Tag: diving in philippines

Diving in Camiguin Again: Escape to Paradise

Diving in Camiguin Again: Escape to Paradise

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I had only one dive trip during the year and gratefully I did it in my favorite island, my dive buddy just gave in for that tryst!

That weekend escape was planned way ahead, and it was just right being so tight with work responsibilities. The third quarter had been laden with work plans that needs extra effort, and the depths therapy was needed to recharge. I don’t want to be in rush, so we head for the island on a Friday and commute like it used to be as real traveler. 🙂

It was “me” time so my accommodations was booked way ahead, the dives however was arranged while on our way and thankfully we got confirmed instantly without much fuss. It was a good decision to dive with Scuba de Oro, it was an exclusive dive for us as there were no expected guests on the day. Later in the evening after we took a leisurely walk around town – church to ask mass schedule, halo-halo treat at Viola’s, watch out the shores at the park near the Parola, search for VJandEP shop -we met up with DM Amir for some pleasantries and short briefing for the dives. He was too polite to drop us at La Dolce Vita for our dinner. Angel was craving for authentic pizza and pasta! 🙂

Amir was on the dot the next morning to pick us up, we need to drive further to Benoni as we we’re aiming for Mantigue Island. It was low tide so we need to wade down the water to get unto the small row boat and finally to the dive boat. The cheery weather was promising, but I was wondering if the school of jacks would be still be there since they’re morning critters. The dives concentrated on the island, it was good to be back.

Our first dive was at the Sanctuary aiming for the jacks, the waters was calm as expected. We geared up taking our time, in no time we went in giant stride! It felt good to be in the depths again, feeling weightless and at peace with the silence. Reef fishes just goin around as we slowly kick feeling the warm waters. In no time, the jacks appeared in great display barely moving. They have grown in number though I believe there are still that went astray from the school, and they are now bigger from the last time I saw them! There was triggerfish, anthias, wrasses and more reef fishes. Some sponges , sea cucumbers, whips and few androids. We spent a good 60 minutes with 29.7 meters as my deepest, my air down to 70 from 200 bars.

After an hour of surface interval, the boat headed for Turtle Point to watch once more those giant turtles . We entered in giant stride again and descended unto sandy slope, floating again peacefully watching and observing critters. In no time, turtles came after the other. The current was too mild so we just flow around, reef fishes still abound. We found a giant grouper! As we went shallower, I stumbled garden eels up on their burrows, I love these critters and got for some stop awhile just observing them going up and up! 🙂 We went up on a patch of corals for our safety stop until we signaled for ascent. I went 59 minutes with 20.9 meters as deepest, my air down to 120 bars. I was surprised of my low air consumption, but then it was a relaxing dive so it was good! 🙂 It was lunchtime when we surfaced, so we had some fellowship lunch with the boys.

After our leisure lunch, we sailed back to the shores grateful for the good weather and great dives. Amir brought us back to our lodgings in the Poblacion. It was another great escape in my fave island, the dives were just what I needed after a lull of more than six months. I was grateful too that my favorite dive buddy joined me, it was more than three years after our last dive before the pandemic era.

NB. Sorry, no underwater photos during these dives.

Home at Last!

Home at Last!

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After almost three years, I was back in my grand element!

Slowly, things went back almost normal midway last year and what comes to my mind was not to end the year without the depths therapy. The conditions were getting better and I guess my triumphs were worth celebrating underwater. The only realm where I could have complete peace and silence.

Just as usual, things just fell into place.

