Breakfast consists of the usual eggs on toast (we do like to be adventurous!) and then for the first dive, some discussion around ‘greenhouse’ as a potential site so we decide to give it at go, it turns out that what they meant was the site known as ‘gasang’, by the green house!
Dive #21
Gasang
24.4 metres / 71 mins / 28 degrees
We expected very little from this muck dive ( based only on previous experience) though were in fact rewarded with a few nice looking shrimps instead. Though generally speaking, in the scheme of things, there was not so much to see!
It had been suggested that we could dive Red Rock as a second dive, much excitement as this is a firm favourite of ours. So after the surface interval…
Dive #22
Red Rock
23.5 metres / 70 mins / 28 degrees
What an awesome site. Apart from the amazing underwater topography (it’s a big rock!) the fishlife was stunning with huge shoals of red toothed trigger fish, Sargent major fish, hatchet fish and cardinal fish.
A herd of shrimps on a whip coral, Cinderella nudi and the orange spiky one I like!
Back to base to dine on BLT and pasta carbonara then the wait until the 3.00pm dive so we busy ourselves reviewing photos and generally relaxing!
Dive #23
Mainit School
18.3 metres / 80 mins / 28 degrees
Here we search for nudis a plenty. Jo has camera issues which boil down to the inadvertent depression of a particular button which is soon resolved.
We see all sorts of nudies on this lovely dive.
Back to base for drinks and snacks and an in depth discussion (mostly between the ladies) on the subject of the menopause, no really. Later on and i venture into the changing room and they are doing the same, I feel so left out!
Dive #24
Mainit Corner night dive
22.0 metres / 66 mins / 27 degrees
As usual, this fails to disappoint. It’s just around the corner and is spectacular during the day and even more so at night.
So much to see, everywhere, lots of nudi action, a turtle, big Barracuda and many shrimps complete the scene.
On the way back there is so much more to see
So much more, so exciting that at one point, Jo had to share her air with another diver!!?
Back on dry land it’s time for showers, Prinks, dinner and bed.
Up at 6am, with less sleep than the previous nights, but so worth it. The blackwater dive was amazing, I have never experienced anything like it. Get in and choose your depth and off you go. Nanni was brilliant, like a comforting blanket and of course spotting creatures. We will be doing more.
After breakfast of egg in toast for both of us we head to the camera room for finalising the preparations for this morning’s dive.
This is the view from the boat this morning. Nice!
Flat as a dab.
Dive #17
Kirby’s Rock
27.7 metres / 60 mins / 27 degrees
We go in to the left of the dive site and swim across. We head out to the pinnacle, the top of the pinnacle is about 18 metres. The outside goes down to 40 metres. We swim around that for a bit and then head towards the wall, where we have a rummage around at the bottom of the wall.
The boat has moved and we get out at the top of the wall to avoid swimming against the current.
We saw a white leaf fish, nudis, and beautiful topography.
We head off to Aguhuta for our surface interval. Sunny now, a beautiful day
Dive #18
Aguhuta
21.6 metres / 74 mins / 28 degrees
Top of the reef is at about 5 metres then a slope until about 20 metres, then sand.
Had a close encounter with a large turtle while Richard was taking pictures of a psychedelic slug.
Later on, I moved in to take a picture of a wire coral shrimp on a wire coral, just as a school of poisonous catfish barrel through. Devastation! Sand everywhere! Grrrr!
Very relaxing dive.
Surfaced to clouds, wind and waves. That was unexpected. Would have taken a view from the boat but it was too tough and too much spray coming into the boat.
Back at Buceo, for lunch of BLT and pancit canton.
The time between lunch and the third dive was spent sorting through yesterday’s photos that didn’t get looked at. That took quite a while.
Dive #19
Bubbles
22.6 metres / 61 mins / 28 degrees
A little bouncy on top. We had to go round to the windward side of the peninsula as there was current on our side.
Coral outcrops leading to a wall.
One of Richard’s favourite sites. Viz was down a bit. We went straight down to the area that normally has a large amount of nudis, and today it didn’t disappoint.
We saw flabellinas, Janulos bubble slug, many others that we don’t know the names of.
