Dive-Monster Rhoody

I know that talking about common sense in the PI is a tough topic as I would consider that it something that does just not exist. During the last seven years I am living in this wonderful country I am daily confronted with that problem. I need to say “thank you” to one of my friends at Asia Divers in Puerto Galera who gave me a very wise advice:

“Rhoody, never ask more than 1 “Why-question” per day and you’ll be happy here”.

I try to stick to that advice and as I usually stand up at 6:00 am my one “Why-question” is used latest at 6:30. Those include things like:

Why can’t she replace the empty toilet-paper roll (same problem since over 4 years)?

Why are ALL lights on (I know it’s my money, what pays the electric bill)?

Why does the radio run on max-volume (and not only ours, all the neighbor ones)?

Why are people shouting into a microphone and think they can sing?

Why can you drive your bike completely drunk, but pay penalty when wearing slippers?

Why me, why now why here?

The answer to the last question is simple… Because I love it here !!! I love the challenge of each single day, I love the diving here, I love the life-style.

All this why-questions are teaching me things for my life every day. One of that is that many things we “long-noses” think are important are NOT. At least not for the people here… As long there is some rice on the plate and some “load” on the phone they are happy. The whole day (and night) can be “wasted” with “falling in line”.  

When visiting Dumaguete it is fun to go foe example to BPI-Bank and just watch the scenario for withdrawing money. There are three rows of chairs (maybe 15 in a row). So if the first person gets served at one of the counters, the 44 remaining people on the chairs stand up and move exactly one seat further. It is like a snake moving slowly towards the counter. Or should I say like Lemmings? Don’t ask “Why they don’t use a number system…” It is like it is, like it always has been, like it will be in the future..

If you wanna life here AND enjoy your life, just accept it, even better, become a part of it. If not you might end up like quite some expats here, sitting in their “Expat-Circle” and complaining the whole day “Why” things are not like back home…

Cheers

Rhoody

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While doing some research for my diving-page Philippinen-tauchen.com  I came across a nice article about Verde Island on CDNN and I thought I should share it with you. Here is a part of it…

PUERTO GALERA, Philippines – Verde Island Passage south of Manila has been described as the “centre of the centre” of the world’s marine biodiversity in a joint study by America’s Smithsonian Institute.

Beneath the turquoise waves that funnel nutrients from the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea are spectacular reef formations of more than 300 species of coral and underwater rock canyons that host nearly 60 percent of the world’s known shorefish species.

“This area can be considered the marine counterpart to the Amazon River basin,” said Kent Carpenter of the World Conservation Union, co-author of the study which put the passage at the peak of the “Coral Triangle” that spans the Sulawesi and the Sulu Seas in the southern Philippines and nearby Indonesia….

see the full story here

The only thing I don’t like is the last part as it is just promotion for a dive-shop, but the rest is a interesting read.

cheers

Rhoody

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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