Author: cbartazo

Coron: World War II Wrecks Once More

Coron: World War II Wrecks Once More

cbartazo
Coron horizons….

“I am always moved by the sight of a hull lying at the bottom of the sea.  To me, it seems that a ship in that situation has entered the ‘great beyond’, into another existence, a world of shadows.”          ~Jacques Yves Coasteau~

Coming back to Calamianes this year has been kind of melodramatic, why when I was all set to go a year ago – plane tickets paid and dive plans in place – it was cancelled to give way for another priority.  My heart sank, but it was a victory being able to give up desires over something for spiritual growth.  To appease myself, I promised to return early part of this year but again deferred and boldly set it in October.  This all-consuming passion to dive once more for the monsters keeps nagging me, my gills and fins were aching for it.  I have wanted to be in Coron once a year with my favorite dive buddy for wreck diving.

Glitches, No More?

Be careful what you wish, you might end up with it.  I gave Angel with incredulous look when he smiled and reminded me I wanted to be with him for the round trip passage to Coron – perhaps. I have prearranged plane tickets all the way to Calamian and back home to save leave from work. Well, we ended up taking the boat after our flight was cancelled and me coming back to Manila with him on the boat again.  Halleluiah – but with a price!  It’s a taboo for me to talk on here about finance issues, but I have to admit it cost me much for the penalties in changing my return flight home.

Waiting, queuing, negotiating, calls, arrangements, changing tickets, rushing to pier, and getting tickets.  It was exhaustive, but we made it though.  We were thankful we had other alternative after our flight was cancelled. It was miracle, we got tourist accommodation in adjoining bunks when the boat was filled with people.  But again, be careful….

Back to Paradise

Arriving midday with the scorching heat, I sighed with deep breath as we descend from the boat with quick steps down to the port. It was two years ago, I waited long for this homecoming.  I was smitten with Coron during my first visit, I went back three months later to explore more of its splendor.  All its wonders in the surface was indeed pristine and alluring – a perfect paradise in the last frontier.  And more enticing to me was its mysterious depths.

Blue world still, even from the wreck…

The shipwrecks in Coron is the second largest concentration of diveable World War II wrecks in the Pacific, sunk in September 24, 1944 just a year after SCUBA was invented by Sir Jacques Cousteau. .  Now almost seven decades underwater, it created vast artificial reefs as haven for varied marine species and wonderful spot for divers.  In the world, there are only two other wreck diving destinations that offer a comparable historic experience: Truk Lagoon in Central Pacific and Scapa Flow, off the Orkney Islands in Scotland. But the Coron wrecks win over these sites – it is less expensive to dive here and the water is warmer.

Coron sunset from Mt. Tapyas

As the remaining afternoon would be too short for island hopping, we dismissed the idea and opted to rediscover downtown Coron.  We walked around for over an hour and had a relaxing stop at BOG Café for coffee break, the cake & pastries were great and exactly what we fancied for our cravings! Thinking of the glorious sunset, Angel and I agreed for an afternoon climb to Mt. Tapyas – just to be fit and get away with the calories from the rich cheesecake.

Mt. Tapyas Cross

Angel was teasing me not to look tired as we passed five other groups as we climbed our way, we did the 700+ steps in 25 minutes!  We waited for sundown as we watched overlooking the town, outlying islands, calm waters and the surrounding hills. Then slowly, everything in the horizon turned reddish and golden as the setting sun ebbed down in the distance over the vast ocean. Such great splendor, it was my best sunset so far!  It was dark already when we descend, the lighted cross created a wonderful glow on the mountain top. We finished off our long day dipping in Maquinit Hotsprings  –  one thing I don’t miss when I’m in Coron.  Nothing could be more perfect than soaking in warm waters while gazing the stars above us –  it felt  so heavenly.  Famished we got back downtown to try Old House Resto, we ended having dinner in candle light as there was no electricity! We both love the food at the Old House. 🙂

Descend, Descend, Descend!

Thinking of additional three wrecks to explore thrilled me, arriving later as scheduled gave as another surprise – Irako Maru is in the list for our dives!  It was a perfect sunny Sunday as we cruised for over an hour northwest for our first descend, together with other six divers – all foreigners just like in my previous dives.  It seemed that divers from all corners of the world came unceasingly for these historic wrecks.