The surface interval was spent in the lounge area, drinking coffee, or hot chocolate for those that could.
Dive #20
21.6 metres / 60 mins / 28 degrees
Secret Bay night dive
A sandy slope
Lots to see including a blue ring octopus, shrimps on wire coral, three separate beautiful risbecia.
A drink at the bar, chatting with Dude, Hans-Peter, Nicole and Christian.
Dinner was chicken adobo and pancit canton (egg noodles) with vegetables.
Finally we are organised (well, a little more organised than the previous days!) In as much as the alarm goes off, we get up, make and drink coffee, go down for breakfast and prep the cameras, all without incident or calamity!
This gives us plenty of rest and relaxation before the first dive.
Following last night’s success with adding our shorties to the dive kit mix, today we decided to change those up to the full suit (albeit only 2.5mm) which still leaves the option of the shorty on top.
Dive #13
Bethlehem
20.1 metres / 60 mins / 28 degrees
This is a dive on what is a flat bottomed channel between two pieces of land which is covered in broken coal where all manner of sub aquatic life can be found.
I could go on about the variety of critters we did find but instead I’ll turn my writings to focus on what happened immediately after I rested my wrist on a fire urchin…
Actually, all I’m going to say is that it smarted beyond your wildest imagination. Only those who have witnessed gall bladder pain first hand will have any comprehension of the magnitude of the pain involved.
There I was, rolling about the place in total agony and wondering who might rescue me first when I realise that everyone else is in front of me and facing the other way so I suffered in silence whilst nobody looked on.
Oh well, I’ll just rescue myself then, so for the next few minutes I just messaged my hands and wrist until the pain eventually subsided and then carry on as of nothing had happened!
After coffee and Oreos, we make our way across to Olympic for the next dive.
Dive #14
Olympic
22.5 metres / 69 mins / 28 degrees
Right next to the Olympic resort (which looks like it has been abandoned for decades) this dive is another flat plateau of broken coral which is accessed via a gentle slope from about 8m down to about 16m, the center of the plateau gets to said 21m in the deeper parts.
I find myself taking pictures of a candy crab which is hiding in the surface of a fire urchin, naturally I treat the situation with some considerable care, once bitten etc.
Back on board we head back to base for a spot of lunch. Before which our Swiss friends talk us in to doing a black water dive tonight. Essentially you are out in pitch black, over 100m to the sea bed and the boat dangle lights over the side to attract whatevers out there!!!
A full report on that later!
At lunch I mix things up a bit by having Pancit Canton with chicken whilst Jo sticks with the much tried and tested B.L.T.
Back to the room for a little blogging and sleeping before we head out on the afternoon dive.
Dive #15
27.1 metres / 62 mins / 27 degrees
Mainit Corner.
What an awesome dive what is already an awesome site. Significant highlights were the two shrimp on whip corals, it might not sound much to the casual reader but I really like photographing these things. There we are at 27m all over these things (pictures to follow).
The rest of the dive failed to disappoint too, including a close turtle encounter.
Back on land we consume hot drinks and biscuits whilst we contemplate our introduction to the black water experience.
At one point, a drone hovered above our heads so we posed and danced suitably as we knew it was our Swiss friend Christian, or so we thought.
Then we noticed the operator of the drone and it was someone else completely, oops!
Dive #16
20.4 metres / 61 mins / 28 degrees
Black water dive!
We head off for a 20 minute trip out to the deep water, over 100m deep so don’t drop anything.
For black water diving they set up a buoy which has a flashing light on the top and then a weighted rope which hangs underneath.
There are three collections of lights down to about 20m which is specified as the max depth for the dive.
We descend with our guide and basically circle the lights going anti clockwise at whatever depth you want and you look out with the lights behind you and wait for the critters to come along!
So there we are, floating around in the black and looking out into even more black whilst watching your depth and keeping an eye on the other divers (which you can actually see with light from the hanging lights)
The whole thing was simply amazing, there is so much stuff in the water, all manner of swimming things.
Lots of jelly fish and other floaty creatures. Jo found a tiny seahorse attached to a small leaf!
