Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal are well-served destinations in terms of professional diving services, but other areas are also starting to emerge. Mati, for one, has a huge potential for diving. Hopefully, continuing promotions will help boost scuba-diving tourism in the rest of the region.

The video promotes many activities to be experienced in different parts of Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental. I like how the DOT-11 people have done it, complete with the official domestic jingle of the current It’s more fun in the Philippines campaign of the national government.

Kudos to Mr. Boncato & his team!!

Magnificent nudibranch @ Villa Amparo

We were pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t much trash to collect underwater after all! Later Villa Amparo’s Jerico Santos told us that they actually carry out regular sweeps of the beach to get rid of plastics and other stuff floating in front of their resort.

The coral cover in front of the resort is very much alive. You can enjoy the area even just snorkeling. Starting from as shallow as 10ft and down to about 60ft (18m), large soft coral heads abound — mostly mushroom leather coral. The problem was, when we were there, the site was heavily silted so the viz was terrible. I hope to be back there when the water isn’t turbid.

After a delicious buffet spread for lunch, the boatload of divers went to one of Samal’s best muck-diving sites: East Point, located in Bgy. Tagpopongan. It’s actually much better than Dayang Beach, but I hardly get to go there because it’s rather far.

East Point features a sloping sandy bottom from 40ft (13m), with an interesting mix of white and volcanic sand… and mud. I’ve been there only thrice and each time I only stay relatively shallow, because everything worth seeing for the underwater macro-photographer is between 40 to 70 feet deep.

Flamboyant cuttlefish

The sandy bottom area is connected to a wall, which features majestic sea fans and large gigantic coral. Hyperactive parrotfish, aggressive triggerfish and other colorful fish can be seen there, as well as marine turtles. A group of us spotted a hawksbill turtle that day.

I didn’t see the pawikan, but I did get to interact with a pair of flamboyant cuttlefish, spotted for me by one of my dive buddies, Rex. That was my first time to see these rare creatures, and they put on an amazing show of brilliant colors for me. (Of course, that was because I was annoying them!)

I was also very happy with the dive because I was able to add three species to my steadily growing collection of nudibranchs:

(Thanks to veteran diver Chiclet Gerochi for the Chromodoris albopunctata photo!)

Painted angler

Another treat was a painted angler, spotted by frogfish-lover Christian Te. It was at a depth of 50ft or so, sitting on a mud slope. Christian, who stayed with it for a good 20 minutes, said he saw it gobble up a fish!

The muck-diving area of East Point is almost totally devoid of coral, but you’ll see a few outcroppings of small coral communities trying to rise up out of the silt and sand. It might be an environmentalist’s nightmare, but most certainly a muck-diving photographer’s dream dive site.

In fact, I’m planning to organize an event which will bring photographer-divers from all over the country to this dive site sometime soon. I’d like to help put Davao Gulf firmly on the Philippine dive map once and for all!

We did two day dives and one at night, with a brief stop at the family’s beach resort on Talikud Island, Leticia by the Sea. We were ferried — and closely trailed like a huge chase boat — by the M/B Leticia dive boat, and assisted by the crew and dive guides.

It was one of those dive trips that makes you go, “Ah…this is the life!”

The dive boat is what I’d call a luxury banca: she has enough space for 15 divers and their gear, without any danger of tanks banging during pre-dive preps. There’s an ample tub of fresh water for rinsing underwater cameras, too. But what I appreciate about M/B Leticia is her steady ride. She can be fast when need be, but she is also quite stable in rough seas.

Coral reef @ Mansud Wall

Our first dive was at Mansud Wall, Talikud Island. I like this spot for the richness of its coral cover, with lots of gigantic gorgonian sea fans from 70 feet (21m), and the myriad reef fish that abound in the area. And that day, the visibility was astounding! Times like that make me wish I possessed a couple of those powerful video lamps…

Here’s the highlight of that dive — a frogfish nimbly perched on a stand of sponges. (Not yet sure, though, whether it was the painted frogfish or the warty.)

We had lunch on board: lechon de leche from Beko’s Biik and homemade kinilaw na malasugui, plus a freshly-caught barilison bought from a passing fisherman. We lounged around while two non-divers in the group did their first discovery dive at Leticia by the Sea.

Two hours later, we were in 40 to 70 feet of water at Dayang Beach, the underwater photographer’s favorite dive site in Davao. I’ll let my latest pictures from that critter heaven do the talking:

However, the stars of the Dayang dive was this mesmerizing pair: two harlequin shrimp chowing on a leg of starfish. They were at a depth of about 45 feet or so, under a hollow outcropping.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Dayang Beach never disappoints.

