Location: Pulau Payar, Malaysia
Today was our unforgettable first day in Payar. It was Nickie’s 20th birthday, our first birthday on board, so we celebrated all day with a decorated salon and cake with dinner. The other activities of our day began with an optional dive right after breakfast, where we enjoyed the sweet sights of aquatic life and beautiful coral. The best sight, however, came upon surfacing when we spotted a large pod of dolphins and a rare sailfish right off our bow. We were able to swim amidst all the dolphins, and one lucky shipmate experienced the thrill of touching one. After lunch and an unexpected, unfortunate, yet entertaining lesson on unclogging ahead, we plunged into the water again for our wreck dive and final certifying dive. Our diving didn’t stop there, though. After dinner, we descended into the depths again, flashlights in hand, for a peaceful night dive. Exhausted after our non-stop day, we returned to Argo, showered, and passed out for the night.