Seahorse adrift
Round and round we go chasing these things, such fun. Our guide has an under water laser pointer so he can easily attract our attention regardless of where we are looking.
The hour passed very quickly, we do our stop, surface add the boat picks us up. All super exciting, I would totally recommend it!
Back to base, albeit somewhat later than usual for Prinks and Dinner then back to the room to pass out!
First woke up just before 3am, but managed to get back to sleep. When Richard woke me at 6am I was in a very deep sleep and didn’t want to wake up. A cup of tea did the trick.
We have had perfect weather so far. Cloudy today, and very still.
We thought we would mix it up today by having breakfast before doing the cameras. I know, we like to live on the edge… Being unpredictable… That sort of thing…
Breakfast was the normal, omelette for me and two eggs for Richard, plus whatever meat is on offer. Didn’t mix that up, that would have been a step too far!
Dive #9
Viverye
24.4 metres / 62 mins / 28 degrees
Sandy slope with many sea pens and soft corals at about 25 metres
Richard was so proud when he found a seahorse. Then he realised that we were amongst a herd of seahorses, in fact we think that we will rename the site Seahorse Ranch.
Back at Buceo to pick up a new guest who will be diving with us. A french lady called xxx.
Sorted out some reading glasses to go on Nicole’s mask.
Dive #10
Manit West
24.4 / 68 mins / 28 degrees
A lovely dive site. Coral garden and coral steep slope.
We saw lots. A pink pygmy seahorse, an eel having its teeth cleaned by shrimps, a large white frogfish in a barrel sponge, lots of nudis, ribbon eels.
The funniest thing happened at the end of the dive. Nanni was pointing at something, and it took me a little while to work out what he was pointing at. Richard had a black featherstar attached to him… Right on his groin area! So funny, I laughed and laughed, Nanni laughed and laughed. Richard gently removed it. We laughed some more. Back on the boat I laughed so much again and so did everyone else when I told them the story. Been trying to work out how it got attached there… So funny.
Oh, and Nicole said that the glasses were very good, she could even see the pygmy seahorse. Result!
Same lunch as yesterday BLT for me and pancit canton with vegetables for Richard.
View from our balcony
We went for a swim in the pool before getting ready for the third dive of the day.
Dive #11
Arthur’s Rock
24.3 / 68 mins / 27 degrees
Coral outcrops with rubble lower down
Not feeling cold but kept thinking about the wetsuits we bought with us.
We saw shrimps on blue starfish, orange wire coral shrimp on a white wire coral, red shrimp on orange starfish, nudis.
A shorter surface interval now as we are the only ones diving. A coffee and chat with Nicole and Christian who are off to have a massage at six o’clock. Then we put on our shorties before heading out.
Dive #12
Elmer’s Point dusk dive
22.5 metres / 66 mins / 28 degrees
This is a beautiful site, but I don’t think that you see that so much in the dark but still very impressive. It is a point that seems to go down in layers.
We saw a beautiful juvenile batfish (black with orange edge) in an orange feather star, nudis, flabellinas, cup corals of all colours, some huge collector crabs similar to a rugby ball in size, shape and colour.
After showering, we had drinks at the bar catching up with Dave, Tiara, Nicole, Christian and Hans-Peter.
A lovely dinner of sweet and sour chicken, chop suey and fried rice.
The alarm goes off at 5.30, I think I should have changed that from yesterday, fortunately Jo remains silent, phew, looks like I got away with that one (later on it is revealed that I didn’t!)
Breakfast done (bacon day!), cameras prepped we head out to Kirby’s rock which ends up being lyag-lyag.
Dive #5
Lyag-lyag
27.1 metres/ 65 mins / 28 degrees
Big pyjama slug action at the end of the dive.
During the surface internal we had across to minilog
Dive #5
Mini log
21.0 metres / 82 mins / 28 degrees
Lots more is seen including octopus, nudis and shrimp.
The shower area is being refurbed over a couple of days so there is a temporary shower block in place whilst they mix cement and play with trowels!
Lunch was BLT for Jo and Pancit Canton (noodles) with veg for me.
