Guess the Photo

It's time for the guessing game again.

Guess what this is?
And where is it taken?




Testing out my new EOS 500D. ;)

Share your answers in the comment below.

And away we go!

Didn't want anyone to think that potential stardom had gone to my head. If I am rather silent these next several days it's simply because our family is returning to Tyler Place for the third year in a row and I think I am leaving my computer at home. Maybe.

So, while my children are having all sorts of adventures with their camp groups, I will be taking some (well earned) time in an Adirondack chair, reading a book...or maybe I'll be taking a yoga class...learning how to throw a pot...doing a low ropes course perhaps...canoeing on Lake Champlain...or going for a long bike ride with Jeff, before we get ready for cocktails and the parent-only dining room. (Can you say bliss?)

But, you can rest assured that I'll come back from this vacation rested, and invigorated to cook up a storm so I can share more ideas for simple family-friendly meals with all of you!

The first try-out

Wow! I did it. I was so nervous that my tummy ached (or maybe that’s attributable to the amount of coffee I had before the interview). I am pretty sure I spoke too fast (shocking, I know), but we got about three questions in three minutes, that's it! Anyway, I think I did a good job, and paired with that monstrous application, it will give the casting folks a good idea of who I am. They said we’ll know by Tuesday if they’d like us to come back in. My fingers are crossed!

Tonight's "Rainbow Plate", and dinner for us too

Children are supposed to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, but as we all know getting them down the hatch can be a real challenge for parents. We use a “rainbow plate” game at our home. At each meal, my children count the colors on their plate. This creates excitement and a desire for colorful foods including a variety of fruits and vegetables which are a natural source of color.

Tonight's dinner included: "taco turkey" (ground white meat turkey + our favorite taco seasoning and chopped onions sauteed together), a whole wheat wrap rolled up with melted cheese, a cilantro yogurt dip (store bought this time, from TJ's), green grapes, plus peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers from our CSA. I plan to have pretty much the same thing-- I'll make a salad with the cucumbers and tomatoes + some lettuce from our CSA, chopped avocado drizzled with some lemon, a scoop of the turkey, some shredded cheese and I can thin the yogurt dip by whisking it with a little milk for a creamy dressing. Easy meal that pleases both my kids and us parents! (Black beans would have been a good addition too, but I forgot to put them out!)

My little one just jumped out of the tub, saw the picture and excitedly announced, "I just ate that mama!" My free time comes to a screeching halt....time for bedtime stories!

Feeding The Beast

Black Tuesday has yet to be released, but we've already got next year's batch fermenting away and we're trying to make it even bigger and better than what's already been tasted by a lucky few. Tyler pried the lid off of the fermenter in order to feed sugars and nutrients to Black Tuesday and the beer eagerly ate it up while spitting up on him like a giant baby. Luckily, this baby will eventually grow into a 20% alcohol imperial stout for us all to enjoy in October of 2010.

For those who haven't had a chance to try Black Tuesday from our tasting room, here are a couple of the reviews it is already garnering from beeradvocate and ratebeer reviewers:

One of a handful of beers I could legitimately call the best I've ever had.
-Overlord, Beeradvocate.com

Absolutely amazing. Gets better and better the more you drink. Wow.
-Mspindler, Ratebeer.com

Among, if not the best Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout/Strong Ale that's out there. If they produce it every year as they say they will, this will be a stalwart in the Top 100. I predict a perch in the Top 10 once enough people get to try it.
-Alexd3891, BeerAdvocate.com


A big big thank you to those three drinkers and to all of our loyal fans who are giving us good reviews on their beeradvocate and ratebeer accounts as well as through their blogs, publications and word of mouth. When we read reviews like the ones above or hear people's compliments, it makes us all happy to be brewing beer and gets us excited to try new things. Thanks!

Emotion First Aid Kit

Short Note: Want a free SLR camera? Here's an online contest by Canon to win a brand new EOS 500D. Watch the commercial here aired over Discovery Channel in Singapore. It's actually kinda romantic.


Over Valentines this year, I spent a near three months preparing a present for someone that's special to me.

