"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"….
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 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:
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
In less than seventy-two hours, I’ll be on a cruise to a dream paradise – aboard on a beautiful yacht surrounded with blue waters. With three priests – which includes Father President of FSUU (my alma mater), a bishop and a vicar – and a physician, it felt like I’m on pilgrimage to the holy land. They are all from Butuan, yes all four of them from my home town. So it felt like I’m home. More than that, I’m with my good friend and favorite dive buddy Angel to fulfill our dream to relish the splendor of the unequaled Tubbataha underwater paradise.
It would be my first time for a luxury cruise and without doubt I would love everything on this trip, I’ll be off again with one of my greatest love – diving! And as I told Angel, I don’t want to go without him as we dreamed this together like more than two years back. There’s no better than a friend who’ s too keen and passionate sharing a fervent wish and dream…
I’m driving myself for much work for the past days to compensate for the time I would be away, and I’m whining – why is it that there is much to do when I want to go away? On second thought I need it to get away from feeling spoiled from such opulence. Now, as I pour my thoughts here I pause for awhile with twinkling eyes…
Our one big dream to a paradise called Tubbataha, one grand trip and our cruise for a lifetime!
Coming back to this rural town in western Cebu has been planned before I could even return home during a dive trip back in July 2009. It felt like there’s something more to discover in this place, and definitely with only one descent in Pescador Island, the mermaid in me didn’t get enough of its splendor in its depths! Angel and I promised ourselves to be back…
Our diver’s itch is pestering again for the sardine’s run, such that Angel and I squeezed our weekend for this much awaited return. I was hoping again to have three dives to make most of the trip, it was fortunate we took the van for Moalboal so we got to the diveshop much earlier as expected. DM Geom of Cebu Dive Center have set up for us one shore dive in mid-morning and two boat dives in the afternoon. As there were no other divers it was some kind of exclusive dive for us!
Gaudy Marine Life
We went for a shore dive on our first descent at the House Reef – DM Geom was firm that I should carry my gears on my back which I don’t really like. If Mario was there, he wont allow it! I struggled donning my fins with the tank on my back, and need to hold on with Angel for support. DM Geom insisted that I’m not fit to dive if I can’t do it, and he is right!
We wade on a sandy slope and went deeper on a wall, DM Geom is so keen on macros so we search on anemones, sea fans and soft corals for critters – minute shrimps, nudis, coral crabs and more. There were pipefish in abundance scattered all over – big and small ones. Of course the fish life is as well abundant – colorful anthias, sergeants, damsels, wrasses, sweetlips, angels, lionfish, hawkfish, cardinals and banners. We followed a juvenile barramundi who was camera shy, we found two turtles in different locations who both have remoras on their backs! We were amused with the lavender fat nudis on a colorful coral. There were gorgonians, soft corals, crinoids – all blended in the reefs. A good find we had was the thor shrimp near the anemones.
We went back and before we had our safety stop, we found a turtle resting on a reef with remoras on its back. After 53 minutes with 21.6m as our deepest, we ascend with still 89 bars of air. Our lunch break at the Little Corner served as our surface interval.
Spotted lavender nudibranch
Our second descent was the highlight of the day, this is our main reason for coming back – explore once more Pescador Island! We are mad about the mystical sardines run – the unequalled wonderful attraction of the island. After cruising for about fifteen minutes, we descend at the southern tip with a wall, a deep one but we need to maintain at 20m depth. We were greeted with variety of tropical fishes – variety of anthias, variety of anemone fish, damsels, snappers, lionfish and angel fish. We went north ward and we sighted squat lobster and nudis – one just need sharp eyes and you’ll always have colorful macros. Scorpion fish, trumpet and pipefish – somewhere we sighted also a herd of trevally. All these with a backdrop of soft and hard corals, crinoids, sponges merge together a colorful paradise.
