Aivy Maes in Dauin, Philippines 21 Feb-1Mar

On the road/ferry again … just a short, very familiar, trip.  I left Siquijor on the 10am Ferry for Dumaguete, hopped on a Tricycle for the quick trip to Dauin and Aivy Maes Divers Resort.   

 

This is where I discovered ‘Muck Diving’ in 2019.    I absolutely LOVE this little piece of ‘mostly’ quiet paradise.   I say mostly, because it is small, but it is next to a ‘public access’ which gets a bit noisy sometimes, chickens, dogs, children.  Everyone is so nice to me and treats me like I am ’special’.  I have occupied the same ‘bungalow’ each time I am here.   It is a small bamboo bungalow, with a fan, and shared shower/toilet.   Which sounds negative, but it’s always very clean and never busy.   The only downside is getting up several times in the middle of the night to pee.  My Bungalow

 

I didn’t dive the first 2 days, actually I sort of hibernated in my bungalow, didn’t feel very social.     I had been on the ‘go’ and with ‘people’ for many days … and I like to say that I was ‘peopled-out’.  That is the sign of a true introvert, which I am, even though some people don’t believe it.

They have a new Dive Guide here, it seems they have a new one every year , lately.   We did 1 dive, just out front of my bungalow on the House Reef.  He found a couple Theceras, aka, Pikachu.   I love them, they are so different, and not that common.

 

He also found a little Elysia… a type of sea hare, because it looks kind of like a bunny in some photos, but not this one.   But I really like them.

 

We also saw this very bright yellow nudi, that is hard to miss … ONCE you see it  :)

 

You can see its internal organs.    A video shows it better.  YouTube:   https://youtu.be/0OHxd2Md9jU  

 

 

I was trying to take a photo of this Creamy Chromodoris, and some ‘clear fuzz’ kept getting in the way of its rhinopors, (the black ‘horns’).      In the photo I can see now … it is some kind of a transparent Shrimp, getting a free ride !

 

There is a fish in the deep seas that is called a Mola Mola.   It is huge, around 6’ in size, but its body is only a half of a body.  Honestly, it does not have a ‘back half’.   I’ve never seen one, but would really like to.   I will have to get in deeper water for that, and probably dive somewhere else.  Anyway, I took this photo of a ’Nemo’ and it turned and looks just like a Mola Mola.  So… this is my Mola Mola :)  

 

This is a Slender Sapsucking Slub, what a cruel name for a very skinny  Nudi.  

 

 

Nhoe found 4 Ornate Ghost PipeFish  .... Momma, Pappa, and 2 Babies... so us humans think.   This video will give you an idea of the peaceful clamness that I feel on every dive.   YouTube:  https://youtu.be/5WiNAP49Aw4

                                               

 

 

I am quite proud of this one.    It lives way down between the tendrils of an Anemone, that sways back and forth with the current.   And, it is VERY tiny, less than 1", but you can only see the top white portion, which is even smaller.   It is called a Mushroom Coral Shrimp, or a Popcorn Anemone Shrimp.  I saw it, and just kept clicking until I was lucky.   So cute.

 

 

As we were finishing up one of our dives, we crossed a sandy shallow area with a lot of thick leaves.    Somehow Nhoe found these 2 Robust Ghost Pipefish.   They perfectly mimic the leaves that they live around.   I've seen them before, and there always seems to be 2, one larger than the other.  The second one is top left ..

 

The video shows the movement.  YouTube:    https://youtu.be/1wfP6e6l_js

 

 

This is a Peacock Razer Fish .... also found in the sandy shallows.

 

 

While I was waiting for Nhoe to find me something, I entertained myself finding LOTS of these ... I'm good at this  :)     In the sandy areas you will often find the sweet faces of Shaun the Sheep.    Those are my gloved fingers holding down that round green leaf.   And that tiny white speck at the top of the leaf is Shaun the Sheep.    YES, very difficult to see !

