We are used to seeing beautiful boats moored at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, but have you ever wondered what could be hiding below them?

Considering the Club’s tireless efforts in ensuring its waters are kept as pristine as possible, its thriving marine ecosystem does not come as a surprise.

It all started during ONE°15 Marina’s 14th Anniversary celebration on 12 September, 2021. The Club organised an Ocean Conservation Awareness Day to showcase its efforts and the results of the various environmental projects it has championed over the years.

The Club’s commitment to reef preservation and the protection of its marine life was clearly evident during the ONE°15 Marina Coral Garden Tour. As we were introduced to the stations holding the
prolific coral life on the boardwalk, I thought to myself that it would be so wonderful to be able to
scuba dive in the marina.

A few weeks later, I chanced upon the offer to learn to dive with White Manta Diving School (WMDS) at the Club itself. By December that year, my son had signed up for the PADI Advance course, and as some of the modules in the course were to be done at the Club, we joined in the inaugural Night Dive on 28 December, 2021.

Diving in Singapore waters is like a Where’s Wally challenge—pray that there are no strong currents as that combined with the murky waters would be no fun at all. Even though we may not have crystal clear visibility, the calmness of the marina waters makes up for the test to your eyesight.

No worries about getting lost or losing your buddy or struggling to climb back up on your boat. There is even a flat concrete pontoon slab for you to rest on so you do not disturb the bottom life. This was purpose-built for students to perform their exercises or allow them to rest comfortably whilst the instructor does the necessary assessments.

Occasionally, you may feel a gentle surge from the wake created by a passing vessel but aside from that, it is just simply relaxing. The dives are very shallow, no deeper than four meters on the “canal” side, so you can get a longer dive if your air consumption is well-controlled.

As the bottom is silty as in most dive sites around Singapore, it is important to move slowly and avoid stirring up the sediment below. Going slow and steady means you will be able to spot a variety of small critters such as seahorses, nudibranchs, crabs and cleaner shrimp. The highlight of our dive was the active resident cuttlefish and the very shy seahorses. These sheltered waters provide a safe crèche for juvenile fishes and marine creatures.

The pictures taken by Vincent Chew, Managing Director of WMDS are proof of the prolific marine life in the waters of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove. For those keen on underwater photography, a dive led by Vincent is perfect to test out your new camera—look for the elusive Shaun the Sheep, an adorable sea slug or nudibranch.

There is no doubt that the diving experience at the marina has revived my love for the sport. For those of you who are contemplating learning how to dive, or keen on underwater photography, I highly recommend embarking on your underwater exploration journey with WMDS at the Club.

The original article was published on the July/ August 23 issue of Longitude, ONE°15 Marina’s Club magazine. Read it here.