Introduction to Diving

I wasn’t always comfortable in the water. I use to lie through my teeth in HS just so I could skip swimming class. I was in my 20s by the time I learned how to swim and that desire was borne from wanting to cliff-dive. I use to actively climb mountains in college & realized I was disadvantage from all those other activities my friends are doing without water-skills.

These were the same concerns expressed by people I’ve invited to join me for this trip. I was assured by our dive master though that the skills required on the surface of the water are different from the demands underwater. The primary concerns should be breathing & NOT TO PANIC.

Let me introduce you to our dive master (picture right)

No.  That wasn’t a part of our intro dive. I just wanted to show Nori in his natural environment.
You can actually google him & you’re gonna pull up some Greenpeace-protest associated news, Survivor Philippines thread and (interestingly enough) even this: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4055842/

The idea of intro-diving is to get use to breathing through the regulator, equalizing as you change depth and not get the hand-signals confused. Then you get introduced to the vastness of the sea as you face it going down.

Here’s a 7-second video sample:

Anilao is not a beach of choice for me, as you can see from the waterfront of our boat’s launch point here. But I didn’t go there for the beach. I didn’t go just to be on the water. I went there for the underwater scene. And to entice us for the day’s activity, Nori told us of an unclassified seahorse just recently micro-photographed right at the beachfront! Of pawikan and even a possibility of sighting a whale shark! So when it was time to go down, I was the first to volunteer. And I was the only one who saw a grazing sea-turtle among the giant clams!

Unfortunately, we weren’t ready for the photo-opp yet when we sighted the full-grown critically-endangered Hawksbill sea turtle (adult have been known to grow up to a meter in length) so I pulled a picture from en.wikipilipinas.org to share to you what I’ve seen.

I was born a fish. Since the alignment of the stars had shifted, I am now apparently a celestial water-bearer. What better time to reacquaint myself to life of the water than upon learning this.

*** Perspective of photos below may show it, but we did not step on any of the corals. Standing shots had our feet on the sand ***

intro dive participants (left to right): my sister Bambi, Cecille (from work), my brother-in-law Tok, & Yvette (from work)

* EXPENSES:
Introductory Dive package in Anilao (minimum of 5) @ the Dive and Trek dive-site is only PhP 1,800 – inclusive of dive equipment, divemaster fee and boat
Fare if commuting from Manila to Anilao Pier is estimated @ no less than PhP230 (that’s bus+jeep+tricycle)
* WHAT TO BRING:
1. Rush guard and board shorts (any nylon or quick dry clothing )
2. Pack lunch, water and personal snacks
3. Underwater camera (Optional)
4. Snorkeling gears (Optional)
* OPTIONAL:
Underwater pictures to be emailed maximum of 5 pictures (PhP 50/picture)
* CONTACT PERSON: Nori (contact# available upon request/inquiry)