saltwatersteve.com/travel

You read that right. I am writing this post from an offshore rig, converted to a deluxe diving resort.

We arrived this morning after a speedy speed boat (twin 150-hp motors and only 5 people and some vegetables and luggage on board) ride from Semporna out to the rig. Then we got our first ride on the elevator!

I assume this is something they retained from the rig’s former life, but it is cool nonetheless - it took us and the luggage and vegetables up from water level to about 25′ up - main deck level. It was here that we took our glass of welcome OJ and signed our second waiver of the day. 20 minutes later we checked out dive gear, had an orientation, then rode the elevator right back down to water level for our checkout dive. I had to refresh my memory as to how to do the ‘giant step’ entrance because since my confined water dives 3 years ago where we practiced all methods, I have exclusively done backward rolls into the water. Anyway, after a bit of issue with my dive mask being too loose, I got to experience what all the hype was about.

Incredible.

This was a checkout dive under the rig (not even at a proper dive site) in 51 feet of water and we saw a staggering number of fish of different species - clouds of them blocking out the light like you see in dive magazines or in National Geographic or something. Saw Lionfish, Nudibranchs, Alligator fish (not sure about the authenticity of that common name), some tiny 3 inch ribbon of a fish that looked like a leaf in the water until you look really close and notice it has fins! Also, we saw our first Seahorse! It was about the size of two grains of rice - the aptly named Pygmy Seahorse. It was hanging onto a giant fan coral with its grain of rice (tail).

So: it was an incredibly emotional, er, checkout dive. The elevator was actually submerged a few feet so, after our safety stop, we swam onto the elevator and it hoisted us back up to the deck. What a way to travel.

Apparently at the real dive sites you get to hang out with lots of sea turtles. I now have no problem believing anything anyone says about these waters.

Oh, and there’s unlimited night diving while you’re on the rig. Hmmm…