Another GREAT week of diving... but just as importantly, spending time with the Friends there that have also become a 'second home' for me.
A 2 hr flight to Manila, and a very efficient GRAB experience at the airport, impressive. They are set up at most of the exits, and I didn't have to do anything except follow the signs and get in my Grab. Dropped me off at PITX bus station, which is a massive 'mall' with bays for the cheap buses. I got a Senior Discount and my 2hour, very comfortable A/C ride, cost me 195php = $3. As opposed to a private driver which costs 5,000php = $86 ! The bus stops at Batangas Grand Terminal, where I would get a Jeepney (truck w/bench seats in back--packed in like sardines), for a 1+++hr trip to Mabini, where I would transfer to a tricycle to ASDC, another ++30min. Instead Gina picked me up at Batangas Terminal, for a 1+hr rush-hour stop and go traffic, (2 lane road through small towns). She is so good to me !
Only one VERY unfortunate event on the flight .. I left my little cloth, faded and worn American Airlines bag, (loaf of bread size, from 1990s, Upjohn travel days) that I've traveled with literally EVERYWHERE. It contained my 'soft warm blanket' (I am always cold), pair of socks (my feet get cold too), my sarong scarf, and a nice recycleable cloth bag, (that I picked up somewhere that comes in handy). I STILL am DEVASTATED ! I picked up my checked bag, in the Manila Terminal, I realized it was gone, and I immediately went to the Cebu Pacific AirLines 'luggage' department. The plane had not left, and after some descriptions, they came back, certainly with my little bag, but instead with lots of things people left, (ipad, etc.) .. but NO little tattered bag :( Someone STOLE it :( I have to go back through there again when I leave and will check again. I'm still trying to figure out how to get another blanket before I fly 4 hrs to Indonesia which will likely be a cold flight ! I know, I know, it wasn't my phone/passport. But Poor Me, I handle set backs pretty well, but this one .... not so much... it was a part of me!
At ASDC, Gina, Oliver, and Shala, have been running the place since I started going there in 2019. They are very accommodating. They are a bit away from the 'town', and would be really inconvenient to try to go somewhere for food. So they provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner: lots of food, and great soups, which are waiting for us when we return....perfect after being in the water diving. It seems the water there is always colder than most places ... 76F. Everyone is ready to end the dive after 50+min. Then you sit on the boat to 'off the nitrogen' in your body, +-1hr, hopefully in the sun and no wind. Then back in the cold water again for another 50+min. Then back in the boat for the 30min ride home. Yes, cold! You probably wonder why, since I am the first to be cold. ... It's worth it for the relaxation and peace under the water seeing all the critters. So, HOT soup is always on the menu. I recognized the pumpkin and corn soups, but the rest are mysterious, but very good.
The Critter Highlights: The first dive site, I'd been to before. Lots of broken dead corals cover the sea floor .. (why don't I think to take a photo of these things?) For whatever reason, the Critters LOVE to live among that 'ugly' mess. Oliver and Gina are also Master Spotters of the very tiny. I realize the problem ... not only are they the size of a grain of rice, but no wider than a piece of thread ! Always amazing!
My favorite are any brightly colored critters, this Favorinus tsuruganus qualifies. It is also well documented that this particular Nudi eats other Nudis and their eggs !
We saw a lot of these Diversidoris crocea on our dives, also called Saffron Noumea
A rare sea slug - Brown-Linied Noalda sp. 5mm, another new one for me. So very tiny, but with such amazing details. That is a 'stick' about the size of a BBQ skewer... smaller than a pencil ! Consider the size difference!
I've seen this one before, but always happy to see it again. Reminds me of little bunny ears, Two-Band Goniobranchus verrieri
This is a Sea Star Shrimp ... because it lives on a Sea Star. They do mimic their host, this one was obviously blue. So they come in other colors as well.
You don't want to mess with ScorpionFish, they are usually very well camouflaged, but generally colorful and non-aggressive.
This is a Durban Dancing Shrimp, because they are always moving around quickly and usually in large groups, and usually way back in a crevice somewhere inaccessible. They are fun to watch. Love the green eye!
Another VERY tiny white Nudi, Trapania vitta ? or yellow-Margin Goniodorid
A boldly colored Goniobranchus fidelis
Another point of reference, that is Gina's gloved finger next to this Nudi, I think is a Spotted Hypselodoris, but I am not sure, because so many of these look alike
The second day of diving, we went to a different site. This one was all sandy bottom, with small blades of 'grass' and algae. There were hundreds of these! Even I could see them. They have been identified as Benthoplana meteoris - Comb Jelly. They were very gelatinous and strange. I still don't know what end is the front.
About the size of your thumb nail ... very interesting !
