Once the grouping point of hammerheads, today still good wall diving and occasional napoleon wrasses. In fact surpisingly good walls, gorgonians and healthy coral. Recommended. And yes spotted also the napoleon wrasse, about 1 meter long.
Divetimes 47 / 55 / 53min
Depths 31 / 27 / 27 meters
Air
With Mactan Scuba Dive Center MSDC which really offers you the best value for money in Mactan and really anywhere. You can negotiate three dive daytrips for 2000 pesos inc equipment.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
#85 : Marigondon cave, Mactan
Awesome, a big cave just off Marigondon beach. Entrance off 100 meters from beach at 20-30m, it's huge, you could park a bus inside. Goes apprximately 50 meters inside, but its so big that you can see the entrance at almost all times. Went all the way in, with the great lead from Jens/MSDC. Some people have apparently died diving here, there are a few graves and memorial crosses. Tough luck.
We were quite excited in here, and since already had a deep dive this morning, ended up doing a 25 minute decompression stop at 5 meters. It was worthwhile, encountered two branded sea snakes / kraits, a toadfish (!) usually only in Mexico, a red lionsifh, nudey branches, a spotted crab, pipefishes etc. Nice but totally destroyed aafterwards, thats what the nitrogen does for ya.
MAx depth 36m, divetime 65min inc. 25 min deco
We were quite excited in here, and since already had a deep dive this morning, ended up doing a 25 minute decompression stop at 5 meters. It was worthwhile, encountered two branded sea snakes / kraits, a toadfish (!) usually only in Mexico, a red lionsifh, nudey branches, a spotted crab, pipefishes etc. Nice but totally destroyed aafterwards, thats what the nitrogen does for ya.
MAx depth 36m, divetime 65min inc. 25 min deco
#84 Tresher shark hunting (1hour from Mactan)
Off Mactan again at unspecified location where there had been recent thresher shark encounters. No luck for us though, 27 mins with apretty cool wall though just staring into the blue.
Depth 38m, divetime 27min
Depth 38m, divetime 27min
Saturday, May 22, 2010
#83 Kontiki Wall, Mactan
The "official" nitrox test dive after completing the "theory", not exactly rocket science but still somehwhay relevant. Did a EANx32 dive at a wall that probably used to be great, but now was full of junk including some plastic bottle markers left by divers and all kind of crap thrown from the boats. So discovered the wall at around 30m for a good half an hour an that was pretty much it.
Afterweard discussed for quite a while about the DM course to be probably done with Greg, let's see now where to go from here though. Rescue with Nitrox is already a nice combo.
Max depth 31,0m, divetime 42min, weights 5kg with 1mm suit
Afterweard discussed for quite a while about the DM course to be probably done with Greg, let's see now where to go from here though. Rescue with Nitrox is already a nice combo.
Max depth 31,0m, divetime 42min, weights 5kg with 1mm suit
Monday, May 17, 2010
Whale sharks at Limasawa, Leyte, Philippines
Limasawa Island : 9°53′37″N 125°31′18″E / 9.89361°N 125.52167°E / 9.89361
This is not really a dive, but how could I possibly not log this?
Friday morning, 14th May 2010 about 7 AM I jump to the water, not exactly knowing what to expect. I mean yeah, we came here to see whalesharks but still, seeing one coming right at me right away was quite a thrill. Even this was a baby, only about 4 meters long (the grow up to 12 meters) I was stunned. I mean this guy has a tremendous mouth and it was coming right at me!
Nah, whale shark is a plankton eater. It wouldn't eat you even if you tried to get into its mouth. But still, come one, get that thing off me!
Seconds later when the shark was gone I felt stupid having frozed like that. Now I could catch it anymore, I was just feeling silly in the water. Darn it! But yeah, that was my first ever whale shark appointment!
But it was not the last. Only about 10 minutes later, our captain is able to spot one with help of the local fishermen. Everybody from the boat jumps in, but again the shark is drifted away.
