Dive Log

Dive and Trek Resort, San Pablo, Bauan, Batangas,

March 6, 2005

We left early for Batangas and I spent the morning introducing Jeff, Gino, and Toni to skin diving. As always the protected reef was a welcome sight, a welcome change of scenery to the dreary life in the city. There was an abundance of fish and other marine life attracted by the very healthy coral reef. It was a visual delight since the reef was a profusion of color and life. I got bitten by a couple of clown fish again when I ran my hands through some soft corals. They are a bit territorial and they don’t want strangers coming near their turf especially when they have a baby clown fish in that soft coral. I hope Jeff, Gino, and Toni had as much fun as I did.

First Dive: Pinacle (Ligpo Island)
Ave depth:51 ft
Max depth: 100 ft
Water temp: 77F
Time
in: 2:22 p.m.
out: 2:57 p.m.
bottom: 35 min
Dive notes: Low visibility, strong current, just drifted with the current to the other side of the island. We just gently glided along what seemed like a sheer wall of corals and marine life. We saw a cuttlefish, but it was kinda shy and quickly swam away.

Second Dive: El Capitan / Ligpo cave
Ave depth: 28 ft
Max depth: 59 ft
Water temp: 78F
Time
in: 4:07p.m
out: 4:50p.m.
bottom: 43 min
Dive notes: Last dive of the day. Entered a small cave and I was amazed that it teeming with marine life. I saw a couple of fish that I had never seen before they had some brightly glowing lines around their eyes. The cave was full of fish and they were literally inches away, seeming oblivious of our presence. We were warned though to be very careful with what we touch, as there might be scorpion fishes inside.

I took my time inside the cave and swam slowly on my way up and out of a small opening on the roof of the cave. The light shining through from a small opening on top was the only light inside that cave and it served as a guide to the where I would have to exit. When I finally emerged out of that small opening, it was as if I stepped out into a psychedelic fairy tale garden on a summer day. I was surrounded by lavender colored soft corals that lay like flowers straight from a painting, it gave me the impression that I was waking up from a dream or maybe I was at that moment still dreaming. I was floating weightless and unencumbered by the worries of reality in a world unlike our own.