I've never been a big fan of Night Diving. You do a couple of dives in the day, then get all cleaned up, nice and dry and cozy ... then put on wet clothes and get in the water when it's almost dark. However, I do understand the benefits. There are 'things going on' during the night that you won't see during the day. I was having such a good time with Mark and he was showing me such great critters, that I knew I needed to do a Night Dive with him.
So off we went, into the water at dusk. At least when you enter the water, it isn't completely dark. And we walked in from the shore, so it was ok. It wasn't Muck Diving as I imagined, we were actually winding our way around a beautiful coral reef, that I didn't even know existed. Weaving between this, and over that.
The first thing he pointed out was a Wonderpus Octopus. It's a small-bodied thing, 2", with a lot of very long arms, up to 12" long, ...and blended in very well with the sandy bottom. He said they had not seen one of these here in a while. So it was special. Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dC3FXD1PTDU
And then another very tiny baby Octopus, like the size of your thumb nail. It was all tucked in for the night
Then a real nice white Octopus that looks blue in the photo. Arms are about 6" long
And moved around for me. I don't know what the head bopping up and down means ... probably 'leave me alone'. https://youtu.be/BGJCTbFWezA
And then the 'Big Find' ... a Blue Ring Octopus ... VERY special, and not seen here in months. Everyone wants to see the Blue Ring. It is quite small ... but the BLUE is BLUE and so cool ! It is only 3"
A photo doesn't show you how cool it is. Mark placed a crab within the Octopus' reach. I keep wanting to ask him ... 'do you just carry crabs around in your pocket?' ...... Watch the first part of the video closely. The crab is above and to the left of the Octopus .... the Octopus grabs the crab and puts it in it's mouth .... gone ! You Tube https://youtu.be/o-9Fuq4zhCg
After all that excitement, he found this little Crab hiding in it's coral home.
About this time, I am getting cold. I tapped Mark and 'hugged myself', which is the sign for I am Cold. He agreed. But then he found this colorful tiny Nudibranch.
And it continued ... then a Donald Duck Shrimp, one of my favorites. We wanted to quit, but he kept finding cool critters.
By the time we got to one of the most special Nudi's .... my entire body was shaking. This is a Cyerce, also called the ButterFly Nudi, with transparent 'wings'. I Love this Nudi, but I just could not get a good photo. If you can get a nice simple or black background, it's beautiful. But it just wasn't going to happen.
And 2 more colorful ones
We were under water for over 90min .... that is too long for a body to maintain comfortable temperature ... but ... it was worth it. A hot shower and dinner, and after 25min my body quit shaking :)
If you are not able to pull the videos up with the link, you can go to youtube.com and in the search area type "donna27p" ... and it should bring up all my videos.
Ocean Jet Ferry was an hour late, this meant I arrived after sunset. My tricycle driver, Allen, was there to pick me up, thankfully. It's a crazy zoo at those terminals. He mentioned it was an HOUR trip to the Resort. I thought he was kidding, but he was not. I looked at the map, but had no idea it would take an hour. Tricycle rides are ok, it's a motorcycle with a 'side-car' for passenger and bags. It's mountainous, with lots of hills and twists and turns, and it was dark, so I could see nothing. When I arrived, I scheduled my return trip in a van, I am getting 'soft' in my old age.
My room was great, lots of room... flush toilet, hot shower, and a small frig.
and right on the water, right next to the Dive Shop: roll out of bed and I'm there.
You really are very secluded here. There is nothing else around. So they have a full restaurant/bar, pool, etc. Food was very good, people friendly and happy to please. I was ONLY here for the diving, so not being able to go 'out' to dinner wasn't an issue for me. They only had 4 nights available, that would fit into my 'non-schedule'. So, dive, dive, dive, I did ! 2 dives for 3 days, plus 1 night dive. That is 'marathon' for me, but I only had 3 days, so... I was here to find the critters.
The first day was a mistake on my part. Rachel said they were doing a 'boat dive' out to the Reef to find the Pygmy SeaHorse. That is always on the top of everyone's list. I debated, and finally agreed. I knew it wouldn't be Muck Diving, and I actually thought I probably would NOT be able to see the SeaHorse, much less photograph it. And, I was right.
First dive at a new Dive Shop, is a bit intimidating for me. Lots of people, activity, I know no one, and know nothing of the process and procedures. But I got on the boat with a lot of happy excited divers, it's crowded.
Three guys from Sicily, Italy were also new. One of them picked me to be their 'buddy', the guy on the right. Everyone looks the same underwater, so I didn't really know who my 'buddy' was during the dive. But he obviously knew me, and stuck close by. Italian compadre, right ?