Third time to come. People start to get tired after the some hard swimming. Adrenaline pumps in. I can swim I keep thinking. Mike, just relax. Shark is spotted and we jump in and this time I can keep up with it, swimming right on top of it. First hesitating, is it going to worry about me swimming so close to him? All it needs to do is one vigorous slash of the backfin and I will get the message to remember, but really it couldn't care less of my tiny presence. My confidence grows and I concentrate on keeping my swimming and breathing steady. I feel jellyfish burns in my hands, neck and face but go on, no question about it. Only one fellow is swimming with me anymore and together we spend a good ten minutes observing this enormous creature. At around 6 meters it's still a youngster, just feeding plankton and getting bigger. The name "whale shark" comes from the fish's physiology. As large as a whale, it too is a filter feeder. This really is one of the most beautiful I have EVER witnessed in my entire life!
Img from Aims Research
The next morning we come back the same site, but the whale shakrs appear to be gone along with the sun. Some wind breaks the surface of the sea, and the sky being grey, spotting the shakrs become nearly impossible. We spend a good half an hour looking for them, again early in the hours of dawn, tired, but thrilled. A local fisherman directs us closer to the shore, apparently having maube spotted one. We continue, but it seems to be a false alarm. There are no sharks. It's the end of the season and in late May they leave these shores and continue their unknown paths.
We stand on the deck and skim the horizon, when the least expected (maybe most dreamed) happend and an enormoush shadow crosses right under the boat! WTF?? Doesn't it even care about our boat??!? Crossing us from less than 3 meters distance he catches ALL of us by surprise, and we fail to jump into water even we are all geared up. People screaming, we lose the moment, but now we have seen which way it is going and turn the boat. We spot it easily this time against a crystal clear spot of water, and everyone jumps in. Negletting some more jellyfish damage, we get all close and personal with this 7 meter fellow just to realize that a second figure about same size appears from the blue. I mean goddamnit, all those walldives, you stare into the blue hoping (before: fearing) for something like this and now suddenly you are swimming with two fish, weighing about two tons each. We continue swimming vigorously trying to keep up, but the first one gets nervous and fastens it's pace being only barely visible. People are tired after swimming, so again it's just me and a Englsih-Chinese-becum-Filipino fellow diver who can keep up with the pace. It's so enormous, that even when swimming at ease and slowly, it keeps a decent pace in human standards. Wetsuit and fins=mask=snorkel are necessary to keeping up this pace, but there is nothing that could stop us now. I am literally less than 2 meters away, and just follow its every move. A good 10 minutes goes by with both sharks in close visibility now and I could as well swallow those damn jellyfish who tries to put my whale shark encounter in jeopardy.
Img by Ken Knezick, not our shark
I know that after this moment, in diving, nothing will remain the same. Two approximately seven ton fish (biggest ones weigh more than 20 tons) swimming gently and smoothly just inches from you is just awesome. Not all big is scary, as these two gentle giants have reminded me!
This is not really a dive, but how could I possibly not log this?
Friday morning, 14th May 2010 about 7 AM I jump to the water, not exactly knowing what to expect. I mean yeah, we came here to see whalesharks but still, seeing one coming right at me right away was quite a thrill. Even this was a baby, only about 4 meters long (the grow up to 12 meters) I was stunned. I mean this guy has a tremendous mouth and it was coming right at me!
Nah, whale shark is a plankton eater. It wouldn't eat you even if you tried to get into its mouth. But still, come one, get that thing off me!
Seconds later when the shark was gone I felt stupid having frozed like that. Now I could catch it anymore, I was just feeling silly in the water. Darn it! But yeah, that was my first ever whale shark appointment!
But it was not the last. Only about 10 minutes later, our captain is able to spot one with help of the local fishermen. Everybody from the boat jumps in, but again the shark is drifted away.
Third time to come. People start to get tired after the some hard swimming. Adrenaline pumps in. I can swim I keep thinking. Mike, just relax. Shark is spotted and we jump in and this time I can keep up with it, swimming right on top of it. First hesitating, is it going to worry about me swimming so close to him? All it needs to do is one vigorous slash of the backfin and I will get the message to remember, but really it couldn't care less of my tiny presence. My confidence grows and I concentrate on keeping my swimming and breathing steady. I feel jellyfish burns in my hands, neck and face but go on, no question about it. Only one fellow is swimming with me anymore and together we spend a good ten minutes observing this enormous creature. At around 6 meters it's still a youngster, just feeding plankton and getting bigger. The name "whale shark" comes from the fish's physiology. As large as a whale, it too is a filter feeder. This really is one of the most beautiful I have EVER witnessed in my entire life!
