Six · Feet · Under · Redux

It's been a while since I last posted here. However, I have been far from NOT doing dive related things. After having completed my basic gear last September, I decided that the next logical thing would be to improve upon that. So what started out as a quest for a compass became a new regulator purchase. Since the regulator didn't have an octopus, I thought that I'd try an octo-inflator combi in the form of the Seaquest Airsource 2. Which happened to be attatched to a BCD with a cool dive knife. Well, since now I had 2 BCDs and regulators, I decided that one set could be Feliz's. But then she'd need her own basic gear... So a wetsuit, mask, weight belt and booties followed. Now, since the 2nd BCD I had didn't fit her, I got another one that could - in addition to the 2 dive lights that I got, of course.
The surprising thing is that it was actually cheaper to complete Feliz's set than it was completing mine. Manila prices are just too overinflated, and since the dive community there is much smaller, it becomes a seller's market. Over here, good 2nd hand regs could be had here for less than half the price you would spend in Manila. In addition to gear, Manila prices (ie resorts, course fees, etc) are based on the dollar rate here. So taking all these into consideration, it really IS cheaper to dive here than in Manila.

Well, now that I'm here in Chicago, I don't think I'll be doing any diving anytime soon. Not being dry-suit certified, as well as not really being interested in cold-water dives (yes, i'm a spoiled tropical water diver...), means that my next possible dive will probably be in december.

Might as well look for a shp around here :D Maybe I'll get Oxyhacker's book...

With the failure of my tank, I seriously thought of getting a new one... I was all set to buy one, but then the following dawned on me:
1. The only reason I wanted a tank was so I would have something to use in Calatagan. Most of my planned future dives will be in resorts so they've got tanks.
2. I was leaving for the States next week, and so my chances of going to Calatagan were... not that high in the near future.
3. I couldn't justify spending that much money for something I would hardly use when I didn't even have a computer.

I came to the conclusion that I should just get a computer instead.
So i did. I got an Oceanic Data Plus. One of the more basic nitrox ready computers in the market :D Still in the process of getting better acquainted with it today, but I intend to test it out tomorrow in the pool :D

But I'll still keep my homemade depth gauge :D

Well, the tank more or less failed hydro. Actually, the tech said he wasn't sure, but his burette readings were off the chart. He advised me to try and get it done in another hydro place. I told him that if it failed in one place and passed in another, I think I'd rather go for the more conservative and safe response.
In the back of my head, I'm happy it failed... that means I get to get a new tank! Safer all around :D
To bad... I think I did a pretty good job on it. Oh well, it was fun doing it.

Well, I got it, and I cleaned the darn thing. This is the tank during the process:

Now to get it tested in Aquamundo.

Hope it passes :D

Hay naku.

I dunno if I wanna do aluminum again.

After reading about all the issues between aluminum tanks versus steel tanks, I've decided that I wanna at least try using steel tanks.
Yun nga lang, it seems that no one sells SCUBA rated steel tanks here in the local dive shops. The only steel tanks I could find were in a local junk shop and they looked like this: 

              This was really flaky...              The one with potential...                  but unfortunately...

Sigh.  No steel for me.

Finally got to use the LDS pool today to test my stuff out.

