Dolphins and my dive in Samal Island

[Gi]

If fate and the pigs will allow it, I only have two chances to dive. It was Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.

The universe certainly has its funny way of making things fall into place.

After my work on Saturday morning, I thought maybe, I can still catch the 1 pm dive in Samal Island. But there was a possibility that I can be called back to check on pigs in Panabo City. So, I decided against it and sat it out in the city. Plus, I have this headache that doesn't want to go away.

I arranged my dive with Wind and Wave at Paradise Resort in Samal Island, 9 am, March 8. I was up at 7 am. Ready by 8. A Barbara Streisand movie was on HBO and is weirdly more appealing . So I stayed. Did some work in the computer and finished the movie. I was in the wharf at 10 am for the 5-minute boat ride to Samal (20-seater outrigger).

The boat was halfway across the channel when a pod of dolphins (15+) appeared 30 feet away on the left side of the boat. Dorsal fin after dorsal fin broke the surface. Our boat slowed down to let them pass. But they stopped also! . They were just there, their heads and tails bobbing up and down the water. They seem to be waiting for us to cross first?! An invisible intersection and they were giving way to the humans.

Everybody was silent except for some ohs and ahs. I wasn't breathing.... The boat, very slowly started forward, passing them. Then, they continued on their way along the channel. Just like that!!!

Everybody in the boat broke into clapping, whistling, cheering ;D. I WENT FREAKING HYSTERICAL!!! OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I LAB U 3X! WAIT FOR ME MY BABIES. KITA TAYO SA DIVE! (yes, I was professing my love to a fish at the top of my voice! bwiset!)

After I calmed down, I asked the boatman, "Does that happen all the time?". He said no. It was a rare occurence. We were very lucky, he said. WOW! (No. 1 coincidence - A small dose of Barbara Streisand is not going to hurt you.)

(No. 2 coincidence - Listen to your Sensei) Frank Rasmussen's dive itinerary was full and they cannot accomodate me. So, I leafed through the yellow pages, asked the hotel, etc., until I got Wind and Wave's number. Only to find out that it was the same contact Erwin posted here . They gave me a good package, btw.

(No. 3 coincidence - Patience is a virtue)
Rhea, the dive guide, told me that it was a good thing I did not insist on the Saturday afternoon dive because the current was strong. They cancelled their intro dives and snoklers were not even allowed past the 1st barrier. WAGI!!! WINNER!!!

Now, about the dive... That, I have to write another day. Hanggang sa susunod na kabanata, Ate Helen (tinininininining)...

written: March 11, 2009

[Gi]

Going back to that dive....

Since Frank Rasmussen's dive itinerary was full, I went to Wind and Wave. Their main dive shop is at Sta Ana Wharf and they also operate the shops in Paradise Resort and Pearl Farm. Since Paradise Island Resort is not a dive resort, there was limited facilities and service for divers. Although, food was affordable and good in the resto.

I would agree with Donna though, on bringing your own gear. We had a bit of delay because they had to change my reg and BC. The air guage was not working and the inflator on the BC has a tendency to free-flow. But after the swap, the dive went on smoothly.

It was a shallow dive, the deepest being 40 ft. We swam against a slight current on the 1st half then u-turned and drift dived the rest of the way at 20+ feet. Btw, I saw the traps, too, Donna.

The dive guides were quite young although their local knowledge and skills were not found wanting. At one point in our dive, Rhea's (the dive guide) inflator free-flowed. She just took the connection off and controlled her buoyancy manually and through her breathing .

Coral cover on the 1st 3rd of the dive was dismal due to dynamite fishing in the past but their artificial reefs are flourishing. When we were going down to 40 ft, a sculpture of a huge baby on the sand did not amuse me. It's an eye sore and it was just totally off . On the shallower area, soft and hard corals abound. I hope they can continue to protect these places because it's just starting to get really nice.

I did not see the frog fishes the dive guides were raving about. But I did saw 2 different schools of barracudas, box fishes, trumphet fish, moray eels (white with reddish-brown irregular pattern) and a sea snake.

The sea snake was pretty cool! We were on our 3 minute safety stop when Rhea spotted it. Its body was alternating black and white bands and was about 4 ft long twice the size of my big toe . We were following it when it made a u-turn, swam up the corals facing us. Wuhoooo ! Atras kami ng konti and just watched it from a distance. The snake swam up slowly in an S-fashion, touched the surface of the water to breath, then went back down again oh so gracefully. Galing! ;D

My dolphins were nowhere in site. Pero di bale, the sea snake taking a breath made up for it.

Good times and good dives, everybody!

written: March 13, 2009