Img from Aims Research
The next morning we come back the same site, but the whale shakrs appear to be gone along with the sun. Some wind breaks the surface of the sea, and the sky being grey, spotting the shakrs become nearly impossible. We spend a good half an hour looking for them, again early in the hours of dawn, tired, but thrilled. A local fisherman directs us closer to the shore, apparently having maube spotted one. We continue, but it seems to be a false alarm. There are no sharks. It's the end of the season and in late May they leave these shores and continue their unknown paths.
We stand on the deck and skim the horizon, when the least expected (maybe most dreamed) happend and an enormoush shadow crosses right under the boat! WTF?? Doesn't it even care about our boat??!? Crossing us from less than 3 meters distance he catches ALL of us by surprise, and we fail to jump into water even we are all geared up. People screaming, we lose the moment, but now we have seen which way it is going and turn the boat. We spot it easily this time against a crystal clear spot of water, and everyone jumps in. Negletting some more jellyfish damage, we get all close and personal with this 7 meter fellow just to realize that a second figure about same size appears from the blue. I mean goddamnit, all those walldives, you stare into the blue hoping (before: fearing) for something like this and now suddenly you are swimming with two fish, weighing about two tons each. We continue swimming vigorously trying to keep up, but the first one gets nervous and fastens it's pace being only barely visible. People are tired after swimming, so again it's just me and a Englsih-Chinese-becum-Filipino fellow diver who can keep up with the pace. It's so enormous, that even when swimming at ease and slowly, it keeps a decent pace in human standards. Wetsuit and fins=mask=snorkel are necessary to keeping up this pace, but there is nothing that could stop us now. I am literally less than 2 meters away, and just follow its every move. A good 10 minutes goes by with both sharks in close visibility now and I could as well swallow those damn jellyfish who tries to put my whale shark encounter in jeopardy.
Img by Ken Knezick, not our shark
I know that after this moment, in diving, nothing will remain the same. Two approximately seven ton fish (biggest ones weigh more than 20 tons) swimming gently and smoothly just inches from you is just awesome. Not all big is scary, as these two gentle giants have reminded me!
Dive #82 : Unspecified site, off Limasawa
Allright, after the tremendous thrill after seeing the whale shakrs again this morning, we jump into the blue all geared this time, hoping to spot some giants from their own, deeper point of view. This wasn't a real divesite and we didn't expect much, least some tiny nudeybranch or some hairy crab to provide any excitement.
After getting used to the big, murky shadows actually BEING the whale shark(s) you've been waiting for, you get used to it - I was swating out of my wetsuit for the thrill of seing a TEN METER figure going slowly close to the surface. Quite soon after I realised it was our boat. It seems one can embarass himself also underwater:)
But no whalesharks anymore. However, spotting a ghost pipefish here was a rare occasion. I've seen it only once before, in Moalboal in 2006. It's a master of carmofalge, belonging to the seahorse family.
Two ghost pipefishes in their usual heads down position.
entry time 14:31, max depth 24,4m, divetime 40min, Nirox EANx34
Also normal black/yellow striped pipefishes were here.
After getting used to the big, murky shadows actually BEING the whale shark(s) you've been waiting for, you get used to it - I was swating out of my wetsuit for the thrill of seing a TEN METER figure going slowly close to the surface. Quite soon after I realised it was our boat. It seems one can embarass himself also underwater:)
But no whalesharks anymore. However, spotting a ghost pipefish here was a rare occasion. I've seen it only once before, in Moalboal in 2006. It's a master of carmofalge, belonging to the seahorse family.
Two ghost pipefishes in their usual heads down position.
entry time 14:31, max depth 24,4m, divetime 40min, Nirox EANx34
Also normal black/yellow striped pipefishes were here.
Dive #81 : Paluarte, Southern Leyte, Philippines
This site was by far the lousiest of the day, but it still offered some nice stuff that you only rarly see, such as the always fascinating manta shrimp. Also scorpionfish was a nice spot here, and I am becoming better and better with "muckking", spotting shrimps from their holes, nudie branches, moray eels and other small/hiding/carmoflaged stuff.
This was a drift dive, the current moving us about a quarter of a mile.
