"Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content of a sedentary life on the surface, I will always be haunted by thoughts of being drenched elsewhere"….
Protoreaster nodosus, commonly known as the horned sea star or chocolate chip sea star is a species of sea star found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region like in the Philippines.
The species possess rows of spines or “horns”; black conical points arranged in a single row, radially on the dorsal side, which may erode and become blunt. These dark protrusions are used to scare away possible predators, by looking frightening or dangerous. On the ventral side, tube feet, purple in color (or pale, transparent pink), are arranged in rows on each arm. Most horned sea stars found are a roughly rigid five-pointed star-shape with tapering arms to the end, although there are anomalies like four or six-armed specimens; they may grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. The sea stars are usually colored in shades of red or brown, but can be light tan, the color of cookie dough. This appearance, combined with the small horns on its dorsal side, give the sea star a look similar to that of a bumpy cookie.
Other commensal animals like shrimps, tiny brittle stars and even juvenile filefish can be found on the surfaces of this sea star. It can be attributed to its protective nature, since there are few predators that would are eat this animal.
This horned sea star is not always found in every site but it could be in a colony in some areas. We found this in the midst of sandy slope over some soft corals in Sarangani Bay!
The island-province of Camiguin is a pear-shaped volcanic island in the northern tip of Mindanao. It is approximately 90 kilometers north of the City of Cagayan de Oro. It is bounded to the north by Bohol Sea, to the west by Macajalar Bay, to the southeast by Gingoog Bay and to the east by Butuan Bay.
This island paradise is inarguably my favorite local destination and as I said, it is so replete to cater for my whims and I have always reasons to be back again and again. My predilection on this island never wane a bit and last December I hit grounds to savor once again its grandeur. A weekend sojourn barely 32 hours yet it renewed my well-being enough to brace me for the year-end hullabaloo.
Cornucopia in Depths
If you are a diver and you haven’t explored the island’s underwater world, you have missed one psychedelic marine treasures and wonders. Luckily, all our transpo transfers went fluidly and we were already cruising at sunrise watching its golden splendor in the horizon. Our divemaster was already waiting for us when we got to our refuge in Agoho preparing our gears. The sun was perfectly shining and the water perfectly flat just waiting to be explored.
Our first descent was at Old Vulcan, after cruising for thirty minutes. The familiar granite boulders decorating in its front. The large sea fans in variety of colors adorned the reefs, again I was engulfed in its vastness in a different world of silence. We sighted giant trevallies seven in all, there was even a tornado of snappers magnificently emphasized by surface sunlight. Indeed there was a variety of tropical fishes colorful enough for my senses – emperors, angelfish, moorish idol, butterfly, spadefish, fusiliers, shrimp fish and assortment of anemone fish. I didn’t miss the triggerfish, and also the turtle swimming away quickly! We linger in the large colorful coral area taking our time until we had our safety stop before the ascent.
Giant clams scattered in the midst of corals!
The necessary surface interval was another colorful encounter and it was like shooting two birds with one stone. 🙂 We cruise to the Sunken Cemetery being our next descent, and we swam comfortably towards the Cross marker. I have been wanting to step on the underwater cross marker just at the back of monument. We snorkeled the surrounding area, the wide coral gardens housed also the giant clams and juveniles. Such wonderful discovery!
Back rolling for our last descent, we descend to a deep slope searching until we got to a coral area, There were nudis, feather stars, colorful chromis, damsels, bannerfish, cardinals, hawkfish, angels, clownfish and anthias. We sighted too a giant puffer, a banded seasnake wiggling coyly searching for food perhaps. We didn’t miss the cross markers, we found two just like last time, but more corals have tangled around almost covered now. I hold on to Angel while having our safety stop, just too famished to steady my buoyancy. 🙂
Perhaps just two of the underrated dive sites but always rich and hidden surprises abound.
Summer in December
The God of the seas and weather was with us indeed, the warm sun and the flat waters felt like it was summer. The perfect weather prompted us for more, to drenched in its beauty and seizing moments while being offered freely. We rushed off to Yumbing, the drop off point for White Island hoping to find a cheap boat for the round trip cruise. The sandbar is not always accessible even on early mornings. Last September while on official trip, the cruise was restricted, the waves wasn’t cooperating and we felt dismayed. Our visitors from other regions was just eager to experience the sandbar. We were fortunate enough, a Spanish couple offered us to join them for the boat ride, at first the operator was hesitant since we were staying in a different hotel. But the Español was too firm and argued for us! Sometimes you don’t need to fight for something if it is really meant for you. 🙂
The white island was beckoning as we cruised in the afternoon sun, we were excited for the sunset! It was a perfect unwinding after our two dives, just soaking ourselves in the shallows biding our time. There were few people, the waters calm in low tide and the setting sun was the ideal backdrop of the scenery! 🙂
The next day was all riding our way to the two falls we have planned, but we attend mass first in Mambajao church. We dashed off after a hurried breakfast over a motorbike, the driver served as our tour guide as well. Katibawasan Falls is still beautiful but didn’t tried to swim, we feasted on the kiping instead. 🙂 Tuasan Falls was something new, it was a longer ride though, but the roads were completely paved up to the entrance. It is beautiful also, its catch basin was big enough as a pool, got a dip but didn’t linger long the waters was just too cold. But soaking in its cold natural waters watching the gushing waters was perfectly refreshing!