I planned for a year-end dive like I used to do in prior years before the pandemic, hoping my favourite dive buddy could come. So, my best choice was in my go-to dive shop which always welcome me with open arms and heart, this warm and homey abode always gravitate my senses. I don’t need to travel far and I can book anytime I need to. I booked two dives and an overnight stay at the dive shop, with a day tour for my team (office) and treat them for a picnic as our Christmas fellowship. Yeah, shooting more birds with one stone. It was Thursday and a holiday, I went alone as advance party and hoping to get my two dives without hassles. It’s been three years…

I left the city late from my usual timetable but nothing to rush, my host assured. The familiar quiet and relaxing atmosphere at the shop greeted me, it was drizzling. The front desk staff was too glad to see me, it’s been awhile he said, and was surprised to see me alone. After settling my stuff in my room, I hastily went down at the shop after some preliminaries and found the boys preparing the gears. I informed Sir Dong that I need some refresher dive before getting to the house reef. My regulator need some safety checks too, sir Dong was kind and had the mouthpiece replaced with no fee! :)

After a Long Break

After gearing up, we head for Red Sands off Sipaka Point for my first dive. It was already 3pm. The waters have calmed a bit going to low tide. My reliable dive guide (Boboy) was hovering from the by-side just to keep watch on me as I coyly went around. It was funny as Boboy signalled arbitrarily pointing his eyes to that something beyond and I need to take a second look, I can’t barely see micros as I don’t have my dailies! And I was wiggling to control my bouyancy when I get shallower, thanks to my wetsuit that totally dried up after more than three years of complete rest! but it felt so good down the waters – emersing in silence in a different dimension. There were trash I gathered as usual, a plastic bottle that almost fossilized lurking in between substrates and few shampoo sachets – gladly it had never deceived my seeking eyes. We surfaced after 60 minutes with my air still 90 bars, went deepest at 23 meters with 30% nitrox! It was drizzling as we sped back to the shores.

That was enough for the day, Sir Dong suggested to have another dive the next morning early and again there is no need to rush as I spent overnight in the resort. I had a good rest after having a quite dinner overlooking the pool. I regained my perfect balm from aching heart, grieving soul, dried up gills and itchy fins!

One Stone, Two Hits

I was up the next morning early to prepare and was praying hard for a good weather. My team at work would come before lunch for our team building cum Christmas fellowship at the picnic area. I need to pack too my stuff for check out after the dive, there wont be much time if done later. I rushed down for my filipino breakfast, taking my time and went straight to diveshop as I was expected at 8am for our dives which was planned at the house reef! Sir Dong was already at the shop preparing his hi-tech cam , just glad he would be joining us in the dive. :) The skies was bit gloomy but just perfect as it wont too hot, it was 930am already and the waters has calmed going high tide.

We sped off for the floaters and anchored, with a giant step splashed to the waters!

Slowly inch by inch holding the line going down, there was nothing at first but halfway some chromis appeared wiggling coyly. The top of shoal is still colorful as ever. The unequalled diversity of marine life is simply engaging, swarm of damsels and chromis abound as we reached the hill.  A big red snapper appeared and I was wondering where the black snappers have gone, The black corals and a variety of hard and soft corals decorated the shoal.  The tangles of soft corals blocking my way felt like I was in the grasslands finding my way out. The pair of friendly octopus was new and a good find, I never had seen one before on the shoal. The pair was watching us and never went away and was observing us too. The perennial lions, chromis and wrasses still abound and it was a joy to find them again. The feeling of more than 100 feet below is still unequalled, weightless and floating peacefully with just the sound of my breath!

My dive guide signalled for ascent and I have to be dependent with him, I don’t have my dive computer as it was due for battery replacement. So, slowly inch by inch again we ascend holding the bouyline, I want to spend the last available minute still immersed in the waters. I went 33 meters deepest for 56 minutes, still with 70 bars at 30% nitrox! It was still gloomy as we surfaced but grateful for a great morning dive.

Sir Dong offered the diveshop for our activity, he said prophetically that it could rain anytime in the afternoon. I was awed he was so certain it would pour, that’s how sea people can read skies and feel the temperature. Then, my work mates just arrived on time after I was done for the post dive nitty-gritty.

The food, fun and laughter was just what we needed for the pile of work waiting back at the office. And it sure did pour and the diveshop was our great refuge! We left in good spirits after dark still drizzling.

I promised the resort staff I would be back soon for more dives. Very soon!

