Tag: MADRI

Night Diving, Anyone?

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These night time dives into the coral world teach us a great deal by showing us a new aspect of what we see during the day.  For marine life exhibits, in those magic hours of darkness, the fullness of its wealth.   ~Jacques Yves Costeau~

Corals spawning during dusk

As a novice, I thought diving at night was too dangerous and uncanny, and doing it will require much courage in its truest sense.  My turn for such experience was two years later after I got certified for the OWD course.  Although it was an optional dive for the AOWD, I chose to undergo it with the recommendation of my mentor.  I trusted his judgment that I can do it, confident that he will be with me for the dive.  I made it without him though, he entrusted me to equally able divers who have become my friends too.  It was a completely different experience, I promised myself to do it again!

The darkness can be a limitation but there is nothing to be scared about it, in fact night diving is more relaxing than diving during the day.  It is because, extra care and proper preparation is necessary – familiar site, comfortable gear, favorite dive buddy, shallow areas and definitely no diving in difficult conditions.  Diving at night is slow and steady, thus this pace makes it very relaxing for many divers.

Sleepy green eyes….

My few night dives has been pleasant, my dive buddy and I see to it that we are pretty conditioned for the extra activity during the night after our day dives.  My three night dives after my lessons with my mentor, were all with my favorite dive buddy.

  • Agutayan Island, Misamis Oriental   22 June 2009

Just a month after my AOWD lessons, planning for three dives I requested my mentor for a night dive, though informing him that my dive buddy is not certified for such.  He had no qualms about it, I remembered my dive buddy was worried for me more than for himself.  It was wonderful, variety of night critters showed up and I was amazed of the night organisms that glow in the dark.

  • St. Peter’s House Reef, Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte     20 March 2010

My dive buddy and I decided to have a night dive when we went to Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte.  It was a different experience as we were in a different site totally new to us. But I did stupid mistakes before we could descend, it was a shore entry.   Like losing my mask twice while struggling with my tank, my buddy have to search it for me.  We were in the waters when I had difficulty controlling my buoyancy, we went back to the shore for more weights.  But once down, we were treated with the variety of marine life in the area, we stayed 58 minutes in the waters – that’s almost an hour!

Crab lurking in its chamber
  • Talisayan Shoal, Misamis Oriental     23 July 2011

This night dive was a filler after we missed the morning dive schedule of the resort, it was just our second dive for the day so we still have enough energy and we look forward to it.  The site was totally new to us but I think we were confident enough for it, and I guess too excited to discover new sightings.  My dive buddy and I were left alone as we explore on our own in the darkness, we were down for over an hour!  The night critters abound in the area and the bioluminescence struck me once more….

  • Apo Island – Southwest, Mindoro     25 February 2011

My dive buddy said it was not a night dive technically, but we descend at 5:48pm and had our torches on until we ascend at 6:34pm.  Our aim was to maximize our time while at Apo Reefs, thus do three dives despite the limited time.  The refilling of tanks took much time thus the additional time requirements.  Watching the pinkish horizons as we descend was so calming and the display of pelagic, plus the friendly turtle was a real treat in our last dive.

The feather star looks different at night!

Indeed, diving at night is completely a different experience – wonderful experience I must say.  When dark falls, diverse species come out – those that can not be seen during the day dominate the reef like crabs, shrimps or lobster and even octopi, barracuda and shark.  The coral reef at night is a strange place.  And there’s one moment I wanted to witness again – the spawning of corals as it release thousands of bundles of eggs and sperm – it look so alive. An undeniable truth that corals are animals and not rocks as mostly perceived it to be. I think I need to have one night dive before the year ends!

NB.  Photos courtesy of Angel using Olympus Tough 8000 with PT 045 casing.

Talisayan: More than the Usual

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colorful depths of Red Sands!

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!

NB.  I use Lumix TS2 with Ikelite casing.

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