 

They are actually called Costasiella

 

Nhoe has centimeters marked on his stick.   So tiny !

 

They have different colorations

 

Also a Costasiella, ...a cousin of Shaun.   Lives on the same round green leaf.

 

 

This little guy lives on the same leaf too

 

 

We also saw this Nudi ... maybe Noumea Saffron ... yellow = saffron, makes sense

 

 

This a Script FlatWorm .... their movements are mesmerizing.   They mold their bodies around obstacles.  YouTube:   https://youtu.be/uCtwGAG8gz4

 

 

This is a Juvenile Razor Fish.   I've seen many of these as adults swimming together, always head down.     This is my first Juvenile.

 

These are the adults.   Always like this, heads down and moving together as one body.

 

 

 I know I've shown you the Sexy Shrimp before ... with their bum wiggling in the air.

 

 

Aivy Maes takes a boat of divers to Apo Island weekly.    I am not interested in going.   I've been there before, even stayed 2 nights in their hotel.   But that meant that Nhoe was not available to Guide me.    A friend uses Alex as a Guide and he wasn't diving that day, so he suggested I use Alex for my eyes.     Alex is a well renowned Spotter, and I was lucky to spend 2 dives with him.   This did cause a bit of an issue with Aivy Maes, but I finally got it 'approved'.  (They don't want you to dive with anyone else ..... )   Alex asked me what I wanted to see.   I was caught off-guard, and said a Doto.   It's a Nudi that looks like a bunch of grapes.   First thing in the water ..... he shows me this !   a Doto ...unbelievable !    About 1/4"

 

My guess is that this is a Nembrotha, but I've never seen one with these 2 colors.

 

 

He also showed me these 2 mating colorful Hypselodoris.   They mate head to tail, and their sex organs are on the side.

 

 

Everyone wants to see one of these Spiny Tiger Shrimp !   About 3/4"

 

 

 

We saw this little FrogFish ... it is how I feel some days  :(   YouTube:   https://youtu.be/eNgMg3G726Y

 

 

The Precious Chromodoris, honestly, that's the name I found

 

 

 

I've seen a lot of LionFish, but never a Juvenile, and that's what I've been told this is.   It was very tiny.

 

 

 

This was a very weird 'clam' ... it was moving along the sand, then all of a sudden it flashed red.   Maybe an Electric Clam, but I have never seen one move before.  About the size of a walnut

 

 

Another FlatWorm

 

 

Then he showed me a bunch of something 'red' on something 'red'.   It took me a LONG time to figure out what was what.   There were a LOT of them ... maybe 20 ?   But they sure are pretty !    They were the fluffiest Nudi's I've ever seen

 

With a bald streak running down it's back ... Weird.    Maybe a Noumeaella  ?

 

 

Alex also showed me this ... another transparent FrogFish ?   It has eyes that 'bug out' of it's head .....  not so cute as the one Mark found on Siquijor    :( 

 

 

 

 

That is the end of my time at Aivy Maes.    I met another 'Muck Diving' enthusiast, Maria.   I overheard her tell Nhoe that she ONLY was interested in Muck Diving.    My kind of girl.    She took this photo of me.

 

 

Since I procrastinated in my planning, they did not have 'my' bungalow available for my last night there.   So i HAD to stay in the 1st one, with air conditioning ....

 and a window to the Beach

 

 

Off to the Island of Romblon, known as one of the BEST for Muck Diving.   See you there.

 

 

dp

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

dp

Siquijor Night Dive on 19 Feb 2025

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  

Another one .... watch it 'walk' away and then take flight and turn BLUE.  https://youtu.be/Z80-BswXXg0

 

One more, really flying ....   and yes, they are poisonous.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/QfT7FrlP-jc 

 

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.

 

 

dp

Siquijor Island w/Lazi Beach Club & Bahura Dive Shop 17-20 Feb

 

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.

 

dp