Dive #7
Heidi’s Point/ Manit School
11.3 metres / 74 mins /28 degrees
In the PM, we head out around the corner to Heidi’s point for a muck dive (see previous blogs for a complete description of what that means) but basically we after looking for small stuff in what otherwise might look like a barran landscape.
I decided to try and capture the world of the skeleton shrimp. These minute creatures (not at all shrimp like) seem to spend most of their time fighting and eating eachother, honestly, their world does not look at all like a fun place!
Then, after a few moments, out of nowhere, in swoops the current fish so we decide to go with it!
We are headed out across the barran sand seeing Nothing much at all until, a rock, then another, then more and more and then, just as Nani (our guide) gets ready to deploy his SMB the current fish swims off without warning leaving us in what we quickly realise, is another well known site ‘Mainit School’ with which we are quite familiar (phew) where lots of colourful nudis are on display for our entertainment, nice!
When we surface (on SMB) we see that we have only actually moved about 50m and before long, the boat swings by to collect us, what an excellent dive that turned out to be.
Dive day #1 is seldom the best day for memorable shots, it’s more a case of regaining comfort with the cameras (or simply recalling exactly how the thing works let alone thinking about subject positioning and creative lighting etc etc), Dive day #2, not quite so much fumbling but still not totally in ‘the zone’ yet..
After a short break back at base for hot drinks and snacks, we head for the night dive at Twin Rocks’.
Dive #8
Twin Rocks Dusk Dive
22.6 metres / 67 mins / 28 degrees
Another spectacular bimble which, when dived at night we tend to stick to a smaller area but there’s absolutely no disappointment, more nudi action as well as small ish cuttle fish are all out to entertain.
I decide to take the new torch and oh boy, is it bright! However, I soon realised that the combination of holding a torch in one hand, the ‘stick’ in the other and commanding my camera and lighting system is one task too many for my limited number of hands so it’s going to stay in my pocket from now on and only used where needed!
We return to our base for a quick rinse then dinner which tonight consists of Baby Back Ribs, Coleslaw and fries (a bit of a sticky fingers meal) and very tasty it was too!
Feeling a little sluggish this morning. Very hazy and still this morning.
By 6 o’clock we are down in the camera room putting the equipment together. So pleased that we took time out before we came out to put everything together and checked it all. It made the task easy and uneventful. No one wants to find out half of their equipment is missing, do they?
In the restaurant for breakfast by 6.45, where we are directed to our favourite table. We don’t mind where we sit but it is nice that we are looked after like this, especially when the resort is full, as it so often is.
There is currently a mixture of two large groups, one Spanish, the other American, and couples and single travellers.
On our boat, Buceo 2, is Nicole and Christian, from Switzerland, who we met out here on our first trip after COVID, and Hans, a single traveller, from Germany. They are diving with Jenson, and we are, of course, with Nanni. Our captain is Ey Ekk and Saldy as crew.
Dive #1
Red Rock
22.3metres / 61mins / 27 degrees
Blimey, when we got in, it was green and a metre or two of viz, oh and a bit of a current. Richard was a little below so I followed Nanni down. We were on the side of the rock sheltered from the current, the viz had cleared to about 10 meters. We rummaged in the flat area before going to the outside of the rock then worked our way up the rock for a safety stop.
Aphids in blue tunicate, beautiful orange hermit crab, wart slugs, psychedelic slug.
Coffee and Oreos for elevensies.
So, the other guests want to go to Gasang…? Hmm not our favourite.. so we said we would go as long as there was no current…
Dive #2
Gasang
25.9 metres / 63 mins / 28 degrees
Sandy slope, no current.
Richard and I really should work on our underwater communication. I showed him a very rare hairy frogfish (back of the hand on my forehead with my index finger extended, moving up and down, then pointing at my hair) which he didn’t bother looking at as he thought I said scorpionfish (hand forward, nowhere near your head, fingers in a fist with little finger sticking out as if you are drinking a cup of tea, English style). Nicole is my witness that I definitely said hairy frogfish.
Very rare tiny hairy frogfish, small dark octopus, peacock mantis shrimp,zebra crab on a fire urchin, white ornate ghost pipefish.
