Hi everyone,

Well,it's 6am and all is quiet on the Seadventure Rig platform.Apparently it is a decommissioned Oil Rig that was originally set up off of Labuan,an Island just off of Brunei.It is pretty spectacular--and actually very spacious.Accommodation is ....erm?...adequate? Aircon and hot shower--but not luxurious---still,I'm here for the diving,not the surroundings.Plus,the food is superb--mostly local,and delicious.

The flight from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau watch definitely better than I expected--you fly low over mountains,and most were cloud tipped--very beautiful.Can't say Tawau airport was as beautiful(and I've got a 5 hour wait there,on my way back to KK--not looking forwards to that!).

The bus journey from Tawau to Semporna(about 70 kilometres,I think?) is very depressing---mile(kilometre) after mile of Palm Oil trees.Good for the economy,but at the cost of the jungle---very little wild life live in these plantations.

Still--here I am and believe it or not,it's actually a bit cool,...it's the usual overcast(most of the Tropics are) but being so high,we get quite a stiff breeze,which chills the air a bit---was shivering a tad after my first dive(in the Tropics????? Eeeekkk!!!).

First dive was under the Rig itself------absolutely fabulous...you descend through huge clouds of fish,barracuda,snappers,fusiliers,trevallies and lion fish!! this is before you land on the sandy bottom!!!

A number of piles of......well? Rubbish(tyres,rocks,old scaffolding) have been placed under and around the rig,and they are just alive with all sorts of really unusual stuff......Crocodile fish,scorpion fish,frog fish,blue ring octopus,tiny cuttlefish,morays,snake eels and the star...a tiny ornate ghost pipefish.Sorry,I could give you a full list,but it would just go on and on.

Next dive was off of nearby Mabul Island.Again,an unbelievable amount of unusual stuff,but I guess the stars this time were the turtles--maybe ten/twelve Green turtles...the biggest had to be close to 2 metres(6 feet) from head to tail!!!

I'm diving with a delighful French couple David and Lilo---fortunately their English is faultless...more than could be said of my French!! We met on the bus,the main problem was that we were all suffering from lack of sleep,so the planned night dive (under the rig,)had to be put on hold......9 pm bedtime!!!

Today we are off to dive the legendary Sipadan Island....that will be a guaranteed fabulous dive,and my first sighting of sharks on this trip(Oh no--just remembered..the Bamboo Shark on the Tioman night dive,and a black tip reef shark on the Rengiss(Tioman again)dive,but this place is famous for the sheer numbers of shark...WooooHooooo!!!.

Well,things are beginning to move out on the deck,so I'll say bye bye,and go set up my dive tank.

See Ya,

Alec.