Est modus in rebus

From Tioman, the ‘diving with dad’ trip  [3rd to 8th July] 

Dad and I did our check dive yesterday. To our utter disappointment,

we find out that Richard, his good friend and my diving ‘guru’,

has moved to the mainland.

We make a guess that it is because his young son

has grown quite a bit and needs proper schooling and thus Richard

and his wife Dot decided to make a move from their home of so many

years.

I don’t think I’ll ever see the Berjaya Dive Centre the same way again.

 

But some of the staff there remember Dad and call him Old Timer,

one being Francis, who would be the one to do our check dives with us

and also dive with us today. Dad has dived so many times he doesn’t

bring his dive card or equipment or anything, and I (being the useless

numbskull that I am) also am card-less, and logbook-less. “But

I got my licence here itself in 2001,” I tell Francis, and Dad adds: “Yes, and with

Richard!”

We get the knowing looks and nods, fill in the necessary

forms and voila – it’s an all-clear,

we can dive as long as we pass the check dive – which is a less elaborate

version of the Refresher course, necessary when one has not been diving

for a while.

My last dive was in 2007, which I am not very worried about.

But dad, who has been through a number of serious operations over

the years, is a bit fragile.

If it was up to mom, he wouldn’t be diving at all. But we both

convinced her that he is never as joyful, relaxed and happy than

when he is diving, and the green light is obtained.

After the obligatory mask clearing exercise and having a lil dive

between the centre and Renggis Island etc …

the results are in. Two thumbs up for me and dad for diving.

That was yesterday. Today, we wake up to rain. Dark clouds.

It doesn’t look good.

As dad has to fly off on Monday evening and can only dive today

(for the nitrogen etc to clear from the body), I peer from my blanket

in the early morning and wonder if it will happen – my first diving

excursion with dad, long overdue.