Club boat dive. Wind was blowing 26 kts at 3 am but then dropped to almost nothing by 5 am. A couple of swells, NE and SE but quite comfortable. No wind at all when we anchor and no current. Went up Split to end and then back to anchor and cave and back to anchor. No donuts again, but quite a few PJs, heaps of basket stars, a nice tiger cowrie on a seawhip and a short-tailed ceratosoma near anchor. All the bastard trumpeters and red morwong in the normal spots. After the dive a humpback whale surfaced less than 10 metres off the stern. Saw a total of at least 8 within 100 metres of where we anchored. Wind picked up just before we left. A good dive, Reka's 800th. Visibility fair.

Went to dive yesterday but huge seas and here had lots of surge and reported viz was less than 2 m. Also cancelled our boat dive/BBQ day. Heaps of people here, all the usual suspects. Went in after most of them but saw no-one at all. Quite dirty and even worse in spots, max 3-4 m. A reasonable outgoing tide and some surge. Went down way past LBR. Five PPH, one miramara nudibranch and a few pink okenia. I found a honey colour okenia near where we turned. However, did not notice the tiny orange painted anglerfish about 250 mm below it. Damn! Saw Vic the BBSH on the way back and lots of PJs. Went past exit but saw no sea dragons at all. I did see a cormorant (shag) swimming down looking for fish, no photo though, happened too quick. Took a while to find Deco Rock due to rotten visibility. Nice dive despite all this. Visibility very poor.

Club boat dive, two boats and nine divers. Was supposed to be a Mistral/Magic Point dive but very sloppy seas so stopped here. Virtually no current and little wind. Anchored straight in front of the larger cave. Over to the wall and then N around to the other cave. Not as many fish as normal, although some yellowtail here and on the reef top. Also a few PJs. Back along wall to S, a large cuttlefish in the second cave. Then back to anchor and Sam went up as he was on air. Reka and I went further S and then back to anchor and E to see if there was another wall, but flat rock. Back and up. Quite cold on the bottom, 16C, but 19C on top. A reasonable dive. Visibility fair.

 

Club boat dive. Anchored exact same spot as last Wednesday. Calm seas and little wind, no current, but quite dirty, some spots much worse than average. Went S past tunnel out wide looking for Reka's fin which she lost getting back on the boat last week but no luck. Through The Tunnel, lots of large bream here. Then to The Cave and back via gutter, some bastard trumpeters and red morwong there as normal. Lots of PJs all over. Then to E along the wall looking for Greg's weight pocket which he also lost getting on the boat. No luck, must be there somewhere but viz dropped here. Saw a donut nembrotha going across the sand, very lost. Back to anchor up higher looking for pocket. A few tiger anemones on a whip on sand edge. All through dive heard very loud whale songs and other whale noises, but none close on the boat. Visibility very poor.

Last minute dive with Ron and Donna. Donna had not dived since our Bali trip in June and Ron only a couple. Flat seas but a very high incoming tide. Dirty 3 m at the most, strong current, but 18C. No PPHs but a honey coloued okenia and some pink okenias. Turned at 45 mins. Saw Vic the BBSH and a large bullray. Also one female sea dragon back in kelp before exit. Only an average dive again. Visibility very poor.

Calm seas and very little W wind. Anchored on Inlet 2 but moved the anchor towards the end of the dive to the S side of it. Went to Inlet 1 and then to 2, 3 and 4. Could just make out the more distant ones from inlets. Inlet 3 still has missing bars and roof. Other boat found the roof to the N of it on the reef. Lots of yellowtail over them as we descended. Plenty of PJs in one spot, a medium cuttlefish and plenty of smaller fish. I found a red-kneed yellow spider at the end. A very nice dive. Visibility fair.

NEXT DIVES ARE ALL IN PHILIPPINES AT ANILAO

Same first dive as two years ago. Went down to the wall at 24 m and then around it and back across the sandy area to boat. Viz similar to last time, perhaps 8-10 m. Saw two black giant anglerfish, one on the wall and another above it on the way back. Quite a few different nudibranchs, a few shrimp, a porcelain crab and two tiny crabs on a hard coral. A couple of large eels, one mantis shrimp and plenty of clownfish and anemones. Also lots of tropical fish, especially blue with long fins (?). Nice start to the dive trip. Visibility fair.