After buying more weights than I needed (we're calling the excess "spares", I decided to do an in-water weight check. See, I've always had this belief that I needed 12 pounds to sink underwater. As it happens, this figure was grossly overestimated. With 2000 PSI in my tank, I only needed 4 pounds to float at eye level, and sink slowly. Adding one more pound helped send me down. Now, since this was fresh water, I'll need to add 2 pounds for salt water, plus maybe an extra pound or two for stability. I figured out why I went for 12 before: Doing skills like unit removal and replacement underwater always made me start flipping over wildly. I guess I needed the weights too keep me on the bottom. Now I might as well just practice putting it on while hovering.
Granted, however, this was the first time that I've used my own reg - and since it is a vintage model, it's actually quite weighty. Oh yeah, and thus far, it worked flawlessly! Checked for leaks: 0. Checked IP: 140 PSI down the line with only a 5-10 PSI drop during the cycling phase, and subsequent creep for only about 2 seconds. 2nd stages were also good - cracking pressure for the primary was about 1 inch H20, but breathed kinda wet, while the safe second was dry, with just a touch bit more breathing work required. All in all, I'd say the reg passed with flying colors and was now ready for the deep.
Speaking of deep, my improvised depth gauge worked! Of course, this was only to 14 feet. And accuracy was not so fantastic. But hey, the gauge regeistered approxiamtely 4-5 meter depths, which more or less encompasses the actual depth I was at (the 1 meter range is fine by me, if it means a gauge I spent 200 bucks on as opposed to a new one at 3500). Zero leaks detected.
The last thing I tested out was my safety balloon. Now this one, I really need work on. While inflating it during the first attempt, I failed to release the line slowly, so more or less, I surfaced with the balloon. Maybe next time I need to get a 120' reel.
Could've practiced somemore, but for some strange reason, I was feeling queasy in the pool. Couldn't very well blow chunks in there, seeing as there were no fishes around. In fact, there was no else in the pool! Maybe looking at the tile patterns made me dizzy, I dunno, but maybe after an hour and a half of going up and down and over again, I felt really nauseaous.
Well, that's that. Maybe next time I'll remember to take a towel.

My faith in my LDS has been restored. After mulling it over some time and getting feedback from other places, I realized that the 6 days that I had to wait for the servicing of my reg was about standard. In fact, considering they're usually closed on Sundays, and last Monday was a holiday (plus the fact I brought my reg late last Thursday already), I only had to wait four days for service!
Then the bill came. Remember how miffed I was at not being able to get a quotation early on? Well, it turns out the total cost of servicing, plus parts was only about 1,990 pesos (around $39). Considering some shops in the US charge upwards of $125, I think I came off pretty light!
Yes, its all happiness and good times again. They once again have my full endorsement.

But I'm still getting my own parts in the future.
_____________________

I can't believe I turned down a dive trip last week-end. They dove Mainit point and saw 2 manta rays! My ass is still sore from the kicking I'm giving myself.

There's always next time.

Amazing.
After almost forgiving them, I asked my brother to call the shop today to see if the reg would be available as per the ageed upon schedule of tomorrow... and they don't have it ready yet! They don't even have a quote!
Wala na talaga.
Screw them.

I'm not sure really why I feel this way. I brought my reg to the shop and they said they'd have it done by next week. I guess this was the first blow. I can take my reg apart and put it back together in 10 minutes. Stick an IP gauge and other hoses, attatch it to an air source, then test and adjust. Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes tops! I mean, they won't even have to clean it anymore!

Then I asked for an estimate. The proprietress said it would cost around 3K to 4K! I said I called the previous day, and the rough estimate I got was around 2K. She said that they weren't sure what parts to change, and if I wanted, they could open it to check, but that would cost me 700 bucks in "service charge" just to get an estimate. Then I started to tell her that I already inspected the parts (with a magnifying glass, and an otoscope for the internal parts) and everything else was okay, except for the o-rings, the HP seat, filter, circlip, and diaphragm. Then I start to tell her what problems I was experiencing with it, but at this point, she starts talking to another customer and acts as if I no longer existed.

But what could I do? They couldn't just sell me the parts. Against store policy.

Okay, now I can acknowledge that they can get busy - hence the delay, but for goodness sake, they didn't need to do the whole "are you still here?" schtick. Its enough to make me want to change LDSs. After I get my own parts, I guess I will.

Hay naku! Basta, when I get to the States, I'm stocking up on parts so that I can do all the maintenace myself.
___________________________

I've sorta figured out why some people get agitated when they discuss DIR (doing-it-right) diving. Its probably the unspoken implication that those who are not DIR are DIW or doing-it-wrong.

Sabi nga ba eh.

When will I learn to leave well and good alone?

Remember the Apollo franken-reg I replaced with the USD reg that worked? Well, what did I do?

I took it apart, and thoroughly cleaned it!

Now its a beauty!

And now the diaphragm leaks ever so slightly, and the IP creep reaches 160 PSI before the 2nd stage flows.

Ah... just as well. It only costs 700 bucks to have it serviced in Nautilus. Exclusive of parts of course. At any rate, when this is all over, I'll be the proud owner of a regulator that was top of the line in its heyday (the mid 80s!). And the brass 2nd stage is a bonus too! The dive instructor who saw it said that I'd make a great impression - on the old-timers.

