"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"….
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.
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
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!
One busy Thursday, I took the last flight for Manila to pursue a postponed trip. The random decision to be in Puerto Galera for weekend dives turned out to be a surprising discovery of its depths! Though this place wasn’t in my priority list, it was the most practical option to fill-in our schedule. I have always known PG for its beaches, crowds and parties. Personally I shunned crowded beach, it isn’t my cup of tea. And Puerto Galera is exactly like that as I’ve seen in the media.
Threatened by continous rains in the metro, I was hoping and crossing my fingers that the waters would favor us. It was almost seven weeks from my last dive, I direly needed the waters for my dried-up gills!
Sabang Feast
Arriving Sabang, which is 5.5 kilometers away from downtown PG late afternoon, we were thankful we arrived safe after a detour to Calapan City. Indeed, the district is bustling – stores, restos, bars, and people filled the area. Dive resorts and shops lined up along the shore. It was a relief when we finally got into our lodgings, at the same time too our dive operator.
The next morning promised a sunny day, we gathered up our gears and reported at the dive shop, to meet our DM for some briefing and choosing the sites. I was requesting if we could make the Hole in the Wall, I just thought the spot is unique and it was intriguing! DM Guy was helpful affirming for the Hole in the afternoon dive.
A mall wreck at monkey beach!
Our first descent was at Monkey Beach not far from the area, the visibility wasn’t really good but manageable enough as we don’t need beyond 10 meters for exploration. It was a sandy slope patched with colorful crinoids and with active fish life. We spotted garden eels, puffer, trumpetfish, scorpions, large rabbitfish and morays. Angel took fancy of the juvenile lionfish for its photos, there were nudis too scattered in the area. It was an easy dive but what delighted us most was the small wreck there lying on its port side. It was a steel boat now encrusted with hard corals and crinoids. It perked me up as we go round, and that familiar rush to swim inside – just love the mystery! 🙂 But the DM just watched me and gave no clue to penetrate. Peeking inside from window bars, I watched the active fish life inside. After 49 minutes we ascend with my 90 bars air left.
Lavender nudi!
Our DM getting the impression that we were both interested with wrecks, suggested that our next descent will be at Sabang Wrecks, Angel and I was delighted! 🙂 As foreign divers were off for some deep dive somewhere, the boat dropped us at the area for our dive. Angel and I was both thrilled exploring the wreck – not just one but three! The first wreck was a small steel boat still intact now encrusted with hard corals and crinoids, we went around watching the active fish life, there was much dwellers. The oversized bat fish were so friendly, they almost touch your hands. There were trumpetfish, and those vertical swimming shrimpfish. I was amused with the two big clown fish who went near my hands and who did bit my fingers (!) perhaps looking for food. As we got full circle around the wreck, we found at sea turtle with a remora on its back, taking refuge and sleeping. It was so friendly, it didn’t went away when we approached him Angel took photos
Friendly sea turtle 🙂
but the lights didn’t disturb him, he opened his eyes and closed it again after seeing us. And I did touch him and he allowed us to do that! The second wreck was small lying on its port side on the sand and also encrusted with corals. As we went along, a school of small sardines appeared above us. The last wreck was some wooden boat almost devoured but the engine still in tact, some remnants of its hull still there, a reminder it was once there. We had finally our safety stop on a sandy area with coral garden. We surfaced at the front of the dive shop, so we decided to swim back to the shore as the boat was nowhere in sight. I have no choice but to walk back to the diveshop with the gears on my back, which I really don’t like until now.
Shy puffer!
Our leisure pasta lunch in a deserted Italian resto served as our surface interval and rest. We were equally eager for the third dive for the Hole in the Wall, and while DM Guy briefed us I was asking many questions, especially it was known to be with strong currents. At past 2pm, we descend at Escarceo Point on a sandy slope then to a wall filled with hard and soft corals and colorful crinoids, the visibility was not really good but very manageable. There was strong current (!) and we drifted fast, I was on alert not to be far from our DM and so with Angel, although managing currents underwater is challenging I still felt jitters on it. We passed by corals, critters, sponges and colorful reef fishes and some pelagics obscurely drifting. Trying to stay close to the bed until we got to wall full of colorful corals and crinoids, our DM signaled and pointed to something. I tried to steady myself and followed the direction, and there the hole! I was looking for Angel but he was above us a little farther. DM Guy went ahead and passing the hole was like in a flash! It was very quick, I was pushed by the current to the other side and Angel was there lingering on the coral garden. The current was still strong, we head back shallower on the gardens and got away from the current, I was stung with fire corals. 😦 We explore more during our safety stop on a sandy area, finding some nudis, moray, juvenile lionfish and more critters. We ascend after 51 minutes with my air still at 100 bars.
Mysterious wreck!
We wanted to make most of our stay in Sabang, so Angel and I agreed to have one more dive the next morning, we were such thrilled as we will explore another wreck – MV Alma Jane, considered as the longest in Puerto Galera waters. So after a rushed visit to PG town for Sunday mass followed by a hurried breakfast back in Sabang, we got to the dive shop and geared up once more. The weather has favored us with bright skies promising a sunny day.
Three more foreign divers joined us, a short ten minutes brought us to the area for the descent. We grabbed the bouy line as soon as we got to the waters, slowly descending. It was hazy at first until we caught sight obscurely of the wreck like a monster – though much smaller than in Coron. There lying upright on sandy bottom at about 30 metres, MV Alma Jane encrusted with patches of hard corals. We started our round on its starboard side going front, with those giant batfish decorating. Then on the port side going rear, with oversized rabbit fish swimming coyly. There were crinoids and sighted few small nudis. Ascending few meters, DM Guy signaled for the hull, so we came in tow – DM, me and Angel. And there, that same overwhelming feeling of discovering what’s inside, the mystery is too overpowering! Floating lightly, careful not to touch anything, the tour inside was short but it felt good! 🙂 We went shallower for the shaft, still in tact and few fish linger there. We sighted lot of stonefish camouflaging seated on flat steel surface on the mast. Ascending slowly holding again the bouyline until we had our safety stop, finally we surfaced. The whole wreck itself was a lovely sight!
Giant rabbitfish adorned the wreck…
Indeed, the four dives was like a feast to me. It was a surprising discovery, the sites were marvelous and the wrecks added color to this random trip in Puerto Galera.
Promise for Return
Angel and I was impressed with the sites, we promised for a return perhaps not sooner but eyeing for Verde Island next time. The Lord was generous again with such luxury. Just last February, we were flying over Mindoro from Apo Reef, I recalled he was saying he is interested too with PG but I said vaguely we will do it sometime. I never planned for Puerto Galera but it was a wish coming true for Angel. Unplanned yet we were not disappointed, it was a remarkable experience.
Travel Notes:
Sabang is 5.5 kilometres from town proper of Puerto Galera and can be reach by jeepney.
Puerto Galera is 48 kilometers from the City of Calapan, about 1 hour & 20 minutes by van.
Sabang can be reached by boat direct from Batangas City port about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
My route for this trip was: Manila – Batangas – Calapan – Puerto Galera – Sabang.
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!
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!
Life in the Great Beyond 
You must be logged in to post a comment.