An expensive combination.
My Trip started out of Singapore. Left by Train from the station at Tanjung Pagar. An upper sleeper berth all the way to Tanah Merah. The whole journey started at 2000 hrs on the 21st and I reached Tanah Merah at about 0900 hours on the 22nd. From Tanah Merah, I caught a Taxi from the taxi terminal to Kuala Besut for 30RM. Reached K.Besut about an hour later and stopped at the ferry terminal, bought a return speedboat ticket for 60RM, boat left K.Besut at 1030 hours and reached my destination Long Beach about an hour later. I went to Coral Sky Divers (www.coralskydivers.com) as it was the operation that was recommended to me by some people from this board and this German guy I had met in Tioman. Stayed at the nearby Panorama chalets, pretty decent rooms as my standards are not so high. Quite comfortable enough.
The staff at Coral Sky were extremely friendly and made me feel at home, I was on this diving trip alone and they certainly made me feel very welcome.
Info on the Staff at Coral Sky:
Yves and Erika: They are the owners of the dive operation and are very nice. Yves is not as friendly but can be very funny once you get to know him better, Erika loves to dive and doesnt often do fun dives, instead she teaches courses. Turned 40 on the 24th July (But Shhhh Dont tell anyone)
Instructors:
Dave A South-African who is in his late 20s to early thirties, nice chap who never seems to be without a smile on his face.
Rory A 40 year old instructor who comes from UK, looks 50 though but is energetic and playful underwater, was credited in Sport Divings June/July 2002 issue for the article on the Pygmy seahorse at Lord Howe Island in Australia.
Nick Another Brit, late 20s, very funny with his normally disgusting personal jokes, was performing fire breathing tricks at Erikas 40th birthday.
Baron A local instructor with long hair that doesnt seem to get burnt when he performs the fire tricks with the stick and the chain, very talented with a good sense of humour. A firemaster who is also an arrogant bastard (His own words)
Asst. Instructors:
Jim: Didnt get to talk very much to him, but he got burnt while playing with the fire chains. UK, early 20s.
Ed: UK, early 20s, was learning the finer points of teaching from Erika but is a little of an air hog underwater.
Divemasters:
Ben A Dutch DM who has been traveling the region and has more or less settled in Perhentian for the season. He was my DM for most of my earlier dives there.
Yvonne A student on vacation from UK. Was my DM for most of my later dives.
Jenny I think shes the hardest working DM. Probably does up to 3 dives a day and seems to pull duty for the night and sunrise dives. Was DM for 2 of my dives.
Boatmen:
Burong and Yee - Are pretty funny when they are ribbing the DM while they are out on the boat.
Others:
Charlie aka Charlotte Also a diver but doesnt get to go out much due to kitchen duty, she bakes the cakes and she does a mean chocolate orange cake.
ME: Early 20s, suffering from wanderlust and an addiction to the deep. An expensive combination.