We were supposed to go to Limao Reef for the last dive at dusk, to observe the brilliant mandarinfish and their unique mating ritual. But we missed the window and did a night dive instead. Limao Reef is off the western coast of Samal, at the island’s point closest to Davao City.

Broadclub cuttlefish

We observed the usual — nocturnal crab, lots of rock-boring sea urchins, sleeping fish, etc. I spotted a black-and-gold-colored squid the size of my thumbnail, but it was too quick for me. It hid under a barrel sponge as soon as I approached it with my torch. (Next night dive I’m bringing a red-filtered light.)

There was a rather huge cuttlefish, too. She was so docile, she even let us pet her. She changed colors and patterns, but not as erratically as I expected. She was about a foot or so long, and had an egg in her tentacles, if I’m not mistaken. She didn’t even try to escape or avoid us — we just eventually let her be after we had had our fill.

On our way back to Davao at around 8pm, we had some ice-cold beers on the boat while swapping stories of underwater exploits. There are very few things that taste better than beer after an hour or two underwater, don’t you think?

The efficient crew arranged our gear and rinsed the underwater rigs and generally made our trip a very comfortable one. What a way to go diving, huh?? Don’t think I should get too used to being pampered like that… but it’s something to experience once or twice. ;)

Blogie @ 200

This milestone took place last 3 March 2012 with my dive buddy and high school batch-mate, Rex Liao, and his son, Uno, at the Gato Island dive site. It’s about an hour away from Malapascua, Cebu.

This was actually the 2nd dive of the day, after we’d observed four thresher sharks at Monad Shoal. This time, we swam with whitetip reef sharks — inside a cave!

The first shark was in an alcove and surprised us as we turned the bend inside the tunnel. I was startled almost out of my BCD, but then I saw right away that the poor thing was probably more perturbed than we were.

Whitetip reef shark

In addition to the exhilarating novelty of interacting with these sleek, beautiful predators, I was able to finally free myself from claustrophobia on this dive. I successfully negotiated an underwater tunnel! It’s about 30 meters long (almost a hundred feet) and you can’t see the end of it because it curves to the left. (The last time I attempted to dive a cave, I almost lost it.)

I appreciate very much the skill and professionalism of our dive guide, Gino of the Fun & Sun dive shop in Malapascua. Aside from his amazing trim (I bet he’d make GUE instructors proud!), he responded rather effectively to my fear of enclosed spaces. He briefed us thoroughly about the tunnel, and what convinced me to go through it was when I learned from him that even three divers abreast would fit comfortably. And once inside, he set out to spot nudibranchs for me (I’d told him about how I loved them), and focusing on his finds kept my mind off those irrational fears.

Now I can’t wait to do it again!!

Speaking of nudibranchs, I’m very happy to say that I now have four new additions to my collection. Here they are:

On the 3rd dive of the day — my 201st — the boat, M/B Maarte, brought us around Gato Island to what Malapascuans call the “cathedral”. I think that’s because of the enormous and steep cavern that extends way above water at the culmination point of the dive.

Gato Island

There we saw six more whitetip sharks. One was inside a crevice through whose mouth I could barely fit my camera. I think the shark was getting himself cleaned while being “guarded” by cardinalfish.

Then up ahead, I noticed Rex and Uno gesticulating frantically at me. When I approached them, I nearly spat out my regulator as my eyes took in five more whitetips perched on the sandy bottom. One rose and left as we inched towards them, but I was able to catch the remaining four on video.

I’ve chalked up three species of shark in the span of a week. And then there are the yet-to-be-experienced hammerhead sharks that the dive shop folks say are best seen around April.

Here are some more underwater critters that we spotted at the Gato Island dive sites:

My 100th dive was at Maasim, Sarangani Province. I wonder where I’ll be on my 300th…?

My friend from high school, Rex, his son Uno and I dove the world-famous Monad Shoal off the coast of Malapascua Island last Saturday, for a glimpse of thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus). As soon as we descended to the “cleaning station” (about 80ft/25m), one magnificent creature had already made an appearance. He was gliding gracefully through the dark waters (it was still before sunrise and the sky was overcast).

When my group settled into our observation spot, another adult shark appeared, seemingly unperturbed by our presence. Then a third came, slicing through effortlessly, his whip-like caudal tail fin strikingly black against the bluish-green water. He swam towards the north, then doubled back, passed us and then circled the shoal until we couldn’t see him anymore. It seemed as if he was putting on a show for us!

Seeing those three from a distance of maybe 20 to 30 feet (6-9m) was mind-blowing! Here were large predatory animals, and there we were in their territory. Although I already knew that there was no danger of being attacked by these greatly misunderstood animals, it was still an adrenaline rush to be so near them!

