Preparing for Malapascua
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 19th, 2010I’ll be going on a much anticipated trip to Malapascua by the end of the week. Threshers,Mantas and Mandarin fish (mating) await! Here’s an email detailing the proposed itinerary for 10 dives. There’s an error in the time between Bogtong Bato and the second Monad Shoal dive on day one as it didn’t take surface interval time into consideration.
Dive itinerary proposed by Evolution
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“On your arrival day I am going to suggest we let you relax a little rather then jumping straight in so how about we start your diving day with an 830am dive at Monad. We like to go there as all the boats have left after the 530am dive and we think there is a spike of activity then. The sharks do spend less time on the stations but we still see them. I took customers there this week and we got shark, Manta and 20 plus Devil Rays so everyone was happy.
Then we can dive again at 11am – perhaps a local dive site like Bogtong Bato for great macro. In the afternoon we can do another macro dive or if the group prefers go back to Monad for more Manta hunting. Then you can do the Mandarin fish dive at 5pm.”
On Day Two I suggest 5am for Monad Shoal, followed by a day trip to the Dona Marylin and Gato Island (apply fuel surcharge of 350/person). I really think they are worth doing. Then we can do a night dive at Bantigue Bay at 630 and get back in time for beer and food!
On your last day I think its 5am Thresher dive again and a 930 dive on one of our local Macro sites – Lapus Lapus or Gilleano.
DAY ONE
830 Monad Shoal
1100 Bogtong Bato
1200 Monad Shoal
1730 Lighthouse (Mandarin Dive)
DAY TWO
0500 Monad Shoal
0900 Day Trip Dona Marylin / Gato (+350/person fuel surcharge)
1830 Night Dive Bantigue Bay
DAY THREE
0500 Monad Shoal
0930 Gileano or Lapus Lapus
On an ending note, I’d really love to level up my conversation with the video lens into what these guys are doing with their commentary:
The Day Trip: Anilao
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 17th, 2010
A new mix of dive buddies which may turn into something more regular, with more people! Ramon de Veyra asked me if I wanted to go on a day trip dive with Quark, Neva and her family. This video is the result. It’s really the ‘Ramon de Veyra Underwater Show.’
Below is raw footage of the octopus doing it’s camouflage thing — color and texture changing right before your very eyes. I’ve never gotten this kind of up close and personal footage. The cephalopod seemed to stand its ground and displayed the warning signs of it being threatened. I had the LED light turned off so as not to intimidate it further. I guess that was a good thing because it stayed.
P.S. Aquaventure Dive Resort now has free WiFi. No passwords!
Happy 100th, Jacques Cousteau!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 11th, 2010
“Buoyed by water, he can fly in any direction – up, down, sideways – by merely flipping his hand. Underwater man becomes an archangel.” — Jacques Yves-Costeau
To the guy who made it all possible, happy 100th anniversary!
Congratulations to Benj and Vangie!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at May 24th, 2010You know, it’s been a WHILE since I got comments that could serve as actual blog posts. You know, I wish I could have given away more tickets — I really wish I could! But the reality of the situation is that I only have two. And these two go to Benj and Vangie.
I chose Vangie (Banggigay) because of her apparent (and overflowing) passion for the ocean, coupled with her advocacy to hasten the adoption of solar energy in the Philippines. I chose Benj because when I first met him, he didn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would care, until we got to hang out a bit more and on one weekend, actually got to dive. Both of them are also in positions of influence (not that the others aren’t) which means that, metaphysically, “the good tends to spread” so I hope the good spreads faster with the two of them attending the talk.
This is not to say that I paid no heed to the comments of the rest — everyone did a good job, especially alongside the exchange of whether we should really “open” our marine treasures to more tourism. I wish I had more tickets to give out! 
I’d like to quote from the comments:
Man has only been around for quite a short amount of time – if the entire history of the earth were to be scrunched into 24 hours, man wouldn’t appear until the last second before the clock strikes midnight. Yet as it stands, it seems like the brief stretch of time that man has threatens the very existence and future of many organisms that came way before man. It’s a sad reality.
It is only through looking this humble perspective and this lens does one understand how minuscule he or she is as far as the world is concerned and how important it is to not harm anything in the eighty or so years that he’ll spend as a living organism on the planet. We are but a drop in the bucket – in an existential sense, it may sound very drab and somewhat depressing but that’s what it is and we have to take it for what it is. It’s calming to be part of a collective and to consider yourself as something that is one with nature and one with the only certain truth – the earth allowed millions of years of processes and evolution and for some reason, fate has allowed you to be you – at this time and at this moment.