Madness in Mantangale 🐟

Madness in Mantangale 🐟

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Coming back in this little paradise always felt like coming home, this is my residence for diving and will always be. More than a decade ago, this was where I braved the rigors of basic scuba skills. Donning the gears and with that sweet breath of oxygen underwater for the first time in its waters, was unforgettable. The staff always welcomed me like I am a family. The homey comforts in MADRI was just perfect for our year-end (2019)dive escapade.

That weekend was perfect timing as the dive resort was not crowded, and it was relaxing as there was no need to rush to Mantangale.  Sir Dodong assured that tides would be right for dives by midday, thus our commute was just in right pace. We chanced again Russians for that day, a couple from Moscow who was still arriving to join the day’s dives.

As we waited for take-off, we had pleasantries with Sir Dodong, and had my regulator for some safety check as its mouthpiece too was due for replacement. The cheery weather was perfect with blue skies as we watched Camiguin Island over the horizon. A sight to behold, so mesmerizing! Relaxing at the dive shop with this view is such a wonderful gift of nature.

Lapinig Island

The Russians joined us finally at the shop and we rushed for the boat after we geared up. In less than ten minutes, we anchored for our first descent.  The surf was bit up drawn by the tide, our descent went smoothly unto sandy slope. The spot is haven for Christmas tree worms, they were all over massive corals in various colors. I had fun watching as they flop down instantly but few stood their grounds. There were lot of linkia laevegata scattered around, culcita, choco chip stars, fish juveniles over the corals, damsels, chromis, angels, bannerfish, moorish idol and anthias in varied colors.  We found some trashes though, mostly sachets of coffee and milk, fishing lines and nylon rope which I neatly rolled and tied up to avoid tangles.  There were craters as we roamed around and spotted an alibuag too! I noticed a hairy shrimp over the anemone cohabiting with clownfish. As we roamed, we passed coral field with lots of fishes hanging over, those mysterious crevices too, chances are critters were just lurking in the dark.  This lowly uninhabited islet looks ordinary and desolate but you never knew how diverse it could be deep down!

We ascend after 52 minutes with my deepest at 28.7 meters, with nitrox 30%.

Banaug Shoal

After a relaxing lunch, we prepared for our last descent at the house reef –always my favorite here in Mantangale.  The surf didn’t wane, it was necessary to hold the rope until the bouy.  Yes, descending to the shoal needs a line or you could end up somewhere else! Halfway, the resident midnight snapper started darting around as if to welcome us. It’s a lot bigger now! As soon as we got on top of the shoal, a large swarm of fish came around and I guess the resident creatures have gotten used to human visitors.  The rhythm of colors as they swarmed and wiggled on this shelter was a sight to behold, its perfect diverse environs is a nature’s wonder. Black corals abound, so with soft corals, whips, feather stars and more. We found nudis, giant clams, scorpion fish resting on table coral, lionfish, and moray eel! We went around, this time I went slow so that after a full circle it would be time to ascend before my NDL gets done.  Other divers were gone ahead including Sir Dodong, while our guide went up halfway and waited for us.  I have wanted to spend my last available minute before I start to ascend, so when my NDL was down to 1, signaled Angel for ascent and slowly as I could went up still looking down the mound.  I went 33.3 meters with 49 minutes as bottom time, still with 30% nitrox.

We speed off over the afternoon surf to the shores, with happy smiles as we unload to the shop. Two wonderful dives in one of our favorite sites.  Just enough to warm my diver’s heart.

After for more than a decade of diving pursuits, MADRI will always be my go-to abode. Essentially relaxed, not crowded, environment-friendly and not distant from my base.  Ma’am Nana is just a text away, always ready to accommodate my request even sometimes an exclusive dive for me if there were no other guests.  How blessed to have stumbled this happy place for my diving escapades without traveling far!  Absolutely, there will be more diving trips here in this homely corner of Balingoan, MADRI is always worth coming back!

Savoring Sipalay

Savoring Sipalay

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I rejoice every moment of peace in marine world!