Back at Buceo for lunch, Richard had kinilaw tanigue (raw fish) and I had BLT
BLT
At lunch, a bit of excitement(!?) was going on at the American table whilst we caught up with Dude and heard all about his recent wedding, new apartment and how wonderful married life is.
Had a nap before the next dive…
Dive #3
El Pinoy
16.8 metres / 71 mins / 28 degrees
Corals at the top and rubble lower down. A bit of current the further out we were.
We saw various slugs, beautiful pink scorpionfish
Coffee break at Buceo, chatting with Nicole and Christian.
Dive #4
Manit Corner – Dusk dive
18.3 metres / 73 mins / 28 degrees
One of our favourite dive sites
Fabulous during the day and at night. Very rocky topography covered in life.
On the way back to the boat, I had the added bonus of something stingy going up my sleeve. Ouch!
Lots of cup coral, a variety of slugs of different shapes and sizes, including more tiny Oreo slugs and flabellinas, shrimp on blue starfish, a black and white arrow crab on a black and white feather star.
After a very quick shower we are at the bar having a drink before dinnef. Lovely to catch up with Dave and Tiara.
Dinner was lovely, we had tuna sizing, mango and cucumber salad with fried rice.
Back in the room, I was sure that I would be able to look at the photos for the day. Not possible! Sleep took over…
We are well on our journey now – after a hassle free trip up to LHR with our trusty driver we were deposited at Terminal 4 and were able to walk right up to the check-in where everything went smoothly.
We elected to go straight through to the departure gates so after a brief stop in security, we found ourselves in the Duty Free area where, for a change, purchases were made.
Soon afterwards we are choosing a meal-deal and sit down for a mid afternoon snack. Now, when I say ‘deal’ – it’s no longer the £4.75 it once was!
We make our way down to our departure gate 6 and before long we are crawling on to the plane, we get our seats and thankfully the 3rd seat becomes occupied by a relatively small person. Leg room a-plenty we settle down and investigate the in-flight entertainment system – which is all different to the Etihad/Emirates/Singapore offerings.
After some searching I come up with a couple of films to watch and settle in for the entertainment. Disappointingly the people in the row in front of us were all big fans of reclining their seats at any and all opportunities. Fortunately the crew were very much on the case when it came to serving drinks and meals and seat backs were moved forward accordingly.
Dinner for me was chicken and rice but was super tasty, I chose well. Sadly Jo found her meal uninspiring 🙁
Back to the movies – and it seems that I dozed through the first one, watched half of the second one and then slept for the rest of the flight – jolly good!
All of a sudden they announce that we are landing in 40 minutes and what seemed like much less than 40 minutes, we were on the ground – Qatar cherry popped!
Initially the airport seemed relatively ordinary but when we got to the middle of it – it opens up into a gardened area on two levels with a spectacular waterfall, lots of greenage, all surrounded by the most expensive looking boutiques you ever saw – well, we wont be going in to those then!! I was quite keen on visiting Mr Ramseys Pizza place – Pizza at 02.00 my time? Why on earth not – still – we passed on by 🙁
Now hunkered down near our departure gate for the second leg to Manilla, only another 3hrs to go – fortunately – very comfy seats have been found – excellent.
We get called for our flight and soon work out that the phrase ‘calling all passengers on zone 1 only’ actually means ‘calling all passengers’ when translated to PHP and for flights in to Manilla it’s always advisable to get on board sooner rather than later unless you are happy to have your overhead locker space taken up with other people’s shopping. I mean why only limit yourself to one piece of carry on baggage when you can take five!
We get settled in, introduce ourselves to our neighbour and commence the journey.
Several good film choices later and perhaps a little dozing and we commence our descent into MNL
Passport control was not too bad, the usual back and forth queuing to get through the relatively short queue for international passengers and then it’s down stairs for the baggage reclaim adventure.
After seeing half an hour we have three port of our four bags but have to wait the full hour for the last one! (When checking in at LHR, our baggage got separated according to it’s size, weight and fragility and in distinctly remember the guy who took our camera box telling us not to worry and that it would most certainly be there for us in MNL when we arrived as we walked away leaving it sitting there on the conveyor and seemingly going no where!)
I should have more faith!