I gave him his very own Emotion First Aid Kit.




Everything about the gift was handmade, the glass bottles were specially bought for this.




I divided the glasses into six different emotions: Happy, Sad, Angry, Love, Random and Emergency.




I wrapped the screw top of the bottles and stuck letter stickers on them to spell out the emotion. Each emotion glass contains a bundle of mini scrolls, with its own miniature props to fit the theme.

Like handmade stars for Happy bottle.




Dried up rose buds for Love.




Flowers for Sadness, Red Fiery Beans for Anger, and Mini Balloons for Randomness.




Basically, what you do is every morning when you wake up, go to your Emotion First Aid and choose a bottle that fits your feeling that morning. Open it and pick out a scroll. Roll it out and read its content.




It will make you instantly feel better.


Sometimes you get words of encouragement to lift you up from your low spirit, or something to make your laugh when you're joyful, or even words that would make you go all fuzzy inside.

There are even scrolls that contain a certain instruction of the things you must do in order to get rid of a certain negative emotion.




This is where I spent most of my time during the gift preparation, writing each and every piece with pure sincerity. Hoping that every single day, my feeling may be passed onto that person.


I won't tell you what was written inside, because that's my secret. ;)

Well, maybe just one.




The last bottle was the Emergency bottle.




A bottle I wish it would never be opened for I never wish that person I care to be in a desperate or painful state.

It's a very pretty bottle with purple translucent ribbons inside.




And there's only one scroll.

Well, except for me, no one will ever know what's written inside. :p


But there you do, an idea for a very special gift for that very special someone.




Your very own Emotion First Aid Kit.

Oh Hoppy Day - Firkin Friday comes early this week!

Since this coming weekend is technically it's the first of August, and because we're so excited about releasing some new beers, we've decided to go ahead and have First Firkin Friday on the 31st of July.  We think you'll be happy we did.

We will be tapping our Humulus Lager for the first time this weekend.  Prepare yourself for this India Pale Lager brewed with 4 lbs. of hops per barrel and weighing in at 7.2% ABV.  This beer is all about the hops - the lager yeast allows the hops to be in the forefront.

Also, for your enjoyment this weekend we will have not one, not two, but THREE different casks to choose from.  Each will be a pin of our new Humulus Lager with wet hops, one version with chinook, one with cascade, and one with centennial.  Thanks to Hops-Meister in Clearlake for providing fresh organic hops!

In addition, we'll have 2 different pilot versions of Mischief, a Belgian style wheat golden ale on draft - let us know which one you like best!

Not to mention we still have Black Tuesday allocations available, so come down to try it out and reserve bottles for the October release.  

It's a big weekend at the Tasting Room - hopefully we'll see you there!

Monster Mush (aka Spinach Risotto)

Here’s another simple dinner, though this one requires you tend to it while it’s cooking. I recently made this on a night when dinner wasn’t ready (truth be told, I probably hadn’t even figured out what I was going to make) but the kids were hungry, tired and I seized the opportunity to make something easy and get them to bed! If you have kids who like oatmeal, risotto can be an easy sell.

While risotto from scratch is just as easy, I keep a box of Trader Joe’s Wild Mushroom Risotto in the pantry for those nights when I am in a pinch. So, this recipe included:
Trader Joe’s Wild Mushroom Risotto
Chicken Broth
1 bag Organic Frozen Spinach
Parmesan, shredded

I simply toasted the risotto in a bit of olive oil (which coats each grain of rice in a bit of fat) until the grains were translucent. I know this isn’t the way you’re technically supposed to do it, but I never have time to also heat the broth so I add it room temp (straight from the pantry) in small amounts while stirring the rice, almost constantly. In case you’re wondering if it works, yes. This is the way I’ve always done it, and it’s just fine. You’ll see the broth becoming creamy as the rice cooks and takes on some of the starch from the rice. Keep adding a bit more broth until the rice is also a creamy consistency but still a bit al dente. It takes a little practice because you want the liquid mostly absorbed, but the rice not too mushy. Texturally you want individual grains, so watching it as it is cooking is key and you should taste away as it cooks!