Holes and rusted bars of wreck

We took the giant step for our entry splashing the cold waters, I can’t wait to see Irako described as the longest and deepest wreck in the area.  We hold on to the bouy line as we descend slowly, it was all hazy until we catch glimpse of some solid form.  DM Nonoy briefed us to stay only outside and may penetrate some lighted portion.  He motioned that we go ahead of the others, the silts might be stirred and we would see nothing.  Admittedly, I was distracted of the monster I barely noticed the marine life around.  This large ship can not be explored in just one dive, at 147m long covering the whole stretch was impossible!  It has been literally stripped of anything – it is now mere skeletons. It is now a bare vast metal encrusted with hard corals and brownish rust.  We swam around a bit and reluctantly got back to the bouy line when our DM motioned for it.  As we slowly ascend having the safety stop, a large school of jackfish appeared nearby.  I went to take a closer look but sadly I went back deeper, which made me to do again for the three minutes safety stop.  It was a short dive at 36 minutes with 32.2m as my deepest.

Graceful flatworm floating before us…

We cruised shortly for our next site and had our early lunch as our surface interval.  Olympia Maru aka Morazan Maru is another new site to me, it was another large ship slightly smaller than Irako.  We hold on again for the bouy line as we descend directly on its port side as it was lying on its starboard side. Some kind of a wide surface, we found holes both square and round ones.  Feeling that familiar rush to get inside and explore its dark secrets!  We floated slowly as if flying careful not to stir the silts, felt so wonderful.  I challenged myself as we got into a small square hole for smooth entry and just flow inside like the waters. Following our DM as we penetrated and searched for something lurking in the dark corners, but not forgetting to make sure Angel was just around nearby. We spotted lionfish, scorpion fish, juveniles, a puffer and camouflaging colored clams.

A peacock lionfish!

The big cargo rooms and boiler rooms allows penetration and we practically roam around passing chambers going up and own and back again. Rusted bars, big iron wheel perhaps for the boilers and we saw the hole damaged by bomb strikes which disabled the ship.  The ray of light penetrating inside gave some interesting effect inside the dark rooms. I practically ignored my dive computers flashing signals, I just need to make most of my time down but covering the whole stretch of 122m is again impossible.  We finally headed for the bouy line to stabilize our depths, alas I needed a deco stop and was penalized for 8 minutes – first time so far! But with still more than 100 bars of air I had no worries, I had a total bottom time of 58 minutes with 24.4m as my deepest.

The ship mast encrusted with corals and rust

Our last descent was at East Tangat Wreck situated southwest side of Tangat Island in the  Bay, the wreck lies listing to starboard down a sandy slope.  It is a shallow wreck  in fact it was near the shores, I catch a glimpse of its end while our dive boat moored for our surface interval.  We had rounds and passed by rusted bars and few chambers, its mast is now covered with hard corals and brown rust.  We spotted sponges, hard and soft corals, crinoids and sea grasses clinging on bars. We spotted too at least four specie of colorful nudis – lavender, blue, white with orange antlers, and another bluish

Taking shelter in the wreck

crawling on the corals. There was flatworms, graceful lionfish, clown fish, sea squirts, bat fish and spade fish.  The marine life was wonderful enough for photos but again I got distracted with the wreck. We ascend after 49 minutes with 16.8m as my deepest.  All my residual air were still more than 100 bars in my tank for all three ascents.

Patience and Obedience in One

Last year was a test of obedience in pursuing my dive trips – plainly no Tubbataha and no Coron. Now, I know why. Just two months later after my Coron fiasco, the Tubbataha dream was answered unexpectedly! Surely it pays to wait and obey, and even with some glitches we made it to Calamian.  My trip this year was filled with treasured memories, new discoveries and new learnings.  It might be awhile before I can return but deep in me there is always that desire to exhaust the remaining wrecks in Coron waters.  They say, do not go for a trip like seeing 20 countries in a 30-day tour. Now, I say do not go for safari dive trip in Coron for you will miss to savor the beauty and mystery of these awesome monsters. Exactly why I am not in a rush…

Exactly why Angel and I still have reasons to be back in Calamianes, who knows it might be sooner!

NB.  Underwater photos courtesy of Angel, using his Olympus Tough 8000 with PT 045 as casing.

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New Lessons, More Adventures

cbartazo
EANX finally!

