Events, Travel Tips
Experience scuba diving in Pulau Weh
Feb
You will never know something so beautiful and so perfect would go through a series of devastation that you’d never imagined. This haven island called Pulau Weh is a home of few shades of nature’s best. You can simply grab your snorkel set or even your scuba equipment and jump right in and still find amazing sea creatures waiting to be discovered. Or cross over to the next door island, Pulau Rubiah and stuff your tummy with delicious satay kurita/cumi and other delicacies. Definitely, nothing would go wrong.
Our flight was as early as a 7AM flight to Banda Acheh, Indonesia. Some of us got to know each other virtually via Whatsapp, and some on the day at the airport itself. It’s always usually awkward moment at first, but once we got to know each other we seem to get along. It could be because of our love for the ocean and the creatures.
Day One –
Arrival at Banda Acheh, Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport. Everyone was so pumped up and excited to have finally arrived in one of the most historical city. Remember Tsunami back in 2004? It suffered great damage in the earthquake and further damage when a tsunami struck shortly afterward. 167,000 people died as a result and more were injured. So we decided to use our spare time at the city before heading to Pulau Weh by visiting some of the historical places such as the Tsunami museum, Baiturrahman Grand Mosque and PLTD Apung 1, which was magically saved during the earthquake.
We then make way to the jetty to catch our ferry to Sabang which means “santai bangat” or so relax on the island of Weh. It was definitely an amazing view all the way from the Sabang jetty to Iboih island.
Sunset that took our breath away; the depth of the horizons, makes us feel so small and it makes us appreciate life more than we usually do. All we ever say was, Alhamdulillah and Masha Allah. To be able to see the sunset in an island nearby a city that has lost so much, yet so beautiful by the Grace of Him.
Diving Days –
Our diving days in Pulau Weh can only be described as washing machine and epic! It was definitely a magnificent view down under. It was full of creatures as small as the tip of your pointer to as big as a van. So many to look for yet so little time. Most of us did 6 dives in three days, some of us decided to rent a bike and explore the whole island itself (it was a crazy beautiful island I must say!)
On the first day, we did two checkout dives as to check our level and also to do grouping. The weather was windy and little rain, but it doesn’t stop us from exploring the beautiful dive sites of Pulau Weh. At the end of each dive, we would always share our experiences and what we saw.
On the second day, we did two adventure dives. Some of us even got hurt by the strong current, gripping through the corners of stones fighting for their lives. But it is what makes it all so exciting, came back alive and what you wanna do the moment when you took out your regulator, the words uttered was simply “AWESOME”!
The last day was definitely a day to remembered as some of us chose Sophie Wreck or also known as The Sophie Rickmers to be our final dive on our trip. This wreck is one of the reasons that Pulau Weh is one of the best dive destinations in SE Asia. The 134 m long “Sophie Rickmers” is an impressive wreck, covered with corals, situated in the sheltered bay of Pria Laot. The cargo steamship was built in 1920 in Germany. During WW II, the “Sophie Rickmers” was one of the 5 ships which were confiscated by the Dutch on May 10, 1940, in the waters around Pulau Weh. However, the crew of “Sophie Rickmers” sunk their own ship at that same day. A beautiful wreck starting at 55m down to 70m, swim through at 65m. At this depth, it is advisable for the divers to always be aware of the surroundings as to avoid to be under the influenced of Nitrogen narcosis. None the less, we definitely enjoyed each and every dives with each other as buddy!
For dive sites, you can check out the photo below.
At the end of any trip, one thing for sure that we are thankful for are the friends that we made along the way. They’re are the ones that make it all worthwhile. The ones that make it all complete!
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