Better than nothing. And if I get this working, I'd have completed my basic gear for less than 25K total!

My depth gauge got busted and I kept getting the same replies from the LDSs I went to: you can't repair depth gauges (in general). Since my gauge was now considered dead, i thought i'd do a little autopsy on it. I opened it up, and sure enough, the pressure element was totally corroded through. Examining its anatomy, it made me realize how remarkably similar their internals are with regular water pressure gauges (okay, they ARE the same!). I came to 2 conclusions:

1. some gauges CAN be repaired if their only problem was a blockage of the pressure sensor. I've seen some really crusty depth gauges. People tend to forget that the sensor can be partially hidden by the console, so they don't get to rinse it out. If they took their gauges out once in a while and gave it a good soak in some cleaning solution (ie vinegar), and in some extreme cases, drill out the debris (carefully) to allow the passage of water into the sensor.

2. in cases (like mine) where the corrosion extended to the pressure element, I made the mistake of trying to graft the pressure element of a gauge into the rest of the depth gauge I had. I tested it by placing a syringe into the pressure sensor and it detected pressure changes! unfortunately when i tested it out in a (15ft) pool, it wasn't sensitive enough to detect that. So then I thought why not just use a regular water pressure gauge (rated to 80 to 100 PSI), retrofit it with a lot of silicone sealant to make it water proof, and just use that? Therefore, my next attempt will be to retrofit a regular gauge for diving.

As to knowing the depth from the reading, the gauges I got (USG gauges) have readings both in PSI and kg/cm2. since 1 kg/cm2 is for all intents and purposes almost 1 ATM, and a ten meter change in depth is about a 1 ATM change, then using the kg/cm2 gauge is like having a depth gauge in meters!

I know, I know. Why don't I just get a regular REAL depth gauge. The answer is "yes I will get a depth gauge and a computer even", but this is still more fun!

I'll let you know how it turns out.

My most recent diving week-end was during the 1st week-end of August. I volunteered to be a "victim" for Daniel's students. Upon further briefing, I was told to make as many mistakes as possible - with gear set-up, technique, etc. We stayed at Arthur's Place in Anilao. A rather nice and cozy place, with bermuda grass in the quad - a great help if you want to walk from the cottage to the storage rack to put your booties on. Anyway, being a "victim" gave me free rein to do the things that I had been taught not to do. So I started using my arms to move around, finned rapidly and breathed shallow. At first I felt kinda dirty for doing all those newbie mistakes, but it was actually fun to try since I've never really done any of those since it was pounded so firmly into my training.
The rest of the time was spent fun diving. I was able to practice my buoyancy to the point where I'm now able to hover just inches from the surface, following the contours of the reef, using my lungs as my primary method of control - and not my BCD. It was exhilirating to say the least. I even expressed the opinion that this was the first time that I truly fully enjoyed diving - free from worrying about current, buoyancy, and the fear of crashing into something. And since I was fully in control, I was able to swoop in close to take a closer look at the flora and fauna. Watching polyps open and close 2 inches from your face is such a wonderful thing.
On another note, I was also able to dive with some other divers fresh from their check-out dives. It gave me a chance to reflect on the progress I've made. When I took my lessons, it was very informal - no classroom atmosphere, just a few chairs in my grandmother's house. No one else in the pool, no one else in the water. I think that helped contribute to my skills formation. Anyway, back to the group of (newer) newbies. They trained as a group, and since they were still finding their sea-legs, they still kept clustering in one tight group during the dives. Then there was their orientation in the water. I've had my own issues with my form underwater, but to my knowledge, I've never really engaged in the wholesale clouding up of the water behind me. Following them was like going into a fog bank - there was just silt and sand all over the place. I was shaking my head underwater, but then I realized that I had on occasion kicked up my fair share of silt. Its part of the learning process, I guess, and the only way to get better is to keep diving. And attitude is improtant too. Everytime I go down, I try to work on some other aspect of my skills, constantly trying to improve my techniques. I guess now I've got to take real swimming lessons.