Spontaneity… It sounds exciting to me especially if it is about travel and my last dive trip in April was one. Although my mind was set to revisit Pandan in Antique province to conquer the ever elusive Maningning Island, we succumbed to Sipalay City as alternative destination. Our DM was not available and the weather was unstable.  It was another long trip as it was necessary not to waste my ticket to Iloilo City from Cagayan de Oro. Took the early ferry to Bacolod, endure the long bus ride to the southern most town of Negros Occidental, until finally we had the tricycle ride to Punta Ballo at our refuge in Artistic Diving Beach Resort. The long day was filled with good tidings though, the morning rainbow while in Iloilo pier and the afternoon rainbow at the white beach were enough to cheer us up and took it as a promise of wonderful trip just like in the past.

Punta Ballo

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Somewhere over the rainbow!

Taking refuge in a dive resort while diving is always advantageous, there is no rushing to commute going to the site and there’s no need to carry heavy wet gears back to camp.  Artistic Diving Beach Resort sat along the west coast with an idyllic white beach, so the sunset always beckon at the end of the day. It has at least 14 dive sites including wrecks, and is just nearby Campomanes Bay. After eight months we were back, there was much to explore and we barely covered this unassuming city in our last visit.

Dive and Swim

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Punta Ballo is full of dive sites

After attending the Sunday mass at the city center and taking light breakfast, we gathered up our gears and met up with DM Dick at the shop.  And again, it was an exclusive dive for us! We aimed for MS Jojo for our first descent, it was a short twenty minutes boat ride to the bay. This boat was a small cargo ship for copra and other produce that sank in early 1980’s, they said exploring the wreck is somewhat tricky. It can be murky down there even during sunny weather, and so we were hoping that we could get at least a glimpse of the wreck. We back rolled and hold on to the buoy line together descending slowly until at 20 meters we saw obscurely a huge mass. We were very fortunate that visibility cooperated us and we tried not to disturb the water hovering carefully trying to cover as much as we can. Perhaps I was so distracted, I only saw a lionfish but never the spadefish that normally dwells on wrecks.  We lighted our torches but there wasn’t much to see, penetration was not allowed inside the wreck, the entire hull was still intact. We were biding our time until my NDL went down to 1! I signaled for ascent feeling sorry that it was too short and was just indeed a sneak peek underwater.  Later, I learned from my computer of my bad profile, I still had 90 bars of air with my deepest at 32 meters after a bottom time of 36 minutes.

After an hour for our surface interval, we geared up again for our next descent at Miami Beach which was a lot nearer from the diveshop, it was another boat dive. We descend the slope while maintaining our left shoulder towards the reef. We caught sight of an artificial reef of concrete slabs filed on top of the other.  Indeed, it became a shelter and refuge of variety of reef fishes, we saw like two or three mounds of slabs all filled with fish.  There were glass shrimp, violet hairy shrimp lurking in soft corals and juvenile lion

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fish. There was a field of corals decorated with wiggling fishes, floating around wandering the waters. I sighted a COTS taking refuge under the corals. Just when we are about to ascend, we noticed a large lobster with its wiggling antlers.  I still have 100 bars air with bottom time of 56 minutes with 26.9 meters as deepest.

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Artificial reef became a rich shelter of marine life in Miami Beach

Trek, Swim and Sunset

We ended our dives early enough to explore more of the city which were missed in our last trip. One good thing about Sipalay is its remaining idyllic and still devoid of distracting structures that seemingly hide the natural beauty of locality.

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Overlooking the horizon from Perth Paradise

We hired the trike we had in the morning when we went to church, for our afternoon get-away.  Somehow, the locals always knew what to see, where to go next and what not’s.  Our first stop was at Perth Paradise Resort, we went around the floating catwalk wondering those hills on the waters like fjords. We climbed the steps up the topmost level at the pool admiring the stunning view.  The afternoon was scorching so we didn’t linger on but instead left hurriedly and sped off to Tinagong Dagat which was indeed hidden. It was all trek from the gates, crossing the rickety hanging bridge and climbing up the hill to the viewing deck.  The view was stunning again, the green mountains over the blue waters – it was all glorious!