Because I was tossing in a bag of frozen—yes folks, straight from the freezer—spinach, I left the burner on low even though the rice was technically done. But normally, once the rice is cooked you’d remove it from the burner and stir in the cheese as a creamy finale. Count on the risotto taking about 20-25 minutes, start to finish (a tad bit longer than normal, since the broth wasn’t heated).

Experts always say you need to heat it right away, but in our house you’ve often got the kids eating early with me, and my husband eating much later. Maybe I’m not a purist, but I think my risotto heats up just fine with a little additional chicken broth to prevent it from becoming too dry.

If your children are bummed by the addition of veggies, try giving one of them the opportunity to name the meal something funny. We called this risotto with spinach, “Monster Mush” and they laughed at their wittiness as they ate it all up.

Chance to give a CSA a try!

Summer travel is about to ramp up, which means that I'll miss picking up our weekly CSA (Community Support Agriculture) offerings a couple times in the coming weeks. I know a bunch of friends have been wondering what a CSA is like? I will happily let a couple of local Full Plate reader families each have a week try! If you like it, maybe you'd sign up next year too and support one of our local farms. Pick-up is on Saturday mornings at the New Canaan Farmer's Market. Please email me if you are interested and I will offer up the available dates (free of charge, of course). A chance to enjoy the wonderful taste of summer from Gazy Brother Farm!!

Beyond Words

Late last evening, I sat on my bed with my Bible to the right and a book I've been reading to the left. I could not muster the strength to open either. I was feeling weary and was not even sure I could find the strength to pray. I sat there in silence for quite some time. My eyes kept drifting to the book I'd been reading, Supernatural Communication, by Rachel Hickson. Finally, I knew I was supposed to pick it up. It was beckoning to me with a force that had to be from God.

And, here's what happened, I opened to the last place I had been, held there for me by my bookmark, and here's what I read:

"Have you ever been really weary, so tired that you feel you can't even find the strength to pray? In those time you can come and just lie in God's presence, saying, 'Lord, I'm beyond words. I haven't got any words to offer. But everything in me is calling out to You. I need You."

That's all it took. God had already made provision for my heart's cry and had orchestrated my life in such a way that I would read that page the EXACT moment I needed it!

Beyond Words! That's God . . .

Today's prayer: "God, thank you that last night I found you in the silence. Today, I thank you with words of gratitude and shouts of joy to my King!"

Black Tuesday

Over 3000 pounds of malt in the mash/lauter tun for Black Tuesday, this is the most we have ever had in here!

What To Do When You Get Stung by Sea Urchins?

Before I forget, I want to share with the rest of you what happened on Tioman Island despite obtaining both of our certs, me falling ill and got stranded on our way back.




Now as you may have read on my first introduction to diving in Tioman island that the island reef was filled with poisonous sea urchins, especially on shallow sea water.




Yea, these little stingers might look cute, and even a delicacies to the Japanese (they call it Uni),




But oh, when you stepped on them, their poisonous stingers will pierce through you skin like swords, break apart from their body and leave the stingers in your skin.




This is Gerald's leg.


Now if you keep track of youtube channels and is a fan of Discovery Channel, you will come across the series Man vs Wild (only the most amazing crazy wild show in the world), where the handsome almighty Bear Grylls shows you how to survive through the most dangerous locations on earth.




He's been stranded in Alaska, Scottish highlands (snow mountains), remote jungles and the hot Sahara desert with nothing but a knife (Gerber Gator) and sometimes a water bottle, and survived!

He's eaten carcass maggots, slept in deer carcass skin, drank Elephant dung juice, eaten live frogs, snakes and lizards, and done anything that's humanly impossible and is probably the MANliest man on earth at the moment.


He's my man (so hot I melted)


In this episode where he was stranded in a remote island in Indonesia, Bear talks about sea urchins and their stings, and how to treat it.

(Watch, you'll know)




Right. Bear might know ONE way of treating sea urchin wounds.

But as I've heard from the locals, there are actually TWO ways to treat these wounds.