Its tragic I had to give up the Apollo regulator, considering the service manual for it was freely available on the web. Although the USD rega had no specific manual online, I learned from my BBS that Aqualung Titan and Conshelf regulators used similar parts and specifications. Indeed, up to 40% of aqualung regulators share the same parts. My laptop is now full of other manuals like Apeks and Mares, so the only problem will be getting parts.

After reading a thread in SCUBAboard about someone making a purchase on eBay, I decided on a lark to check it out. I was astounded! So many regs in questionable condition at reasonable prices! I started salivating over this scubapro regulator being sold by a gent in England. MAn, I was all set to bid on it. Then of course, I started factoring in things like "how the heck was I gonna pay him" and "how much will postage cost?" and the final nail in the coffin: "what will customs charge me?" I decided that if I were to get a reg, it would be from someone back here at home. I also realized that I knew jack about regulators, so I did my research in order to be a more informed shopper. See, second hand regs cost around 10K to 12K (at least in Nautilus), and the ones listed in eBay cost around 3.5K. The difference is that at least the ones in Nautilus were already serviced. But still, I persisted. I saw some people trying to hawk 2nd had gear for exorbitant prices, and then there were the others that seemed like a good bet, but given the distance, logistics would be another problem. So when I saw someone within my area selling three regulators, I jumped at the chance! Here was a sign!

The 1st regulator I looked at was a USD Pro Divers regulator. I copied the picture off teh eBay site and posted it in SCUBAboard and asked their opinions. Most people said that the reg looked pretty beat up, and I must admit, they were right. So I looked at the other regulator - an Apollo A105, with USD 2nd stage and Sherwood depth gauges - a veritable franken-reg. I looked up the specs of the A105, and found out that it hadn't been in production in over 10 years. But then again, the seller said that he had his regulator serviced every year, and the last time he dove it was 5 months ago. I went to meet him and compared the Apollo with the USD reg. Sure enough, the USD reg was crusty as heck. So I got the Apollo. I cleaned it up, and unfortunately, when I tested it, it kept free flowing. But I had come to fall for the thing, even christening it Frankie, and so I started calling other shops to see if they carried parts and could service my reg. No luck. I later told Mike (the seller) my predicament, and he willingly offered to replace the Apollo. Given the problems I had been having, the USD reg started looking good. With just a little more, he was willing to give it to me with a brass 2nd stage. I couldn't refuse! So I got it and tested it, and it worked great. All that was left for me to do was to clean it up.

This is how much of a budget diver I can be. I opted to go with a crate and bungee configuration to store my gear, thinking most of my dives would be from Anilao. Well, when Philippe, my other brother from Switzerland arrived last July, we had to go to Cebu to see the rest of our relatives. One of the things I like about Cebu is the proximity of the city to diveable places. It was the place I was certified, after all. Anyway, I couldn't just use a bungee on my crate for air cargo, unless I wanted to get my precious gear piece by piece from the airport carousel. I did not want to spend the extra thousand bucks for a bag. As it turned out, I had a balikbayan-box bag at home. The crate fit very nicely in it with a lot of room to spare, so I folded the excess over on itself, and saved a few hundred bucks.
Anyway, it had been a few months since my last dive (4 to be exact), so I was raring to go! We went to Talima, which is a small wreck (the front of it actually), and then followed a wall to another hole-in-the-wall type situation. I went through with less apprehension than on my Galera dive, and wouldn't you know it, I didn't hit a single thing! I was actually improving! I wanted to whoop with delight but my dive master might have thought something was amiss. So all I did was smile underwater, and in doing so, I flooded my reg with seawater. hehehe!
Another interesting thing about this dive is that I tried to test this underwater light that I made. I bought this flashlight from a tiangge in Makati, then decided to waterproof it using the o-ring washers that come standard with garden hoses. I also used some scotch tape to ensure the front was sealed. It comes no surprise that there is a reason that you usally do not see scotch tape and garden-hose washers in dive gear, simply because they DO NOT WORK. I was left with a flashlight filled with leaking batteries and rust. I thought it was unsalvageable, but I was actually able to revive it, and this time filled it up with silicone sealant for a later dive... This time back in Anilao.

