Scubafanatic: generally defined as one with extreme or irrational enthusiasms and unnecessary preoccupation with diving. Why do I think I fit into this category? Since being certified a little over a year ago, I have been on more than a hundred dives. Do the math. I know it sounds crazy, but diving has become more than a recreational sport to me. It has become a way of life.

Saturday morning, 4:00 AM

Waking up at this ungodly hour on a Saturday must seem downright absurd to most people, but to a diver like myself, I have grown accustomed to dragging myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning just to drive to Anilao, Batangas. I double checked my dive bag before I loaded it into the car- BCD, check. Regulator, check. Fins, check. Dive computer, check. Wetsuit, check. Booties, check. Sun block, check. Everything seemed to be in order, so I jumped in my car, switched on the radio and began my two and a half hour journey down south.

5:30 AM

As if on cue, Bob Schneider’s “Deep Blue Sea” started playing on my stereo. The weather seemed to be quite foreboding, but nevertheless, I was excited. There were hardly any cars on the road, which meant that I would be able to get to Anilao on schedule, by 6:30. All divers know that sunrise is the best time to dive because with fewer divers in the water, you have a greater chance of seeing something rare (e.g. a shark). Anilao is the most easily accessible diving spot in Luzon, thus making it a popular weekend destination for divers based in Manila since it is only a two and a half hour drive away. It is also a premier diving spot for photographers-Anilao is now known as the macro photography capital of the Philippines. As I turned into San Jose, Batangas, I knew I was only an hour away. I was so close; I could almost smell the seawater.

6:35 AM

I arrived at Aquaventure Reef Club right on schedule. I pulled into the parking lot and saw someone waving me down. To my surprise, it was Abet, my favorite divemaster. He explained that he was in charge of my group for the entire weekend. Abet has been diving since the 70’s and knows Anilao like the back of his hand. My friends and I jokingly call him “Poseidon” because he knows exactly where to find what it is you want to see. After giving him a high five, he gathered my belongings and told me that we would start whenever I was ready. As I walked down the cobbled steps, I was greeted by name by some of the staff. It was like coming home. I was then ushered to my room, which had a spectacular view of Anilao bay and where I could be lulled to sleep by the calming sea breeze that I had been looking forward to all week.

I have been to Aquaventure several times since the past year. It is where I did my open water certification, as well as my advanced open water certification. For me, it had taken a lot of guts to finally face the deep. Movies like Jaws (I, II and III) and Open Water were not much help either. However, I was determined to get over my fear. You may ask, why such determination? Being an avid traveler, my friend Paolo convinced me that there was so much more to see in beaches than just the shore and the sand. There was a whole other world underneath, so why not explore and enjoy exotic marine life? Aside from this, I was also up for trying something new. Being underwater seemed like a completely alien experience to me. I had tried many different kinds of water sports, none of which appealed too much to me – until I started scuba diving. There is something about the blue calm that is so enticing. After a week of work, scuba diving is a relaxing way to forget about all your problems and becomes something to look forward to.

7:10 A.M

After slathering a good amount of sun block on all visible parts of my body, I was ready to put on my wetsuit and start diving. I put my fins, sun block, mask, gloves, snacks and water inside the crate and all that was left to do was attach my BCD and regulator to my tank. According to Abet, we were doing four dives, starting with Dead Palm, our deepest dive of the day. As we boarded the banca with everything in place, we were finally set for our first dive of the day. Before we descended, we performed a standard buddy check BWRAF (BCD, Weights, Releases, Air and Fins), just to double check.

Dead Palm is famous for its sightings of the elusive pygmy seahorse that rest on gorgonian fans. Spotting them is no easy task as they are camouflaged. True to his word, Abet found us not one pygmy seahorse, but nine and all of which were resting on one fan. Right after our dive, we had a surface interval of about 35 minutes. Since it was so cold, we decided to build a little bonfire while we rested. Our next dive was Kirby’s Rock. This divesite is almost impossible to miss since the rock literally sticks out of the water. Kirby’s Rock drops as a wall to about 20 meters or 60 feet which is covered with soft corals, crinoids, and many species of nudibranchs. One can also notice that the wall is also swathed in small, yellow sea cucumbers. Abet also pointed out several frogfish who were resting calmly on some coral. Following Kirby’s Rock, we made our way to Beatrice Rock, one of my favorite dive sites. It is quite impressive as it is jam-packed with all the reef fish you could ever imagine, including triggerfish, snappers, jacks and anthias. There are also huge barrel sponges and filled with colorful soft corals. One has to watch out for the strong currents that Beatrice is known for, and luckily, we didn’t experience any.

