Putul and Crossing, Puerto Princesa

Today I had a two dives in Puerto Princesa area. First was on Putul which is known also as a Broken River. Second dive was on Crossing.

Dive #: 216
Date: 29.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Putul/Broken River
Depth: 27m
Dive time: 31min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 4Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/55€ (2 dives)

Some photos from the dives. Lionfish.
Huge fan coral.
Lobster hiding under the rocks.
On this dive my regulator was leaking badly and that's why dive was only 31min. Problem was fixed for the next dive.
---
Dive #: 217
Date: 29.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Crossing
Depth: 18m
Dive time: 47min
Visibility: 10-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 4Kg

This looks like a giant mushroom.
Nudibranch.
Clownfish family or "Nemos".
Different kind of nudibranch.
Second dive I saw also mantis shrimp. It went under the rock to hole and I tried to take photo, but camera just couldn't focus to correct place. I tried many times, but no. This time it was mission impossible.

Snorkeling with whale sharks, Palawan

Date: 28.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Honda Bay area
Sea Temperature: +30C

Equipment: Mask, snorkel, boots, angle weights, fins, camera with housing
Today was first whale shark trip on this season here in Puerto Princesa. Last year I did four whale shark trips here in Puerto, so I already knew this today what will happened. Boat left from Bay Walk about 8am and direction from Puerto Princesa Bay to open sea. Just before bay opens group of dolphins came to swim near the boat.
After dolphins we continued to search whale sharks. Boat rode long way and we didn't see any sign from whale sharks. Finally we saw birds in the surface taking small fishes. It was almost lunch time and it was very hot day everybody went to snorkeling and refreshing. When snorkeling there was big school of small fishes. Guys on the boat told whale sharks eat plankton, but also these same small fishes.
Nice reflection in the surface.
Same group closer.
Here sun is in the different angle.
Visibility was very good, but no whale sharks. Sun rays.
After snorkeling we had a lunch on the boat. Fresh fish, rice, mango and so on. Good lunch.

After lunch it was time to continue searching. Many customer already though no whale sharks today. So did I. Then I heard tour operator, Mr Whale Shark, Toto's wonderful words. "Whale shark, whale shark..."! Fins, mask, snorkel and camera quickly and jump to the water. Whale shark was very near me. It was young and small...or small for whale sharks. About 5 meters.
I tried to go as near as possible, but I couldn't go any closer.
Finally it dived and disappeared to deep blue.

So, on first trip of the season we had luck and also bad luck. Luck, we saw whale shark. Bad luck, we saw only one. Anyway it was great to see these majestic creatures again!!

Regards,
Mika

Light House and Finger Rock, Puerto Princesa

Today I had a two dives in Puerto Princesa area. First was on Light House and that's was also first time for me. Second dive was on Finger Rock.

Dive #: 214
Date: 27.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Light House
Depth: 29,5m Average: 17,7m
Dive time: 52min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 4Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/55€ (2 dives)

Blue-spotted stingray tried to hide.
Eyes closer.
The arch, landmark of Light House. I'm just under arch.
DM Dani in the sun at safety stop.
On this dive I tried 4 kilos in my weight belt instead of 5kg. Diving felt good with 4kg. In the safety stop my BCD was empty, so 4kg is perfect weight for me.
---
Dive #: 215
Date: 27.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Finger Rock
Depth: 16,1m Average: 10,6m
Dive time: 58min
Visibility: 30m
Sea Temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 4Kg

On this dive we saw many nudibranches.
Garden eels.
Two moray eels hiding.
What is this fish?
Small fishes on the top of corals.
Scorpion fish.
Today weather was just perfect. Blue sky and very warm day. Great day for diving.

Pete's Reef and Finger Rock, Puerto Princesa

Today I had a two dives in Puerto Princesa area. First was on Pete's Reef and second on Finger Rock.

Dive #: 212
Date: 22.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Pete's Reef
Depth: 27m
Dive time: 47min
Visibility: 25-30m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/55€ (2 dives)

In the beginging of the dive we saw few whitetip reefsharks in two small caves.
Teeth of the whitetip reefshark.
Pete's Reef is good place to see barracudas.
More barracudas.
In the end of the dive we saw hundreds or even more small jellyfishes. Browniesh spots in the picture are not dirt. Those are small, around 1-1,5cm, jellyfishes.
---
Dive #: 213
Date: 22.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Finger Rock
Depth: 19,8m Average depth: 12,5m
Dive time: 59min
Visibility: 20-30m
Sea Temperature: +27C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + t-shirt Weight: 5Kg

I have never seen this kind of nudibranch before.
My friend Petri is taking photo from giant puffer.
Moray eel.
School of yellow fishes. What is this species?
Yesterday I dived first time ever, that I didn't use wetsuit. Only shorts and t-shirt. Water temperature here is always 27-29C. Diving felt so good and light so I dived also today just using shorts and t-shirt.
I like it!

Diving on the Pete's Reef was great especially because of barracudas and sharks. Today I dived first time ever on Finger Rock. It was much better what I expected. We saw there also blue spotted stingray, marble ray (?), lots of reef fishes and corals.

Dipa Wall and Blue Ribbon, Puerto Princesa

Today I had two dives in Puerto Princesa in Philippines. First was on Dipa Wall and second on Blue Ribbon. I dived first time on these both places.

Dive #: 210
Date: 21.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Dipa Wall
Depth: 27,1m Average depth: 15,2m
Dive time: 55min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuite, short + t-shirt Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/50€ (2 dives)

Clown triggerfish has "trigger" up for warning: "Don't come closer or I bite you".
Clown fish.
Nudibranch.
---
Dive #: 211
Date: 21.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Blue Ribbon
Depth: 24m
Dive time: 64min
Visibility: 20-30m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuite, short + t-shirt Weight: 5Kg

Conch.
Some places were lot of reef fishes.
This was different kind of mantis shrimp what I have seen before.
Fishing net on the sandy bottom.
These shrimps were very tiny. Only about 1-1,5cm. I think some kind of cleaner shrimps, because they were so interested about me.
On this dive we saw also cuttle fish, lion fishes, big group of small reef fishes, different kind of clown fishes, hard coral, etc.

Maris Rock and Crossing, Puerto Princesa

Today I had two dives in Puerto Princesa in Philippines. First was on Maris Rock and second on Crossing.

Dive #: 208
Date: 20.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Maris Rock
Depth: 32m Average depth: 16,7m

Dive time: 56min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +27C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/55€ (2 dives)

Here is something what we saw there.

Nudibranch.
Cuttle fish.
Jaw fish eggs in the mouth.
Small banded sea snake.
Soft corals.
---
Dive #: 209
Date: 20.4.2011
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Crossing
Depth: 20,4m Average depth: 14,9m

Dive time: 49min
Visibility: 25-30m
Sea Temperature: +27C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5Kg

Moray eel.
Some places were big groups of different fishes.
Group of red tooth trigger fishes.
It seems we had too much time in safety stop. We took few photos and we had fun. First official group photo in the safaty stop. Me, Patrick and DM Dani.
After that was time to take few unofficial...First Mouley.
Here is Patrick.
And then my turn.
Diving is serious business! :)