The Pygmy SeaHorse is the ENTIRE reason for this dive. They are generally in deep water: 100ft, and a diver cannot stay very long at 100ft. so the Dive Master goes down to find the Pygmy SeaHorse first, while the divers stay shallower and wait for the 'sign' to come on down. I was first to take a photo of the SeaHorse...I couldn't see it, and finally exited, feeling guilty for taking up too much time. After everyone had their chance, they 'beaconed' me to come back and try again. So frustrating. They want you to see it so bad, they don't want to give up. I just pointed my camera at his 'pointer-stick' ... about 1/4"...
Finally got this much:
Ok, also ... I mentioned that my light died in Indonesia...so I didn't even have a light to help. My story and I'm sticking with it. Just to let you all know that it is NOT easy to get a good photo of tiny tiny critters.
The rest of the dive was spent just 'hanging' out over some really nice big healthy coral, not colorful. One of the girls pointed this out to me... I recognized it, an Orangutan Crab
At the end of the dive you have to do a Safety Stop: 3min at 15', to release the nitrogen from your body. When you are floating 'out in the blue', it's difficult to stay in one placeat 15', for 3min. So, you hang on to the anchor rope. My 'buddy' took this photo of me. Do I look happy?
Back in the boat with some hot tea to warm up, and then off to the Muck Diving site. Now, this is what I came for. This is an Anemone Shrimp, pretty common siting
Here is another one, lost in the dark ... kind of how I felt.
I know that when I see a round green 'leaf' in shallow sand, that it could be the home of Shaun the Sheep, so I started looking at a leaf. The leaf is on a stalk and sways back and forth in the current, and it's difficult to get a photo. Mark assisted me by holding it down with his stick. By the way.... his stick is 1/4" wide ....The white spiral are the eggs.
I found another one, Costasiella kuroshimae, is classified as a 'solar powered nudi'. These sap-sucking-slugs eat the leaf and harness the chloroplasts in their bodies so they can photosynthesis! WoW Nature !
Another tiny one, again with the 'stick'
After the dives, I talked with Russ, he and Rachel own Bahura Dive Shop. I told him about my light problem, and asked him if he had something that I could use. Yes he did, and fixed me up with a Weefine dive light, and mounted it on my camera. He also said he would set me up with Mark for Muck Diving. Ok, now I'm on my way. From then on, it was Mark and Donna; again I was blessed with a very nice young local guy that would be my eyes and guide.
What did Mark find for me ? Lots ! He is another one of those guys that see things that aren't there. Hairy Shrimp are about 1/4". I've seen a few of them before, they were just sitting, not moving. The ones here like to fly around! He was finding so many of them. If I lost track of one, he would immediately point to another one. It's so hard to take a photo of something that is flying.
Let's start with this Red Hairy Shrimp that has 'something'... maybe a parasite. Whatever it is, it's bigger than the shrimp. The eye, upper right side, has a star around it.
This is a Green Hairy Shrimp .. make it out ? ...neither can I
And a yellow one
and finally a transparent one
This is a Brooks Urchin Shrimp, I've never seen one before. It lives on that Fire Coral. Notice the eggs where the legs come out of the body.
I have often talked about how these critters like the dark sand/soil of volcanos. Well, it appears that is not always the case. All of the terrain where Mark was searching was white white sand. With lots of mounds maybe 8-10" high. It was very unusual for me. You can see the color here. This is a Armina Sempir, which is quite large, maybe 2", and i found it myself ! Here's lookin at ya!
The white sand also made it harder to photograph, because there wasn't much contrast. Several times the auto focus on my camera could not focus. This is a Skeleton Shrimp with tons of babies.
There was an entire area that had tiny tiny half of shells ...there were thousands of them. It looked like Quaker Oats. This is a Goby living among them.
Another cute little Goby with a bright blue spot, no doubt to warn me off.
A really special one to me, a Melibe. This video shows how it throws out it's 'net' and scrapes the surface looking for food. Pretty cool you can see inside the mouth ! Also on You Tube: https://youtu.be/_yUOfH9PvMQ
Mark found a LOT of tiny FrogFish. No matter how many of these I see, they are always special and so fun to watch. This is a Clown FrogFish. That is his finger
A Painted FrogFish
Another tiny one with Mark's finger
This one is actively 'fishing' with a tiny white lure. Watch the first part of the video closely, you will see him grab some food. Later in the video you can catch a glimpse of the little white lure. Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PkRkerksdZ8
On our last dive Mark found something really special.... that no one had seen before (not here). It is a teeny tiny translucent FrogFish. We were hoping it was a new species and we could name it after us; but it appears it is a Juvenile Cryptic FrogFish. It is so cute. You can see it's little stomach.
Even smaller than the others
And it can 'fly' ... and I caught it ... so cute
Another pretty Nudi
And we found these two kissing ... Costasiella ?