Lots of fishtraps set on the bottom, boring. Luckily they were mostly empty.
entry time 14:31, max depth 24,4m, divetime 40min, water 28 deg celcius, Nitrox EANx34
Nitrox seems to work fine, no difference in taste, a bit more relaxing dives since no worries about deco stops in 18-30depth. The real benefit is marginal, since the tank runs empty far before deco limits anyway. The biggest benefit at this point seems to be that I don't get that tired, even after 3 dives a day, waking 5:30AM three days in a row. Thta IS a real benefit.
This was a drift dive, the current moving us about a quarter of a mile.
Lots of fishtraps set on the bottom, boring. Luckily they were mostly empty.
entry time 14:31, max depth 24,4m, divetime 40min, water 28 deg celcius, Nitrox EANx34
Nitrox seems to work fine, no difference in taste, a bit more relaxing dives since no worries about deco stops in 18-30depth. The real benefit is marginal, since the tank runs empty far before deco limits anyway. The biggest benefit at this point seems to be that I don't get that tired, even after 3 dives a day, waking 5:30AM three days in a row. Thta IS a real benefit.
Dive #80, Zach's Cove, Southern Leyte, Philippines
OK THIS IS WHAT DIVING IS ALL ABOUT! So fellow diver, u have spent 2000,- for flights, another 2000,- for equipment, spent trmemendous amounts of time planning and organising, and you are wondering if it's REALLY worth of all the hussle?
HELL YEAH!
Zach’s Cove offers something different, and challenging. Its sheer drop-off sometimes exceeds 180 ft and as we made our descent, we noticed an abundance of corals in their most pristine state, from huge sea fans to soft corals to a wide variety of sponges, coral foliose and hard corals, including countless plate and table corals. For the trained eye, one can make out that clams and other marine life, like nudibranches and other invertebrates seem to feel at home in this marine hideaway. The reef residents stand out as well, from adult snappers, sergeant-majors, parrot fishes, angelfishes, groupers, large trigger fishes, sea snakes, and an almost limitless flow of pelagics and schooling fishes, adding more life to this blue undisturbed world. And the barracuda always provide a sense of thrill and awe as it makes its occasional visit to the reef.
One of the goddamnd greatest wall dive's ever. WHY AM I NOT GETTING TIRED OF THIS??????????? (I usually get bored with pretty much anything after a ... day or so)
entry time 11:50, max depth 22,9m, divetime 47min, Nitrox EANx32, water temp 28
HELL YEAH!
Zach’s Cove offers something different, and challenging. Its sheer drop-off sometimes exceeds 180 ft and as we made our descent, we noticed an abundance of corals in their most pristine state, from huge sea fans to soft corals to a wide variety of sponges, coral foliose and hard corals, including countless plate and table corals. For the trained eye, one can make out that clams and other marine life, like nudibranches and other invertebrates seem to feel at home in this marine hideaway. The reef residents stand out as well, from adult snappers, sergeant-majors, parrot fishes, angelfishes, groupers, large trigger fishes, sea snakes, and an almost limitless flow of pelagics and schooling fishes, adding more life to this blue undisturbed world. And the barracuda always provide a sense of thrill and awe as it makes its occasional visit to the reef.
One of the goddamnd greatest wall dive's ever. WHY AM I NOT GETTING TIRED OF THIS??????????? (I usually get bored with pretty much anything after a ... day or so)
entry time 11:50, max depth 22,9m, divetime 47min, Nitrox EANx32, water temp 28
Dive #79 : Adrian's Cove, Southern Leyte, Philippines
OK, this dive was planned to go to 45-50 meter range, which was quite a bit more that I was used to. However given the conditions and the recent training, I was confident I could manage it.
Instructor makes a safety check at 40m, I roger and we move to 50,2. My instructor Paul, a South-Korean navy seal with 10.000= dives asks if I want to continue deeper. I am tempted, but decide not to. We start a slow ascend.
No signs of narcosis, but changing diveplan spontaniously ain't my cup of cake. Looking back now I am happy I stayed cool headed.
The sites beauty was a bit left behind, since most of the concentration was dealing with the depth and possible consequences. Afterwrds I was told by the people who stayed at the 30 meter limit, that this was one of the best dives here with a wall, a lot of coves and overhangs, nicely covered bushes of black coral, staghorn corals and many sea squirts. I did enjoy the corals during ascend and saftey stop, but was worried about air (no nitrox at this depth baby). I am surprised actually why this dive was planned to be the deep dive, but given the extremist instructor I guess it was just his game.