Colorful depths…
DM Geom summoned us pointing upward – and there, darkened our view above us – million of sardines! We swam away from the wall towards the run – watching in awe, I went up and down to get near giving me a bad profile. So grand, all them banded together, then two jacks appeared disturbing their line of path. We got back to the wall after the display and went shallower on a slope of reefs for our safety stop. We found frogfish on tube coral, boxfish and more of the sardines again. They have really gotten greater in number – they look so magical on the colorful reefs against the sunlight! We ascend with 50 minutes bottom time, still 70 bars of my air. At the surface, the waters gone rough already – the sea is enraged according to DM Geom! He cancelled our last dive in the island and escaped from the raging waters, then speed near the mainland for shelter.
Ornate ghost pipefish!
Indeed when we got to Talisay spot, the were no signs of choppy surface – it was so calm, we stayed there for our interval. We had our final descent at 4:05pm on a sandy slope with variety of corals again, gorgonians, hydroids and crinoids – there were puffers, colourful clown fish and anthias again. Then DM Geom summoned us for the ornate ghost pipefish trying to camouflage near soft coral polyps – rare find! We found a turtle again with the remora fish on him, handful of pipefish, lionfish, scorpion fish and group of puffers. The sight of the healthy corals with tropical fishes on it was so calming and relaxing. We ascend after 48 minutes with 80 bars of air and 18.3 meters as our deepest.
Fully Laden Day
Catching an early fight for Mactan, two hour drive to Moaboal, three great dives in its waters are more than enough for a Saturday. It was full but so comforting – to unwind a full week at work. It still amaze me that in a real sense, it’s an exhaustive bustle yet at the end of the day, the mermaid in me felt so contented and pleased, unmindful of being tired. Again, it can never be put in words.
Once more, we are still planning to be back in Moalboal to dive not only once ,but more in Pescador. Angel and I will be back again for sure. Now, that I guess is pure madness!
Measuring 99,600 hectares in size, the Tubbattaha Reef National Marine Park (TRNMP) is made up of 2 atolls rising in the middle of the Sulu Sea. A Study by Conservation International has confirmed what Scientists long theorized, that it is the nursery for fish and coral larvae that populates the Sulu-Sulawesi Triangle – an area that not only covers the most important and productive fishing grounds of the Philippines but extends as far south as Malaysia and Indonesia.
So important is this submerged structure in the balance of the underwater eco- system that UNESCO declared it a world heritage site as far back as 1993. In 1998, Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, a keen diver himself, created Task Force Tubbataha and a station equipped with radar and manned by zealous rangers was established and now guards the park 24/7.
Several factors are responsible for the almost virgin conditions of this underwater jewel. The convergence of currents constantly brings in a barrage of the nutrients and clean water a healthy reef and its inhabitants demand. Being the largest and almost lone structure in the middle of a vast expanse of ocean guarantees a healthy influx of pelagic visitors looking for a meal and other services an underwater community provides.
Being almost a hundred nautical miles from the nearest port, access is only through Live-aboard vessels and voyages to the park are determined by the weather. A small window-from late March to early June when calm seas and clear skies are the best and only times for divers to visit. The strong winds and rough swells the rest of the year deters both authorized and un-authorized incursions into the park and permits the reef to settle back into its natural state of regeneration. *
December 2008. The idea came to invade the mysterious depths of Sulu seas, when Angel and I planned and pledged ourselves for Dive Tubbataha 2010. They said it’s the holy grail for divers in the country and you can never be an accomplished one unless you explored its depths. But more than proving to ourselves and counting sites visited, we wanted desperately to experience and catch sight of the glorious beauty of this elusive paradise – an epitome of the exquisiteness of creation!
Our plans were put in order: dive as often our schedules and pockets can allow, earn course necessary to increase our capacity, acquire necessary gears, learn lessons from every dive we had, and more. Enjoying every bit of the journey towards this dream. The banner of “Dive Tubbataha 2010” brandishing Angel’s travel log since early 2009.
But things didn’t turn out as planned and visiting the reefs last year was cancelled and deferred indefinitely. It didn’t dampen our spirits though and I always believed there is always a time for everything, a perfect time. And trusting that the Lord always knows what’s best, that waiting is part of his answers to prayers. And so we wait…
December 2010. Two years exactly when Angel and I both pledged ourselves to this promise like a covenant. The message came unexpectedly, without any hint through a priest. I was diving one quiet Sunday for my last dive of the year, just six days before Christmas. Fr. John Young, SJ whom I just met, simply asked if I want to join them in their Tubba trip – I was caught off guarded – surprises always come in unlikely situations. That was my greatest gift last Christmas, indeed real gifts don’t come on packages and bows!
