"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"….
For when God possesses the dreamer, He will mold the dream and it will be right… Verdell Davis
Like a Bootcamp
During the four-day expedition with maximum of four dives in a day, life become like a series of order – time to wake up and eat, specific time for dives, surface intervals and personal time for rest. Time management is still necessary, you don’t want everybody waiting for you when the chase boat is ready leaving. Weather is unpredictable, in a matter of minutes the waters become choppy. The departure of the three speed boats from HCA is in sequence as scheduled.
For safety, all divers in each chase boat shall descend and ascend together – so when we got into the waters on a roll-back entry, with our masks ready and regulators on, DM Wally always said, “On my count – one, two, three!” Splash! And I heard that in all my thirteen dives. 😛 Other buzzwords we had are as pleasing like, “Food is ready!” from the kitchen staff and a sumptuous buffet is before us. Or when the divers got back from the waters, you could almost hear everybody asking, “What did you see?” and what followed are passionate descriptions of the sightings.
While Venusians have explored diving and many have excelled, the Martians still dominated it. It’s not for the faint-hearted as they say. So it wasn’t strange that there were only six (Memey & Pia from Manila; Natisha from Canada; Ma’am Nana, Doc Candy and me from Mindanao) of us out of 25 diver guests. I was thrilled with the thought of being one of these special and adventurous people.
Diving is never a place for an “ooops”, definitely no errors allowed so following basic rules is purely no-nonsense. Any untoward incident may lead to end the trip, without doubt a total disaster for all of us!
Eat, Dive, Sleep, Pray & Love
We eat at least five times a day, there was such abundance of food complete with dessert – like what about ice cream in the middle of the sea? 🙂 I still have to limit my food intake though. And the dives were such like a buffet – it was my first time to have four descents in a day, really wet! And sleep is almost instant after long day of dives, no such sleeping late like when back home. Rest is all about sleep during the cruise.
I believe there’s one thing common to all of us in the boat – pray – everyone was praying for a good weather every day. Because the weather in the area can be so unpredictable, the rains and the waves may come any time. Nobody would want the cruise to be aborted due to bad weather. And we were privileged to have three priests right in our group – Fr. John, Fr. Aldrin and Monsignor Nene – so we didn’t miss the Sunday mass which was being officiated by Fr. John. It was such a deep and solemn celebration. Somehow, with three diving priests with us, there was such an assurance of daily prayers for all our safety.
The excitement of getting into the waters and breathing deep down or discovering the unknown are just coating of this incessant aquatic adventures. It’s more about passion of the marine world, the life beyond the depths – just pure love for these creatures, wondering and watching in awe all these wondrous forms of life. I know I’ll never grow tired of my dive quests, the God of the sea never seems to exhaust incredible sights in his kingdom. And as a water person, I promised myself I’ll go on diving until I grow old when my gnarled fingers could still hold and operate gadgets or my wobbly legs could still kick for my fins.
We had the opportunity to sit down in dinner with one of our co-diver guest during the cruise – one of the three “father & son” team. He chattered about all the incredible sightings we had in the reefs full of passion and have felt same sentiment with him and as if to close his little speech, he declared he loves diving. Angel and I watching him, without batting an eyelash almost in unison declared solemnly, “We too!”
One Great Dream
Two brave souls dared for this great Tubbataha dream, I know now nothing is ever extreme with one’s aspirations. All I needed was an ardent spirit, determined heart and one good friend who shared same deep passion for the great marine world. It was another living proof that God is ever faithful to His promises!
We waited enough for this mission, our ultimate trip away to a paradise not everyone has the opportunity to savor its grandeur. A world away, apart from the maze of crowded cityscape to a place of tranquility. A place where there are no structures but water everywhere, aquatic nature in all its purity.
Tubbataha – where a brave and passionate diver’s dreams come true!
When your heart is in your dream, nothing is ever too extreme…
I have written enough about the planning, waiting and seizing our great Tubbataha dream and needless to say that along come with it were the unending thrills and joy as the countdown started. Now, it took me awhile to finally scribble what’s inside me – really how ironic that while my heart and mind was filled with treasured sweet memories from the trip, I don’t want to scribble anything about it – not yet. And just like what Angel said in his SMS after our trip, the memories of our great dives keeps playing in my mind.
