Sept 2010

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS Scuba Diving: Verde Island words and photographs by Allison Manis Despite more than 200 dives on Verde Island, I can still feel like a Verde virgin every time I drop into the pristine turquoise water. My body is encompassed and wrapped in a luscious blanket of warmth, which is teeming with abundant fish life and creatures beyond imagination. Some days I still have to pinch myself to make sure that I am really experiencing all of this. And this is all in a day’s work . . . Experts have called The Verde Island Passage the “centre of the centre” of the world’s marine biodiversity. Life enhancing nutrients from the Pacific mix with waters of the South China Sea. You would never guess that beneath the surface are spectacular reef formations with more than 300 species of corals and underwater rock canyons that host nearly 60 percent of the world’s known shorefish species. The World Conservation Union describes it as the “marine counterpart of the Amazon River basin”, and puts the Verde Island Passage at the pinnacle of the “Coral Triangle” that extends from the central Philippines into the Sulawesi and Sulu seas. The best and most well known dive site is the “Verde Island Drop off” or “San Agapito” about 300 meters offshore. Approaching the dive site you are greeted by the rough tips of rocky pinnacles breaking the surface. I imagine that there must have been a few shipwrecks on these over the years! From the surface it doesn’t look like much, but as soon as you drop in, you’ll see that these pinnacles are like the icing on top of large colourful birthday cake. The Drop Off can be described best as steep slopes with stunning vertical walls that drop down to 70 meters or more. Numerous nooks The Verde Island Passage is situated between the islands of Luzon and Mindoro. A scuba diving trip to Puerto Galera is not complete without at least one visit to Verde Island. Just 40 minutes by banka (local outrigger boat) or 20 minutes by speedboat, depending on which dive operation you choose. There are more than 30 dive shops in Puerto Galera and most of them offer trips to Verde Island; the cost depends on the number of divers. During the high season (November to May) numbers are no problem, but in the quieter times of the year you might have to walk up and down the beach to find a dive shop that is running a trip to Verde. The larger operations, such at Asia Divers, Lalaguna Beach Club and Atlantis, will usually have at least one trip going per week. Most of the time I encourage our divers to get over there early in their stay because no doubt that they will want to go back again. 4
Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS and crannies are home to all sorts of reef life including shrimps, sea snakes, scorpion fish and moray eels. Volcanic bubbles rise up through the corals and create a magical effect. Anthias and red-tooth triggerfish are so abundant that I tell people that there are so many fish on the pinnacle that they’ll have to push them aside to see the reef. Puerto Galera is known so widely for its macro photography that I have to remind divers to pull out their wide-angle lens for a day on Verde, to take advantage of the spectacular pinnacles and beautiful gorgonian sea fans. These teamed up with the colourful anemones and reef fishes make an excellent backdrop and are a great area to shoot wide angle. However, nudibranches are plentiful and you’re bound to see a gnarly scorpion fish or two, so don’t forget the macro lens as well. The currents on Verde can be tricky, but going with an experienced guide you can safely manage them. The key is to stay tight to the pinnacle and not get pushed over deep water into the strong currents. As you approach “the corner” you can feel the current pushing in your face: decision time. With an experienced group I like to go on to the corner to “watch the show” - larger fish, including schooling jacks, sweetlips, tuna and snapper, all dancing in the current. I love to be in the mix of this, but if my group is less experienced I can turn around and miss this corner and keep everyone out of the current. 5
Page 1: Active Sept./Oct./Nov. 2010 BOATING
Page 6: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS A Sp
Page 9 and 10: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS 9
Page 11 and 12: DJ and Gambi today ready to compete
Page 13: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS ROWI
Page 18 and 19: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS Acti
Page 20 and 21: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS In S
Page 22 and 23: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS he p
Page 24: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS diam
Page 28: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS reef
Page 32 and 33: Active BOATING AND WATERSPORTS Inte
Page 34: Classified Ads Classified Ads Class

Sept 2010

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?