Severe weather...what to do

Bad news. I was supposed to take a group diving on a liveaboard, but the severe weather warning was too serious to ignore (front page The Star). Even if the weather doesn't affect the boat, the diving I suspect wouldn't be all that great. Strong currents are quite normal in Pulau Jarak, but with the predicted high swells... let's just say that I don't feel like rescuing anyone during the trip. After discussing with K Lee the captain of the boat, we decided to postpone the trip to next weekend.


For those of you who don't know where Pulau Jarak is, its located 34km southwest of the town of Lumut, Perak. This tiny island (barely 8 hectares in size) rises 50m above sea level and is covered with lush vegetation, where many sea eagles nest. There is no beach on Pulau Jarak, only granite sloping down to the sandy sea bed with small patches of stony, encrusting and soft corals. The island's boulder-strewn coastline makes it virtually inaccessible, leaving Pulau Jarak's pristine wonders mostly unexplored.

This good article by Dr Kurt Svrcula that appeared in NST Travel Times will walk you through the same passage that I am about to take next week. Why re-invent the wheel right? Bukannya rajin sangat.

Surprisingly, some of my dear diver friends actually was happy with the news. Why? Because they originally can't go this weekend due to relatives coming, weddings etc. Now they can go. A blessing in disguise? No problem with me...the more the merrier.