FIRST, is the African way. Basically, you just leave it as it is, and it will heal and melts off in your body.

SECOND, is the Asian way (our way, oh yea).

And I am going to show you the Asian way of Treating Sea Urchin Wound.

1. You'll need a victim.




The wound, when first stung, would be something like this.




Many little thorns sticking out from your skin

2. Get a plank/piece of wood.


3. Beat it, HARD.

Like Bear said, you take a piece of wo0d and beat it till all the stingers break off.




4. Rub lime/lemon onto wound

This is to kill bacteria, or disinfect your wound.




5. Beat again. Till blood stains appear.

According to the local uncle, he said this is very important so as to prevent swelling the next day.

How true, god knows. But it's fun to watch!!! LOL

In fact, I've recorded the beating process. This, you must watch!! :D




Bahaha.. I can't stop laughing every time I watch this video *tears*. I'm so mean.

This is the photo of Gerald's leg after the 10 minute beatings.


see the blood stains?


Amazingly, superstitious or true remedy, god knows, the next day the wound didn't look that bad after all.




Despite reddish skin (obtained from beating ;p), there was no swelling nor rashes.

It actually worked!!


I must say, this is the oddest treatment to a wound I have ever seen.

But hey, whatever works right?

Soy-Citrus Marinade for Salmon (made in minutes!)

I zipped around town with my little one this morning running errands. I had hoped to do some cooking while the kids napped so one stop was the fish market. But, as we all know, some days just don’t go quite as planned. My older one decided to make kites instead of nap, and my little one fell asleep minutes before we were all three due to leave for a swim lesson. Sweet. So, I popped the diaper off, the Elmo undies on, transferred him to his car seat and hoped for the best. The little one and I spent the swim lesson in the Y bathroom stall while my older one splashed about learning new tricks I wish I could have seen. Seeing as how neither kid seemed to have recovered from their ear infections of last week, we then tacked on a trip to the pediatrician (always fun at dinnertime) and a detour to Walgreen’s which experienced a run on antibiotics today and was out of stock. Fear that my little one would wet in his car seat if I trekked two towns over for the meds, we went home and made quick PB&J’s, showered, got them in their PJ’s and off we went, again. By the time I came home I was spent…and I still had to make dinner for my husband and me.

For a meal made, literally, in minutes it was pretty darn good. I made the marinade in the couple minutes the kids picked out their books for the night and let the salmon marinate for about a half hour while I put them to bed; I preheated the oven to 400 while checking my email; and in the 15 minutes it took to roast the salmon, I steamed some broccoli, toasted sesame seeds, reduced the marinade and heated up a rice side dish packet.

Salmon Marinade: whisk soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a bit of honey, a splash of orange juice, a splash of sesame oil (olive oil would work well too as the base, if that's what you have on hand...or if you do not care for sesame!) and some chopped onion; let the salmon marinate for about a half hour. Before popping it in the oven, I also drizzled it with a bit of honey. I removed the salmon from the marinade but took some of the onions and popped them on top of the fish, then roasted the salmon on a rimmed cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. While the salmon was cooking, I reduced (boiled down to half its volume) the marinade which I then drizzled on the steamed broccoli and the salmon.

Short on time, I steamed the broccoli in the microwave (by adding a couple T of water to the broccoli in a ceramic bowl, covering with a plate and microwaving it for 2 ½ minutes).

The fish market had black and regular sesame seeds which I picked up on a whim, at $2 each. Texturally and flavor-wise they were a nice addition sprinkled on the salmon and broccoli.

And, as I have mentioned before, I am not at all opposed to using prepared foods as long as I recognize (and would cook with) all of the ingredients. The one I used tonight was Trader Joe’s Lentil Rice Biryani. They come in pantry stable pouches and I always keep a couple on hand. Seeds of Change also makes some good ones. This TJ's one is made with: basmati rice, water, potatoes, onion, chickpeas, tomatoes, sunflower oil, French green beans, green lentils, mint leaves, cumin, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, clove and cinnamon. Delicious!

I cannot make this stuff up...