On Marikaban Island near the entrance to the channel between it and Caban Island. Really is off Kandalreo Point. Entered the water and a slight slope made up of rock and coral bits. Went NNE towards the point down to 22 m. Turned at about 30 minutes and came back shallower. Two banded tiger pipefish near start, some good nudibranchs, some tiny. Lots of the niger/blue triggerfish like yesterday, they are everywhere. Plenty of featherstars but only one shrimp. A nice relaxing dive, put 4lb more weight and much better. Visibility good.

Dived here two years ago. A very slight sandy bottom slope with small bits of coral. Went W and then back E and back to anchor. Viz 12-15 metres and 28C as usual. More niger triggerfish, quite a few nudibranchs, a few cowfish and small pufferfish, a juvenile ribbon eel, two crocodile fish (similar), featherstar shrimp, tiny crab in soft coral, lionfish, yellow gobies in hard coral, a few more crabs, a swimming mantis shrimp and another in a hole extended with coral bits and had eggs. Very relaxing dive, but not a huge amount to see really. Visibility good.

Located closer to the entrance to the channel between Marikaban and Caban Islands. Went N from mooring down a very gradual slope. Bottom is sand with coral rubble everywhere. Incoming current/tide from east, made it a harder dive and used more air than normal. Viz was less today, 8-10 metres. Saw a log-finned bannerfish, first of the trip and later a Moorish idol, again a first. Lots of nudibranchs, some shrimp including a few on the short-spined sea urchins. I spiked my knee on one but none went into my skin. A nice dive except for the current. Visibility fair.

 

Dived here yesterday too. Went east again, no current. Viz 8-10 m. As soon as I hit bottom I found two small spiny devilfish. Then we saw a Donald Duck shrimp and later another larger one. Two mushroom coral pipefish in a small anemone. More shrimp on sea urchins, a lady bug in a truncate, got photos this time. More nudibranchs, a ribbon eel, a tiny crab and a larger one on a woven plate, small pufferfish and cowfish and a Moorish idol. A good dive. Visibility fair.

We were diving Mainit Corner but too choppy as wind ESE. Went further along past Bubble Point and opposite school. Very dirty shallow, 2-3 m and not much better deeper. Probably stirred up in shallows by 20 knot wind earlier. Some coral bommies under the boat then sand slope to the south. Went east, lots of small coral outcrops. Lots of nudibranchs, two moray eels, a few different shrimp including sea whip. Also sea whip gobies, niger triggerfish, many crabs and more. Despite the visibility, a nice dive. Visibility very poor.

No idea why this is called Koala, couldn't see any in the trees on shore! Located to N of resort just as the land turns to N. Large coral bits under the boat and W a slope down to 24 metres and then a wall running N-S. Went S along the wall (into a slight current) which runs for perhaps 50 metres and bottom is over 30 m I think. Lots of coral and sponges, a few large barrel sponges on the wall as well as on the top at the end. Two large pink gorgonias near the S end. Lots of fishlife around, niger triggerfish galore, plenty of tropicals including Moorish idols, short-finned bannerfish and butterflyfish. A small and a large spotted moray eel, nudibranchs, shrimp, crabs. Some blennies in hard coral holes as well as a shrimp. At the end a turtle but we were too high to get close. A very good dive. Visibility very good.

Did this site two years ago. Moored and went to SE to 18 m and then to 22 m. Then NNE along a series of small walls or outcrops. Then back shallower to a large rock and then NE to Twin Rocks which are in about 6-7 m and almost reach the surface. Schooling jacks up high, thousands of niger triggerfish, a juvenile titan triggerfish, lionfish, spotted moray eels, lots of nudibranchs, shrimp in coral holes, different featherstar shrimps, seawhip shrimps, pughead pipefish, a friendly tiger pipefish, clownfish, crabs and much more. A turtle towards the end. A very good dive. Visibility good. 

Dived here two years ago. Went N down a very slight slope to 25 metres. Millpond, no wind or current and viz about 12-15 metres. Tens of thousands of niger triggerfish. Lots of moray eels, nudibranchs and many different shrimps including sea fan ones. Another tiny crab on a coral. Bottom has many barrel sponges and covered with featherstars. No featherstar shrimp seen though, Back shallower at the bommies there was a greenish giant anglerfish and nearby a banded sea snake (I think). A great dive. Visibility good.