The Waiting is Over
The headstrong in me pushed me enough to vanish from never ending work even without my approved leave on hand, the thrills had gotten me enough courage to simply digress. The morning horizons when I left Cagayan de Oro promised a sunny day, and I was hoping such would be the condition in the next four days in the Sulu Sea. Though I promised Sir Dodong Uy (our team leader) I would see them at CdeO airport, I haven’t talked to my companions until we reached Puerto Princesa.
But I caught up Fr. John Young, SJ at Mactan pre-departure and briefly chat with him until we separated for the boarding. Smiling I said to him, “I made it!” which he immediately corrected, “We made it!” He told me last December when I first met him that it’s been three summers for his Tubbataha attempt. Well, Angel and I only missed one attempt for the Dive Tubbataha 2010 plans.
Our team converged at Puerto Princesa airport – Sir Dodong & Ma’am Nana Uy, Fr. John Young, Monsignor Nene Caldoza, Fr. Aldrin Alaan, Sir Jan Surposa, Mark Allen Du – as we wait for Angel whose arrival was 20 minutes later from our Mactan flight. We got back downtown after we checked-in at our yacht for a sumptuous lunch at Ka Lui Resto, at past 1pm everyone was starving.
We finally sailed at 7pm watching the beacon lights as we departed Puerto Princesa port with the stars above us, promising fine weather for our journey towards the vast waters of our dream paradise…
Gray Reef Shark
Great Waterworld
The next morning we were in Sulu Sea purely surrounded with blue waters – Tubbataha at last! I belonged to the Red Group – Sir Dong & Ma’am Nana, Fr. John, Doc Candy, Sir Jan, Mark, and Angel – with DM Wally assigned to us.
Day 1. Our first dive schedule was at 9am for a check-out, though most of the divers wanted it sooner as we arrived earlier. Our first descent was at Malayan Wreck not so far away from where HCA moored, though we didn’t get near the wreck but went to a wall covered with gorgonians in variety of colors along with hard and soft corals. I was most fascinated with sharks – white tips and gray reef – just swimming coyly below us just like any other fish. In a few minutes I was hyperventilating and catching my breath and I wondered, I signaled and DM Wally with Sir Dong was at the rescue. My usual 6 lbs weight was too heavy and so in my succeeding dives I have 4 lbs weight which I found comfortable. We had a dose of sharks in our second and third dive at Wall Street and Amos Rock respectively, plus variety of reef fishes. Our fourth and last dive of the day was bit late already it was almost a night dive, we descend at Ranger Station with our torch. There wasn’t much fish life, they could have taken refuge already in their abodes. We uncovered some dwellers though on rocks and crevices – groupers, snappers and sweet lips. Sea cucumbers were abundant too. Such lovely sightings in our first day.
Sea Turtle among the colorful corals
Day 2. Blessed again with good weather, we woke up earlier on our second day as first dive was at 6am. We hope for more good sightings, the sharks have become very common already. Our first descent was at Shark Airport – and true to its name, white tips and gray reefs keep darting now and then! There were sharks again on our second site at Seafan Alley I watch in awe with the abundance of large and thick seafans in variety of colors on the wall. Aside from variety of reef fishes, we sighted turtles – one was feeding on corals and didn’t go away when we watched him and another one we met when we are about to ascend. The day’s highlight was on our third dive, everybody was thrilled. We were floating as we watch the scenery at the Shark Airport, I catch a glimpse of something black coming toward us, at first I didn’t recognize. I got a good view watching the devil ray swimming above us until it disappeared! We went back to Seafan Alley on our last dive – we had sharks again, triggerfishes, more reef fishes plus school of jacks. Two days of diving at North Atoll was just perfect.
