The Sulu sea experience
UNDER THE SEA. The underwater world is a paradise that must be protected, respected, and honored. Photo courtesy of Boogs Rosales.
PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN - I woke up to an unfamiliar sound. The wall I was leaning against was vibrating violently, and bells were ringing from outside the cabin. As the mechanical noise subsided, I caught up with my senses and stood up eagerly. I was on a Liveaboard, and we had reached our destination. The 200-ton Dive Cruiser was going to be my home for the next 5 days.
Photo by Boogs Rosales
Right next to my bed was my underwater camera rig, which I had readily assembled the night before. Less than 24 hours earlier, I had spent the day envisioning how the week-long adventure would unfold. I had booked the trip a few months prior, along with 5 other friends and 2 of my closest Dive Instructor buddies. To add to the excitement, I was told that the most recent trips yielded some interesting sightings. As our ship lowered its anchor, we were closely circled by several large seabirds---a refreshing sight after spending 10 hours out in the open sea.
Photo by Boogs Rosales
Finally, I found myself in a chase boat---all geared up and armed with an empty SD card. “I must take good pictures,” I kept telling myself. Our first dive site was Delsan Wreck, located at the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Our dive guide had just finished our pre-dive briefing when he quickly directed our attention to the water a few meters away. Looming just below the surface was our welcoming committee---a large Manta Ray, almost urging us to jump in. For a while it distracted us from the vibrant underwater scenery, gliding playfully above us as we descended along the drop-off.
Photo by Boogs Rosales
What followed was a series of memorable dives---16 to be precise---in a span of 4 days. From the action packed Wall Street (where I witnessed about 10 or so Whitetip Reef Sharks in a feeding frenzy) to the vast picturesque slopes of Staghorn Point, I was constantly reminded of nature’s infinite grandeur. On one dive, our group spotted an adult Tiger Shark lurking a few meters below us; perhaps to remind us that we are only visitors in this world.
Photo by Boogs Rosales
Of course, an adventure is not complete without a happy ending. During our last safety stop, as I was watching a school of large Humphead Parrotfish circling overhead, I heard what sounded like my strobes recharging. A few high pitched whines and clicks later, I realized it wasn’t electronic. There were dolphins nearby. On our way back to the ship, our chase boat was escorted by a huge pod of Spinner Dolphins---treating us to a show that cannot be rivaled by any underwater theme park. - Rappler.com
Photo by Boogs Rosales
(Shared by the Network of Underwater Digital Imagers. Read more of their underwater adventures at http://www.nudi.ph. RAPPLER wants to hear about your summer adventures. Email us your story with photos with subject heading SUMMER ADVENTURE at desk@rappler.com.)
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