Photos by Yvette Lee
The corals again (during ascent) were truly fantastic, zillions of small fish like in an aquarium, ut nothing really spectacular. (I mean, we saw 3 whale sharks [ to be posted ] earlier when snorkeling so bloody hell what could have been spectacular here anymore!??
Entry time 10:07, divetime 32min, max depth 50,2m, water temp 28 celcius (all Leyte dives with Mactan Dive Center)
Instructor makes a safety check at 40m, I roger and we move to 50,2. My instructor Paul, a South-Korean navy seal with 10.000= dives asks if I want to continue deeper. I am tempted, but decide not to. We start a slow ascend.
No signs of narcosis, but changing diveplan spontaniously ain't my cup of cake. Looking back now I am happy I stayed cool headed.
The sites beauty was a bit left behind, since most of the concentration was dealing with the depth and possible consequences. Afterwrds I was told by the people who stayed at the 30 meter limit, that this was one of the best dives here with a wall, a lot of coves and overhangs, nicely covered bushes of black coral, staghorn corals and many sea squirts. I did enjoy the corals during ascend and saftey stop, but was worried about air (no nitrox at this depth baby). I am surprised actually why this dive was planned to be the deep dive, but given the extremist instructor I guess it was just his game.
Photos by Yvette Lee
The corals again (during ascent) were truly fantastic, zillions of small fish like in an aquarium, ut nothing really spectacular. (I mean, we saw 3 whale sharks [ to be posted ] earlier when snorkeling so bloody hell what could have been spectacular here anymore!??
Entry time 10:07, divetime 32min, max depth 50,2m, water temp 28 celcius (all Leyte dives with Mactan Dive Center)
Dives #77 (Coral Garden) and #78 (Heaven's Gate), Southern Leyte (off San Roque), Philippines (Nitrox EANx34)
OK, the game is on! I was invited to a private safari tour, since by instructor had to collect some cylinders and equipment, he asked a few fellows to join him for the tour with minimimal cost. It was a 5 and a half hour boatride from Mactan Island off Cebu, so lots of time to get close and personal with (nobody but) my new Suunto Zoop. Entry level [ dive computer ] it may be, but serves percetly to my current needs and allows a nitrox mix from 21 (obviously) to 40% oxygen, has visual and sound alarms, waterproof to 100 meters (not like your "waterproof 100m" watch), divelog and planner. This all for less than 200 euro by the way, thanks Suunto! This rare moments of pride for being a Finn!
After getting to know the people onboard and having a rough not-very-urban lunch, it was time to get to the business. We started from Coral Garden and continued with Heaven's Gate. Both interesting dives, and you can really tell these corals are very untouch EVEN THOUGH reports on dynamite fishing do exist. (But at Mactan I heard the blasts on myself, so this could not be worse for sure.) And yes, the virgin corals gave enough feeling of satisfaction and made a long and rough boatride worthwile. Actually at the time of the dives, I considered these very good ones (compared to Mactan at least) but now when I know better - read the future posts to come - these two were... well, just ok.
But it's woprth mentioning that these were my very first enriched air / nitrox dives, giving almost double no deco time underwater. Is this very useful given the same tank size can be questionned, but I think diving with enriched air with more oxygen has also other benefits. It's the nitrogen that really makes you tired after the dives, and having less of it (due to higher concentration of oxygen) really keeps you fresher after the day is over.
Coral Garden: entry time 14:00, divetime 35min, max depth 25m, water temp 28 celcius, gas mix EANx34 (34% oxygen / 66% nitrogen)
Heaven's gate: entry time 17:01, divetime 40min, max depth 25m, water temp 28 celcius, mix EANx34
After getting to know the people onboard and having a rough not-very-urban lunch, it was time to get to the business. We started from Coral Garden and continued with Heaven's Gate. Both interesting dives, and you can really tell these corals are very untouch EVEN THOUGH reports on dynamite fishing do exist. (But at Mactan I heard the blasts on myself, so this could not be worse for sure.) And yes, the virgin corals gave enough feeling of satisfaction and made a long and rough boatride worthwile. Actually at the time of the dives, I considered these very good ones (compared to Mactan at least) but now when I know better - read the future posts to come - these two were... well, just ok.
