Putul and Crossing in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

I had a weekend trip from Manila to Puerto Princesa and I dived there two days. Here is something from the first diving day.

Dive #: 248
Date: 13.6.2014
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Putul
Depth: 28,6m Average: 20,7m
Dive time: 38min
Visibility: 20m
Sea temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/220bar (air)  Wetsuit: Only shorts and sleeveless  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stingray

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center

On our first dive in Putul we saw something new what I haven´t seen before. It was cow tail stingray.

It was quite big one. 

I have dived in Putul many times, but I have never seen there sharks. This time we saw two whitetip reef sharks.

Same shark before it disappeared.

Corals.

Nudibranch.

Dive #: 249
Date: 13.6.2014
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Crossing
Depth: 20,4m Average: 15,8m
Dive time: 42min
Visibility: 25m
Sea temperature: +28C

Our second dive spot was Crossing. Nudibranch.

Small fishes on the reef.

Clownfish try to hide.

Some kind of sea worm.

There are always big school of fish in Crossing. One common spice is grant fishes.

I have dived in the both places many times and I know the dive spots already quite well. Anyway cow tail stingray and shark was nice surprise this time. 

Regards from Manila,

Mika

Bunaken Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

North Sulawesi in Indonesia has amazing coral reefs and deep walls for all level of divers. Bunaken National Marine Park is great place for diving, but the area itself is also very beautiful. There are five volcanoes, beautiful islands and of course Manado City. From Bunaken Island you can find also Living Colours Diving Resort. Resort has own peaceful place with sandy beach near the mangrove. I was there in September 2007 and I will never forget it.
Easiest way to go to Bunaken is first to fly from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to Manado and then take a boat to Bunaken Island. Boat trip from Manado to island takes about 45min. If you go to Living Colours Diving Resort they come to pick up you already from Manado airport.
Dive Resort is very relax place and owned by Finnish couple. Resort has nice villas on the top of the hill and there is also very good restaurant.
One thing which I especially remember from Bunaken dives are huge turtles. Many times turtles are sleeping on the wall. Blacktip reefshark are also common near the walls.
Banded seasnake.
School of fishes.
North Sulawesi is also well-known of muck diving. Different kind of nudibranches are very common.
Even nudibraches are smiling in Bunaken.
Near Manado City lies old Manado Wreck.
After dives in the evening Safety Stop Bar is THE center point in Living Colours.

People who has visited in Living Colours remember for sure the evenings. The master of ceremonies himself is bartender Freddy who is funny guy and good singer. Dive masters play guitars on the beach and Freddy sings and serves the cold drinks and everybody has good time.
I fully recommend to trip to Bunaken and Living Colour Dive Resort. It's not only diving, but the whole atmosphere and feeling. Great place indeed!!

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

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.
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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.

Batu Bolong and Manta Point, Komodo

Third diving day at Komodo area. First one was Batu Bolong and second Manta Point again.

Dive #: 199
Date: 16.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Batu Bolong
Depth: 26,8m Average depth: 14,9m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

Dive Center: Dive Komodo
Price: 30€/dive

Here is very rich marine life like seems to be everywhere in Komodo area. Scorpionfish.
Whitetip in the bottom. I went very cafefully closer, closer, closer and finally I was next to "her". I have never seen before whitetips have "holes" in the skin.
Napoleon.
In the end of the dive there was lot of anthies.
We saw there also turtle, fusiliers, moray eels, giant trevallies, nudibranch, etc. etc.
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Dive #: 200
Date: 16.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Manta Point
Depth: 15,2m Average depth: 10,3m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +29C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

If Manta Point was amazing on the first time it was also on this time. Manta Point is very near of Batu Bolong. After first dive we came immidiately to Manta Point area. What we saw there was something out of this world. About ten mantas swimming in the surface in the line in the same time. In one place there was a very tight group of four mantas swimming like in the diamond formation. There was still about 30min before next dive so everybody went snorkeling. This photo I took when snorkeling.
Breafing for the dive.
First 20min was quite boring and we just drifting with the strong current. Then the funny part started again.
This manta was totally black. Stealth.
Two mantas together.
I'm near manta and just taking photo. Big thanks to Petri Kolmonen about this photo!
Great dive again! There are several Manta Points in the world, but this one is The Real Thing!!! Last dive was my 200th dive.

Regards,
Mika