148 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

WOW! Its hard to believe that 2015 is right around the corner if you are trying to save up for a Bucket List Dive trip!



2015 Trips Locked In So Far:

March 10-20, 2015 BEST OF FIJI $4960 US:

WE HAVE NOW LOCKED INTO MARCH 10-20, 2015 $4960 USD for 10 glorious days of diving THE BEST OF FIJI aboard the Fiji SIREN plus an optional week land based $TBA at Beqa Lagoon!!!



April 18-25, 2015 GRENADA's 'BIANCA C' & THE SPICE ISLANDS $1553:



Click HERE for more details or to sign up for trip opening notification:


We hope to have more Trips and info including pricing VERY SOON FOR YOU!

So let us know where you want to go in 2015!

[ScubaSis]

2015!! BRING IT!!!

I will have MORE vacation time to play with!! I'm hoping for something awesome in this year!!

[ScubaTex]

WOW! Its hard to believe that 2015 is right around the corner if you are trying to save up for a Bucket List Dive trip!

We have been looking at a BEST OF PHILIPPINES option for early 2015. It would include a week or so on a liveabaord to dive Tubbataha and a week in Analio for small critters and a possibly a week in Dumaguette or ANOTHER awesome location in the Philippines!

We hope to have more info including pricing VERY SOON FOR YOU!

So let us know where you want to go in 2015 if we don't do it in 2014 or if its an entirely different trip!

For those who haven't heard about Tubbataha let me provide some reference material, about where, how, why. Tubbataha is located in the area of 8^o48'13"N - 119^o51'49"E.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life. The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature thrives. Tubbataha is the Philippines' first national marine park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of global importance being preserved for future generations of humankind.
Tubbataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colorful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and pelagics haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.
A team of rangers are stationed on the reef year-round and, from March until June, divers visit Tubbataha to experience the wonders of this unique underwater world.

Location
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) lies in the middle of the Sulu Sea and falls under the political jurisdiction of Cagayancillo, an island municipality situated 130km to the north. The park is 150km southeast of Puerto Princesa City - capital of the Province of Palawan - the usual jump-off point for visitors and dive boats going to Tubbataha. It is composed of North and South Atolls and the adjacent Jessie Beazley Reef.

History
Tubbataha is well known to fishermen of the southern Philippines but until the late 1970s, Cagayanons were the primary users of the reefs' resources. During the summer, they would make fishing trips to Tubbataha in fleets of traditional wooden sailboats. Tubbataha's isolation and its susceptibility to harsh weather once protected it from over-exploitation. But by the 1980s, fishermen from other parts of the Philippines started visiting Tubbataha in motorized boats, many using destructive fishing techniques to maximize catch.
In 1988 - in response to a vigorous campaign by scuba divers and environmentalists, and with the endorsement of the Provincial Government of Palawan - President Corazon Aquino declared Tubbataha a National Marine Park.

Biodiversity
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to no less than:
• About 600 species of fish
• 360 species of corals (about half of all coral species in the world)
• 11 species of sharks
• 13 species of dolphins & whales
• Nesting Hawksbill & Green sea turtles
• Over 100 species of birds
The park contains roughly 10,000 hectares of coral reef, lying at the heart of the Coral Triangle - the centre of global marine biodiversity.

DiveSeason
The dive season usually runs from March until June. This time of year typically gives outstanding diving conditions clear skies, flat seas and excellent visibility (30 to 45 meters).

GettingThere
To reach the Park, tourists generally take an hour's flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa City. Dive operators transport the guests from the airport to the wharf, some 5 minutes' drive away, to the Puerto Princesa Pier, where their dive boat await. Tubbataha Reefs is accessible only by sea transport. It generally takes 10 hours to get to the park from Puerto Princesa, depending on the speed of the boat. Most of the vessels leave after dinner and arrive in Tubbataha at around 6 a.m. Some slower vessels, however, leave the wharf earlier in order to arrive in the Park at first light.

Bill

[WreckWench]

AWESOME BILL!

[Diver Ed]

Great report Bill. Thank you. I was not familiar with the area, but it looks like a great spot to dive.

[georoc01]

Here is a link to a brochure of one of the boats that work the area. The LDS booking this is charging $3,335+Air.

http://www.atlantish...s_Tubbataha.pdf

[ScubaTex]

Tubbataha in 10 minutes & dive sites

Bill

[georoc01]

Bill, have you been to Southern Leyte? How does it compare? Seems doable as a land based dive trip?

[ScubaTex]

Bill, have you been to Southern Leyte? How does it compare? Seems doable as a land based dive trip?

George - I haven't really looked into Southern Leyte, and haven't had the pleasure of diving the Phillipines, yet. When I look to the Phillipines, I'm reminded of Indonesia, both composed of thousands of islands, with easily hundreds of dive areas each having an almost infinte number of dive sites, where you could spend a lifetime diving, and never dive the same site twice. I have done some more research on Anilao & Dumaguette/Apo in hopes of making a month long mega-trip which would include Tubbataha. Logistics of getting to each of these destinations is dictated by Manila being the 'hub' for travel to both Puerto Princesa and Dumaguette, since there are no direct flights [that I could find] between the two. Although, the Phillpine Siren does have 13 day iteneraries which go between Puerto Princesa and Cebu, with several days at Tubbataha and the balance of the trip in the Dumaguette/Apo area, cost for a 2015 cruise, 4,300 C. Since I began this research a few months ago, I've discovered a major liveaboard operator, with 5 boats, has ceased operations. This operator had 2013 rates between $1,600-2,250 for Tubbataha only 4 & 5 dive day trips [remember 2 days are lost to transit to the sites].

I think Kamala is trying to find out what the possible demand will be in diving 1, 2, or all of these areas, especially Tubbataha since it's only reachable by liveaboard, before making a financial obligation.

Let me do some research on S. Leyte land based options.

Bill

[WreckWench]

Bill has been invaluable in helping to make this BEST OF PHILIPPINES Trip a reality! We are really saddened that the operator we were looking at has gone out of business...

That may leave Atlantis as the major provider remaining.

Bill has been a god send in helping to plan this out and I'm excited about how it will all shape up. So YES the more interest we have the sooner we can make a final go or no/go decision.

Bill!

[HoustonAngelfish]

I am currently staying at atlantis dumaguete,having spent the prior week at puerto galera.both resorts have great service,great diving,great food.dumaguete has mostly muck diving, with the coral gardens at apo island.puerto galera is more diverse in its diving and I have preferred it.depending on what you like,I would recommend both resorts.

[deb4diving]

Kamala,
I would definitely be interested in doing the Philippines.

Bill has been invaluable in helping to make this BEST OF PHILIPPINES Trip a reality! We are really saddened that the operator we were looking at has gone out of business... />

That may leave Atlantis as the major provider remaining.

Bill has been a god send in helping to plan this out and I'm excited about how it will all shape up. So YES the more interest we have the sooner we can make a final go or no/go decision.

/> Bill! />

[Buzo Guero]

Definitely interested for 2015.

/>

[Sqbagal]

YES, PLEASE!! April thru early/mid-May works best for me

Dive Season - The dive season usually runs from March until June. This time of year typically gives outstanding diving conditions clear skies, flat seas and excellent visibility (30 to 45 meters).

[WreckWench]

YES, PLEASE!! April thru early/mid-May works best for me

Dive Season - The dive season usually runs from March until June. This time of year typically gives outstanding diving conditions clear skies, flat seas and excellent visibility (30 to 45 meters).

Are you referring to the Philippines? If so April is still a bit chilly so May would be the best option of those two months.