Surprise Funday
I sprung a surprise on Oyster Boy last Sunday.
Instead of the usual cliches (picnics? home-cooked food? I don't know what else people do these days?), I shocked him with an afternoon of... diving.
With the sharks.
In the giant aquarium of the Underwater World.
Y'know, just casual stuff.
It was a tad terrifying to keep this a surprise (he was clueless until two hours prior), because I had to assume he was a confident diver in the face of aggressive sea creatures. That, and that he could really dive, per his mention in one of our wandering chats. It would be really awkward (and somewhat life-threatening) if he had fibbed about his diving capacity.
Yup. Really awkward.
Lucky for us, Oyster Boy is one honest (and composed) diver. I'm impressed.
::
::
The last time I dove in the tank, the highlight was descending with a bucket of cockles (only certified divers get to feed the hungry).
The scent of raw blood drives the resident Manta and Eagle rays absolutely insane. We're talking 20+ two-metre-wide monsters charging at you from all directions, swatting their giant fleshy wings (and spiny tails, sigh) in your face as they try to get to the munchies. Your heart will race, your hands will tremble, you will be bitten.
It can get pretty scary in the eye of a feeding frenzy, but that's where the fun lies. I really wanted Oyster Boy to own this moment. To bask in the thrill of helpless bewilderment and soak in the awesomeness of total submission.
Alas, the whole feeding thing has been scrapped due to new international safety protocols (an orca killed someone, somewhere). To compensate the lack of rev, our dive master (a very kind Mr. Abdul) said they've "added more fish" to the aquarium so there's actually "more to see now". Great. See fish. Wow.
At least there are still trigger-happy tourists, I comforted myself. Though less exciting, it's still pretty cool peacing out for photo-ops. Oyster Boy wouldn't know what he missed out anyway?
So, muck we did for the first half of the dive - in the steely waters of Sentosa's Underwater World as general marine populace ignored us. Abdul was right, there are loads more fish in the 'hood. The moray eel looked happier too. We saw token leopard sharks graze past and two emo black-tips PMSing on the seafloor. I coaxed Oyster boy into petting the shark (don't think he did it), spent some minutes spider-manning myself to the viewing tunnel and took snaps of random stuff.
Like, of strangers groups (well, hello!)
And of stranger solos
Of dinner
And of strangers looking at dinner
Of Abdul, our dive master
And of Mr Happy Moray Eel
Of passing Eagle rays
And of arbitary sharks (this is a baby leopard)
Of Oyster Boy out of the water (this is behind-the-scenes, where we descend from. Super cool huh?)
And of Oyster Boy in the water (check out the Eagle flying behind me)
Just as I thought that was all to life, someone bubbled down with a huge pail of feed. SCORE! We made it to feeding time!
In a manner of seconds, we witnessed hundreds of sea thingies flock by us en route to Meal Man.
I was so jazzed I hurled myself into the giant swarm for my requisite bite (from a giant tilapia this time). It was really painful, but oh-so-worth the adrenaline. Oyster Boy refused to join my crazy.
My best shot of frenzy
In all, it was a surprise success.
Yay.
If you're interested, it costs S$120 a person for 30 minutes of this "Dive With The Sharks" experience. You do not need to be a certified diver to participate, though you have to be a kid above 12 years-old. And unlike in the wild, fish here at the Underwater World have no qualms swimming into/ nipping you; so do bring a brave heart!
Instead of the usual cliches (picnics? home-cooked food? I don't know what else people do these days?), I shocked him with an afternoon of... diving.
With the sharks.
In the giant aquarium of the Underwater World.
Y'know, just casual stuff.
It was a tad terrifying to keep this a surprise (he was clueless until two hours prior), because I had to assume he was a confident diver in the face of aggressive sea creatures. That, and that he could really dive, per his mention in one of our wandering chats. It would be really awkward (and somewhat life-threatening) if he had fibbed about his diving capacity.
Yup. Really awkward.
Lucky for us, Oyster Boy is one honest (and composed) diver. I'm impressed.
::
::
The last time I dove in the tank, the highlight was descending with a bucket of cockles (only certified divers get to feed the hungry).
The scent of raw blood drives the resident Manta and Eagle rays absolutely insane. We're talking 20+ two-metre-wide monsters charging at you from all directions, swatting their giant fleshy wings (and spiny tails, sigh) in your face as they try to get to the munchies. Your heart will race, your hands will tremble, you will be bitten.
It can get pretty scary in the eye of a feeding frenzy, but that's where the fun lies. I really wanted Oyster Boy to own this moment. To bask in the thrill of helpless bewilderment and soak in the awesomeness of total submission.
Alas, the whole feeding thing has been scrapped due to new international safety protocols (an orca killed someone, somewhere). To compensate the lack of rev, our dive master (a very kind Mr. Abdul) said they've "added more fish" to the aquarium so there's actually "more to see now". Great. See fish. Wow.
At least there are still trigger-happy tourists, I comforted myself. Though less exciting, it's still pretty cool peacing out for photo-ops. Oyster Boy wouldn't know what he missed out anyway?
So, muck we did for the first half of the dive - in the steely waters of Sentosa's Underwater World as general marine populace ignored us. Abdul was right, there are loads more fish in the 'hood. The moray eel looked happier too. We saw token leopard sharks graze past and two emo black-tips PMSing on the seafloor. I coaxed Oyster boy into petting the shark (don't think he did it), spent some minutes spider-manning myself to the viewing tunnel and took snaps of random stuff.
Like, of strangers groups (well, hello!)
And of stranger solos
Of dinner
And of strangers looking at dinner
Of Abdul, our dive master
And of Mr Happy Moray Eel
Of passing Eagle rays
And of arbitary sharks (this is a baby leopard)
Of Oyster Boy out of the water (this is behind-the-scenes, where we descend from. Super cool huh?)
And of Oyster Boy in the water (check out the Eagle flying behind me)
Just as I thought that was all to life, someone bubbled down with a huge pail of feed. SCORE! We made it to feeding time!
In a manner of seconds, we witnessed hundreds of sea thingies flock by us en route to Meal Man.
I was so jazzed I hurled myself into the giant swarm for my requisite bite (from a giant tilapia this time). It was really painful, but oh-so-worth the adrenaline. Oyster Boy refused to join my crazy.
My best shot of frenzy
In all, it was a surprise success.
Yay.
If you're interested, it costs S$120 a person for 30 minutes of this "Dive With The Sharks" experience. You do not need to be a certified diver to participate, though you have to be a kid above 12 years-old. And unlike in the wild, fish here at the Underwater World have no qualms swimming into/ nipping you; so do bring a brave heart!