Day 3. We were up again early for the 6am dive, with the skies somewhat overcast. We had the greatest surprise on that Sunday morning at Delsan Wreck! We didn’t go to the wreck but stayed on the sandy slope with a shallow wall beyond resembling like a bowl. There was some current and swam a bit like waiting, barely 9 minutes after descending I was at 30 meters when there was some commotion. Lo and behold – the whale shark! Everything went fast, everybody was moving fast – I went deeper at 33.8m to get a good view watching in awe underneath. The great whale shark with white tips, gray reefs, tunas and giant trevally swimming with him side by side, and as if giving as a chance to take another look – they circled once more in great display for all of us. The sight was so enthralling! Before we ascend, there was a large school of jacks before as we went shallower. Our next descent was at the Lighthouse which didn’t disappoint us, we went to the wall covered with seafans and variety of corals. We had sharks again- black tips and gray reef, barracuda, blue fin trevally, big morays, jacks, parrots and sea turtle. After our surface interval for our third dive, the waters become choppy so DM Wally advised to defer our dive until the waters will be manageable. We made our last descent for the day past 4pm already, grateful we made it. Black Rock was another wall dive, decorated with seafans, sponges and corals in variety of colors. We sighted triggers, chromis, cardinals, groupers, sweet lips, puffers, wrasses and lot more. It doesn’t matter we only had three descents for the day, the whale shark sighting was more than enough to compensate for it. It was a blessed Sunday indeed at South Atoll….
Great whaleshark!
Day 4. On our last day, our boat went back to North Atoll for the scheduled dives. We had overcast skies again but everyone hoped we could complete the dives. Our boat tender riding on the waves as we went to Malayan Wreck for our first descent, our group agreed to just stay at the wall and had an easy dive. I just observed all the fish and creatures before me as I went through, although everyone’s hoping for another surprise. J There were yellow and black breams, damsels, surgeons, fusiliers, bluefin trevally, triggers, humphead wrasse, moray and of course sharks. The white tip swimming coyly below me just like any ordinary fish. The weather has been down cast and it started to drizzle already. After more than two hours interval we geared for the next dive which was my last descent at the reefs, notifying our DM. My noon flight the next day restricted me to let go of the last dive of the cruise. There wasn’t rain anymore but the waves persisted. We went back to Malayan Wreck determined to make most of my last descent as Fr John urged. We went for the wall observing the fish life there, the visibility still good. There were triggers, breams, trevally, snappers, fusiliers and variety of chromis. After 40 minutes, I slowly ascend for my safety stop to a coral garden watching the reef fishes, then DM Wally signaled for a shark pointing ahead of me – there it was! On a spot of white sands about 6 meters from the surface, there lying flat on the sand a lone gray reef shark almost a meter in size. Lying peacefully asleep on its habitat – what a wonderful sight! Perching behind the corals for few minutes, I watched it in awe J Angel came over and went far by taking a photo – perhaps disturbed by the lights, it quickly swam away. L Though it was time to surface, we still linger in the coral garden until Angel pointed out the wreck just a little ahead of us – how can I be short-sighted! We quickly swam to the spot grateful that there wasn’t current, circled and went around. I was thrilled – I love wrecks! There was lot of dwellers down the wreck – giant groupers, trevally, sweet lips, wrasses, parrots and more – such an active fish life. We managed to take some photos and explored a bit but heard signals to get back to chase boat for the ascent. It started to rain already and the waters getting more choppy. Angel and I was the last as we raced back for the boat, which we can hardly see underwater. We hold unto the boat as it quickly left the spot as the waves getting fiercer. I hold on to Angel’s hand while we’re on the raging waters with the boat moving until he got on, and the stairs was moved for me to climb up. Sometimes you need to be tough to survive certain conditions. Anyway, the small wreck was a fine way to end my quest at the reefs, it was my longest dive during the cruise at 63 minutes. We sped off riding on the waves to take refuge in the yacht.
Pair of many-spotted sweetlips
The great waterworld of Tubbataha is a piece of heaven on earth. The exhilaration of being surrounded by colorful fish of great variety is simply hard to equal. It was a very moving experience. While you’ve probably seen photos and videos on diving, you won’t understand what it’s really like or how it really felt until you’ve experienced it yourself.
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
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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