But it's woprth mentioning that these were my very first enriched air / nitrox dives, giving almost double no deco time underwater. Is this very useful given the same tank size can be questionned, but I think diving with enriched air with more oxygen has also other benefits. It's the nitrogen that really makes you tired after the dives, and having less of it (due to higher concentration of oxygen) really keeps you fresher after the day is over.
Coral Garden: entry time 14:00, divetime 35min, max depth 25m, water temp 28 celcius, gas mix EANx34 (34% oxygen / 66% nitrogen)
Heaven's gate: entry time 17:01, divetime 40min, max depth 25m, water temp 28 celcius, mix EANx34
Monday, May 10, 2010
Dive #76 : Rescue Diver Session 4, Mactan Island (Off Marigondon Beach), Philippines
So this was the last session of my course, including once more a "real life" scene where a diver started to signal for help from the distance, while I was chilling at the beach with no gear on. Then in split seconf you are supposed to think and act, whether it's smart to spend time gearing up, or would it be better just to gear up with fins and mask only and then go for help wuth some sort of floating device. Since it was a deeper spot (I supposed) and the dude could be sinking, I geared up with full gear and decided to make an underwater approach due to heavy waves and waterjet traffic on the surface. Off we go, the "tired diver" was sunk to the bottom, dragged him up, and started immediate rescue breath on the surface. This had to be done every five seconds, and in the meanwhile towing the diver to the surface as well as I could possibly could.
This had to at least look like real, since a couple of guys rushed from the shore to help me out. The victim had then to explain that this was just a simulation!
Overall a good course, even though I would have wanted some more unpredictable surprise scenarios. Now everything was explained beforehands and there was no real element of surprise. Yes, the scenarious were close to real life situations, but in reality nobody is going to explain you beforehands that hey, I will soon panic and sink, would you please rescue me?
However it feels great to advance as diver and I am looking forward to my nitrox and divemaster certifications.
This had to at least look like real, since a couple of guys rushed from the shore to help me out. The victim had then to explain that this was just a simulation!
Overall a good course, even though I would have wanted some more unpredictable surprise scenarios. Now everything was explained beforehands and there was no real element of surprise. Yes, the scenarious were close to real life situations, but in reality nobody is going to explain you beforehands that hey, I will soon panic and sink, would you please rescue me?
However it feels great to advance as diver and I am looking forward to my nitrox and divemaster certifications.
Dive #75 : Rescue Diver Session #3, Mactan Island, Philippines
Rescue diver sessions continuing with more rescue scenarios and missing diver search patterns. First however for of mentioning that scored full 50/50 points from the theory part, guess I really had time to study my book due to a couple of weeks delay of the course. I picked the book two weeks before, fell with a strong flu and had to postpone the practical sessions. Seems like the studying paid off!
We started with another missing diver search patterns, practicing the expanding square, U-pattern and the expanding circle with a line. Then to the most useful stuff, a diver panicking in 20 meters depth, surging to the surface full speed holding breath. So what ya do, let the sad bastard go an experience the free thrills of lung expansion combined with the joy of decompresson sickness? I mean those nitrogen bubbles in your bloodflow cant be that bad right! Oh well for the sake of the course the poor fellow had to be saved, so grabbing and controlling the dude underwater, providing you air supply and taking him calmly to the surface with safety/deco stops. This was great stuff, we actually should have more this which I think is closer to a situation that might happen (and did happen in Belize) in the real world. However we also concentrated quite a bit to rescuing unconscious diver from the bottom, something I dont see THAT common. Anyway, a crapload of time was spent to on-the-surface rescue breaths and ventilations, oxygen masks usage and towing the victim onto land. Pretty good, and tirening, stuff. The burning jellyfish patrolling the area didn't make it much easier, neither the zillions of locals who were spending their sunday afternoon playing at the beach. Once when we surfaced, a waterjet roamed about 5 meters from us...
Ended the session with some free diving excercises, to approximately 3-4 meters and swimming around without equipment.