For more than two years, I waited to embark into another level in my diving career.  No, I wasn’t in a rush but getting another certification to enhance skills and techniques would mean more adventures in one of my greatest love – diving!  Unlike my first two basic courses which I did alone, my EANx specialty course was with my favorite dive buddy.  Doing my first rigors in diving alone was challenging and was not easy so to speak,  but I learned so much from my efficient and ever patient mentor.  Now, after more than four years of diving and getting very much comfortable in the waters, it was all so easy. We are now better prepared for new lessons.  It felt like Angel and I were just having some fun dives in all too familiar waters in Mantangale!

After a clean up dive in Medina, our instructor was already waiting for us in MADRI when we got there after lunch.  Most important basics is still safety underwater, so much care is necessary when using enriched air.  The advantage here is increase of no stop dive time – you can stay longer at a certain depth underwater!  That means doing more while enjoying the sceneries down – photography could be more easier.

The brief literature plus the video didn’t eat much of our time, working on the written exam wasn’t much of a hassle.  Actually, we were rushing for the fun dives we had at Banaug Shoal and Lapinig Island!  One dive at the clean up was somewhat bitin, so having two more dives perfectly made our weekend getaway.  It’s like shooting two birds with one stone – dive cleanup and the lessons, plus fun dives!  🙂

Another milestone – we are now enriched air certified.  We are now on for more adventures in the depths!

Marine Debris, Anyone?

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It’s my third year in a row to participate in International Coastal Clean Up Day.  And I  was wishing I have done it sooner when I become a diver almost five years ago.  The issue of coastal protection and preservation has been a major advocacy for all aqua people, if not for individuals who have great concern for our planet.  Trash threat for our waters is a serious concern, it has caused so much harm in the marine world.  It pained me to see garbage deep down or watching documentaries about human destruction on aquatic environment.  Such shame!

Without hesitation I committed for the dive clean up together with my dive mentor’s group, of course it won’t be complete without Angel.  We crammed up our weekend for the clean up all the way to the town of Medina plus our specialty lessons in Balingoan.  Angel have to be in Cagayan de Oro on a Friday afternoon to catch the early trip to this coastal town.

On a Saturday morning, it was all still but when we got at the Medina pier, things were all ready for the activity.  How comforting that the people were all in peace, when two weeks back the town has just been besieged by NPA attack!  But on that morning, there were no traces of any bloody encounter. The preliminaries was graced by the local officials including the Mayor, who was so enthusiastic and grateful for the clean-up activity.

gathering trash !

Angel and I went to  descend right near the pier, on a sandy slope carefully not to disturb the silts.  Watching the concrete pillars with the sun rays in between made me remember Ducomi Pier. It’s like a forest scene, like big tree trunks with the sun rays penetrating in between – such a sight to behold!  The school of glistening daschylus wiggling in unison in between the pillars was a wonderful sight.  I was almost lost I forgot I was there to work, I joined Angel who was already starting to fill up his net bag with trash. I have to stay near him, as my dive computer was not working good!

debris under water...

We gathered bottles, fishing lines, hooks, plastics, sachets, wrappers, clothes, caps, tansans and more. We passed by some tires which we ignored, it was too heavy for us to bring!  Our work was punctuated with seeing colorful nudis, puffers, mantis shimp, clown fish, scorpion fish and more.  We filled at least three bagfuls of trash cruising to the rope hoisting to collect it all up.  We still went for another round when we were summoned to surface, noticing there were no more other divers in sight!

just few what was collected from the pier

An hour underwater with no less than thirty divers gathering trash did can make a difference not only for the marine life which thrived even with such nuisance debris, but also for the community.  I know the litters we picked up were just a speck of a big mountain of garbage in our seas, but I believe in many ways together with other enthusiasts in many parts of the country and the whole world, it was a great job.  There is always hope if we all join hands in working to protect our marine environment.  There is much work to do for our second home – the sea!

NB.  Photos courtesy of DiveSpecial Diving Central.

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Balicasag Island: Milestone Dives

cbartazo
Balicasag Island

I knew I have to be back to Balicasag Island to dive and savor once more its underwater life. This is the place where it all started – my fascination of the great marine life. While on a family vacation six years ago, I snorkeled with my sister at the marine sanctuary.  I was lost in awe with the blue, blue waters and beyond.  I have promised myself to become a diver since then…

Alone in Alona

Arriving very early in Tagbilaran, I have so much time to spare. How ironic when there’s so much to do back at work, here I am wandering in the city square!  After attending mass at the cathedral, I crossed to the plaza watching a large flock of doves on the ground, feeling like I’m in Hyde Park.  Though Panglao town can be reached by 20 -25 minutes by car, I arrived at my lodgings near Alona Beach after an hour through a mini-bus and trycicle rides.

