How I Was Rescued In Indonesia After Getting Lost While Diving At Sea Shawn Kong Follow Jan 16 · 9 min read

I removed my diving mask and swapped the dive cylinder for a new pair, upon returning back onto the dive boat. Our group had just finished a 45 minutes dive at the dive site - Manta Point near the island of Nusa Penida in Bali, Indonesia.

I was disappointed as we did not get to see the famed manta rays at one of the most prolific manta ray dive site. But my attention quickly shifted to keeping balance and battling seasickness, with 2-meter high waves rocking the boat back and forth.

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It was December then, the monsoon season in Nusa Penida, where the seas are choppy and the probability of seeing manta rays was low.

As soon as the last person in our group of 7 divers came up, the dive boat revved up its engine and proceeded to move off to our next dive site.

Our group’s divers fighting off the seasickness

After cutting through the rough seas for 30 minutes, we reached our next dive site - S.D point. It was calmer here on the surface but we were told that it was going to be a drift dive — a scuba dive where you let the current carry you across the sea or river.

We hastily put on our dive gears and prepared to get into the water.

Then, we went to the back of the boat and began entering the water one by one with the giant stride entry. Our dive instructor came in last after making sure everyone was safely in the water.

The 7 of us regrouped in a circle and carried out our descent.

In a short moment, we approached the seabed which was around 20 meters deep. The visibility underwater was around 5 meters and we could still see each other. As soon as everyone reached the bottom, the dive instructor moved forward and the group followed.

Turning my head around, I saw a whole field of colorful corals. I was in awe by how picturesque the ocean can be. This reminded me why I kept going on scuba diving trips.

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Following the rest of the group, I went over a coral reef and the underwater current started to push me forward. It was pretty strong as it carried me forward at a speed similar to an airport travellator.

This is pretty relaxing

Slowly, I began loosening up and let mother nature do its job.

It did not take long before the terrain started to morph from a flat seabed filled with coral reefs to ‘mini-hills’ of coral reefs. This meant that I had to control my buoyancy to go up over the coral reef and back down again, to get close enough to observe marine life.

Trying to stick close together while dodging corals was challenging as the coral reefs were quite steep.

After around 10 minutes of dodging sharp corals, marine life, sea urchins and even divers, I had enough. I moved to the edge of the group, at least 5 meters from the edge of the coral reef and I could only see half of the group beside me.

Just then, our dive instructor signaled us to change direction. Everyone turned left and started to fin hard against the current to cut across diagonally.

I too started to fin as hard as I could.

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I was struck with fear… as I realized I was not moving at all.

I saw the divers in my group slowly disappear into the darkness of the ocean, one by one.

The last person I saw was my dive buddy (also my friend), turning back to check if I was still around. After we made eye contact, he turned around and continue to slip into the darkness in a slow dramatic fashion.

I started to breathe heavily as I continued to use all my strength to move towards the direction where the group disappeared.

I knew for certain, that at this point, I had to make a decision.

At the back of my mind, I knew that diving at around 20 meters would mean that the air consumed will be faster than at shallow waters (I usually consume 150 bars in 30 minutes at an average depth of 20 meters). On top of the increased consumption rate, the rate would also increase as I took my breaths twice as fast to fight against the strong current.

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I checked my air gauge and saw that I had 70 bars left (around 7 minutes if I continued kicking hard)- Dives usually end immediately when a diver reaches 50 bars.

I started to get worried.

Will I have enough air to get back to the surface? What if I had cramps in my legs? What if I get swept away by another current?

Thoughts of possible scenarios flooded my mind.

Immediately, I came to a decision.

I stopped kicking.

The underwater current then carried me away from the coral reefs and into the dark sea.

Photo by Michael Benz on Unsplash

I could not see anything around me even after turning around 360 degrees several times.

It was official, I was a lost diver.

Photo by Mishal Ibrahim on Unsplash

I whipped out my depth gauge and checked that I have actually gone down another 5 meters till around 25 meters deep.

It was dark and I could not see the seabed.

What if I were to find Atlantis or a mythical sea creature?

Thoughts continued to flood my mind, as I tried my best to retain my sanity. It was important to maintain composure while diving.

