Tubbataha Waterworld

Dive Summary
May 6-9, 2011

A list of our descents during our recent live aboard trip to the mysterious depths of the Sulu seas, a paradise called Tubbataha Reefs. It was a four-day of “eat, dive, sleep” bustle, obviously the mermaid in me was rejoicing fulfilling this great dream. It was such pure joy to be in the waters, watching breathtaking sights deep down, in silence.

Four wet days with thirteen dives in all, in one of stunning dive sites in Asia and one of World Heritage Site in the Philippines. Thirteen amazing dives that marked a highlight in my pursuits as a diver.

Day 1 North Atoll
1. Malayan Wreck – wall dive
Max depth: 31.4m
Bottom Time: 0:50H
Air left: 70 bars
Sightings:

White tip sharks, gray reef sharks, giant trevally, napoleon wrasse,
School of barracuda, variety of sea breams, snappers, sweetlips
(banded, oriental, spotted), variety of groupers, variety of wrasse
large gorgonians (lavender, yellow, green)
sea cucumbers (leopardfish, ananas, etc)
2. Wall Street – wall dive
Max. Depth: 23.0m
Bottom Time: 0:50H
Air left: 80 bars
Sightings:

White tip & gray reef sharks, variety of tropical fish
Variety of colorful sea fans
Soft corals
3. Amos Rock –
Max. Depth: 19.9m
Bottom Time: 0:50m
Air left: 70 bars
Sightings:

Sharks (more than 10), giant moray eel
Sweet lips, groupers, trigger fish. Parrotfish, Pufferfish
boxfish
4. Ranger Station – late afternoon
Max. Depth: 19.2m
Bottom Time: 0:45H
Air left: 90 bars
Sightings:

Groupers, sweet lips, snappers
Sea cucumbers

Note: Lesser fish life as it was dark already, could have taken refuge in their abodes

Day 2 North Atoll
5. Shark Airport
Max. Depth: 32.0m
Bottom Time: 0:46H
Air left: 100 bars
Sightings:

White tipsand gray reef sharks
Jacks, parrot fish, fusiliers
Thick gorgonians
6. Seafan Alley
Max. Depth: 23.4m
Bottom Time: 0:48H
Air Left: 70 bars
Sightings:

Snappers, triggers, wrasses, parrots
Surgeons, emperors, angels, pufferfish
Sea turtles (2)
7. Shark Airport
Max. Depth: 25.5m
Bottom Time: 0:49H
Air left: 100 bars
Sightings:

White tips, gray reef, silver tip Giant manta ray!
8. Seafan Alley
Max. Depth: 17.2m
Bottom Time: 0:51m
Air left: 70 bars
Sightings:

School of jacks, sharks, triggerfish
Sea cucumbers

Day 3 South Atoll
9. Delsan Wreck
Max. Depth: 33.8m
Bottom Time: 0:44H
Air left: 80 bars
Sightings:

Whale shark! About 5 meters with white tips & gray reef sharks, giant tunas and trevally trooping with him
School of jacks, triggers, bluefin trevally Sea turtle
10. Lighthouse (Delsan)
Max. Depth: 20.4m
Bottom Time: 0:53H
Air left: 80 bars
Sightings:

Black tips, gray reef, barracuda,
Blue fin trevally, moray eel
Sea turtle
Sea fans, se cucumbers
11. Black Rock – deferred due to water conditions
Max. Depth: 18.6m
Bottom Time: 0:48H
Air left: 100 bars
Sightings:

Seafans, sponges, corals covered the wall
Triggers, cardinals, chromis, damsels
Puffers, sweetlips, wrasses, groupers

Day 4 North Atoll
12. Malayan Wreck – wall dive
Max. Depth: 23.6m
Bottom Time: 0:53H
Air left: 80 bars
Sightings:

White tips sharks (2) perched on sand sleeping Bluefin trevally with napoleon wrasse Moray eel with a remora
Breams, snappers, fusiliers, emperors
13. Malayan Wreck – wall, then sandy slope to the wreck
Max. Depth: 24.9m
Bottom Time: 1:03H
Air left: 90 bars
Sightings:

Gray reef shark (about 1m) perch on white sand, asleep
White tips sharks
Sea turtle
Triggers, sweet lips, groupers. Trevally, breams
Small ship wreck, 4m underwater when we had our tour around it

NB. Map courtesy of Expedition Fleet Cruises

Related articles

• A Cruise for a Lifetime (cbartazo.wordpress.com)
• Seizing Tubbataha Dream… (cbartazo.wordpress.com)
• Thrills of Tubbataha Trails (Part I) (cbartazo.wordpress.com)
• Thrills of Tubbataha Trails (Part II) (cbartazo.wordpress.com)