Philippines Adventure!

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
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KeithBoll
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Philippines Adventure!

Post by KeithBoll »

I recently retired and celebrated by spending a full month diving in the Philippines! I dove/visited four different areas in the Philippines: Anilao; Dumaguete, Moalboal and Malapascua. Each area had its own beauty and certainly stood on its own as a great dive destination.

All the people I met along the way were fantastic! I joined up with Bluewater Travel for a photo workshop at Crystal Blue Resort in Anilao. This was a great way to meet more divers and work on my photo chops. While there, we got to see and snap a lot of macro critters (of course). From a photography perspective - I practices using my Canon 100MM lens with a 10X Diopter to get more details macro pictures. I takes practice - but I am glad that I worked on that skill set. Also - at the end of the first week - my flash controller died - and I could not get a replacement! Fortunately, I had video lights with me - so I took the majority of my pictures (Wide Angle and Macro) with video lights - and no flashes. It was an interesting challenge - and didn't work out too badly.

One of the highlights for me was a night dive (with just me and the divemaster - everyone else was too tired to go!). I got to spend about 15 minutes with a Starry Night Octopus. This was my first time seeing this beautiful creature and the Divemaster said they had not encountered one for over a year.

Dumaguete was also full of macro critters - but different kinds (less nudibranchs) and many cuttlefish, ornate pipefish, seahorses and frogfish.
Moalboal had been hit hard by a hurricane earlier this year - and it was sad to see the damage - both above and below water. I was happy to support these local businesses and dive in their area. Some super high current dives on nearby islands were an absolute blast!
Malapascua was also a fantastic treat - and we had the privilege of sighting a LOT of thresher sharks at dawn, four mornings in a row!
Here are some of my favorite pictures. Hope you don't mind that I post a number of them - after all - I was there for a MONTH!
Attachments
Thresher Shark Pics Taken with only ambient light - took two days to fine tune how to capture these wonderful creatures.
Thresher Shark Pics Taken with only ambient light - took two days to fine tune how to capture these wonderful creatures.
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5 Star Photo Philippines-24.jpg
So many cuttlefish - and so little time!
So many cuttlefish - and so little time!
Very fun to see Whale Sharks in mostly clear water!
Very fun to see Whale Sharks in mostly clear water!
5 Star Photo Philippines-19.jpg
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My first sighting and pic of a Rhinopia
My first sighting and pic of a Rhinopia
Starry Night Octopus - A Highlight of My Trip
Starry Night Octopus - A Highlight of My Trip
5 Star Photo Philippines-5.jpg
Flamboyant Cuttlefish Eggs on a Coconut Shell
Flamboyant Cuttlefish Eggs on a Coconut Shell
5 Star Photo Philippines-3.jpg
My favorite clown frogfish from the trip.
My favorite clown frogfish from the trip.
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Jan K
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by Jan K »

Lucky you ! What a great set of photos. You did well indeed without a flash.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
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YellowEye
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by YellowEye »

Great pics Keith!
Cool stuff!
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
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Nwbrewer
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by Nwbrewer »

Awesome Pics!
"Screw "annual" service,... I get them serviced when they break." - CaptnJack (paraphrased)


"you do realize you're supposed to mix the :koolaid: with water and drink it, not snort the powder directly from the packet, right? :smt064 " - Spatman
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ScubaJess
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by ScubaJess »

Fantastic report and pictures!!! 🤗💖🌊🤿💜🐟🤩🖖
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
Redleg0811
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by Redleg0811 »

Thanks for sharing. Great pictures.
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oldsalt
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by oldsalt »

Keith: To say your efforts didn't work out too badly is a huge understatement. The thresher is breathtaking. You are living the dream.
Curt :rawlings:
Happy to be alive.
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Gdog
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by Gdog »

Fantastic! Very cool. Thank you for sharing. Would love to go back to the Philippines!
KeithBoll
Compulsive Diver
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by KeithBoll »

Thanks all for the kind words!
It was certainly a privilege to spend a large amount of time in such a wonderful world of beauty and diversity.
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Vjw
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Re: Philippines Adventure!

Post by Vjw »

Awesome pics! We went on a Liveaboard there Dec 2022! It is an amazing place!!
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