Pelagic thresher shark

And then a fourth one shot past from behind us. I actually felt its wake somewhat as the sleek shark passed through our little group.

There are three types of thresher sharks, and we have two of them in Philippine waters: A. pelagicus and A. superciliosus (“big-eye thresher”). All three species have the distinctively long caudal fins, which they use to stun their prey. Even divers are stunned by how long their tails are! :D

These sharks pose no threat at all to humans. But we, on the other hand, have caused all three species to become vulnerable to extinction. Thresher sharks are hunted for meat, their fins, liver oil and even their skin (for leather). Why couldn’t we just leave them alone? If we kept to scuba diving and observing them from a good distance, we’d have a win-win situation.

Rex, Angel, TJ, Blogie

Talking to the folks at Fun & Sun Dive & Travel, the excellent dive shop that we used in Malapascua, I learned that each shark brings in US$1.8 million to the islands. It’s not hard to imagine, because tourists do dominate the scene there. (I actually felt like the minority when I first set foot on the island.)

The locals used to do dynamite fishing there — and it’s evidenced by the awful state of coral in that part of northern Cebu. But for several years now, Malapascuans have been giving the marine environment a chance to recover. For one, the dive operators are very strict about certain guidelines, such as no gloves or pointers allowed, and even no flash photography at Monad Shoal (harsh strobes of light apparently disturb thresher sharks). And, dive boats don’t drop anchor there. Mooring buoys are installed in the area and are religiously used by boats of all dive operators.

Blogie @ Malapascua

Dive operators collect a marine park fee of ₱150 per day of diving. I didn’t mind paying that at all, because I could see that the marine environment is actively being protected by everyone concerned. I wish we could see the same level of participation among locals here in the Davao Gulf someday soon…

Malapascua is a delightful little island. They have high-end resorts there, but also budget accommodations. I saw a pizza stand, a decent billiards place, a few unobtrusive souvenir shops, bars and restaurants. Some resorts offer free wifi. The island has electricity 24/7, and the plumbing is reliable (but please drink only bottled water).

Some describe Malapascua as like Boracay but without the noise or the crowds or the garishness. For starters, the place gets quiet at around 10pm. While we saw practically hundreds of foreigners when we were there, the island still had an idyllic charm. It’s much more relaxed there.

Other diving attractions: whitetip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks and rays (not sure which type though). They also have a good spot for underwater macro photography.

I can’t wait to go back to Malapascua! But first, other untried destinations await…

Whale sharks do come to stay in the Gulf of Davao: I’d seen several videos of sightings from as early as 2009 (c/o Carabao Dive Center and Maxima Beach Resort). And today — at long last! — I got to see one for myself.

It was a juvenile, because he was only about 5 or 6 meters long. Still, he was enormous!

We had just finished our lunch and were about to heave off from Limao Reef for the next dive site, when the boat captain of Datu Budas, “Intoy” dela Serna, suddenly came rushing from the back pointing to the water. The whale shark was swimming alongside the boat!

Gearing up in a flash, heart beating wildly, I jumped in and faced the largest fish in the world. A shark, no doubt, but one of the most gentle giants underwater. When I was fumbling with the camera, he was regarding me from just a few meters away. I wanted to shout for pure joy, but he took my breath away.

It was ecstasy watching the shark circle underneath our boat, maneuvering gracefully, and seemingly mindful of where my companions and I were. He seemed curious of us, as juvenile animals are wont to be, and allowed us to swim with him for a few blissful minutes.

Moments like this remind me of just how small we are in the global scheme of things, yet how heavy our responsibility is as stewards of the earth.

(More info on the Hawksbill Sea Turtle)

We’ve got to stop making excuses for them, that these islanders are simply trying to make a living. And we’ve got to stop thinking that one small purchase wouldn’t make any difference. The trade of sea shells is illegal for a very good reason: it’s there for the conservation of our fragile marine ecosystem.

The shell in these pictures is an immature Giant Helmet Shell (Cassis cornuta), still very young and a long way to go before it would’ve reached maturity. I have a photo of a full-grown adult, which I saw at a depth of around 80 feet [click here to view]. It was a magnificent creature!

Giant helmet shell

‘It’s a lovely collectible, a perfect souvenir from the sea.’ Believe me, it’s so much more beautiful alive and in the water — where it belongs!

These mollusks used to be plentiful in these parts. Now, it’s a rare treat for us divers to see them in their natural habitat. Who knows what kind of damage poachers are doing to our marine biodiversity as the shell population steadily decreases? If we keep buying these shells — the skeletons of underwater creatures — we perpetrate the crime: we become part of the problem facing the marine environment.