I’ve been staying up really late to complete the application for The Next Food Network Star in anticipation of Friday’s cattle call. Like every mom I know, I do not have a plethora of downtime during my day, so something like this is tackled after everyone’s fed and the kids are asleep. Well, today I used up my couple minutes of afternoon “me” time (when the “Rockin’ Real Wheels - Firetruck” DVD was playing) to jot down edits friends had passed along. I left the application sitting on the kitchen table and went to put our little one down for a nap. As folks on the Full Plate Facebook Page know, my older son spent his quiet time making a "kite" from scraps of paper. What paper you ask? Actually, my NFNS application. Yep, colored upon, cut into small pieces then taped together along with straws & ribbon. And this, my friends, is why the Full Plate name is so perfect.

And the winner is. . .

If you could please get a mental drumroll going, we're pleased to announce the winner of the Beer & BBQ Cooking Contest. 

Bill Hemphill and his Smoked Beer & Coffee BBQ!

It was certainly a tough decision, and we had some great entries.  After much deliberation (and one very tasty evening) we landed on this creative recipe that has excellent flavor and does a great job of incorporating Black Orchard as an ingredient.  

But his wasn't the only delicious dish that came our way.  Our runners up include -

Peter Bakulic

Ron Gordon

Ryan Clark

Be sure to keep an eye out for Bill's recipe at an Orange County favorite barbeque restaurant in the near future!

Thanks to everyone who entered and participated!

Beautiful Tioman (Wallpapers)

Here's a list of my favourite photos, all of which I've converted to two wallpaper sizes.


Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




(I love this shot a lot. It's a perfect wallpaper with the sand creating a blank desktop background for your icons)
Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




(I'm currently using this as my wallpaper)
Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.




Click here for 1600x1200 size.

Click here for 1280x800 size.


Now the important part. Tell me what you think?

Hung By Your Tongue

A valuable lesson: Only speak the things you want people to KNOW.

In your spiritual conflict with the enemy, don’t tell him everything. Don’t tell him where you are hurting. This is like a spy seeking top secret information of the enemy country in order to defeat them. So, do not tell the devil what is going on. He will not know unless you tell him. Satan cannot read your mind, unless you deal in ESP or telepathy. We see this in scripture as the devil was trying to kill Jesus as a young boy. Herod sent the three wise men to find Jesus, but the angel told them to go to their own country. Herod then began to kill all the boy babies under two years of age and the angel told Joseph to take Jesus into Egypt. Satan did not know that Jesus was in Egypt, or else he would have sought Him out there to kill Him. Satan could not find Jesus to kill him.

The Bible says that we are hid in Christ and the devil cannot find us, so he goes about like a roaring lion trying to get us to come out (say something) so he can tell where we are. But if you do not tell Satan what is going on, he will not know. Tell him what you want him to know, such as, “Jesus is Lord,” “I’ve got power,” “I’m an overcomer,” “I’m more than a conqueror,” “I’m healed, saved, and delivered out of darkness.”

We should not suspect that Satan knows everything, because he does not. God’s ways are spiritually discerned and Satan does not receive the things of God. If he could, he would have understood the prophecy of Elizabeth to Mary and the prophecy of Simeon and Anna in the temple over the baby Jesus in Luke 2:25-38. But he did not understand or perceive God’s plan of the Savior. He knew that God was doing something but couldn’t put his finger on it.

Do not fear Satan knowing your thoughts or plans, just tell him what he needs to know. You are in control with the correct use of your tongue. DO NOT BE HUNG BY YOUR TONGUE!

Excerpt by Francis P. Martin

Little trip to Rowayton

I’ve been meaning to post this and it totally skipped my mind. Seeing as how summer is flying by, I wanted to make sure I mentioned this to my local friends... While I gave up all regularly scheduled babysitting in ’09 (part of my financial prudence program), this summer I splurged (since my sanity was at stake) and found two wonderful drop-offs for my little one. One is Green Moon in Rowayton. Run by “Miss Veronica” and “Miss Lorena”, I knew it was a great find when my little one basically runs down the stairs to smooch the big photograph of these two wonderful gals before actually getting to hug them in person. Any place where my child is happy makes me happy.