Although I did not know where I was, I could tell which way the surface was. So, I started to slowly ascent, constantly alternating between looking at my dive gauge and following the smallest bubble (as I did not have a watch to check how fast I was ascending).

Light began pouring into the water above me as I steadily approached the surface.

Upon breaking the surface, I inflated my buoyancy control device and started to look around. Other then the ocean around me, all I could see was a stretch of land, estimated to be more than 400 meters away.

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Great.

I survived one ordeal, only to be thrown into another. I have neither the means to contact my group nor the resources to do so.

The stretch of land had no signs of settlements or human activity. Swimming over to land would not solve the situation nor make it any better.

I contemplated possible solutions as I floated around.

After floating around for a few minutes, I saw a passing dive boat and waved at them confidently as it looked like the dive boat I was previously on.

The dive boat approached me.

Eh? These aren’t the people I know…

The boat captain peeped out of his window and asked if I was okay. I gestured back the okay sign. He then steered the dive boat around and they left.

Wait, what? Aren’t you going to at least let me board and rest?

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I realized how powerless I was in this situation. There was nothing I could do but wait and have faith that my group would find me before I drift further into the ocean or get attacked by some vicious sea creature. The thought of not knowing what was beneath me in this huge body of water sent chills down my spine.

In addition, nobody around me at that moment will give a hoot for my safety, and that diminished sense of security scares me.

After floating for another few minutes, another boat came over. The boat captain checked if I was alright too.

Fortunately for me, this time it was different. The boat reversed towards me and the crew waved at me to come on board. I immediately swam over and boarded that dive boat from the metal steps the crew lowered down at the back of the dive boat.

I instinctively took off my equipment and the dive supervisor assisted. Removing everything except for the clothes I was wearing, I walked over and sat on one of the empty benches.

The crew offered me a bottle of water. I accepted it by thanking them and began drinking even though I didn't really feel thirsty.

The dive supervisor began asking me what the name of my dive boat was, the name of the dive boat’s captain. All of which I had no answers to as our dive brief did not cover that information.

The only thing I could recall was that the dive boat I was from was white and blue, to which the dive supervisor replied, “There are many white and blue dive boats here.”

I began to realize how much trouble I got myself into.

The dive boat captain’s radio went on several times and as he spoke Bahasa Indonesia into it. I could not understand Bahasa Indonesia, but I guessed he was probably radioing to other dive boats nearby that he found a lost diver.

At this point in time, I felt as though I was a refugee in another country because I had nothing on me except the clothes I was wearing. No money, passport, handphone or anyone I know around me. Heck, I did not even know what number to call for help or any pre-set meeting points in case we got lost.

Sitting there, I stared outside, scrutinizing every dive boat that came by, fearing I might get overlooked by my group who would most likely be searching for me after discovering I had gone missing.

More than 30 minutes later, the crew started distributing packed food to the group on the dive boat. Although I did not receive any, I was not particularly disappointed as hunger has yet to strike me.

Another 30 minutes went by as I sat there thinking of my options if my group was not able to find me today. The accommodation my group and I were staying at was a 1-hour boat ride to shore followed by a 30 minutes car ride. And the only thing I could remember was the city my accommodation was at — Sanur.

Do I follow this group back to the port and wait for my group there? Or should I hitch a ride back to Sanur? Maybe I could beg for some money to travel back…

I was trying to decide what I could do to get back to a place where I could definitely meet my group again.

Our accommodation in Sanur

Shortly after, a dive boat started speeding towards us with 2 people on top of the sun deck. I squinted in that direction as the dive boat got nearer. Slowly, I recognized 2 of my friends standing on the sun deck. They started waving at me and I waved back gleefully.

It’s finally over.

The moment my friends found me

With a sigh of relief, I thanked the group for accommodating me. My dive supervisor told me to suit up, so I put on my gear and jumped back into the water. Finning with all my might, I swam back to my group who came to fetch me.

I grabbed onto the rope at the side of the dive boat as the dive boat started to speed away. The dive boat crew helped me remove my equipment as I prepared to board.

We left S.D point and proceeded to our last dive site for the day, where my friends watched over me like a hawk in our last dive.