Saturday, 19 November 2016

Dream Wall

As with the Anchor Wreck, Dream Wall is a dive that is loosely defined  as starting at the junction around the first anchor associated with Anchor Wreck located at the top of the reef in the northwest of Menjangan. The drift dive along the wall generally heads in a westerly direction towards Eel Garden.



































Coral Garden

When one thinks of a garden, one thinks of an average suburban plot of land carefully and lovingly tended by its quiet owner, for no other purpose but  it's own sake. In a sense Coral Garden, located exactly half way along the norther coast of Menjangan,  is no different. It exists for it's own sake, but is tended by Gaia herself:











Temple Point

Just below the large statue of Ganesha in the northeastern corner of Menjangan is the dive site of Temple Point. As if in deference to the hive of human activity at the temple above, it is interesting to draw an analogy between Ganesha symbolism (chaturthi) and what lay below before us.

Prasada, or the offerings laid before Ganesha represents the whole world being at your feet for the asking. There you are, sailing through the landscape below, as amazing an experience as ever there was for a diver. His big head represents contemplating the big picture:






















The small mouth is said to represent talking less. What can I say, that speaks for itself? Large ears reminds a diver to listen for instructions from the dive leader, that is, always stay in touch with reality. Small eyes implies concentration which comes naturally to a diver. The trunk represents high efficiency and adaptability, which is all about what technical diving is. The large stomach leaves a diver digesting all that is seen in a quiet peaceful manner. The single tusk represents throwing away all bad diving experiences and keeping only the good ones. The blessing suggested by the forward facing palm represents diving at its best, a blessed spiritual path to being a better person. The axe can be construed to be the act of cutting off all ties to the surface as you descend on each dive. The rope in diving terms could mean always trying to be a better diver. Let's not forget the tiny mouse. Controlling the desire to do something irrational is the path to any successful dive:


What happens below the surface of this site is not therefore all that different to what happens above it.