After a long hiatus from diving (I was studying for the USMLE), I decided to get some of the basic things after the last exam. Off the bat, I'll say this: If you want reasonably priced gear, go to Nautilus. Its along Pasay road, roughly midway between the intersections of Paseo de Roxas and Pasong Tamo. Its run by the Youngs - two very friendly people who are glad to answer any questions. I started out by getting my own mask and snorkel from them. ORCA - a Taiwanese brand, but for all intents and purposes they perform well underwater (great face sealing, although the snorkel does give a little jaw fatigue).
A few days later, I was driving around with Feliz in the Ortigas area looking for a Teriyaki Boy outlet. Instead, I found Divezone. A Nat Geo shop, I was lucky enough to find a BCD there - Aquamundo Spartan. It was being sold second hand (previous owner used it only 4 times, then upgraded when he was given a new reg... he wanted his BCD to match daw eh), but was in excellent condition. For its price, it had great features for non-DIR divers: quick release straps, shoulder and waist dump valves, and ample D-rings. I bought that, and also ended up buying a set of Unidive fins - bought a bright yellow set, because I was thinking that it was a good way for people to recognize me underwater (and also a great way to find me in case...).
Following the purchase of the BC and fins, I went back to nautilus and purchased my wetsuit. Another ORCA product. 3/2 full suit. Basic black, but with gusseted wrists and ankles! You'll notice that my purchases are NOT brand name products. As long as they function well, fit right and comfortably, I can't complain. Budget divers, UNITE!

Last March, Feliz and I went to Boracay. One of the reasons for this trip was to take her on her intro dive. We went to Boracay Scuba and enlisted the services of Guil, the dive master there. I can only really comment from my point of view, but I have to say this: Feliz is a water-baby. She's a good swimmer and has skills I can only aspire to. So it wasn't surprising that she had no problem adjusting underwater. Indeed, there were quite a few times during the dive when she was swimming off on her own - albeit a little toward the sand... But the DM would rectify this, and more or less, I think she had a blast. I'm hoping she gets certified this December, that way I'll always have a dive buddy :)