We started with another missing diver search patterns, practicing the expanding square, U-pattern and the expanding circle with a line. Then to the most useful stuff, a diver panicking in 20 meters depth, surging to the surface full speed holding breath. So what ya do, let the sad bastard go an experience the free thrills of lung expansion combined with the joy of decompresson sickness? I mean those nitrogen bubbles in your bloodflow cant be that bad right! Oh well for the sake of the course the poor fellow had to be saved, so grabbing and controlling the dude underwater, providing you air supply and taking him calmly to the surface with safety/deco stops. This was great stuff, we actually should have more this which I think is closer to a situation that might happen (and did happen in Belize) in the real world. However we also concentrated quite a bit to rescuing unconscious diver from the bottom, something I dont see THAT common. Anyway, a crapload of time was spent to on-the-surface rescue breaths and ventilations, oxygen masks usage and towing the victim onto land. Pretty good, and tirening, stuff. The burning jellyfish patrolling the area didn't make it much easier, neither the zillions of locals who were spending their sunday afternoon playing at the beach. Once when we surfaced, a waterjet roamed about 5 meters from us...
Ended the session with some free diving excercises, to approximately 3-4 meters and swimming around without equipment.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Dive #74 : Rescue Diver Session 2, Mactan Divers (Mactan Island, Philippines)
Continuing the rescue course with missing diver search patterns and rescue breathing and other first aid on the surface.
- Missing Diver Procedures
- Surfacing an unconscious diver
- On the surface first aid equipment and first aid procedures.
- Towing unconscious diver to the shore while simulating rescue breaths
This stuff gets quite tirening at times, so it really pays off to exercise regularly. Its still the haunting experience from the Belize Blue Hole that motivates me to do this stuff. After seeing a panicked (buddy!) diver in 35 meters launching for a vigorous emergency ascent leaving u speechless incapable for proper reaction is something I DONT want to experience again. And indeed, next time I know what to do.
To be continued tomorrow.
- Missing Diver Procedures
- Surfacing an unconscious diver
- On the surface first aid equipment and first aid procedures.
- Towing unconscious diver to the shore while simulating rescue breaths
This stuff gets quite tirening at times, so it really pays off to exercise regularly. Its still the haunting experience from the Belize Blue Hole that motivates me to do this stuff. After seeing a panicked (buddy!) diver in 35 meters launching for a vigorous emergency ascent leaving u speechless incapable for proper reaction is something I DONT want to experience again. And indeed, next time I know what to do.
To be continued tomorrow.
Dive #73 : Rescue Diver Session #1 (Mactan Island, Philippines)
Allright the first rescue diver session started with some refreshing of the basic skills such as swimming in the bottom of the sea without mask and air.
- Missing mask or extended mask removal
- Out of air, finding loose octapus without mask
- Excessive feeding regulator (not in mouth) or "breathing bubbles"
- Overexertion and ascents on alternate air source
Plus on the surface
- Towing distressed diver
- Approaching panicked diver
- Getting rid of the panicked diver (exit)
Quite meaningful stuff especially the self rescue and stress management parts. How can u handle emergencies if u can't handle yourself in one?
- Missing mask or extended mask removal
- Out of air, finding loose octapus without mask
- Excessive feeding regulator (not in mouth) or "breathing bubbles"
- Overexertion and ascents on alternate air source
Plus on the surface
- Towing distressed diver
- Approaching panicked diver
- Getting rid of the panicked diver (exit)
Quite meaningful stuff especially the self rescue and stress management parts. How can u handle emergencies if u can't handle yourself in one?
Monday, May 03, 2010
Dive #72 : Gilutongan Marine Resort, off Mactan, Cebu, Philippines
Allright now this one was definately all worth it. A good wall at around 5-25 meters, with shitloads of hard and soft corals plus an amazing variety of coral life including a school of giant spadefish, groupers, and a lot of smaller, typical stuff such as parrotfish, morish idols, at least twenty triggerfish chasing each others as maniacs as they are, variety of wrasses and flutemouths, trumpetfish etc, a few shrimps and pipefish but no nudey branches this time.
Even though the site was great, a few dynamite blasts shocked us underwater. It really feels like someone throws the explosives right next to you, such strong is the shockwave underwater. Everyone were staring at each other in disbelief, however relieved that no-ones tank had exploded and that wach one of us were fine. So we continue the dive only to experience the second and the third blast in the moments to come.