1:00 P.M., Saturday afternoon

We arrived at the resort dead tired and we barely made it to the dining area. As they were preparing
our lunch, I immediately brightened at the thought of our meal. Aquaventure is known for its delicious meals and their superb customer service, one of the reasons why divers like myself have always
found our way back to Aquaventure. We were then presented with a simple yet mouthwatering meal of fried chicken, chopsuey vegetables, grilled fish, sopas, topped off with their famous dessert, peaches and cream. After a nice, filling meal, I took a short nap in my cozy room in preparation for my next dive.

3:30 P.M., Saturday afternoon

Our last dive of the day was at Cathedral, a Marine Park Sanctuary. It is probably the best-known Philippine dive site. As we descended, we reached a sandy area and swam for a few meters until we reached our destination. You know when you’ve reached the site because of the multitudes of fish such as angelfish, butterfly fish, damselfish, pufferfish and parrotfish that greet you waiting to be handfed. The fish literally swarm you, and even bump into your mask! Another landmark is a small cross planted at 15 meters between two large sea mounts by the former Philippine President, Fidel Ramos in 1993 and is blessed by Pope John Paul II. One really gets mesmerized with all the fish and all the colors that you see in this particular site.

4:40 P.M. Saturday afternoon

We finally headed back to the resort after quite a long diving trip. I gathered my gear so I could rinse it thoroughly to make sure that there wasn’t any seawater left. After rinsing, I hung my gear carefully to air dry so it would be ready for tomorrow.

Darkness was finally beginning to settle, a sign that our day had finally ended and time for a delicious
Aquaventure dinner in a few hours – yet another
fulfilling dive experience in Anilao.

FAQ’s

1. What is Scuba Diving?
Scuba diving is basically swimming underwater using SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) where one breathes using a cylinder of compressed air (or sometimes, other gases). Scuba divers can stay hours underwater by normally breathing underwater using a regulator.

2. Why dive?
Diving helps one appreciate the beauty of nature. There are plenty of sites to explore in the Philippines, such as coral diving sites and wrecks. It is also a great way to travel; one can get more out of his or her trip by including diving. Apart from this, diving is a relaxing, peaceful sport – almost like meditating, but underwater!

3. Who can scuba dive?
Anyone can scuba dive! As long as you are over eight years old and are in a good state of health, you can dive! Scuba diving is also available for people with physical disabilities. Many instructors are trained to provide courses specifically for people who are physically challenged.

4. How do I get started?
Be a smart shopper, research on the internet, read books and ask around about diving facilities and instructors. Do not be fooled by low prices- look for quality, for people that have been in the business for years. This will only assure your safety and minimize possible diving accidents. Adventure One is a 5 star IDC facility and handles training, tours and equipment sales and is affiliated with Aquaventure Reef Club.

Contact Nos.
632-899-2831/ 632-810-0101/ 09178990618

5. How do I choose my instructor?
Choose someone you are comfortable with and who has had plenty of experience. Make sure to check their certifications.

6. How do I choose an agency? How many agencies are there?
There are many different agencies, PADI, NAUI, SSI, CMAS, etc. Their main difference is where they operate. PADI, Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the biggest and most recognized dive certification agency in the world. There are more beginning divers certified by PADI than any other agency. To choose an agency, pick one that is active and which agency your preferred instructor is certified by.

7. How much is it going to cost?
The cost of scuba diving lessons varies, depending on where you take your certification course. Pool sessions at a local dive facility followed by open water sessions in the ocean are considerably cheaper than taking an open water course at a resort.

8. Is diving expensive?
Diving is not a cheap sport, however there are ways one can go about to make diving more affordable. Choosing the right resort: Choose a resort that is right for your budget. Aquaventure has affordable room rates and dive packages. It also offers activities for non-divers. Diving occasionally: Limit your dives to at most once a month. Buy your own gear one by one: Since almost all diving gear is imported, opt for buying the essentials first: mask, booties, fins, wetsuit. You can rent your BCD, regulator and even a computer.

9. I’m scared of sharks! Help!!
Most people have what we divers call a “JAWS syndrome.” Generally, most sharks do not attack humans. They are docile creatures, but like all animals, they have to be respected.

10. Is diving dangerous?
Diving will be dangerous if you do not take necessary precautions. Underwater, a diver is his or her own master.