It was on the last day of a three-day dive trip that we did the Canyons. After all, no trip to PG would be complete without that one.
The Canyons at the north east tip of Puerto Galera are a series of excoriations along the edge of a ridge located around 100 feet down, at the confluence of two currents that combine in to one heck of a current. Being the only viable shelter around, a lot of fish of diffent species use the canyons as a refuge against the current. It is this concentration of marine life that makes the canyons, in some people’s opinions, the number one dive spot in Puerto Galera. For me, it was all about rocks. Beautiful, gorgeous rocks.
After taking a boat out to the site, we began our descent, which to my mind was a lesson in organized chaos. Even at this stage, the current was pulling us out to sea. It was amazing the group remained as cohesive as it did. When you see the dive master finning like crazy for the bottom, it’s a good idea to follow suit – mostly out of fear of being left all alone. After regrouping on the bottom, we made for the canyons.
The only way I can describe it was that it was like rock climbing. Horizontally.
I guess you could say that it was awe inspiring and frightening at the same time. The current was a two edged sword bringing the good things (the fishes I mostly didn’t see), as well as the bad things (the unshakeable feeling that it was God’s oh-so-subtle way of saying “YOU ARE NOT CREATURES OF THE SEA.”). It’s a humbling experience when you’re hanging on to a rock, holding on for dear life and a little fish swims practically stationary next to your head, and swear you can almost hear it squeal with delight.
And so there we were, staying as close to the bottom as possible, making our way through the first of a series of canyons. Mental pictures thus far: Small Fish (1); Big Fish (0); Rocks (many). Somewhere along this mad dash, the DM asks me if I’m okay, and the reply sequence goes as follows: 1. Catch breath 2. Make sure you have firm hand hold 3. Signal okay. Which I was, really, if you took away the slight concern that if I’d just let go of the rocks, I would die…”
Making my way for the second canyon, I noticed that everyone else was clustered on the far side of the canyon, so I slowly inched my way over there thinking the current was better there. I was wrong. The current was so strong, that every time I’d turn my head to see where the others were, my mask would fill up with water. Heck, it was so strong that my octopus, which I thought I had securely tucked into my BC (or was I that inept?) kept ripping out from the vest and whipping out behind me like a pennant in the wind. So there I was, caught in a monumental struggle between hanging onto the rocks (while avoiding the coral – mind you) and clearing my mask, as well as trying to remain oxygenated without becoming too buoyant. With all this in mind, a mermaid could’ve swum in front of me and I wouldn’t have given it a second glance. Okay, maybe a bit of an exaggeration. At some point, the dive master did point out to a school of somewhat larger looking fish (jacks?) off the edge of the ridge, but as stated, my mind was kind of somewhere else at the time.
At about this time, the dive master was signaling for us to return to the relative safety of an out-cropping of rock located in the general direction from where we had just come from, and only two things crossed my mind: “You want us to do WHAT? We just came from there!” as well as “bugger if I let go of this rock before you do!” But then, democracies do not exist on mountaintops and underwater. In both places, you listen to what the experts say, or you die. One by one, we all made it to the safety of the rock. Upon arrival there, I finally had the time to check my air, I was down to 900 PSI. Earlier on during the briefing, we had agreed on a low air setting of 1200, and here I was at 900! I had used up almost a third of my tank in the second canyon! Thus, foregoing the third canyon and the lost anchor, we began our ascent.
Down currents are an interesting thing. I am thankful that as of yet, I do not have the horror story of having to fight one in spite of a fully inflated BCD, but it was quite an experience to note that in spite of vigorous finning for the surface, you actually end up a few feet deeper. Anyhow, after being swept further out into sea, we were able to get out of the down current and did our safety stop with just about enough air left to get us back onto the boat.
I recently read from another site that not too long ago, an inexperienced diver lost a fin, his grip, and subsequently his life. I think these are stories you’d like to know before you do these things, y’know, dive your limits, and all that. But at that time, when I got back on the boat, I was all smiles. Oh sure, the others were all going on and on about seeing the schools of this big fish and that I was stuck with the mental image of the small fish. But I didn’t really care, I was just happy. You’ll never really know what your limits are unless you push the envelope. And you’ll never feel more alive than after exceeding those limits and being able to come back for more.
If someone asked me today if I would still go back down there - knowing what I know now – I would unhesitatingly reply with a definite YES. And maybe this time, I’d keep an eye out for the fishes.

We took a RO-RO to Galera, using Paulo's SUV. We were 4 divers in the group, Paulo, myself, Joey and John. Paulo and Joey had their own gear. John, a native to New Jersey, found that it was easier to rent gear than to lug it around the world. All he owned was a ratty old wet-suit which he had for 20 years. I still had my booties and rashguard. Fortunately, Paulo was able to borrow some gear from one of his other buddies, Ting. So in addition to the aforementioned things, I now had a reg, BCD, fins, mask and snorkel. Of course, since ting is of a slightly larger build than I am, the BCD was a bit loose. Beggars can't be choosers!

The trip actually started the night before. We decided to head to Batangas at night and stay over-night in order to get the first ferry out. We were to be billeted in the Batangas Country Club, but on the way we got kinda lost. I fell on me to ask for directions for BCC. Now for a little back-story... during the month prior to this trip, the TNDC group went to Baguio and stayed in a different BCC. Now, can you imagine the look of the people there when I rolled down my window and asked for directions for the Baguio Country Club?

Anyway, we headed off to Oceana, and the first dive of the day was the hole-in-the-wall. Its literally just that: a hole in a wall. When I first saw it, I was a little apprehensive. I was a newbie and still hadn't msatered my buoyancy control. But everyone started going through it, so I carefully followed through, with occasional contact with the bottom (sorry...).

We did multiple dives over multiple days. I stopped trying to calculate my pressure groups in my log because everyone else was using computers and I was just following along (talke about not doing-it-right). The most high-octane dive of teh trip was to the Canyons, which I will republish from my other site. I just want to say that since the DMs were all DIR divers, it was nice for them to give the assessment that I could manage the Canyons.

During our safety stop after the Canyons dive, we went to Sabang Beach. They have a floating bar there run by some jovial European, who at ten in the morning started looking for his beer. He even offered us some schnapps for free! (its hard to find a place to stick your wallet in your wetsuit). Good guy, good brew. Then it was off to our last dive of the trip - the 3 wrecks near Sabang beach. A sandy, idyllic dive, it was a stark contrast to the intensity of the Canyons dive. It was a perfect end to a great dive trip.