Coming to Camiguin in December was an ideal year end get-away. We are coming back for a summer trip to explore off-beaten corners of the island. As I said, there is always a reason to be in Camiguin, again and again and again!
Descends most often are with surprise encounters, almost always I ask the dive guide what to expect down there. The depths as always is unpredictable, few critters could just pop up in an uncanny way and it always fascinates me observing their ways. Recently while diving in Sarangani Bay, after an encounter with a turtle, blue ribbon eel and observing mounds of artificial reef and maneuvering with the tricky current I thought was enough and paid-off my long trip to the south. But few minutes before we had our safety stop, a pair of keen eyes from our DM noticed the brownish critter over a reef crevice. It’s large bulging eyes popping out from the hole, lurking and stationery, it never thought it can attract passers-by. Observing it closely I failed to take photos!
Watching an octopus in its natural habitat was interesting, our presence disturbed it, provoking to come out in its lair. Well, the octopus was courageous and stood its ground, it didn’t swim away quickly but stayed defensively and before it left shoot a cloud of black ink! It fled nonchalantly in front of us, such cool critter. With such cunning ways, no wonder it is considered the most intelligent among invertebrates.
Here are few interesting facts about the common octopus:
Octopuses have three hearts. Two of the hearts work exclusively to move blood beyond the animal’s gills, while the third keeps circulation flowing for the organs. The organ heart actually stops beating when the octopus swims, explaining the species’ penchant for crawling rather than swimming, which exhausts them.
Octopus arms have a mind of their own. Two-thirds of an octopus’ neurons reside in its arms, not its head. As a result, the arms can problem solve how to open a shellfish while their owners are busy doing something else, like checking out a cave for more edible goodies. The arms can even react after they’ve been completely severed. In one experiment, severed arms jerked away in pain when researchers pinched them.
Octopuses have blue blood. To survive in the deep ocean, octopuses evolved a copper rather than iron-based blood called hemocyanin, which turns its blood blue. This copper base is more efficient at transporting oxygen then hemoglobin when water temperature is very low and not much oxygen is around. But this system also causes them to be extremely sensitive to changes in acidity. If the surrounding water’s pH dips too low, octopuses can’t circulate enough oxygen. As such, researchers worry about what will happen to the animals as a result of climate change-induced ocean acidification.
Octopus ink doesn’t just hide the animal. The ink also physically harms enemies. It contains a compound called tyrosinase, which, in humans, helps to control the production of the natural pigment melanin. But when sprayed in a predator’s eyes, tyrosinase causes a blinding irritation. It also garbles creatures’ sense of smell and taste. The defensive concoction is so potent, in fact, that octopuses that do not escape their own ink cloud can die.
After mating, it’s game over for octopuses. Mating and parenthood are brief affairs for octopuses, who die shortly after. The species practices external fertilization. Multiple males either insert their spermatophores directly into a tubular funnel that the female uses to breathe, or else literally hand her the sperm, which she always accepts with one of her right arm (researchers do not know why). Afterwards, males wander off to die. As for the females, they can lay up to 400,000 eggs, which they obsessively guard and tend to. Prioritizing their motherly duties, females stop eating. But she doesn’t starve to death–rather, when the eggs hatch, the female’s body turns on her. Her body undertakes a cascade of cellular suicide, starting from the optic glands and rippling outward through her tissues and organs until she dies.
There is one destination that awakens one’s awareness for nature, this remote place has been my refuge for quite a number of times. It’s emerald green waters and green environs renew and restore my being in a deeper way, for me it is a sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living. A perfect solace…
Last year, I was fortunate to visit this home (away from home) twice and it was pure joy! Bucas Grande Group is my kind of haven. A water person will always seek its freshness and wonder – wide horizon, smell of salt water, gentle breeze and roaring waves that lulled me to sleep. Seaside emerald waters restlessly wash ashore, orange skies at the end of the day, and the cicadas in the night are quite balmy!
