We found out yesterday afternoon that we had been given an extra day of Sipadan (because we asked). So this morning, we paid for the additional permit fee of RM53 pp before we set off at 0830.
I missed the name of the first dive. There were some turtles, a white tip reef shark, a grey reef shark, one barracuda with a slightly yellow tail and a wall of jackfish. For me it was a pretty ho-hum dive. Upon surfacing, I realised that it was Barracuda Point. I now realise how lucky I had been four and eight years ago to experience Sipadan, especially Barracuda Point at its best. Today wasn’t its best.
Second dive was at South Point which we did yesterday. It felt nothing like yesterday’s dive. Visibility was awesome and the three-dimensional underwater world consisting of the magnificent wall and its teeming reef fish was just spectacular. We also saw some turtles and a shark.
As this was my last of three days, the dive masters thought it would be good to have another go at Barracuda Point . Very thoughtful of them. It was about the same as before with turtles, a white tip reef shark, grey reef shark and jackfish.
For others on the dive, it was an amazing day. Walt (from Netherlands) who had done over a hundred dive said it was his best ever dive day and he had done over a hundred. Yesterday I was a little disappointed with Sipadan. But today I was heartbroken to know that it doesn’t display like what I had grown to expect from my dives four and eight years ago.
Where were the barracudas and why were they so “few” turtles? I had come to expect Sipadan dives to be like diving in a natural aquarium. I now know that I have been spoilt beyond any redemption by my previous dives at Sipadan (four and eight years ago). I should just give up diving.
[Edit: About four years later, I reset my expectations and stopped being a spoilt Barracuda Point brat. I learnt to enjoy everything else it had to offer, from the countless turtles, mirror-wall of shiny jackfish, the odd shark and the colourful reef fish against the most amazing drop-off walls. Realistic expectations help with enjoyment!]