Day 14: First day of scuba diving by Millen

The early start was quickly forgiven by the thought that we would finally be diving later that day. We rushed out of our homestay and into the back of a Grab, before being swiftly dropped off at the jetty, where chaos immediately ensued. Dad fully embraced the confusion everyone seemed to be experiencing, searching every corner of the terminal in an attempt to find our boat transfer. Fortunately, our unsung hero Arushi calmly found a photo of our meeting point and confidently guided us there, nestled in the centre of the chaos like the eye of a storm.

The Downbelow staff handed us our boat tickets and consent forms before we made our way onto the jetty and boarded the boat. With equal parts excitement and nervous anticipation, we headed out towards the open sea. Thankfully, our boat was far roomier than the surrounding ones, many of which looked packed like sardines. Joining us were just two other divers: a father and son from Australia, seasoned scuba enthusiasts who made the most of every holiday by getting underwater whenever they could.

As the captain steered us towards Gaya Island, the wind whipped against our faces. Then, when it had apparently had enough of us, it decided to claim Dad’s hat instead. The cap sailed into the sea, and the captain, noticing immediately, swung the boat around as every pair of eyes scanned the water. Soon enough, a dark object bobbing in the distance came into view. We sped towards it, and to our relief, it was the hat. The captain grabbed a boat hook and reached for it, but with one unlucky poke the cap slipped beneath the surface. After that frustratingly close attempt, it disappeared for good, and we reluctantly waved it goodbye as we continued our journey, stopping briefly to collect another father-and-son pair from a neighbouring island before finally arriving at Gaya.

The jetty connecting the boat to the island stretched far across beautifully clear green water. Unfortunately, the view was somewhat spoiled by rubbish scattered across the surface. Even so, as we ambled along I spotted a small blue-spotted stingray gliding gracefully across the seabed, instantly raising everyone’s excitement for what lay beneath the water.

We were welcomed by Chris, who, like the rest of the staff, radiated a genuine passion for scuba diving. His enthusiasm was infectious, quickly spreading to us and everyone around him. Eashan, Arushi and another student split off to begin their Open Water course, while Mum, Dad and I had a short briefing with Chris. It ended up lasting far longer than expected after Mum and Dad struggled to remember their PADI numbers, having not dived since 1998.

Once the paperwork was finally sorted and we had said goodbye to Eashan and Arushi, we suited up and entered the sea from the shore. Chris guided us through a series of refresher skills to rebuild our confidence underwater. The dive itself was shallow, with visibility so poor that anything beyond five metres faded into a blur. Being close to shore also meant there was very little marine life, and the murky sandy bottom made spotting anything even more difficult. Despite this, it was exactly what I needed—a chance to get comfortable again and complete the first of the four Open Water dives required for my PADI certification.

After a short surface interval, we returned for our second dive. We entered the water at almost the same spot and worked through more skills, making sure we were fully prepared for our boat dive later that afternoon. Towards the end, Chris led us deeper and further away from the beach. Suddenly, the underwater world transformed. We drifted over vibrant coral formations that looked almost alien, while tropical fish swam effortlessly around us. Most barely acknowledged our presence, some disappeared behind coral heads, while the occasional curious fish came over to inspect us. The sheer beauty of it all completely humbled me. By the time I surfaced, I couldn’t wait to get back in the water and explore even more of the reef.

Back at base camp we refuelled over lunch. I hadn’t realised just how hungry diving would make me and happily helped myself to several servings. We caught up with Arushi and Eashan, who had spent the morning working through their Open Water theory and confined-water skills. They were just as eager as we were to get out onto the reef.

After lunch, Chris told us we’d be joining the Australian father and son for our first dive from the boat. Following a thorough briefing, we carried our equipment down to the jetty and climbed aboard. We were reintroduced to the captain who, like everyone else we’d met, clearly loved scuba diving and brought an endless amount of energy to the day.

Our destination was Fan Corner. As the boat skimmed across the sea, the warm breeze rushed past us and the endless ocean stretched to every horizon. Mum, Dad and I shared a mixture of excitement and nerves as the engines gradually slowed above the dive site. We completed our final buddy checks before rolling backwards into the water. Any nerves disappeared the instant we hit the sea.

As we descended, an entirely new world revealed itself beneath us. Colourful coral gardens stretched across the seabed, schools of tropical fish shimmered around us, and shafts of sunlight danced through the water above. For the first time, I experienced the incredible feeling of drifting weightlessly over a thriving coral reef. Everything felt so peaceful. Time seemed to disappear as we floated effortlessly through this underwater world, taking in every detail around us. When I finally surfaced, I couldn’t stop smiling. It was everything I had imagined scuba diving would be—and more.

The boat carried us back to base camp, where we reunited with Eashan and Arushi. We excitedly swapped stories about our afternoons, each of us eager to hear what the others had seen and learnt. Even after leaving the water, I couldn’t stop thinking about the next day’s dives.

Back at our homestay, we were greeted by an unwelcome welcome committee of cockroaches, prompting a very quick exit in favour of the infinity pool. Overlooking the city from high above, the cool water was the perfect way to unwind after a long day. Later, Eashan and I squeezed in a quick workout at the gym before joining everyone else again.

Determined to spend as little time as possible sharing our accommodation with its six-legged residents, we headed out to a local diner for dinner. Bowls of steaming noodles and rich broth were exactly what we needed after a full day of diving. Satisfied, exhausted and already looking forward to getting back underwater, we returned for an early night, ready for another day of diving ahead.Læs mere