I have to relay the news to Angel, as always I had the last word for our dive trips – he simply threw it back to me to decide. I waited for about two weeks to listen if we’d really go. It is expensive and it would mean some preparations to be put in order in just four months – it meant stretching budget in the next months when we have other scheduled trips already.
Now, just barely seven weeks before our cruise on first week of May I can’t help being excited for the journey, though I don’t want to spill any hint of excitement! 😛 I’m writing this note to set a milestone, the wait wasn’t really long and I thank the Lord for granting this favor and for always working out things for me in countless times – in His own terms.
A passion burning incessantly in my inner core. Dear Tubbataha, here we come!
In contrast to our dive trip last month where we wallowed in luxury, this time we went to camping. Rugged, spartan and remote – well, gonig to a place of beauty is never without challenge! As early as May last year, Angel and I got our San Jose tickets. I was in the mountains of Bukidnon for rural dev work, still mourning for my mum’s demise when he encouraged me to avail of the seat sales, we wanted Coron but ended up with San Jose after it was being sold out! It wasn’t in my list to visit Apo as I know the usual access to the reefs is through liveaboard – which is too pricey! The site though is too interesting to ignore.
Unmindful of sudden changes in itinerary and after nine months have lapsed, Angel made last minute arrangements for the dives as we are exploring the reefs through the Local Tourism Office of LGU Sablayan. It would be a long trip for me and I was resolute that we must have not less than three descents – I need more value for my money spent. So, Angel and I decided to divert for land trip to Sablayan instead of our flight to San Jose.
All in a Rush
Left Manila almost 10pm for Batangas pier with Angel and Alfred (another diver joiner) for about two hours, from then on we took the ferry for Abra de Ilog for another more than two hours. It was all dark and didn’t get a glimpse of the view as we went with the crossings – except for the last quarter moon rising in dawn. Then we sped off to Sablayan in an aircon bus and arrived at the Local Tourism Office at daybreak about 6am. We just need to rush things as we need to maximize time to make three dives in all.
A pose for my dive buddy...
So after arranging our gear and equipment needs and settled our bills with the tourism officer, Angel and I rushed again (with Alfred) to the local market to buy our food and other needs in the island, we had to do it quick so we could leave for the island not later than 8am – we had a long list of stuff to buy! We did it though in an hour crossing the aisles of the market, we were impressed that plastic bags were not provided for your stuff – the LGU is adopting the policy of MOB. A responsible move of the local community for the good of the environment.
Finally, we hit the shores for our paradise island with big smiles on our faces. The bright sunny horizons just perfect for our waters escapade! Ah, the smell of the sea waters is so refreshing – I belong to the waters, indeed. 🙂 Somewhere in the mid of our cruise, there was some stirrings in the waters ahead of us and came jump a giant trevally! Wonderful sight to behold – I took it as a good sign of welcome for us to the reefs. Approaching the island we passed through the submerged reefs which made the waters turquoise, beyond we watched the glorious panorama of white sand beach all around penned in by verdant mangroves and the lone slender lighthouse. After more than two hours on the waters, we finally docked on the white sands near the front of the Ranger Station.
Dive, Great Dives
Days before this trip, my mind has been wandering about Angel’s sharks encounter while snorkeling – I was awed with the idea of seeing sharks on shallow waters! I love macros – critters are interesting but in the end didn’t we all become divers to see the big stuff? And let’s be honest, nothing gets the blood flowing like the larger marine species!
It felt like ages while waiting for the refill of our tanks, I’m dying to go unto the depths – my second home. And we wanted not to waste our precious time, we need the three dives – by hook or by crook! 😛 Our first descent was south of the island, and our first sighting as we observe the wall was a big lobster perched on a crevice, its antlers waving with the current. Then another lobster a little farther, the wall was decorated with sea fans and gorgonians in varied colors and sizes. The site was punctuated with colorful tiny nudis as we inspected the reefs. The highlight of it was the silver tip shark below us – about three feet! We had a good vantage watching him as it swam coyly perhaps searching for a prey. We wanted to get near, went down and up giving me a bad profile. There were tropical species – wrasse, fusiliers, damsels, anthias, mandarins, anemone, and lot more. Its biodiversity is commendable. We spent our safety stop on a sandy area with lot of colorful corals.