This is a type of PipeFish, which is related to the SeaHorse
And finish with a 'reef fishy' video. Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87_8_L2Ro3Q
And this is a very slow moving Conch ... until it decides to 'move' ... wait for it. It was as large as a football... Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n-vmNIdcWNQ?si=kt7QjykY9VewNRo8
Next I will post photos from my Night Dive with Mark. We were in the water for over 1.5hrs .... that's a long time, and I was cold !
If you are not able to pull the videos up with the link, you can go to
youtube.com and in the search area type "donna27p" ... and it should
bring up all my videos.
My 4.5hr flight from Bali was quite enjoyable. The plane was only about 1/4 full ... so lots of us stretched out across 3 seats and slept.
I arrived in Manila 8 Feb at 6:30am. Visitors get a 30day visa upon entering the Philippines. I knew I would be staying longer than 30 days. You can pay for an extension at many Immigration Offices, but I learned that it could be done right at the Airport upon arrival. This would eliminate an extra trip for Kevin. I hate to have to ask to be 'schleped' somewhere . But I also read many negative comments about their service there. I was hesitant, but thought I'd give it a try. They are hidden in a construction zone on the 3rd Floor, it took several attempts before I finally found it. There was a guy there, and I enquired. He said yes,... I asked how long it would take ... 10min he said ... Whoa ! I've done this at several of the extension offices and it took hours! I was one happy tourist. Then I booked my flight into Tagbilaran Airport on Bohol, one of the islands in the Philippines. That little 'nub' at the bottom of Bohol, is actually the Island of Panglao where Kevin lives. It's a quick 1.5hr flight from Manila, for only $80, and that was expensive since I booked the day I flew. What's with US Airlines .... ?
Kevin and Nadia, and daughter Viana are wonderful people. They welcome and accept you into their home like family. This year there were 4 'extras' at their home. 2 friends from Sweden, and Pat, Nadia's niece and was there for my first visit in 2017, and we've become friends, and me. They have a beautiful home, with a pool and lots of rooms, plus 2 apartments that they rent out. It was like a party every day and every night !
One interesting geological feature found on the island is the Hinagdanan Cave, which has an underground water source. The cave is an important water source as the island has no rivers or lakes. I've never been before, so Pat, Viana and I went one sunny day. It's not a large Cave, about the size of a football field, and it's not 'beautiful', ...but the fresh water was cool. We spent over 30min in the water. It has natural light and they limit the number of people who can enter at one time, which is good! It was a fun day.
We went out to dinner several times, the first night to a Japanese Restaurant
This my Dragon Maki .... and I ate most of it with my ChopSticks, I'm proud to say. Don't ask me what I was eating :)
Our group, from the left: Bengt, Kevin, Nadia, Viana, Me, Matts. Pat had not arrived yet. After dinner we strolled down to the Alona Beach, where all the action is... food, music, and people, lots of people.
Kevin invited us to accompany him on his Valentines Day Date with Nadia. At the Pearl Restaurant at Linaw Beach Resort.... it was a beautiful sunset
A table with feet in the sand on the beautiful beach. A great meal with great people. Bengt , Kevin's friend and business partner is on the right, fun guy who loves to swim in the pool.... like 4 times a day :)
Kevin's friend from Sweden, Matts, a very nice man.
We had many wonderful dinners at the house. Dessert was Banana Flambe' one night, executed perfectly by Pat.
Assisted by Viana ... sort of ...
We went to the City of Tagbilaran one day: loud and busy. I needed to buy an External Hard Drive to relieve my computer of 88GB of photos. We went to the big super grocery store, with all kinds of things. I was very impressed at the checkout counter ... no plastic, paper bags, but mostly boxes !
We also had a 30min foot massage. I've never had one before, the masseuse was really strong and I held my breath and counted to 4 several times... it hurt, but a good hurt. She said I had a lot of toxins in me.
We also went to the Bohol Bee Farm ... for their home made ice cream... delicious.
The Bee Farm is also a restaurant serving healthy organic food, grown there. We wanted a little something to tide us over until dinner, pizza was really good, and 'healthy' as possible. They have little shops with locals making all kinds of things. And steps going down to the sea
Nadia and Matts. Someone always had a camera handy for photos.
It was a great 9 days filled with laughter and good people.
But ... time to get in the water, and I don't mean the pool. I booked a ticket on Ocean Jet, a ferry service, to the Island of Siquijor, just 1hr 40min away. I visited Siquijor in 2017 on my virgin adventure to SE Asia. I was the 'professional snorkeler' at the time, but did a couple dives... uneventful as i recall. I just didn't like 'diving'.
However, I now keep up with Muck Diving friends on FaceBook and a guy I met in the Philippines several times, posted Muck Diving photos from Siquijor. Actually he was the reason I went to the new island of Ambon in Indonesia this year. So, I was off to Siquijor, another new island experience for me, to check out this new Muck Diving site.