Alona Beach afternoon

The staff of JJ Alona was kind enough to guide me as I went to the bustling district of Alona Beach. Though I was aiming to go direct to Sierra Madre Divers, she insisted I must try Tropical Divers (previously Pro-Safari Divers) which was recommended by DM Geom. I believe it was an excellent dive operator but it was bit pricey. The Danish manager Karl, was also friendly who promised to organize a Balicasag trip with me if I should decide. I tried to ask for D4 strap but not available, though he assured to get one if I stay longer in the island.  Anyhow, we left for Sierra Madre to register, glad that they have two boats for Balicasag the next day.  After asking for the DM assigned to me (DM Bart will be with the chinese OW students in another boat) and departure time, we walked back to JJ Alona but not without passing the bustling beach. I remembered Boracay and Puerto Galera!

There were no other guests, a quite place is all I need with the rest of the afternoon.  It was raining hard…

Balicasag and Kalipayan

Despite the rain, the sun shone brightly the next morning. Though I arrived earlier as expected, the shop staff was already on their toes, and the place was filled with guests.  I was joined with local government staff of Carmen, Bohol who was friendly and generous to me.  They found it surprising that I am alone.  We cruised for about 20 minutes until we moored in one of the bouys floating about 100 metres from the island’s shore.

nudi on corals- both colorful

Our first descent was at Black Forest, I was hoping to encounter again the giant napoleon wrasses like last time.  Since the group were new divers and it took awhile for their preparation, I requested my dive guide to descend ahead.  Now I know, that’s what other divers felt when I was yet a newbie –  it felt like forever to wait .  We descend on sandy ground, with corals and tropical fishes abound.  There was current, so we drifted along until we got into a wall decorated with soft and hard corals.  There were invertebrates – colourful nudis, cleaner shrimp, and anemone crab.  A green turtle graced us but was too shy, it fled away as soon as it noticed us around.  There was variety of tropical fishes hovering on corals, sponges and anemones.  Although the marine life was still active, I noticed there wasn’t much larger species that I encountered. I hope they were just at rest somewhere around and have not totally left Black Forest.  After 50 minutes I ascend with 80 bars of air.

anemone crab

Glinting my eyes with the scorching heat, I was wishing to once again walk on the white sands on the island but the boat moored far for the interval.  At past 12 nooon, we had our next descent at Turtle Point.  I was hoping I would find turtles but for the whole 59 minutes of my bottom time, there was none!  I stayed behind again from other divers together with my dive guide, searching for macros as there was no pelagics around.  There were at least four nudi species I spotted, scorpionfish, lionfish and other tropical fishes.   There was a moray eel gawking at me but my cam failed.  It was filled with soft and hard corals, crinoid, sponges and anemones. Normally, there were only two dives in the island, so we cruised back to Alona Beach after we surfaced past 1pm.  This made me to my 100th dive!

moray eel gawking at me!

Again, making most of my long travel,  my time and expenses, I requested for third dive even just nearby, I was lone – other divers have called it a day taking their late  leisure lunch sat nearby resto. Quarter before four o’clock, we sped our way to Kalipayan for my last descent.  Together with my dive guide, I immersed myself with the cold afternoon waters and went deep down, unto a colourful reef punctuated by invertebrates as I passed by. A moray eel lurking on soft coral, went out gawking at me perhaps wondering what kind of fish I am! Then we moved to a sandy ground decorated with green sea grasses and those big thorny brownish starfish.  There were patches of hard corals as we went along, with tropical fishes hovering around.  We ascend after 39 minutes – it was short but has to end sooner for my flight the next day.  When we got back to the beach, the place was grueling preparing for the night’s bustle.  Dinner tables of the restos were out on the white beach ready for diners.  The area started to become more alive as the sun comes down, tourists started to flocked around the beach.

blue, blue world - my world!

Milestone Dives

Going back  to Bohol again wasn’t my priority, but my dive buddy requested for it so I arranged things for me to come. He didn’t make it though, but there’s no reason for me to cancel mine.  It turned out to have my 100th dive right on the very spot where my passion for life in the depths all started.  I wish there will be another hundred dives to come, if not two, three, four or more.

And perhaps, I will be back again in Balicasag Island – may be not sooner but for sure I will not wait for a hundred dive before I would set foot again to see more of  its depths!