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Watching Tinagong Dinagat from the hilltop view deck

There’s one remote beach that tickled my curiosity since I first came in Sipalay but unfortunately left hanging for next visit.  I was imagining the reddish horizon over the waters as the sun sets.  Unbeknownst to us, going to Sugar Beach was not an easy one. The dirt road was potholed so the ride was a bumpy one as we sped off to catch the colorful sunset and finally hopped to a short boat ride crossing the river to reach the area.

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The colorful beauty from Sugar Beach, how magnificent!

And indeed, everything was crude – place was utterly untouched by modernization. We were able to explore a bit as we waited for the sunset, and swam enjoying the warm afternoon waters. Purely idyllic, almost devoid of people and there was no rushing as we watched the horizons turning from golden, to fiery reddish, orange until it mellowed to pinkish.  Such wonderful display of nature.  It was already dark as we rushed back to the city center and finally, to the dive resort.

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You can never miss the sunsets of Punta Ballo while in Artistic Dive Resort!

If given a chance to be back south of Negros Occidental, it would be Sipalay, the rural and picturesque attractions coupled with diverse marine life is a perfect combination.  It could only take a rich underwater world for me to love a city or a “punta” for that matter!

A Decade of Wonders and Wanders

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“The sea, once it cast its spell, holds one in the net of wonder forever.”
~Jacques Yves Cousteau~

Last year was an important milestone being in my tenth year of this intoxication, apparently, the lure of the marine world has never waned and after such time still the intoxication is very much alive. The allure is clearly stronger than ever.  And again, it always felt beautiful lifting me occasionally out of the realms of everyday into something otherworldly, getting into nature in the raw, somehow gaining a deeper sense of my own humanity in the process.  It is humbling and felt privileged to have explored in part the mysterious yet interesting marine world. This enriching experience had maintained my equilibrium.

Ten years wasn’t very long but the journey is long enough to realize that life isn’t what should be as planned by the Creator without experiencing the underwater realm. The planet is composed more than 70% water, unmistakably it must be understood deeply so that all forms of life shall survive. Getting into the water is the only means we humans will understand how fragile and important is our oceans for our subsistence.

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Just as it is, my dive trips were taken slow but persistently – one dive at a time so they say, learning from every descent and felt so blessed I sustained this madness. Last year, just in time for that anniversary I logged in my 200th dive! Although, exclusive in this country I have no regrets, being in the tropics I can dive whole year round without worrying about cold waters. And all these sites are slices of paradise without doubt, each of them have its own attractions and what a joy! Together with my buddy we searched the far corners around the islands, to our surprise there are lot of unknown sites in diving map that are at par with touristy ones if not more rich and astoundingly unspoiled – Bongao, Cortes, Maasim are just few of towns in Mindanao or Anini-y, Siquijor, Pandan in the Visayas – that have their own sanctuaries and have endeavoured marine protection awareness in their local communities. Or even watching the majestic Mt. Mayon over the horizon as you surface from a dive. And yes, always yearning to be back in this marine world heritage site in Sulu seas – the Tubbataha Reefs!

P1060799Diving, like any other sports requires good health and lean physique necessary enough if not to be agile for the rigors of dive trips. In other words I need to be conscious about choosing wellness which is more than about eating.  I just thought lugging extra pounds in my body is not what it take to be a scuba diver, being heavy is a no-no  for aquatic pursuits and that needs no explanation.  That’s victory for me in a way, I’m still using until now my dive gears I acquired after I got certified – after ten years it’s almost tattered but it’s more than proof that its purpose was maximized. It’s more than just economics, it’s an evidence of healthy lifestyle!  🙂

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Silence is something that has almost ceased to exist in this world, and diving become my escape, that deserted place where I could be silent and momentarily be in a different biosphere. You get down unto the depths and it’s absolutely quiet there apart from my own breathing, there is complete silence. Undoubtedly, the spirituality benefits of diving got me to the core, like that holistic consciousness of my existence, very few activities that could match this dimension. I admit and I mentioned this over and over again that diving has become my de-stressor after these years. I believe the Lord has led me to the restful waters that refreshes my soul.  The blue world has been and always be my inspiration in this journey. And I know I shall dwell in this perfect contentment for years to come!