I long for summer in Bucas Grande where everything is crisp, green and ever refreshing. Its wonders even more enticing. Yes, Bucas Grande is for summer!
Sometimes we are lucky enough to know that our lives have changed, to discard the old, embrace the new, and run headlong down an immutable course. ~Jacques Yves Cousteau~
One very important thing I remember and stirs inside me every time I sank to the depths is that I am part of the ocean, conditioning my inner self I belong there. Slowing down and being mindful is an integral part in doing my routines, after all keeping a relaxed state at the start will carry that state of mind all throughout the dive. Slowing down is the business down there, undoubtedly patience and enjoying subtle behavior as well as silence is important while diving.
Notes of Comfort
My moments in the depths are most special, feeling like I am in another world totally different from the terrestrial we are in. There is peace, harmony and great silence that penetrate my innermost being. It restores my equilibrium and sanctifies my feeble existence. Even if go back again and again in one site, there is always something new, seeing the underwater with fresh eyes. I always love it when a dive turns out to be an exclusive one with my buddy. Obviously the DM or dive guide had only us to attend to and I can do my own thing without rushing, and watching in awe the subtle ways in the depths.
We found this flatworm gracefully floating before us in Irako Maru, Coron. Rare sightings that are only shared with my dive buddy in a celestial way!
In few months, I would be a decade in this journey and spending most of these times with my favorite buddy had been rewarding, there’s nothing dramatic I guess but I can always reminisce with joy those precious shared moments. I admit that diving with somebody during my solo trips was different, recently I was paired off to a Finnish lady and when we hit the waters we never communicated at all, she was too preoccupied with her go-pro camera. Rarely can you find a stranger whom you can trust as a good dive buddy.
Wait, I remember there is something dramatic I think! He cried (in his write-up) when I was lost whilst diving in Guiuan which is unlikely, I never saw my buddy even misty-eyed. But maybe, maybe for fear or terror that he would bring back with him a corpse!
Best of Buddies
The utter sense of freedom down there is overwhelming and the shared moments with my buddy, like witnessing something extraordinary together, seen by no one else. It’s just magical!
Being a good dive buddy involves understanding each one’s abilities and being friends on the surface is a good reinforcement. After nine years of diving, often with my buddy, we get to know well enough our capabilities and diving style. Angel has been a trusted friend and it’s true, diving with someone you trust is a very good idea. Having someone who can sense your needs and provide help while in the depths is a blessing.
Diving with someone you trust is a very good idea!
Being mutually sensitive is the key. I always know that turtles excite him, so if I notice one and he didn’t I need to point it out to him. Once I went up to him and tug his belt to see the turtle. What about petting a friendly turtle (sorry!) while we were in the depths of Puerto Galera! Or when we were in Biri, his tank was off from its band without noticing it, obviously creating a drag so I came to him to fix it. Just recently while we were diving in Camiguin, fortunately we were at an arm’s length, I watched as he took shots of a critter and suddenly his precious computer fell off from his wrist, I was aghast he didn’t notice it. He was too surprised as I hand it back to him! I was trying to steady myself trying to shoot those elusive garden eels in the depths of Siquijor, he took my cam and took those needed photos. We always descend together and I can always hold unto his arm while doing our safety stop in times when I’m tipsy controlling my buoyancy.
Both diver has mutual obligations for his/her buddy!
Surprises also abound, I knew it when he is too happy and overwhelmed with our sightings, Angel would came up or down to me, held my hand and look into my eyes with no words and no such fuss. I like it, just being connected in a deeper way. For me, purest joy don’t need words, loud shrieks, boisterous laughter or any other forms of noise, it doesn’t need to be loud. He did it in Tubbataha, Mantigue Island and in Moalboal in the midst of the sardines run! And most likely, he would wash and rinse all our gears from wet suits to our trash net bags without me asking him. It’s reassuring that after I got lost underwater, he reminded that we should ascend together in every dive. And whenever I go alone in a dive trip, reminding me to be safe always. Pretty normal for a good dive buddy! 🙂
Summing it up, being a dive buddy is a responsibility for both. Thinking ahead for the rest of the dive, monitoring gauges and checking signs for distress or equipment snags. Over-dependence though is never an issue and being on alert to act in a detached manner in case of any problem is always in mind. The mantra – Stop, Breathe, Think, Act – is every diver’s lifeline! Needless to say, I can trust my dive buddy will always be around for me while in the depths or even on the surface.
Do you have a favorite dive buddy? Do you share treasured memories? 🙂
NB. This post is dedicated to Angel, my favorite dive buddy.
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Life in the Great Beyond 
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