Travel Notes

My route for this trip:

Cagayan de Oro to Tagbilaran  – by boat (Trans Asia Lines), 9 hours
Tagbilaran Pier to Panglao bus terminal – Tricycle
Tagbilaran to Panglao Sawang – Mini bus, 45 minutes
Sawang to Alona Beach – Tricycle, 10-15 minutes

Return trip:

Tagbilaran to Cebu – Ocean Jet, 2 hours
Cebu to Cagayan de Oro – plane, 1 hour & 15 minutes

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Talisayan: More than the Usual

cbartazo
colorful depths of Red Sands!

There wasn’t much enthusiasm towards this year’s after birthday weekend trip, originally the dates were reserved already for the much awaited Tawi-Tawi dives.  Much awaited because last year’s plan was cancelled, so it was rescheduled for July 2011 and was thrilled when we got our tickets on sale last November!  Well, it was called off again just with the Batanes sojourn. It brought home in the end for Mantangale dives but Angel’s mixed-up schedules daunted my MADRI homecoming…

Saturday Ramblings

We made it though, but arriving late at the resort, all the dive boats sailed off already to Mantigue Island and Medina.  After more than two hours of waiting and taking our complimentary lunch at the resto, Angel and I went down to the diveshop to prepare and gear up. I guess we’re just dying to be in the waters for our dried up gills!  🙂 Just in time when Sir Dong came back from Duka Bay, we had some catch-up talk until we sailed off for our first descent at Sipaka Point.

Can you find the cleaner shrimp?

Although Sipaka is just nearby from the resort, it belonged to the next coastal town of Talisayan. The spot wasn’t new but I was sure there is something more I will find since I last explored its depths. Back-rolling for our first water entry at the Red Sand, we separated from the boat with group of OW students having their exercise at the spot. We descend on a sandy slope with Danny as our dive guide – we are now confident to go down with no DM.  🙂  We sighted variety specie of soft and hard corals, sponges, colorful crinoids, cucumbers, anemones and even crown of sea thorns. We sighted also a banded sea snake slithering from us as we took turns for photos!  We moved around and searched for more critters – spotted colorful nudis, elusive cleaner shrimp and juvenile fishes. I was amused with the jerky many spotted sweetlips – we keep on following as it kept darting when we took photos. 😛  We found uniquely shaped corals – like mushrooms, like suntan flora, like thorny fruit and more. There was no encounter with pelagics but the colorful tropical fishes decorating the corals was all there in splendor creating a colorful underwater and active fish life. We ascend after 62 minutes still having 1000psi of air.

colorful nudi!

We were grateful the shop arranged for our second descent together with John (Australian), who wanted to search for mandarin fish.  Leisure talk with Sir Dong – right, for next dive trips! J Good food, idyllic environs with good weather while watching Camiguin Island in the horizons, was a perfect surface interval for me.  Though it was late, there was no rush as we waited sundown for our night dive.

We boarded the boat in twilight and cruised for about 15 minutes to Talisayan Shoal getting thrilled what to find, it was our first time at the shoal.  I always find night dives as challenging and exciting! The plan:  DM Cena will look for mandarin fish while the dive guide stay with John, we will follow them as we do our own exploration.  It was almost dark when we descend at 5:52pm on a sandy area.

like mushrooms sprouting!

The dark underwater seemed another world to me, armed with our torches we started our search – search for the unknown!  We spotted critters – crabs, shrimps, juvenile lion fish, clams, and more.  Angel pointed out a juvenile puffer fish with those green pleading eyes!  We went around getting familiar with the darkness, only to find out we were separated from the others.  It didn’t bother us as we continue to roam around.  Indeed, at night different species showed up.  We stayed close to the seabed as we continue our search, I felt something crawling on my bodice – a crinoid stuck with me! 😛  In a while, we noticed a flickering light beyond us, following it we caught up with our companions. We ascend after 68 minutes with my air still at 1000psi, at 7pm it was all dark surrounding us.  The cold night air gave me shivers as we sped off to the resort.

Gills Refreshed

Perhaps  a dive in far-off waters is just ordinary for some but the sights in our two descents were not usual ones – we had more of colorful macros and colorful active marine life. I couldn’t help again to be more passionate with marine life as I view my photos,  you know – that fire within.  How vast and mysterious underwater world is, and how fortunate I am given the privilege to experience this grandeur.

Even with battery of cancelled trips, my after birthday weekend dives with my favorite dive buddy was more than enough for my dried-up gills and itching fins.  Life can be more beautiful deep down!

NB.  I use Lumix TS2 with Ikelite casing.

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