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Monday, July 20, 2015

Shark Point - 1st Stop of the Morning Snorkeling Session with Perhentian Island Resort!

Blessed with good weather, it's the time to lug along my underwater Olympus TG-3 for the morning snorkelling trip with Perhentian Island Resort right after breakfast!

Picking us up at 10.05 am from the jetty, the speedboat drove us to the southern part of the Pulau Perhentian Besar (the big island).

Location: Shark Point; an area still unspoiled by development!

Trembling with fear and excitement, i plunged into the water and went in seek of the elusive sharks that lent the spot its name.

Nothing large appeared ahead of me but i am known to be relatively "blind". Just to share an example; a friend was standing beside me and i never did notice him until he stepped right in front of me! To be fair, i was concentrating on a movie on my phone.

My apparent lack of focus didn't stop me from seeing something in the above photograph; let's see if anyone can spot anything unusual in it.

A jeweled blenny! Maybe because of their eyes, they gave me the impression that they were monitoring our movements and would remain still until we moved closer.

Honeycomb grouper - interesting fact; it has the special ability to change sex from female to male!

Swimming towards shallower water as i am no strong swimmer and snorkelling right after meals can trigger an unstoppable wave of nausea guaranteed to spoil the underwater experience.

I am not the only one even though the boat was anchored quite a distance away. Sometimes, it's good to follow a guide who has more experiences in identifying marine animals; provided you can keep up with their pace!

Always, always wear shoes! The corals can be sharp and once you are in the water, it can be hard for you to see what you are stepping on! Recommended brand: Crocs! 

A few photos for your viewing pleasure.

Even though i didn't catch sight of any sharks, the humongous field of cabbage-like corals was no doubt the highlight of Shark Point.

The designation as a marine park doesn't stop some individuals from fishing illegally! For those who are unaware, once a place has been given the marine park status, all fishing within a few miles would cease for two reasons; to prevent over-fishing and to allow the marine community to thrive in its natural environment. 

Some took a step further; feeding the fishes! p.s. this is frowned upon by some of the environmentalists, in the same way why the Singapore government doesn't allow us to feed the monkeys in nature reserves.

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For the summarised itinerary of my 3 days 2 nights trip at Perhentian Islands, click here

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