Then I got the bill. Ouch. As in... OUCH! I ended up having to borrow money from Paulo (who told me to bring a certain amount which was kinda off by about HALF!) On the way back to Manila, when we stopped by Starbucks in Taal, I had to say I wasn't thirsty and watched them eat their brownies along with their coffee fraps. The travails of a struggling diver.

After getting certified in mid-October, Paulo thought it best that I get in a few practice dives in Anilao. So on the 30th, we headed of for Batangas for a day trip. He had all his gear with him, and all I had was a rash guard, trunks and booties. Since we were running a little late, the others we were diving with called him up while we were on the road and asked what we needed to rent:

Others: "Pare, ano pa ang kailangan n'yo?"
Paulo: "Rashguard lang at booties yung dala ng kasama ko..."
Others: "...booties lang ang kailangan?"
Paulo: " Hinde! Booties lang ang dala!"

I resolved at that point to start investing in my own gear.

Anyway, we got there and started getting ready to dive. After donning my (rented) gear, we got onto the boat and headed for the 1st of 3 sites we were doing that day. Twin rocks is another shallow dive (40 or so feet) whose starting point is a wreck. Okay, more accurately, its a sunken barge. Just a square underwater. But its still a rewck nontheless. Anyway, there was a slight current at the time, so we started the dive by swimming against it. When we reached the twin rocks, we stopped for a little fish feeding with the bread that our DM brought. It was fun watching them nibble away at my fingertips while I was holding the bread, and occasionally, larger fish would come and slap me on the side of my head. The swim back was fun, because we just went along drifting with the current - which was getting rather clippy (at least to my standards at the time), so by the time we reached the barge again, we had to latch onto the line to do our safety stop.

We did about a one hour interval on the boat. Can't say for sure, because I didn't have a watch with me (tsk, tsk, tsk). Then we did Arthur's Rock. The coral there was beautiful! All along, another problem I have was getting highlighted - I'm nearsighted. At times the DM would point to schools of fish, like a school of yellow barracuda, which I only saw when they turned toward me and swum all around me. The others were thing would then later go on and on about the things they saw on the dive...

"Did you see the morray?"
"Did you see the mantis shrimp?"
"Did you see... (insert aquatic creature here)"

Now look... first of all, I'm nearsighted. Second, my knowledge of the different genus and species of underwater life had been limited to what I had seen in the Discovery Channel. I wouldn't recognize a mantis shrimp if it walked up to me and slapped me in the face. Thank goodness for "Finding Nemo" - at least I could recognize the clown fish!

Another thing I learned during this trip was about the other important diving related activity: eating. An eat all you can buffet is a great way to finish a morning of diving. I later found out of course when I got the bill that this was also one of the more expensive bits in the bill (more expensive than any individual equipment rental cost actually).

Since it was only 3 that afternoon, we did one more dive. I requested that it be Cathedral, a small cross situated between two sea mounts. This is traditionally where divers trained in Manila go for their graduation dive. I remember my brother telling me all about it when he got his certification before, and I wanted to go there for some link with him and other divers. It was now around 4, and the viz was getting bad. I reached the cross, but the best part was swimming beside the mounts. I really felt like I was flying at the time! I could see the other divers deeper down having a whale of a time, and so was I.

A nice thing about diving in Anilao is the Bulalo you can eat on the way back to Manila. Perfect end to a great day.

Next stop: Puerto Galera

My path to getting my OWD certification started one muggy evening in September 2005. My good friend Paulo asked me if I was doing anything during the long Halloween/All-Saints Day week-end. I said no (having just passed the boards, I was now officially a bum). He invited me to go diving, and recommended his friend Chris as my instructor, who was based in Cebu. Since I was heading of for Cebu during 2nd week of October for my cousin's wedding, I jumped at the chance.

