The Wall and Ribbon Eel in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Dive #: 256
Date: 26.9.2015
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, The Wall
Depth: 30,7m Average: 15,2m
Dive time: 55min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air)  Wetsuit: No wetsuit, only shorts and sleeveless  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

Dive Center: Dive Puerto Princesa
Price: 3300PHP/63€/2 dives

I visited last weekend in Palawan and of course I had to go also diving. I went to dive with Romel, who is the owner of Dive Puerto Princesa. Romel is also PADI instructor. There was nobody else, so had two relax dives just a two of us. 

This was my first dive for 7 months, so even being on the boat felt so good. 

Romel had a special outfit on the first dive. 

Everything is ready and to the water.

In the beginning of the dive we saw many feather corals. 

Here is a black one.

Different kind of soft coral.

Romel and big fan coral.

More feather coral.

Red teeth triggerfish tries to hide.

Nudibranch.

Guard of the nest.

In the end of the dive we saw one turtle, but it was quite far and much deeper than we.

Dive #: 257
Date: 26.9.2015
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Ribbon Eel
Depth: 22,8m Average: 13,7m
Dive time: 56min
Visibility: 15m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air)  Wetsuit: No wetsuit, only shorts and sleeveless  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

In the beginning of the second dive we saw several nudibranchs.

There was also two blue-spotted stingrays, but I couldn´t go near to take any close-ups.

This white eye moray eel looks quite funny. 

Same guy.

Yellow margin moray eel hiding.

Lionfish on the top of brain coral.

Nudi couple.

Ready to escape.

Yellow head moray eel mouth open.

Same moray closer. 

It was so nice to dive after 7 months. Just too long break. It´s anyway so easy to go diving also here from Manila. Hopefully soon again.

Special thank to Romel!

Regards from Manila,

Mika

Diving at Crossing and Maris Rock in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

I had a diving day in Puerto Princesa. Here is something from our dives. Our dive guide was Dani, who is also instructor. Other divers were local guy Jonathan, French Sarah and me.

Dive #: 241
Date: 6.12.2013
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Crossing
Depth: 18,9m Average: 16,1m
Dive time: 54min
Visibility: 20m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air)  Wetsuit: No wetsuit, only shorts and sleeveless  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stingray

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300P / 2 dives including equipment

Our first dive spot was Crossing. Let´s dive!

In the beginning we saw black ribbon eel.

Nudibranch couple.

School of yellow striped snapers.

More snapers.

Blue-spotted stingray on the sandy bottom.

Flat worm.

Dive #: 242
Date: 6.12.2013
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Maris Rock
Depth: 20,1m Average: 13,1m
Dive time: 52min
Visibility: 6-10m
Sea temperature: +30C

Our second dive spot was Maris Rock. Visibility in Maris is not so good usually, but there is many times interesting and not so common creatures. 

Leaf scorpion fish.

Mantis shrimps are always cool to see.

School of striped cat fishes.

Pipe fish on the bottom.

Porcypine fish try to be bigger than it really is.

Talking to me?

Very small pygmi sea horse. Difficult to take good picture, because the sea horse is only like 1cm.

Huge fan coral.

That´s me in the safety stop. 

It was great to dive after few months again. Hopefully next dives come soon.

Regards from Manila,
Mika

Diving day in Mactan area in Cebu, Philippines

I had a diving day with the friends in Mactan Island area near Cebu. We did a three dives. Divers: Mikko H., Mikko R., and Petri, who was also our dive guide/instructor.

Dive #: 231

Date: 5.1.2013

Place: Philippines, Cebu, Mactan, Hilutungan

Depth: 21,6m Average: 10,9m

Dive time: 43min

Visibility: 20m

Sea Temperature: +29C

Equipment

Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: No wetsuit, shorts + sleeveless Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Scuba Haven

Price: Special price for the friends (3 dives)

Diving gears to the boat and to the sea. From the left: Mikko R., Mikko H., Petri and me on the back.

Our first dive spot was Hilutungan Island.

There was a lot of spade fishes. Some of them are very curious and come very close.

Fishes and corals on the wall. 

Petri taking some photos. 

Diaconal banded sweetlips.

That´s me on the wall.

During the first dive we saw also titan triggers, anemones and a lot of different reef fishes.

Dive #: 232
Date: 5.1.2013
Place: Philippines, Cebu, Mactan, Nalusuan Island
Depth: 17,6m Average: 9,4m
Dive time: 57min
Visibility: 20-25m
Sea Temperature: +29C

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

Our second dive spot was Nalusuan Resort Island. We jumped to water near the pier.

There was a lot of black spotted snappers under the pier building. 

 School of black spoted snappers near the pier.

Blue-spotted stingray. If you look closer you can see this one was lost her tail.

 Corals.

Big grouper on the cleaning station mouth open.

 Blue-spotted stingray with the blue-streak cleaner wrasses.

"Nemos" or Clark´s anemones posing. 

Same "Nemos" again. 

More stingrays.

Second dive was quite shallow, but also quite interesting. Especially under the pier we saw so many fishes. Also later on the dive it was create to see  many stingrays. 

Dive #: 233
Date: 5.1.2013
Place: Philippines, Cebu, Mactan, Olango Island, Talima
Depth: 21,3m Average: 14,6m
Dive time: 44min
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +29C

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

Our third and last dive spot was Talima. In practice it means deep walls, wooden wreck and lots of fish.

Here Petri diving on the wall.

Wooden wreck has already seen the best days. 

Wreck closer.

There are always a lot of fishes near the wreck. Here diaconal banded sweetlips. 

One sweetlips closer.

Fan coral and barrel sponge.

White eye moray eel ready to attack.

I was taking photo from some coral and suddenly I saw somebody is stearing me very close. It was this guy.

I have dived ones before in Talima about 6 months ago. There are always so many fishes especially near the wreck. 

It was great to dive in Cebu area again especially with the good friends. There are always lots of manine life. If you want to dive near Mactan just contact to Petri.

Regards,

Mika

Manila