Soon we meet our driver Ernie and we are away!
It’s now around midnight local time and I’m trying to get some sleep but I don’t think it worked, even though I was laying down with my eyes shut I could tell where we were by the twists and turns we made as well as the frequency of the massive bumps and speed.
We arrived at the shoreside where one of the dive boats is waiting for us (in the dark!) and are greeted with several ‘welcome back’s and our (heavy) baggage is whisked on board and we soon follow.
A short trip around the corner and we have arrived!
It’s now almost two in the morning and now staff are there to greet us, our baggage is sent in various directions and we get to our room. Dive gear is hastily loaded into the crates provided and we collapse!
We have had a very wonderful, very long, holiday. We have done so much diving. We are now ready to come home.
As it was raining last night, we brought our jackets up to the room to dry under the fan (everything else will dry quickly) together with our rash vests and leggings. All dry this morning. It doesn’t matter too much as we have 40kgs each weight allowance.
Brendan and Vicky are diving this morning, they are leaving tomorrow morning to go to Manila for a few days exploring before flying home to Melbourne.
Darryl and Dianne leave tomorrow afternoon and flying home. Dianne did 12 dives and Darryl did 10 dives, less than half they were going for. Dianne is much better now although yesterday the rash came back and she was on oxygen again. She is cleared to fly.
It will be with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our antipodean friends.
After breakfast with Brendan and Vicky (no sign of Darryl and Dianne yet) we pack the camera stuff, say our goodbyes to Wendell, Jake and Nanny.
Camera area now empty
Then we see Brendan and Vicky off for their last two dives of the holiday.
Heading off with Joemar
We headed up to the room to pack but got distracted by the pool. Whilst bobbing, Darryl and Dianne come and chat with us. The story of how Darryl shot himself in the leg was one of the tales told. Always entertaining. How Darryl managed to make it into adulthood is one of life’s great mysteries!
Mostly packed now. Stopped for a quick wheat crunchy break.
About five wheat crunchies in a pack
Finished packing with an hour to spare before lunch.
Now enjoying sitting on the balcony in the rain.
Sensible photoDaft photo
Early lunch. Daryl and Dianne join us and shortly after that Brendan and Vicky come back from their last dives of the holiday. I had a BLT with fried and Richard had chop suey with chicken.
A final picture with the six of us.
We leave the resort at noon.
Nanny hiding under an umbrella and the others in the distance.
The weather is not so nice now. There is talk of a typhoon that could be here by the weekend.
On our way round to Secret Bay
Ernie is waiting for us, in the minivan.
It does make me smile, the sights that we see here that have become the norm to us. Whole families on one moped. Three adults on a moped and a goat in the side car. A woman on a moped, in the rain, using an umbrella.
Just before we get to the outskirts of Manila, we stop for a comfort break and buy some Pinipig-Ampaw to nibble on.
Jesus loves us. Good to know.
At the airport! Wow! The normal hours of extricating queuing did not happen. Out of the van, said goodbye to Ernie, checked in at one of the empty Etihad desks, cleared immigration, cleared security, all within half an hour!
After a quick search for a shot glass for Richard and Jack, we are now relaxing with a drink. Iced citrus ginger tea for me and a caramel latte for Richard.
Bo’s
Flight from Manila to Abu Dhabi was uneventful. I even got a bit of sleep. We arrived a little early so it is two and a half hours until our next flight takes off.
The transfer to the next flight was uneventful. As was the second flight from Abu Dhabi to. Heathrow.
We were collected from the airport by Ibo, who got us home in good time.
In the door by 9.20am. that made the trip, door to door, just over 28 hours.
Well, it was inevitable, the last diving day has finally arrived 🙁
Sunshine outside with a slight breeze though yesterday there was talk of high winds that would impose certain restrictions on where we could dive. Here the coastguard plays an active part in all boating activities. Each morning they collect completed paperwork for each boat, check the list of divers and crew and film each boat departing!
Off to breakfast shortly before we commence the last dives of the trip.
At breakfast it’s Bacon Day!!!
Dive #63 Elmers Point
After a brief trip around to secret bay to see the coastguard we search for a site with no current and end up at Elmers Point, milky at the surface due to earlier surge, the descent to 18m seemed to go on forever though it cleared by the time we got to the seabed.