Once you think about it that way, everything seems to feel a lot different. (from Benj)
Call me pessimistic, but part of me is glad that not many people know about the Philippines being in the center of this biodiversity.
Jayvee, I’ve spent months admiring your photographs and personal documentaries of these spectacular reefs. Sure, it would be wonderful if we market the Tubbataha, Apo Reef, and San Agapito Reef, but doesn’t it make you shudder to think about what would become of these spots when mainstream tourism hits in? (from Kate)
One of the more effective conservation projects done, although, this was outside the Philippines used the community approach. Before one educates one must first understand the community its culture and its society. The community was encouraged to re-seed giant clams and protect each area. The people believed and associated the reef as the home of their ancestors an spirit and guarding it was part of their duty.
Its more effective to convert and educate at the same time. (from Juned)
I think I understand what you’re trying to say–the Philippines’ beautiful diving sites are a bit underrated, considering that it’s relatively better (if not the best) compared to other diving locations. It is a bit frustrating too that we Filipinos don’t know this fact for ourselves. Even I have to admit that I wouldn’t have known that our country has the cooler “diving features” than other spots out there until I’ve stumbled upon your blog. (from Joben)
I believe there is nothing wrong in Philippines’ attempt to showcase its world-class dive sites to entice tourists – both local and foreign. Its marketing shots, albeit mediocre relative to its fellow Coral Triangle members, have specific, defined and viable potential. However, the absence of sustainable ecotourism program poses danger, or at worst destruction, to fragile natural marine ecosystem.
The real challenge is the formulation of specific programs and the effective methodology to ensure long term viability or sustainability of ecotourism. Marketing development and Return of Investment of Ecotourism should be put under microscopic lens to fully identify its enveloping intricate feasibility and responsibility.
Excessive and rapid development of coastal tourism (as the case of Puerto Galera, Boracay, etc) without consideration for sustainable ecotourism is approaching its breaking point that would lead to its serious decline of its surrounding water quality or may lead to further ecological problems like beach erosion retreat, runoff water to seas that affects balance of marine ecosystem and extending polluted sea area.
Ecotourism can be an important growth point of national economy (like that of Maldives, Phuket etc.) BUT we need a solid program that carries out effective sustainable ecotourism. We should have established guidelines to reduce ecotourism’s environmental impacts (if not totally eliminate) using measurable parameters. We need to take series of measures to promote ecotourism whilst effectively protecting marine ecosystem. This should not exclude grassroot level approach in educating about the sustainable strategies to those living along the coastlines, who are the actual stakeholders in the equation. It is through vigorous training and education of these stakeholders, real and absolute results can be achieved. (from Vangie)
I have to admit that I was pretty cynical about your endeavors, I mean with limited time, I have more important things to do (read: work, bills, relationships, etc) and being aware of my surroundings is far from my mind, parang let DENR and Greenpeace take charge.
but then this blog came along and i realized that at twenty five years old, I am missing a lot of important things, diving under the sea including. thanks to you guys, i became curious and started to read stuff about diving and taking it the extra mile like making use of decommissioned cars as substitute corals and yeah meron palang under the sea basura scavengers (akalain mo) but i wont be doing that yet, certainly not alone and not to soon. but for the meantime i will lessen my yosi intake from four sticks to five, that way i lessen my carbon footprint and that means, less chances of coral bleaching and more happy Nemos and Dyesebel out there. (from Marvin)
Hi Jayvee. I really admire people who dive and not just dive BUT do their share in protecting out marine environment. I tried diving once but my fear of deep see water & other sea creatures (maybe due to trauma when I was bitten by a jellyfish when I was a kid!) kept me from doing it again. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that people like me cannot do something for our environment, right? And thanks to people like you – we need to EDUCATE more and more people how to protect our environment. I am looking forward to see more education campaigns on this.
