Island hopping and snorkeling day in Coron, Philippines

Old story. I wrote earlier in February something about wreck diving in Coron. The area is also great place for snorkeling and there are beautiful islands. Here is something from our island hopping day.

Our boat left from Coron town, which is the centre in Coron area. Some beach resort near the Coron town.

Our first stop was Cyc Island.

Mask, snorkel and fins and to the water. I Feeeel Good...!

Lyn snorkeling.

Second place was Coral Garden.

Same place under water.

Next place was beautiful Kayangan Lake. In fact it´s only hidden bay, but it´s called lake.

Not bad?

Same place from the view point. 

When continue walking the stairs down there is a real lake.

This place looks very cool under water. It´s like snorkeling in the stalagmite cave.

Small seashells.

Lyn dives.

And explores.

I have never seen this kind of rock formation under water before. 

I have everything "ok". 

Our next place was Coral Eden. There was a lot of mangroves.

Leaves under water.

Our last stop was Twin Peak Reef. There was also more fishes than other places. Some people saw there also turtle, but we missed it. 

I took small peace of bread to the water and I had a lots of friends.

Corals and fishes. 

Lyn was like a dolphin in the water.

Staghorn corals and reef fishes.

It was great snorkeling day in the beautiful places. Price for the full day trip was 850PHP/15,30€ per person including great meal. 

This was also my first real under water test for my new Canon Powershot G15 and Ikelite´s housing. Before the trip I tested the camera and housing only in the pool. Package seems to work well with out problems.

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!!

Similan diving safaris, Thailand

Best diving place in Thailand - that's how people usually describe Similan Islands. Similan National Marine Park was established in 1982. Similan Islands have nine islands and it's 100km from Phuket to northwest in Andaman Sea. Diving season is from October to May. Best time for diving is from January to March.
I have been diving on Similan three times. Twice on Similan diving safaris and ones on day trip. Best way to dive there is to go safaris. I was on diving safaris on Feb 2006 and Feb 2007 by Chalong Sea Sport. Diving safaris are very relax way to dive on Similans. Just dive, eat, sleep and relax on the boat. Usually the safaris have four diving days four dives a day and five nights on the boat.

The beauty of Similan is not only crystal clear and rich marine life. There are also beautiful islands and beaches. One of the Similan landmark is Donald Duck Bay. Name of the place comes from this stone.
Up from the hill opens great view to Donald Duck Bay. I'm on the top on Feb 2006.
Diving safaris on Similan are very famous and if you have been there one you know why. Visibility can be more than 30 meters. Lots of different place to dive and rich marine life. Turtles are common especially on the Donald Duck Bay area.
Huge rocks and boulders with swim through.
Lots of different kind of reef fishes.
Moray eels are common. Also giant morays.
There are also few wrecks. This is Atlantis X.
Chinese wreck.
Some places is possible to see also something bigger like whale sharks and manta rays. I haven't seen whale sharks on Similan, but mantas many places. Best place to see mantas is Koh Bon area like I say this one in Feb 2007. Manta was playing with us about 10min before it disappeared to deep blue.
So all in all. Similan is best place for diving in Thailand and it's really worth to visit!!

Deepest diving pool in the world - Nemo33, Brussels

Date: 5.4.2008
Place: Belgium, Brussels, Nemo33, Plongée Rue de Stalle 333
Depth: 34,4m
Dive time: 35min
Visibility: pool
Water Temperature: +33C

Equipment
Bottle: 10L/180bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit Weight: No weight belt

Have you ever dived in Brussels? Yes, I really mean the capital of Belgium. It's possible. There is one very special place called Nemo33. It's deepest diving pool in the world. It was opened in 1st of May, 2004.

I had a business trip to Brussels in April 2008. One of my diving friend lives in Brussels and he said take your mask and diving computer with and let's go diving in the weekend. Sure, why not.

When you come to Nemo33 you have to show your valid diving licence card and sign the paper. Same procedure like usually when diving somewhere with some dive operator. There are one hour time slot for the divers. When there is enough people in the group and previous group is in the end of the session it's time to go to dressing room to change swimming suit.

You don't need any of your own diving gears. Nemo33 has everything. Of course your personal diving computer is good to have and maybe your own mask, but that's all. Select fins, PCD, regulator, etc. Nemo33 has fresh water, so weight belt is not needed. Water temperature is like in tropic. It's +33C.

Gears up and to dive. There are different depths in the pool like 5m, 10m and deep tube which goes all the way to 33m. In 10m there is also tunnel with air pockets. Tunnel itself is quite shallow. About 1,5m. In the airpocket it's possible to stand, take regulator off from the mouth and breath normally.

Nemo33 has also restaurant and between the restaurant and pool is window. It's possible to see from under the water to restaurant and from the restaurant to the pool under water. I took this photo during the dive to restaurant.

Here my friend Antti is on the bottom of the deep tube in 33m.

I'm somewhere in the deep tube.

Nemo33 is interesting place and very good for training. It's definitely worth of visit at least ones. Here some great photos from Nemo33 in Scuba Diver Life.

Official web page of Nemo33.

Regards,
Mika