Mine was prearranged by the operator. U can get it at Denpasar airport as well. Labuan Bajo will have convenient stores for sim purchase. Take note of their internet data packages though. Quite confusing. They separate quotas for 3G and 4G.

*edit
One of my travel mate got an old simcard that does not support 4G. Make sure everything works before u leave the shop

This post has been edited by N0eL: Sep 28 2016, 09:22 PM

Not at the airport, but in town.

Gull masks are pretty well built with good modern designs IMHO. With good quality lenses and soft but tough rubber seals. Their Vader model is pretty popular these days though it's on the expensive side. Recommended if you don't mind the pricing. I think retailing at around MYR400+ nowadays.

All those aesthetic and material concerns are secondary. Most important is still the fitting. You can get a 3k full face mask and still experience leak every 5 secs.

Pick 1 that are most comfortable upon wearing and doesnt flood. Op for low volume masks for easy clearing, equalise and better viewing angle. Dual and single lens doesnt have much difference in terms of view. The only advantage of dual lens masks is the lens are usually replaceable and for prescription purposes.

I have 2 sets of B2. Its great for Sidemount and stage bottles coz of the first stage turret and 5th port. Its also one of those reg that can last u 300 dives before requiring servicing. Sturdy and light balanced second stage with colour changing accessories. The swivel however has its pros and cons. You are required to get a spacing nut if you decided not to use the swivel and original hose. The original atomic nut will cost you around MYR100 if not mistaken. Consider this if you wanna change the hose. Atomic swivel is currently one of the best out there at the moment but it's attached to the hose as 1 single unit.

I have no complain whatsoever when it comes to performance wise. Breathe the same in deep water and during safety stop. Had it for around 6 years with no problem at all. No freeflow or leakage. For the price you spend, it's a good purchase.


Wear the mask without the strap and suck all the air out. Look down and test if it stay put on your face. Mask will drop if it's not air tight = leakage. Pay extra attention at the nose and bottom section as most leakage usually from there coz movement on the mouth/lips. Make sure u can pitch your nose easily to equalise.

They take u down to 60m on a single air tank? I wouldnt recommend this dive to anyone even if you are most confident. Air become toxic once you reach 53m. The pressure down there will make the P02 become more than 1.6 and you may drown due to convulsion by oxygen intoxication. Also u might not have enough gas to do proper decompression stops to get back to the surface without experiencing DCI.

To put things into perspective, a 50m dive will need at least 4 tanks. Twin tanks being air and deco bottles filled with nitrox. A 20 min spent at 50M will need u to do a total accelerated deco stops for about 40 mins with those nitrox bottles (50% & 100%). Will be even much longer if doing deco on air. A dive at 60m will requires CCR/Trimix with deco bottles to perform safely according to TEC standard.

My bad, I use 53m sometimes for conservative reason (most TEC agencies will state 50m). 40+mins of deco with air is possible depending on the time spent at max depth but its not worth the dive having to spend so little time with max risk.

Safety bottles are only for backup and is not a reliable way to do deco stop with. You may not be able to get back to the mooring line or decent point due to various reasons. Diving at this kinda depth will be mandatory to do deco stops else suffer the consequences of the bend. TEC divers usually carry their deco bottles whenever possible down to max depth or will only stage them at planned location where they know for sure they can get back to. (eg. the entrance before penetration or at the top of the wreck) It's safer to have all ur gas bottles with you before the deco process.

Anyway guys, i dont highly recommend anyone doing this dive without proper training and equipment as Evan mentioned. You are not only putting urself at risk, but also the divers who are gonna dive with you at that depth.

Recreational SM course is still quite vague at the moment. Some Instructor do it within a day, some for 2 days and even 3. Of course the prices will varies depending on the duration of the course as well. As I am aware, 3 days SM course will cost around RM1200 which is probably a good option as it will take time and practice to dive SM comfortably.

SMS100 is strictly a TEC setup and will be overkill for a 2 tanks rigging configuration. A better choice will be SMS75, but imho its still too big for recreational purposes. Hybrid system may be flexible but might not be as good as the dedicated ones. I would recommend X DEEP stealth 2.0 classic or Razor for its simplicity and light weight.

There is also another option which u can explore. Get a harness wing type back mount bcd and slap on a SM adapter converter and u may do both configuration comfortably without having the need to bring or buy 2 bcds. OMS has a well designed back mount bcd with SM adapter that does exactly that and may fit onto wing bcds of other brands as well.

attached link below :-
http://omsdive.com/product/side-mount-systems/

Most harnesses are fully adjustable and comfort level is based on how much effort you spent doing so. The only concern is probably the choices between a hard back plate or a more comfortable soft plate. There are also options where u can use a hard plate padded by a soft plate. Generally speaking, hard plates are beneficial for a twin tank back mount setup due to the sturdiness that prevents the tank rigging from rolling. The benefit of soft plate on the other hand will only be prominent on the surface out of the water.

The purpose of a wing BCD is to assist divers in achieving a more streamlined horizontal position when underwater. Jacket style BCD tends to have air pockets both infront and behind divers which make it more stable in a vertical position. You would actually want to face down and look up in a perfect trim situation during the dive. It's harder for jacket BCD to do that as the front air pocket will push your body to a vertical position thus requiring more kicking force due to wider surface resistance.

A jacket BCD on the surface will require less effort to maintain vertical position. Wing BCD user will have to lay on their back on a face up sleeping/sitting cradle position to prevent the face down phenomenon described by you. A crotch strap is also recommended for Wing BCD users to prevent the diver from slipping down the BCD. It's also easier to move around when you are in that position as it requires less kicking effort and adjustment of leg position.

TecDiving Camp 2017 <- Event Link

Hey Guys,

Interested in deeper and longer dives on Tioman Island or want to check out the WW2 wrecks nearby?

B&J Technical is hosting a 4 day Technical Diving Camp May 18 - 21.

We will be having daily talks, workshops, and demos, as well as try dives on Sidemount, Twinsets, and Rebreathers.
Besides the daily dives on Tioman’s deeper sites, there will also be a day trip out to the wreck of the HMS Repulse.

I think its an awesome event for those who are interested in Tec Diving and aint sure about it just yet. Recreational Divers will still benefit from the talks and the try dives that will provide you with better knowledge and procedures that recreational courses do not teach. Eg. Being self sufficient is a Major part of a Teckie where your buddies are not your primary backup.

As I was told, RM350 for the Tec Camp.

Normal fun dive price for Twin tanks.

Extra charge for deco mix gasses (This one probably for Deco dives which only apply for certified Tec Divers)

Speakers will include someone from ADEX Tek Conference and will be diving with the participants giving guides and pointers.

Just been informed that the daily pool try dives are inclusive in the RM350 weekend price.

From Tg Gemok, i would recommend http://www.cataferry.com/

Comfortable ample space seats, power points to charge phone, pantry to buy food, hostesses, proper toilets (not marine), outdoor smoking area with benches.