One of the things on my to-do-list-before-I-die is to do something meaningful for the environment (aside from being a mother to my 2 kids)… something for the future generations…something for our country…in my own little ways. I don’t know if that will happen but ever since I fell in love with our very own Philippine handmade papers, I began to see the path to my dream. I hope through my work, I am doing something for the environment and our country. It is my dream to be in this event but I have 2 kids to send to school next month so the budget for the ticket went to tuition fees & books Nevertheless, I am happy that more and more people are going GREEN! More power to your blog…(i’m an avid reader ) Sorry for the long post…na-carried away lang po. (from Airees)
Anilao: Bahura, Beatrice Rock, Sepok Wall, Mainit Point and Toro Point
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 12th, 2010
Above, another video I made of my latest underwater sojourn. We were extremely lucky as we saw so many things: several octopus, white and black tip sharks, eels, flamboyant cuttlefish, crabs, a puffed up blowfish and lots of nudibranchs. No mantas though but still! (Watch the video!)
Below, some stills I took from Bahura, Beatrice Rock, Mainit Point and Toro Point. I did an overnight trip with three friends — Kara was home for the holidays so what better way to enjoy the countryside than diving and camping out right beside the ocean in Anilao, Batangas.
Essentially, dives #44 – 47. I’ll be celebrating my 50th dive next!
Underwater with an INON Strobe
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at November 30th, 2009
Months ago I brought a Sony Cybershot W230 underwater with its appropriate casing. This weekend, I was able to borrow an INON strobe light courtesy of Jan. Since the Achilles’ heel of Sony cameras is the inability to customize your white balance underwater (it only has 3 presets), shooting with a strobe really changes the game.
Read on below for sample photos.
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Corregidor, The Remake
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at October 31st, 2009
So my Tuesday was particularly interesting. Gabe Mercado (@gabemercado) called the day previous inviting me to sample a new Magsaysay Group product offering for Tantin, our common friend from PhilMUG.
Corregidor is an underrated wonder, being stereotyped as an “old” tourist spot that brings back the memories of MacArthur’s folly. I remember experiencing the gun battery and Malinta Tunnel tours when I was younger and really, this is what Corregidor has been stereotyped into. There’s so much potential!
As it turns out, the recent turnover of operations to the Magsaysay group in the past two years (I sure hope I got these facts right) allowed them to rebrand Corregidor into something more than the “Rock” of Manila, adding other recreational activities apart from team building activities and historical tours.
Nothing final yet but imagine this: a true one hour journey (while sleeping!) from Manila Bay is an island park where you can bike, hike, jog, run, camp, bird watch, dive, snorkel, surf, sail to your hearts content. The exact words: we are turning Corregidor into a “central park” for Manila. The zip line is almost complete and will open in November.
You know what would be cool? Airsoft!! (as long as you use biodegradable bullets)
Stay tuned! This is Corregidor 2.0, a good reason to say “I shall return!”
Dive Gear Review: UWATEC Aladin TEC 2G Computer
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at October 14th, 2009
Perhaps the only “bad” thing I can say about this dive computer is it’s apparent awkwardness if worn casually. But that’s the price of P20,000.00 for an Aladin Tec 2G, acquired several weeks ago. This purchase completes my dive gear. It also saves lives.
Unlike other fashionable dive computers that double as casual wrist watches, the Tec 2G is not only more affordable: it is also built to last. The UWATEC Tec 2G is a standard diving computer with two H2O sensors at the bottom of the LCD to detect whether I’m submerged in water. There are only two buttons, and that serves as more than enough simplicity to navigate through the entire menu using a combination of short and long button presses.
The Tec 2G which I have, although brand new, already has scratches on the protective casing due to my own negligence, probably from wrecks or hanging on to rocks when diving in strong current. The added bulk on the real estate doesn’t help at all. But if we’re talking about performance, this dive computer is world class allowing dual oxygen mixture settings, an altimeter (it tells you if you’re climbing a mountain that’s too high after diving), 15 ft safety stop monitor, and many more. Plus, battery is user replaceable!
The Tec 2G has an optional IrDA cable that you can purchase via Nautilus (in Pasay Road) allowing you to transmit your dive logs onto your computer. This is on order basis only.
Open Water Dive Certification Week I: Dive and Trek, Anilao
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at April 20th, 2009
Henderson Gold Core
What a weekend! I’m in the process of completing my open water diving certification under PADI (yay a blog!). I’ve always wanted to launch into the deep, so now that I have the time and a little more savings, I decided to invest slowly in dives. I dragged Juned into taking lessons under Jan Acosta thanks to MJ, a friend I’ve known since college. Here are three reasons why I made the choice to go dive:
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