Dive-Monster Rhoody

Sometimes you have no choice in life and need to do things where you know it is not good for your health. Exactly that happened to me on 23rd of December. I was forced (against all common sense and against my own will) to book a flight to Manila and a transfer To AC (Angeles City) to visit my friends The Dane and The Outcast. It was too late to replace my liver with a sponge at the Dumaguete Medical Center, so I started the trip to them with the knowledge that some damage might be done. We know each other from Dumaguete and had more than one cold one together the last year in the “city of gentle people”.  

My flight was at on the 27th at 8:45. No need to say that it was delayed and I departed at 10:05. At 11:15 my feet stepped on Manila ground and after I got my suitcase I walked out where the driver was already waiting for me. The two hour drive was relaxing, but having in mind that I need to go on a charity-event with |The Dane, aka The Beermonster”, I had a bit cold sweat on my forehead. At least I got welcome by the two guys lovely girlfriends Michelle and Tic Tac and a bowl full of homemade Potato-Salad.

The afternoon was time for some smalltalk and a quick nap, before we headed down to the Roadhouse-club at 6pm. We paid 1000 Peso each and secured our barchairs. The fee includes all drinks and food. I am sure there was not much money for the Kids in AC out of our fees. We also bought plenty of raffle-tickets and all of us had a great time (at least for what I can remember. According to some other people we came back home around 6 in the morning, that the 28th was more or less a sleeping day….

I just went to the SM Mall to buy some stuff in the afternoon before we went out to have some dinner at the Clark Base. Sad enough that they had no table for 7 people so we drove back and had a great dinner at a Japanese restaurant called GYUU… or something like that. don’t ask me how this is pronounced… Heading home at 9:30 we planned on a video night. Feeling a kind of tired I said good night to the guys and went to an early sleep.

I guess it was a good decision as I heard the next morning that they wasted 2 hours of their life trying to stay awake and understanding the movie… more about the  following days tomorrow …

cheers and Happy new year

 Rhoody

Puerto Galera is since 20 years the most famous SCUBA destination in the Philippines and many tour-operator offering Puerto Galera as a single trip or a combination with other nearby destinations. Puerto Galera is around 150 km south of Manila in the province of Mindoro Oriental . Going to Puerto Galera you fly to Manila. From there you have a two hour drive to the city of Batangas where you catch a ferry to Sabang, where the most Resorts and dive-shops can be found. If you travel on a package-tour your Resort will organize all of that for you and picks you up at the Manila International Airport.Puerto Galera is famous for its diversity of different dive sites. Shallow colorful easy diving for beginners, ripping high speed drift dives or deep Tec-diving, there is almost no limit in Puerto Galera. Most of the more than 30 dive-spots are just a short boat ride away. Most of the diveshops are also offering daytrips to the nearby Verde Island with usually two or three dives.
Diving is good all around the year with the hot and dry season from March to June. With many diveresorts and shops located in Sabang, Big and Small LaLaguna there is always something available in your budget.

There are simple rooms available from US$ 7 per night. Guided dives can be booked for US$ 20. If you are are “hardcore” diver look for the valuable non-limit-packages with up to 5 dives per day.

The Canyons, Sinandigan Wall (Nudibranch-city) or Hole in the wall are only some of the “must-do” dives. Who wants it a bit more thrilling can take a ride at the Kilima Drift and get rocked at the washing machine at Verde Island. Most dives in Puerto Galera are gentle drift-dives. Your diveboat will follow the group. you guide will use a Surface Marker Bouy at the end of the dive and after a safety stop the group ascents together and goes back on the waiting boat. Don’t miss the world class night dives at the Sabang-Wrecks and join the hunt for the colorful Mandarinfishes at LaLaguna Point and The Hill between the Batangas and Manila channel.

Most dive operators offer very valuable Nitrox packages, and if one tank is not enough you will find some very well equipped Tek-shops in Sabang and Small LaLaguna.
uncountable bars and restaurants invite you for a drink after the last dive. Many resorts also offer great sunset-cruises to one of the white-sand beaches in one of the bays of the neighborhood islands. Make a trip to the Tamaraw Waterfalls on your off-gasing day and enjoy the relaxing Massages in one of the SPA-center or offered directly at the beach. As there is no real nice beach in the Sabang Bay, go for a ten minute walk to Big LaLaguna or rent one of the local bancas for a picturesque boat ride along the beautifully coastline to reach Whitebeach or Talibanan Beach.

Welcome to my Diving Blog about the Philippines. As most of my friends call me Dive-Monster I thought this is a good idea for a Blog-name. I wish you a lot of fun on my page and I hope you enjoy the stay on my site.
Here are some Information in what country I am. 

The Philippines are with their 7.107 Islands still non of the classical dive destinations, but is already well known as a paradise for divers. Because of the long distance from Europe or the United States the archipelago is still a relaxing place unlike most dive-destinations in Thailand, the Red Sea or around Cozumel.
The Philippinesare a dream for divers and not many wishes stay open. You want to see Pygmy-Seahorses, Mandarin fish, Nudibranches Ghostpipefish or love to submerge into untouched coral-garden? Walls going down into the Abyss, hunting Barracudas and big Tunas make the heart of each diver beat faster. If you want to go Wreck-diving you can find two great destinations. One fleet lays in Coron, the other in Subic Bayin diveable depth. Also don’t forget the Walesharks in Donsol or you join a dive-trip to the Tubbataha Reef.

The tropical climate is basically ruled by two seasons. The north-east-monsun (Amihan) and southwest-monsun (Habagat).

 Diving is all around the year possible and only a few regions are limited to several month of the year. If Beginner, professional photographer or Tec-diver, the opportunities are almost endless. The water temperature rarely drops below 25C/65F and the visibility can reach up to 50 meter (160 ft). Even in bad conditions you will have 5meter/16feet.
Many divesites in the Philippines are protected areas, so called:`Marine Sanctuaries‘. The known reefs in the Philippines are covering an area of more then 34.000 km2 and the variety of the underwater species is known as the largest in the world. the philippine government and the local communities running different programs to protect the reefs and aquatic life.

There are four main regions (group of Islands) in the Philippines. Luzon in the north with the capital Manilais the starting point for many vacations. From here you reach easily the well known divespots of Puerto Galera, Anilao or Subic Bay.
If you arrive in Cebu you are in the Visayas, the central groups of Islands in the Philippines. Usually you need another short transfer (organized by your Resort or Hotel) to reach your final destination like the well known diving areas of Dumaguete, Moalboal, Apo Island or Bohol with Balicasag Island

Mindanao and Palawan in the south and west, are still a kind of blank spots on the diving maps, but enthusiastic international investors are building an infrastructure to get around easily. Places like El Nido, the Coron Wrecks and Puerto Princesa as a starting point for live abroad trips to the Tubbataha Reef making Palawan worth to visit.
If you plan your trip independently you will find out that the watches in the Philippines run a bit slower. Everything takes a bit more time, but you will reach your destination without any troubles in a safe way. Philippinosare very proud but also very friendly people. Almost everybody speaks english and is happy to help a “long-nose”
Don’t miss one of the countless Fiestas. If you are invited to a family-reunion, don’t hesitate to follow the invitation. There is only one thing we need to warn you:

ATTENTION, don’t get addicted to the Philippines