This is exaclty the kind of bullshit that greedy attitudes bring up in people. You can easily make the buck by killing all the fish around with a few explosives, then pick the fish and sell it to the market, restaurants, or even worse the chinese morons who buy the fish after not much is left in their own country. Then you leave the corals destroyed and you must hunt the fish further and further away. Also the dive tourism which brings way more money to the local economy than fishing, will diminish. Of course, the fishermen dont get much benefit from divers, but they really must sort themselves out somehow. What the @#@# is the point to first to pay a speacial entrance fee to eneter a marine reservoir and still discover people dynamite fishing in the area. F U all greedy money blinded wankers who are just too lame, dumb or both to understand anything further than short term income.
It was still unclear how far the dynamites were detonated. In the water the shockwave is obvious, however people on the deck of our boat had not heard anything.
Weights 10kg ( because long thick 5mm wetsuit plus gloves), vis 25m, depth 25m, divetime 47min great one.
Even though the site was great, a few dynamite blasts shocked us underwater. It really feels like someone throws the explosives right next to you, such strong is the shockwave underwater. Everyone were staring at each other in disbelief, however relieved that no-ones tank had exploded and that wach one of us were fine. So we continue the dive only to experience the second and the third blast in the moments to come.
This is exaclty the kind of bullshit that greedy attitudes bring up in people. You can easily make the buck by killing all the fish around with a few explosives, then pick the fish and sell it to the market, restaurants, or even worse the chinese morons who buy the fish after not much is left in their own country. Then you leave the corals destroyed and you must hunt the fish further and further away. Also the dive tourism which brings way more money to the local economy than fishing, will diminish. Of course, the fishermen dont get much benefit from divers, but they really must sort themselves out somehow. What the @#@# is the point to first to pay a speacial entrance fee to eneter a marine reservoir and still discover people dynamite fishing in the area. F U all greedy money blinded wankers who are just too lame, dumb or both to understand anything further than short term income.
It was still unclear how far the dynamites were detonated. In the water the shockwave is obvious, however people on the deck of our boat had not heard anything.
Weights 10kg ( because long thick 5mm wetsuit plus gloves), vis 25m, depth 25m, divetime 47min great one.
Dive #71 : Tambuli reef, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines
Took off with a few people from work, including my current boss who is an enthusiastic diver. After playing around with waterjets (surpsinigly quite fun!) time to get serious and put the divegear on. We rented quite a large boat, and started patrolling the reefs. Water turquise and crystal clear as the standard in the Philippines seems to be.
Fisr stop was Tambuli reef, where we faced some strong currents and a sea snake was immediately waiting for us. Another interesting thing here was the sunken airplane, a wreck to fool around with was quite unique. However it was a turnoff to realize that it was deliberatly put there for the divers sake. Thats really lame! Not that it's that new of an idea, in the gulf of Mexico they sunk a whole 250 meter long (888 feet) aircraft carrier the USS Oriskany just for the divers. Read more.
So, this was just a small plane, actually just a reminder of the stuff waiting at the Coron Bay, and those wrecks are the realk thing from WW2.
So yeah lets face it, it was a boring dive and diving with your boss is never a great idea since it definately takes some elements off the thing. Also visibilitywise, even Philippines do have good visibility, after Cozumel Mexico, nothing really is the same!
Wetsuit 5mm long, weights 8kg, divetime 35min, vis 20m
Fisr stop was Tambuli reef, where we faced some strong currents and a sea snake was immediately waiting for us. Another interesting thing here was the sunken airplane, a wreck to fool around with was quite unique. However it was a turnoff to realize that it was deliberatly put there for the divers sake. Thats really lame! Not that it's that new of an idea, in the gulf of Mexico they sunk a whole 250 meter long (888 feet) aircraft carrier the USS Oriskany just for the divers. Read more.
So, this was just a small plane, actually just a reminder of the stuff waiting at the Coron Bay, and those wrecks are the realk thing from WW2.
So yeah lets face it, it was a boring dive and diving with your boss is never a great idea since it definately takes some elements off the thing. Also visibilitywise, even Philippines do have good visibility, after Cozumel Mexico, nothing really is the same!
Wetsuit 5mm long, weights 8kg, divetime 35min, vis 20m
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