Timing is Everything

It was a usual dive week, where my boatman, our leader research diver and myself would leave our office and start early dawn for a boat ride to our next dive site for survey.

This particular morning i felt a little bit different, everything was a bit off. I forgotten my dive mask, didnt brought with me by dive watch yet i just kept it all aside and just went a long with the plan and usual routine.

We got all out gears onboard along with the tanks and our food supplies. Just as we were about to depart, i even got my boatman to stop and reverse as i need to jump back on the pier as i left my work bag behind.

Like i said, i was pretty off that day.

leaving the pier early dawn is really lovely in semporna, looking beyond horizon as the sun rises the rays hits the island hills and seas. The temperature get warmer yet the sea breeze gives you the chills as the boat speed through the calm sea in the morning.

I always love this morning boat ride, it just set the tone for a fresh adventure.

The catamaran that i've design to cater for our marine research work is truly a beauty, she glide through the sea life a champ. Right along ligitan reefs, we stop the boat to have a look at what is seen floating. as we get closer it became clear that the sight we saw was something i was not hoping for, it was a dead turtle.

The earlier sign was that it seems the turtle got his by a speedboat, we took photos, measurements , and all detail then move on to our planned destination. it was only later that we learned the turtle death was due to the pressure from a fish bomb.

When we got to our location , it was already close to 10am. Not wanting to waste anymore time , we got ourselves prepared for the dive. With harris the boatman helping the marine biologist , i was checking looking at the map and the gps to make sure that we got our dive site correct.

As i was looking through the map, only then i notice how close we were to the international water and even made a joke about to my colleagues. I then got my dive suit on, dive gear sorted , and was all ready to jump in.

I really loves the area that we dive, the is a strong underwater current that if you are caught on it, you will be flying like superman and come out way your planned surface area. The dive site is part of what we named as Borneo Barrier Reefs, unknown to many divers.

I was right behind the marine biologist as we were about to jump in to start our dive when Harris shouted at us and asked us to stop. i turn back only to see him was busy looking our using the binocular with his hand signaling me to return. i then tap my colleague and ask her to walk back, remove my fin and walk toward harris.

As i walk toward him, jokingly said "dont tell me you saw a tsunami heading our way". without saying a word , he hand me the binocular pointed out toward the international water.

The moment look through the binocular , it gave me chills right behind my neck and got me really scared. Immediately i've instructed harris to pull up the anchor, shouted at my colleague to pull up the steps. and within second i've got the boat going heading to the closest island where the General Operation Force, a light infantry arm of the Royal Malaysia Police is located.

With 500hp on my catamaran, i know there i no way, even if we were given a chase, they will not get any closer the moment i ramp that baby.

So what exactly did we saw?

It was a group of men 7- 8 person , slowly heading our way in the distance. Suspected traffickers or pirates. It was roughly a 22 -28 footer boat with two engine. As i was looking at them through the bino, on the other side they were looking at us on their bino too. No way in hell that is the local fisherman.

Source


In the past there were cases of tourist / commercial boat being hijacked, robbery at sea, etc. and weeks earlier i was reminded by marine police friends in the mainland for me to have a watchful eyes, i just never expect that i would experience an almost closer encounter.

Nevertheless, what an experience to remember.

Since then , i just got this thing going in my head. Imagine if everything was smooth in the morning like other morning and i wasn't running around forgetting my belongings like an idiot that very morning, these bad guys could have caught us in time as i was underwater.

I guess, timing is everything.

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Thank your lucky stars you escaped the pirates. What an adventure! Wish you more lucky and fruitful boat ride trips ahead.

Dont u wish u had a drone to film all the action ??

That would be epic to have a drone then. Hehe

i could've shit my pants and your boat too man if i was the one that saw those pirates coming towards the boat.. dangg..
what an experience bro.. glad to hear u'r safe..

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