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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Meal cost on Perhentian Besar -- Alex Kang, Fri, Aug 05 2005, 3:01:04

I stayed at Tuna Bay last year and used Steffen Seasports dive centre next door. I have also had knee surgery before (ACL reconstruction) a few years back and now have 3 screws in my right knee. After 6 months of sports physiotherapy, I was able to go back to most activities including climbing dive boats with all gear on. I think such a rehab programme which includes training with weights will strengthen the muscles in the leg which will compensate for the weak knee, assuming your husband had the same problem.

Anyway, to answer your question, I believe the dive boat Steffen uses has a small ladder - I don't remember ever having to fin and pull myself up while diving (but did that on the snorkelling boat as other snorkellers were using the ladder to get up). Still, these ladders would pose a problem for someone with weaker knees. Removing the weightbelt and BC/tank and passing them to the boatmen before climbing as Khairil suggested will surely help. To take the weight off the bad knee, use both hands and the good leg to pull oneself up the ladder. The boatmen or other divers will help out esp. if you inform them of your husband's condition.

You can check out more info from my Perhentian trip diaries (www.redang.org/diary_perhentian04a.htm).

Wish you a pleasant holiday at Perhentian.
Alex.
Redang Island Rendezvous
www.redang.org

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Meal cost on Perhentian Besar -- Mara, Fri, Aug 05 2005, 17:18:44

Thank you very much, Alex!
Unfortunately, my husband had a much more serious problem with his knee... After the surgery, his doctor forbid him all the activities that involve putting pressure on the knee, such as running, skiing, jumping... the only sports he can practice are swimming and diving. His physiotherapy was aimed on enabling him to walk again... Now, he's OK, but you can understand that's quite impossible for him to climb on boat all by himself.
Why are you saying the the ladders Steffen uses will pose a problem? Every time we used a dive boat we climed back using ladders without problems... We used either a normal ladder and a frech type. What kind of ladder is Steffen's?

I've read you diaries and would like to compliment you: they're so full of useful informations!

I know that October is not the perfect month for a vacation on Perhentians, but that's when we have our leaves... Is it such a terrible period? Does it rains very often? Are the rains short or it rains for days? And how's the sea condition?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers
Mara

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Meal cost on Perhentian Besar -- Alex Kang, Sat, Aug 06 2005, 15:37:03

When I mentioned possible problems with ladders, I've experienced a few dive boats where the ladder doesn't reach very far below the water. I'm about 1.82m tall, so from a floating position in the water (with BC), in order to get up, one has to put the feet on the lowest rung with the knees bent and drawn up near the chest and then push with the legs while also pulling with the hands on the side of the ladder. So if your husband is unable to put pressure on his knee in this way, then it's best to avoid pushing with that leg. I've found that for ACL patients like myself, it's the knee bend and push (like climbing a steep step or getting up a small speedboat by stepping on the hull) and the reverse (like going down a steep step or from the hull of a low speedboat to the water) that's the most strain on the knee. Perhaps your husband's case is quite different so he may not have the same problems I experienced.

Perhentian in October should be like Redang in October given their close proximity - monsoon doesn't begin until November, though being that close to the rainy season, you might have scattered rain in the evenings/nights and the sea may start to get a little choppy, esp. the 2nd half of October. If you do experience rain from time to time, it doesn't last long - it's not the monsoon rains which have cycles of continuous heavy rains for a few days followed by calm, then rain again and so on. I've visited Redang twice in late October (see Trip Diaries Oct 03 & Oct 04) and found snorkelling/diving ok except viz wasn't as good and waters choppy but it's really empty and you can have the whole beach to yourself! :)

Alex.
Redang Island Rendezvous
www.redang.org

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Meal cost on Perhentian Besar -- Mara, Mon, Aug 08 2005, 16:57:31

Thank you very much for your reply: you've been very exhaustive!
I'll print your answer and take to my husband to read!
Cheers
Mara

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