How I Almost Died (Last September)

This is Renggis Island in Tioman - a snorkelling hotspot for people staying at and around Berjaya Resort in Tioman. This was where I almost drowned myself.

I love being in the water (only when I'm sure I can have my head above the water at all times i.e. I can touch the floor / I'm on a float). I love how my arms and legs bob in the water, in tandem to the merry woosh woosh of the gentle waves. Thus, I was looking forward to snorkelling for this first time.

It was very exciting to zoom out to sea in a tiny jet boat, decked in life jackets and flippers. In my mind though, there was a nagging apprehension of the unknown that I was about to face, It's just too damn easy to die in the sea, isn't it?

I eased myself into the water with trepidation, among the schools of tiny, shimmering fishes. Bobbing in the water with Hui, then I managed to quiet the nagging voice in my head and enjoy the wonders of the sea. I was praying so hard that I would not meet any octopus, squid or cuttlefish. I am terrified of these monsters. Maybe I'll elaborate this bizarre phobia in another post.

Anyway, we were happily swimming in the sea when the locals manning the snorkelling station waved us over. They urged us to swim around the Renggis Island. The beautiful corals were on the other side. Hui and I shook our heads, "It's too dangerous to go there on our own."

The shorter of the two said, "We'll bring you!" And he flashed a wide grin, "Each of you follow one of us. Can you swim? You should take off your life jackets. Else it'll be difficult to swim."

And Hui enthusiastically said OK and took off her jacket. I quietly followed, my heart pounding with dread, It's too damn easy to die in the sea!

My guide swam strongly out towards the island. And I followed. It was surprisingly effortless to swim in the sea. All I could hear was my own breathing. That was scary. That meant I wouldn't be able to hear if any creature snuck up behind me. I would die on the spot if a curious tentacle stroked my arm without warning.

The guide then dived down to the seabed to pick a starfish to show me. As I waited for him to resurface, I started to sink into the sea. And I panicked.

I'm gonna die! And the colossal squid will wrap me with its fifty tentacles and rip me apart! I thought. I started to thrash in the water that was at least 10 metres deep.

Thankfully, the jet boat on lifeguard duty immediately roared to life and sped towards me. And what a joke, the moment I saw the boat, I felt safe and started swimming towards the floating platform. Swimming in the sea was effortless! I reached safe land before the boat even reached me!

On hindsight, I think it was because I was in an upright position; you can only stay afloat if your body was parallel to the sea. All I needed to do was to lie on my back and I would be afloat.

My guide swam over asked in contempt, "Why you panic, Melissa? I'm here. You don't trust me! You ready? Let's go again."

I looked at him in shock. You want me to go out there again?

"No scared. I hold your hand. Many Singaporeans go with me. Nobody scared like you." Okay, now he was using reverse psychology. And I took the bait.

I was much calmer the second time because he was holding my hand. We saw beautiful corals, giant clams and even a baby shark. Then he wanted to teach me skinny dipping. Meaning you hold your breath and dive in the depths of the sea. When you surface, you need to blow the water out of the pipe so that you can breathe through your mouth. I politely declined the offer. My guide shook his head in disappointment and said I let him down, "unlike the other Singaporeans". But I didn't want to risk drowning and stood my ground.

Imagine my relief when we finally completed a round about the island. The moment I caught sight of the floating platform, I abandoned my guide and swam to it, ignoring his calls to "look at the turtles".

Hui was swinging her legs at the edge of the platform, "What happened to you? I saw you waving for help. Then you started swimming like you're OK."

Let me catch my breath first.