"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"….
Surely, the underwater realm is teeming with a variety forms of life. Invertebrates, bivalves, sea slugs or nudis, bristleworms, mollusks, flatworms and more. Slowly, I’m learning and getting more keen as I swam searching for anything known or unknown. There is always something new to discover, unfold or unravel and everything is so transforming. I am not the same person every after my dive. I am a changed person after I become a diver almost five years ago.
It’s more than respecting about the life in the depths. Over and over I’m saying this – it’s about passion, a love like life itself. It’s about meeting friends and understanding about their life. There are even more forms of life beyond what is visible, there are many microscopic organisms forming as part of the ecosystem. How vast it is – surely my experience is just a speck of the large water world!
Taking underwater photos of marine life is astonishing, sometimes taking organisms I hardly knew. Admittedly, the colorful underwater world is so captivating. The bristleworm above was taken in Mantangale, beautifully shaped in spiral in white & yellow, hardly as a worm! I am amused that there’s Christmas tree even underwater. 🙂
Diving for almost five years now, there has been lot of meeting up with friends underwater – few astonishing, some endearing, others surprising or mystifying but most of them so wonderful. The thrill of seeing these wondrous creatures has always been overwhelming, putting them in words is not enough, surely won’t give justice to describe how marvelous it’s always been. Marine world completely blow me away, simply I fell in love with the underwater realm.
One of the species that I found magical and awe-inspiring is jack, a silvery fish belonging to the family of Barracudas, Tunas & Mackerels, Chubs, or Mullets. Locally known as Talakitok or Trakito, the larger version is better known as Trevally. As food fish, it’s superb and admittedly it’s one of my favorite. But I’m more interested of Jack out there in the wild, not on my dinner table. I better knew him in the deep, swimming coyly and gazing at me, at an arm’s length in his world.
Unity and harmony....
There are three remarkable spots so far where I had magical encounter with jacks – a large number of them or aptly described as in school. Apo Islandwith its great marine life and healthy ecosystem, was teeming with bigeye jacks in school.
Glassy eyes stare!
For sure, the local community’s effort in preserving and protecting the surrounding waters was not futile. Lining up and swimming in unison in the blue before me – what a sight!
To survive in one-mindedness...
Right in our very own Mantigue Island in Camiguin, when I first dove at the sanctuary I never expected an encounter with jacks, no one mentioned it to me. Awed, when silvery jacks appeared before me, again in unison swimming coyly, as if listening to the vibration of my own movements.
Jacks in Tubbataha Reefs
There is some kind of magic that this humble Trakito can bring! Lastly, in the great Tubbataha Reefs, large school of jacks decorated a sandy slope after I got mesmerized with a whaleshark & reef sharks parade. They simply appeared like a wall, those huge glassy eyes staring at you. Even with current, they hung in mid-water with flawless grace. Their unity in going to one direction, or how easily they shift in opposite direction in accord is mind-boggling, as if someone is in command. The school moves with quiet order and control.
Such majesty in oneness...
There is a majesty and power in the movement of a unified mass, a kind of beauty and harmony that can only come from moving and thinking as one. It is still a mystery to me, indeed how vast the marine life to unravel. My jacks in school is just one of its wonders!
NB.Photos courtesy of Angel, using Olympus Tough 8000 and PT 045 as casing
Being an avid reader I love books and I must admit it’s one of my weakness, needless to say my bookshelf is filled with an assortment of paperbacks or hard bounds I took fancy either for references or pleasure reading. Recently however, I made addition to my collections which I think is inevitable as I got deeper in my love for the marine life. I need to learn and know more for this grand quest of life beyond the depths.
I have gotten myself reef fish guides which I think not enough yet, considering million of sea fish species. Now I am thinking about critters guide or even corals and other invertebrates. Of course, it also includes dive guides – only two as of now and both were gift from my favorite dive buddy. You can imagine, how voraciously I read the guides thinking about plans for the sites. As of now, we focused ourselves in Philippine waters, there is still lot of sites to explore and discover. Later, we can go beyond the borders, at the right time.
After finishing Air Enriched Diver lessons, I got now three diving manuals which are expected to be added when taking other specialty lessons. There will be more books to have, I was dying for the world diving atlas – a big blue book written by Jack Jackson – so beautiful. I cringed though when I peek at the price!
Now, every time I went to the bookstore I searched first for dive guides or marine reference books, a slight change in choosing something to read and a modest addition for my bookshelf.
“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. Underwaterphotos courtesy of Angel, using his Olympus Tough 8000 with PT 045 as casing.
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!
Life in the Great Beyond 
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