A scaredy cat snorkeller for the first 3 days

Unlike this kid here , I have a fear of watery depths where my feet won't be able to touch the ground....

.... and yet here I was marooned with twice a day snorkelling activities lined up, over the next couple of days.
Marine Park in the mornings, other spots during the afternoons. Lasting around 2 hours each session. Walaueh...
Homaigawd whatever have I gotten myself into ?

Upon arriving from Merang jetty, I had 3 hours to make up my mind whether I wanted to join in or not.
Heck, it was either I sunburn myself bright red or snorkel. Didn't even know how to properly put on the mask and snorkel. That spray can you see there on the table, is an anti-fogging solution for you to spray onto the goggles.
Probably the only thing I did right on day one.
Really, really, pathetic.

After a briefing by one of the fabulous beach boys, we were told to wash the goggles in the sea water and climb onto the boat.Now, I wasn't alone. It didn't help that I was following a group of Indonesian girls who started screaming the instant the water climbed to our neck level and the waves made us lose our footing.
Jeez ! Somehow I made it up the boat ! Gosh....

When we arrived at the snorkelling spot, I made so many mistakes and swallowed a ton of the saltiest most bitter,burning seawater I've ever had in my life. But thanks to one of the boatman ( this big older guy below )...

 ...who threw me a round orange float and dragged me and another 2 scaredy cat girls around the boat ( eeek ! so shy !) , well we got to see what the others saw.

" Look down, look down, stretch out your hands " he told us in order to distract us. Worked for me. Pretty awesome sight for a first timer like me to be able to stare at corals and fishes from up above .

 

 On day two, I regretfully skipped the Marine Park ( don't ever do this, you'll regret it ) for more zzzzzz time ( aka chickened out ! ). When it came to the afternoon session, I turned into a useless scaredy cat once again and embarassingly enough, this time, I decided to hang on to the side of the boat ladder, together with this bald guy, a makcik and another girl.
Adoi....paiseh.

Over the next 3 days, I was more comfortable snorkelling beside this mound of rock here by the beach,during free time, coz my feet could touch the seabed....

...even though baby black tipped sharks were said to come here often, all I got to see on day 1 were Bawals and other harmless but busybody species ( they came near because apparently, they love to eat bread ) . On day 2, I think I spotted the tail end of the shark.

  
Thus, snorkelling by the beach in Redang is probably best for you, if you're a scaredy cat like me, unless of course, you're also terrified of sharks ( then you're a sadder case than me ) . And never, never, ever, miss out on the trip out to the Marine Park while you're here, coz there's a beach, where your feet can also touch the ground unless the beachboys drag you out for a spot of photo ops or to see the nasty looking Murray Eel down by the platform.Which only the beachboys will dare to pet.
Amazing.