Crown-of-thorns

Another shell that’s been nearly wiped out from the waters around Samal is the Giant Triton (Charonia tritonis). This dramatic drop in population, due to overfishing, is one of the causes of the sharp increase in Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star (Acanthaster planci) numbers. These voracious sea stars devour coral polyps like crazy and can decimate entire colonies in a matter of days. Crown-of-thorns are aggressively predated on by the triton, but with so little of the latter left, divers have been reporting of “COTS infestations” at an alarming rate.

I haven’t heard of any method of encouraging triton population to surge back. But what I do know is that we should try our darnedest best to keep what’s left alive.

So, please, don’t buy sea shells.

According to Wikipedia:

A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade … of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. The clade Nudibranchia is the largest clade within the heterobranchs, with more than 3,000 described species.

Imagine that?? 3,000+ species, and more that haven’t been properly classified yet! With only 30+ in my collection right now, it’s always a thrill to spot new nudibranchs for my steadily growing archive! I sincerely doubt I will ever get to personally see even half of the nudibranch species… but, for me, it’s the small discoveries along the way that provide fulfillment.

Check out my collection to date (updated 28 Mar 2012):

I love spotting flabellinas — they look so extravagant with their dazzling finger-like appendages, called cerata. The first one I ever saw was the ‘much-desired flabellina’ (F. exoptata), but I didn’t have a camera then. It was during a night dive at Babusanta Beach, and there were three of those colorful critters on a hydroid. Months later, I was finally able to shoot a specimen, at Dayang Beach. (Update: I thought it was Flabellina exoptata that I spotted last January, but it turns out to be Phidiana indica. So the hunt for that much-desired flabellina continues…)

Aside from the pleasure they bring divers like me, nudibranchs are becoming a source of scientific interest, especially in the field of study involving toxins. In place of protective shells, nudibranchs make use of toxic chemicals for defense, and the process by which these critters achieve this has caught the attention of researchers.

The most common nudibranchs in the Davao Gulf, based on my experience, are those from the genera Chromodoris and Phyllidia. For example, I spot C. annae (Anna’s chromodoris) and P. varicosa (varicose phyllidia) almost every time I dive.

This hobby is quite rewarding. The challenges posed by species identification alone can take some time and effort. But when you do get to ID a first-time-spotted nudi, the satisfaction is palpable.

Also, down there while taking pictures, often it takes much maneuvering and tinkering with camera settings to get that perfect shot. Sometimes the nudibranch is not ideally positioned, and at times the underwater current gets too strong for comfort. But all these are learning experiences, not stumbling blocks. I remember my first few shots — my friend and u/w photography mentor, Shauming Lo, called them “documentation” pictures — they were awful. Now, thanks to my dive buddies and owing to those learning experiences, my pictures have improved a lot, if I do say so myself.

From now on, though, I will have to be fastidious about research data. At first I was only recording the date and dive site for each spotting, and then I started taking note of depths a few months ago. If my material is to be used meaningfully later, other pertinent information will have to be included: location description, environmental conditions (e.g. current, turbidity), specimen size…

I can’t wait to find more nudis!

Davao Reef Divers Club

On 31 January 2012, the Davao Reef Divers Club held its regular elections to put in place a new board of trustees and set of officers for 2012-2013. It is the longest-running dive club in this part of the country, and counts among its members divers of various backgrounds. It is also one of the forerunners in the advocacy for marine environment protection, through its scubasurero clean-up dives and, very recently, its drive to deploy artificial reef domes in Samal.

I joined the club only last July 2011, but I have been given the opportunity to serve as its president this term. My predecessor, Dr. Fred Medina, ably led the club to where it is now, and — and I am grateful for this — remains as a member of the board.

Joining me in the board is one of my regular dive buddies, Christian Te, who will serve as treasurer this term. The other members of the board are the following: Dene Hurtado (club secretary), Atty. Chuck Delgra, Ursula Galope, Shauming Lo, dive instructors John Neri & East Pardillo, and Keith Smith.

For this year, we plan to continue the club’s ongoing efforts to protect the marine environment (which is also part of my own involvement with the Save the Philippine Seas movement). Additionally, I would like to have scuba diving seriously recognized as a sport here in Davao. This move would help encourage more Dabawenyos to take up this worthwhile activity, and ultimately promote Davao as a diving destination. Needless to say, scuba diving can be a tool for promoting tourism in this part of the country.

I look forward to achieving the goals of Davao diving, and I thank my fellow dive club members for the trust that they have accorded me!