The game plan was for me to go for a long walk while he was doing art, taking a walk to look at the boats and singing songs with other little people. But since the sprained ankle put a damper on that, I’ve rediscovered Rowayton Market. The food is just ok, but the setting is fabulous. (Actually, I take the ok comment back: Dough Girl’s cupcakes are fabulous…so yummy they’ve become our weekly happy habit.) The Friday before the Fourth of July, my husband took our older son out kayaking from there, and I have known at least one couple who did this as a late afternoon activity before an early date night at Rowayton Seafood. How civilized. And if you go down there on a Friday, don't miss the Farmer's Market. The setting can't be beat, and they've got some great vendors you might not find anywhere else. (My personal favorite is the pickle guy.) For being so close, Rowayton feels like a world away.

Taking My Advanced Open Water License in Tioman

It was time to take another step up my diving expeditions.




After my rather sufficient dive experiences in the past year or so, I decided that it was time to ditch my Open Water behind and opt for Advanced Open Water, where one can learn more skillful dives such like night dive, wreck dive and most importantly, deep sea diving.




I remembered clearly that my only regret when I went for my Sipadan trip last year, almost immediately after I achieve my Open Water License, was that I didn't manage to follow the rest of the Advanced divers (Open Water Divers only allowed to dive up to 18 meters, whereas Advanced c) as they went deeper and longer into the sea and spotted a group of 20 turtles.


Back to Tioman.

Next to Tioman House is B&J Diving Centre.




A really convenient out-the-room-and-into-the-shop walk from my bungalow.

Which all were also convenient located facing the beach.




The dive shop has a really cool diving pool to train those Open Water students for their confined dives.




Thank god those days were over for me. And thank god my confined dive was done in actual sea water than a pool. *tra~la~la~la* *gloat*

My instructor was a care-free dude from America named Drew Dronsfield.




He's lenient for an instructor. Everything was a-okay. Which was awesome, because that's what divers should be! Not too stuck up or too strict! After all, what best way to learn than to learn to dive through experience, better than teachings right? :D







I got suited into a wetsuit which was a bit too wide for me, but it never really mattered much, as long as it serves its purpose of keeping me warm, afloat or sink whenever necessary.

It does make me look fat in it though. -.-




Because it was difficult for me to walk into the sea from shore with my heavy BCD and tank on, my helpful instructor Drew dragged the BCD into the water for me while I throttle behind slowly (I'm dainty S_S).




After avoiding what was like thousands of sea urchins (there were A LOT of sea urchins in Tioman), I knelt down in the water and slid into my BCD conveniently. I stood up to secure myself onto my equipment and again fat afloat on the water to fit my fins on.




I've always preferred shorter fins rather than those adult sized fins, easier to maneuver around water and takes less muscle power. It's best for weak people like me. S_S

So if you (females especially) ever find it too tiring finning during dive sessions, try to request for a short fins, it helps a lot.


sorry about the corrupted photo, I don't seem to be able to restore it


Also, be careful not to choose a goggle that might be too tight. Or you'll end up having a goggle print on your face. Like me.




Now the thing about Advanced Dive Course, it's that it's much easier than Open Water Course.

In fact, it's so easy that it'll be wonder if you fail.

If you do, you shouldn't even be allowed to dive at all (it'll be too dangerous). Nah I'm just being harsh. Hah.


In AOW, you have to pick and complete a minimum of five specialty courses in order to attain the AOW cert (some places might require you to have a fix number of log dives as prerequisites, however this is not necessary in most places).

Two of which are mandatory - Deep Sea Diving and Underwater Navigation, while the other three are free electives.

Obviously, I opted for Buoyancy Control (a must skill for underwater photography), Night Diving and Wreck Diving.

I know, they're all the funnest courses! :D


First, let's go on my favourite course: Wreck Diving.




Wreck diving can be really exhilarating, like hunting for treasure in an uncharted land, you never know what you will find.