There were a few Shaun the Sheep. I was totally frustrated because I could not hold my body still to hold the camera still to get a better photo. Oliver finally realized that we needed to tighten up my BCD, so I wasn't flopping around in it! The dives after that were better, but something I need to keep in mind.
This is a Tenellia nakapila ... can you see it's little eye ?
These Armina occulta are very striking with the colors and stripes.
It's always fun to find these tiny Anemone Shrimps with the white eyes. I've never seen one that was this brilliant blue/purple before.
This Sea Cucumber Swimming Crab lives on a Sea Cucumber, duh. Again, I wish I would think to take a photo of the HUGE Sea Cucumber that it lives on. It was gigantic, like 2' long and about 5" around. They are pretty gross. If you have help, and look VERY closely, you will see the Swimming Crab, but they are tiny and blend in with the Sea Cucumber's skin.
Another example of how tiny these Favorinus mirabilis are. They have such pretty little pink dots.
We saw these Lined Nembrotha's mating in Dauin. But in this photo, it looks like there is a transparent 'shrimp' looking on. Not sure if it is 'friend or foe'. I need to send this into the 'experts' to find out what it is.
What an AMAZING color for this Loch's Chromodoris lochi
There was as young guy diving with us that had really good eyes, although he was not familiar with this whole Muck Diving thing. However, after a couple of days, I think we got him excited about it. He saw this tiny 2" Octopus go in a hole and waited until I caught up with him and then we waited for it to come out again. Very cute ! Until this year, I didn't realize there were so many small Octopus.
I was very excited in Siquijor to be able to take a photo of the Psychodelic BatWing, and had another chance here. But this one was much smaller !!!!!! He is on a small stick, BBQ size, smaller than a pencil !
My 'normal' is to do 2 dives a day for 2 days, then take a day off. On my 'day' off, Gina and I went on a Night Dive. We walked in the water right in front of the Dive Shop. She was poking around in all the algae covered rocks, and I was trying to keep up. I took a photo of this rather 'ordinary' Goniobranchus geometricus - Geometric Chromodoris
And also, always happy to see this Cadinella ornatissima
Then she got my attention to see this beautiful Starry Night Octopus. It was about 30" and AMAZING. It's been awhile since I've seen a 'large' octopus. It was mesmerizing to watch it glide slowly over the rocks.
And 'fan' itself out over the rocks, like an umbrella. So Cool ! It wasn't in a hurry nor trying to get away, just moving fluidly. Beautiful bright colors,... yes, like a Starry Night sky ...
I took a lot of videos, and Shala 'somehow' put it together, .... with music. haha, I just had to contact her to find out how to put it on here ... i'm hopeless !
Lots of fun things on a Night Dive that you will not see during the day. This is a very cool shrimp. A Green Marble Shrimp, aka EyeSpot Shrimp (Saron neglectus)..... 1-2" long. Another new one for me.
Another new one, Retitculated Chromodoris. You will notice a 'blurring' on the top. That is a shrimp or worm that got in front of the camera lens.
I really like this one, Goniobranchus kunei, about the size of a nickel.
This was interesting. I think there are 2 Retitculated Chromodoris here. I watched them for awhile, as they moved and morphed around each other. Not sure what was going on ?
At the end of the Night Dive ... I, me, spotted a tiny Reef Squid, about 4" and so cute. They are very wiggly and never stop moving.
I took a short video
When you are Night Diving, there are a lot of fish, worms, shrimp attracted to your flashlight. They get really annoying, b/c they are EVERYWHERE. You can turn your light off, and they move away ... but then it's pitch black and you can't see anything. (I realized that Gina did that once during the dive, and it was DARK). As we were getting out of the water, we were getting swarmed by thousands of somethings. It was gross.
And the next day Oliver gave me this, and said this what was swarming you.... CREEPY !
Back to Day Dives ... This is a cute little Favorinus tsuruganus - Egg Eater ....
And a brightly colored Aegires
There are so many Hypselodoris, and many of them look the same, but this one is a bit different, and I can't match it.
This is a Desirable Flabellina -- Coryphellina exoptata
I think this is a Favorinus miribillis ? So very tiny !
Another very rare one, Noalda sp. Again on a stick like a BBQ stick size !
And I still don't know what this one is ... but very very tiny. I'm submitting it ... ANSWER is ... It is a Pelagella longicornis !
And I got another shot at one of my favorites, the Elysia marginata
Orangutan Crabs are difficult to photograph, especially if they are moving, and this one was. It finally settled down... upside down. But I could switch the photo around :)
When I see the video, it confirms that they not only look like an orangutan, but they move like one too, ...as if this one was climbing from branch to branch
And that ends my visit at Anilao Scuba Dive Center, ASDC, with Gina, Oliver, and Shala. A HUGE thanks to all, and the rest of the Staff for everything !
Continue to follow me south to the island of Romblon and more adventures !
dp
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