This is diving, this is life!
Our late lunch at past 2pm serves as our surface interval while having the boat used for snorkeling by our travel friends. It was already 3:3opm when we had our second descent at the north side of the island. WE descend on a slope with tropical fishes, soft & hard corals, basket sponges, anemones and few crinoids. We spotted a turtle which we tried to follow, but sadly he was disturbed with our persistence to get near him. He tried to swim past away and hid on the crevice on the reefs. We sighted too groupers, damsels, wrasses, butterfly fish, anthias, surgeons and snappers. I think I sighted also bluefin jacks or trevally. We ascend after 46 mins, my air still at 1200psi.
During our surface interval, we make use of our time preparing and setting up to cook for dinner. The late afternoon winds getting harsher almost blowing our stuff including the pitched tents. The calm pinkish skies on the horizons beckoning the setting sun, at 5:48pm it was almost dark when we had our last and third dive at the reefs. It was almost a night dive 🙂 , making sure we wont caught up in the dark we brought our torches. We went out to explore southwest of the island.
Unto the blue depths...
A soon as we got to the waters, DM Albert urged us to descend immediately as there were school of napoleon wrasse nearby below us. It was another great display of marine life, right there swimming coyly before us! There were fusiliers, snappers and groupers too. Then there was the big hawksbill, a pleasant surprise for us! We got the chance to get up close, playing with him. This time we move slowly going with him, reached out and unexpectedly able to pet him – touching him right there in his habitat! We sighted again the school of Napoleon wrasse twice more in different direction. We explored more, there were sea cucumbers which I tried to touch. There were crinoids, I got stuck with a green feather star as I stayed close to the bed getting around. Then as we are about to end the dive, we were treated with another display of pelagics – a school of humphead wrasse swimming coyly before us. Indeed, it was already dark when we ascend at 6:34pm with my air still at 1500psi.
We had a sumptuous dinner later, and perhaps felt very much contented of the three great dives I went to a peaceful sleep till morning…
Paradise Continued
From deep under we went high up the island through the lighthouse the next morning, which I discovered funded by a loan from OECD. It has a viewing deck that offers 360 degrees view of the island, unfortunately there was strong winds when we got there. There’s mangrove forest amidst the stone cliffs which looks like miniature of limestone cliffs in Coron. It is important to the island’s ecosystem as it serves as spawning ground and nursery for marine species. The blue waters beyond, the white cottony wisp of clouds in morning skies, green mangroves – all so natural and beautiful!
The strong winds didn’t encourage us to stay long above the tower, so Angel and I get back ahead from our friends for our breakfast preparation.
Rich marine life!
We sailed off for our return trip to the mainland after our breakfast, not wanting to leave without getting into some action on our departure. We snorkeled somewhere in a spot where corals are dead, but it didn’t disappoint us. We were greeted by school of blue fusiliers shining brightly against the morning sunlight. Then a turtle appeared almost with same color of the corals, crawling on the bed perhaps looking for food. Then a white tip shark appeared wiggling directly beneath us, we watched in awe but can’t get nearer. 😛 Then the sea turtle appeared again, the blue fusiliers still near us. It was beautiful, it was such pure bliss. For the nth time I felt humbled with the exquisiteness of creation!
We cruised further passing the reefs in turquoise waters with the sunny skies above us, until we lost them and finally in the deep blue waters. All waters again, punctuated by few fishing boats in the distance…
Not an End
I’m sure there will be another chance to be back in Apo Reefs, there are still numerous dive spots to be explored including the ship wreck I read about. That’s a reason enough to plan for a return. The shark ridge which I know have lot to offer is waiting to be visited. There are few things that are lovelier the second time around, I knew Apo Reefs is one of them, I believe… 🙂
Life in the Great Beyond 
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