Various critters found as we moved between the coral outcrops. By the end of the subs the vis had sorted itself out at the surface. Phew!
Dive #64 Twin Rocks
After the surface interval (fuelled by coffee, Oreos and sweets) we jump on at Twin Rocks where a Turtle is munching it’s way through the soft corals.
Lots more to see on this dive as we bimble around spotting nudi after nudi as well as other critters.
At the end of the dive we make the the short trip back to base for lunch, I had salt and peppee squid, very lovely.
Dive #65 Olympic
On the way across to this site we loaded through a shower of rain which has ceased by the time we arrived.
Our penultimate dive of the trip, this is a flat bottomed rubble area dive, the rubble is in fact just small coral and rocks.
Various nudi’s and shrimp present themselves asking the way including a mahoosive monster nudi trying so hard to look like a piece of coral.
After the dive we make our way a short distance to the south for our next dive, before which we dine one final time on Oreos and coffee.
Dive #66 Minilog
We start this dive at the opposite end to that which we usually do, it’s getting towards the end of the day and it’s quite dark but still plenty to see including a collection of cinderella nudi’s, always good for a picture, large pink bodies and bright yellow gills.
As we get towards the surface we can see that it’s raining quite heavily. When we do break the surface it’s a lot warmer in the water than out though we cant stay in, diving is done, it’s all over, time to get back to base.
On the way back, multiple towels keep us cosy and before too long we disemvark for the last time.
At the bar we commiserate with our friends who are leaving a day or so after us and then head off to dinner such was a lovely combination of Tuna Sisig, vegitables in coconut milk and rice, all very nice.
It’s still raining so we take our wages dive gear back to the room where magically, overnight, the air con (which we barely have on) managed to remove all the water from it. Handy!
It’s raining. Has been windy overnight but that has decreased somewhat.
Also, I have a bit of a runny nose and a tickly throat…
After breakfast we set out to the other island to shelter from the wind.
Dive #59
Daryl Laut
Casino wreck
A very gentle descent. Ears clear but a bit of pain in my right cheek. I was very careful about not going up and down too much. At about 22m when I turned to look at Richard my head spun. Best not look at Richard!!
A gentle assent back to the boat.
We saw lots of nudis, including a psychedelic and the wreck obviously.
We went to Aguhuta for our safety stop. Coffee, Oreos and lollies.
Watching divers from another boat who appeared to be doing their PADI open water. Most interesting. Looked like six or seven students to one instructor.
Dive #60
Aguhuta
The first thing we saw was the divers from the other boat, one of which was standing on the reef and the instructor adjusting his BCD. Wow!
Again, a very gentle descent on coral outcrops on a slope.
We saw all sorts of critters including porcelain crabs in anemones, more psychedelic slugs.
At the end of the dive my mask started to fill up. So I cleared it and something stung my eyeball. Cleared again, stung again. The pain was awful. I told Nanny that I was going straight up (stop already done). At the surface I took my mask straight off. Rubbed my eye and the eyelid had been stung. It was red and puffy for a little bit but did calm down quite quickly.
Back to the resort for lunch BLT and fries for me and chicken with noodles for Richard.
Just us on the boat this afternoon. We head out about 1.30pm
Dive #61
Bubbles
A bit of current, not my best dive, not feeling too great.
I spotted a green painted frogfish. We also saw many nudis and shrimps.
The surface interval was spent at Mainit Corner. We tied on the back of another Buceo boat. Jerich from the other boat came over for sweeties.
Dive #62
Mainit Corner
Fabulous dive. Just us and Nanny on the dive site. Divers in the other two boats had got out by the time we got in.
Such an amazing dive site. The topography, the colours, the critters. Amazing!
We saw a dragon shrimp, a huge swimming scorpion fish, many nudis, some large some small.
Once we got back to the resort, I spent an hour relaxing in the room whilst Richard was entertained by Darryl and Dianne at the bar.
When I came down we had dinner. Two lumpia, sweet and sour chicken with fried rice.
After dinner, photos. We got some nice shots today.