Wrecks are usually sunken ships that has been in the sea bed for a period of time whereby it becomes the habitat of corals, thus an artificial reef, which plays a vital role in the ocean. Some wrecks have stories of their own, or a tragic history waiting to be told or discovered.




/>


In short, you'll run out of oxygen and die.


La la~


Let's move on to Underwater Navigation.




Navigating your way underwater is important. Obviously by now you know that the sea if not always clear. Hence losing your way easily.




In fact, the day we went for our navigation course, the visibility was so bad, it was impossible to look distance further than 5 meters ahead of us.




It's bad for photography too, because all you'll be able to capture are either bluish fog underwater or lots and lots of plankton.




"All the better to train for navigation", my instructor beamed.

Sigh, such was his optimism.

So with him leading me behind, I started swimming forward with the dive compass he provided. We did a straight line and a square march.




The rule basically was to get back to our spot where I began where Gerald was waiting patiently alone.


Hehehe, imagine I swam away leaving him behind in that cloggy sea water.


Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know where I was going in fact, or if I'm heading the right way on the way back. But Drew told me to follow the compass instead of my sense of direction and I'll be fine.

I was panicking when I couldn't find Gerald (due to low visibility on my way back), I thought I was going to fail!!

But thank god, I was only going off course for a meter or so. Hehe. (I didn't know I arrived till Drew tapped me on my back signaling that I've done a good job, wtf)

Then it was Gerald's turn.




I'm surprised Drew didn't fail him on that course.

He was completely RUBBISH in navigating! Buahaha

Drew had to re-direct him quite several times on the way out and back! I bet he would have been completely lost if he were to go alone.

"Gerald, you SUCK! But it's okay, you're still my best friend." :p


peace


But if in case you do get lost, inflate a buoy to signal for help.


Drew unrolling his buoy



Drew inflating his buoy



Buoy afloat!





And we're saved!


That night, we went Night Diving.

This is the best shot I could get during the dive.




What do you think? Could you see a glimpse of me in the distance?

And this was me playing around with a jelly fish.


yea, that's what you get when you dive in the dark.


End of Night Diving. But here's a description of my first night diving experience.


Now the best part: Deep Sea Diving and Buoyancy Control.




We carried these two courses in the same dive because they're operational together.

We happily brought our camera into the water because learning photography underwater IS THE BEST way to master Buoyancy Control.




The key is to let your lungs do the controlling so that you can maneuver up and down the water as to get close your object without creating a sand cloud (when you paddle, you tend to disturb the sand on the sea bed which is bad for a clear shot), nor to disturb the said object.


So you could take photos like these.
(Following photos are without flash because I wasn't close enough to the objects, and I didn't have a proper flash)

























If you can get close enough without hitting the object, even photos like these.
(Close up and with flash)







Finally, it's the end of our course(s)!

Mind I remind you, I completed all these courses with a fever, a backache, and a severe kidney infection. Though I thought it was food poisoning initially. And ended up in hospital bed for more than a week.

Seriously, I don't know how I did it!

Wait, I know. With lots of panadol, lots of perseverance, and the thought of not wanting to spend another thousand ringgit to take the course again. (Yes I'm cheap, I know that already)


See how painful I looked after the dives, actually it was a candid shot la, but I was reallly in pain.


I think having a pool is the best idea a dive shop can have. Nothing beats a good dip in fresh water to wash away all the salt water remains on our body.




Lazy Best way to wash our wetsuits too.

We got back, freshened up. And back to the dive shop where...


TENG TENG TENG!!!

Drew presented us with our ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVE CERT!!!







B&J and Drew, you guys are the best!

Now we just have to wait for our actual dive cards to arrive. :D


It was raining heavily when we left Tioman.


Tioman jetty


Drew and the staff of B&J was kind enough to wrap me up in a garbage plastic bag to protect me from the rain. -.-







Don't even say a word.



And so, we left Tioman, feeling a bit heavy-hearted, a lot more sickly (for me) and damn achieved! :D




Till then, Tioman!


ps//Later on, Gerald's car headlights broke down on the way back from Mersing to Melaka. Leaving us stranded in complete darkness for hours. @#$%$