My PADI certification was done in 3 days - something that might shock NAUI folk. I was given the book to read, and consumed it in one evening. The next day, we went through the academic portion to clarify some of the things I found a bit vague. But seriously, the manual is just full of common sense. After a little more reading and clarification, I was able to ace all the quizzes and exams (the first time Chris had a student with a perfect score in all tests) Apparently the techniques I had developed for cramming for the medical boards continued to serve me well.

Anyway, the next day we did all the pool sessions. Through the checklist of skills we went, and one by one I went through them until I was comfortable. The hardest, HARDEST part of the certification for me was the 200M swim and the 10 minute survival float. I did the latter on my back, always holding my breath to stay really buoyant. It didn't help that toward the end chris kept sayin things like "last 2 minutes!" and stuff like that. Well, I got through that one, and learned a thing or two about my limits.

The open water dives were done the next day. We would do the skills and then go on tour. Punta Engano is, like most of Mactan, composed of a wall that drops of sharply to one side. During the tours, I would always stay on the inside part, keeping Chris on the deeper side. Call me a newbie chicken, but that's how I felt. The whole time, I kept repeating to myself "trust your gear" and "remember your training." Well, during the CESA exercise, it went a little haywire. The CESA (controlled emergency swimming ascent) is done when you're out of air and need to get to the surface (where there's lots of it). One caveat divers are taught is to NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH! this is especially true when coming from depth, where the risk of expanding air in your lungs could rupture your lungs. Its actually a very interesting exercise because even if you start exhaling at depth, you can still exhale pretty much up to the surface. So there I was doing it, and blowing off ALL the air in my lungs, so that by the time I got up, I didn't have any air left in my lungs to inflate my BCD. Of course I forgot that this was an exercise, so I also forgot that I could just use the power inflator on my vest. ITs just sad that I had to surface and start flailing about just as a group of tourists were boating along nearby. I wonder what they thought of the spectacle? Down again I went and repeated it until I was comfortable with the whole thing. Repetition is truly a great teacher.

So there, except for the survival float, the 200 M swim and the CESA SNAFU, it was all in all a very pleasant learning experience. An at least my basic swimming skills have improved :)

It all started several years ago (way back in 2002) in Boracay, when my brother went with me on my first intro dive. It was a good thing that prior to going to the shop, he gave me pointers on what to do and what hand signals to use, because when we got to the dive shop, I couldn't understand a thing the Korean divemaster was saying. We went through the basic drills during the shore entry - mask clearing, equalization, regulator recovery rather rapidly. Good thing I was comfortable with all of this. Then we hopped onto a boat and sped off for the dive site - Coral Garden. Its a shallow dive (perfect for beginners) at around 12 meters in depth, with nary a current.

Coral garden is a misnomer. At the time I was first there, a lot of the corals were bleached. But I didn't care! After my brother and the DM back-rolledin to the water, it was my turn. I will admit that it was rather unexpected. I wasn't used to the weight of the tank behind me, and after shifting my ass just a little on the gunwale of the boat, I tipped over rather haphazardly. Its an amazing feeling, watching yhe sky through the water and hearing the reassuring hiss of the regulator. Trust your gear. That's the mantra I kept repeating to myself. And sure enough, due to the air in my BCD, I righted myself and we prepared to do a descent along the buoy line.

Hand over hand we went down to the bottom. I could see other divers already there (it was during christmas break so there were a lot of people in Bora). We levelled of at the bottom and did our tour. I probably didn't care about the coral bleaching because I was too engrossed in the extraordinary feelings of weightlessness and breathing underwater. What makes this more amazing (or shocking - depending on your point of view) is that I'm a poor swimmer (and I've never hidden this fact...). If it weren't for all that gear I had on, you would never get me to jump into water greater than waist deep. Seriously.

So there we were, on tour. The whole time of course, the DM was latched onto the back of my tank, making sure that I didn't crash into the bottom (I later learned from my brother that he occasionally let go) . Things that would've freaked me out before such as large rock formations looming mysteriously in the distance, now fascinated me. My favorite part was when towards the end of the dive, the DM let me settle on the bottom. He then asked me to pick up a handful of sand and let it drift around. In doing so, lots of little fishes came up and surrounded us. He then shook my hand, and so did my brother. At the time, I felt like I had accomplished something.

Back on the speedboat heading back to shore, all I could do was whoop with delight.

I was hooked.