Located to west of Mainit Corner, no wind or current, millpond seas and overcast. Raining when we surfaced. Went down a steep sandy/coral rubble slope to 23 metres and then NW to a wall which went to at least 40 m. Very colourful. Viz started at 12-15 m but dropped to 8-10 m before we turned. A small pink gorgonia with one pink pygmy sea horse. Then a bit further on a white giant anglerfish in a small barrel sponges and nearby another grey one. Then up a bit and back. A large spotted yellow boxfish and then a blue ribbon eel and shallower a black one. Lots of moray eels again as well as the usual niger triggerfish, Moorish idols, a couple of lionfish, some butterflyfish and more. An excellent dive. Visibility good but later only fair.

South of Arthurs Rock. Sand the whole site, lots of sea pens and a few tiny bits of coral. Lots of small anemones. Went down to 22 metres, very gradual slope. The sea pens have shrimp and squat lobsters on them, some of the anemones have sexy shrimp. Hundreds of small sea cucumbers, all with small crabs on them. They live in their bum, actually saw one and got it to come out! A dark sea horse, a few groups of fire urchins working like vacuum cleaners with small fish in between. One group had a ornate ghost pipefish over it. Some also had shrimps on them. A very good dive. Visibility fair.

Coast Guard banned diving due to tropical low to the east and not far away. However, turned out no wind so permitted shore diving. Went straight off the resort beach like we did two years ago. Sandy steep slope with rocks to 40+ metres. Viz 25 metres at least, no current. Went to left a bit and then right and back to the boats. Lots of shrimp, some nudibranchs, a few crabs and one harlequin shrimp. Some niger triggerfish as usual for dives in Anilao. A very good dive. Visibility excellent.

Again went straight off the resort beach. Viz 25 metres plus again but reasonably strong current from the north. Went to left a bit and then right into the current. Heart rate was 70-75 bpm rather than 55-60 like last dive. Heaps of shrimp, so many species, some new to me. A few more nudibranchs, lots of crabs in the fins of one barrel sponge (never seen before). A nice dive except for the current. Visibility excellent.

Dived here two years ago, NE end of Caban Island. Dropped onto the bommie and went through the saddle to the S side and then to the other bommie which is about 22 m on the top. Lots of moray eels, a few different species. A banded sea snake dropped past my head to the bottom! Thousands of the small yellow sea cucumbers like last time. A large octopus, lots of nuidbranchs, some shrimp. Then back to the main rock in the current (reasonably strong) and past the overhang and shear wall to the protected N side. The whole site is very colourful. A very good dive. Visibility excellent, especially on second bommie. 

This is not far from the last site, just around the top of Caban Island. Anchored S of two rocks. Went SW down a sandy slope to 22 m and then N. The bottom here is sand and coral rubble. Further along the bottom is more consistent coral, new on old dead stuff. Then went towards the rocks and then back to the boat. Quite a few lionfish and moray eels, various species. Also two banded snake eels, a large octopus, more nudibranchs and shrimps. Thousands of niger triggerfish. Another very colourful site. No current. Visibility very good.

Located only 80 metres NW of Sandy Bottom. Under the boat a series of small coral bommies. Went S where it was sand and rubble and then SW to a wall, top 19 m. A few concrete artificial reefs, domes, we saw three. Then NW along the bottom of the wall at 25 m. There were lots of huge flat sponges like lettuce leaves, biggest ones I have seen, two colours. Then up onto top and zig-zagged back to the boat. Lots nudibranchs only four or five species. Some shrimp. A very large fish on the wall, no idea what type. Thousands of niger triggerfish again. A couple of long-tailed rays. Visibility poor except deeper when fair.  

Dived here in 2023. No current and viz 10-12 metres. Went W to 20 m and then down steeper slope to 25 m. Some small bommies here and shallow. Mostly coral rubble bottom. At 20 m some large flat coral areas with small overhangs. Thousands of niger triggerfish, lots of small porcupinefish, some lionfish and moray eels, a small ribbon eel. Not many nudibranchs. A small mantis shrimp that disappeared into its hole before I could take a photo and a small shrimp in hard coral. Lots of anemones and clownfish and a dozen batfish. A very nice dive. Visibility good.

Another dive here. No current, viz 8-10 m. Did similar at the start but could not find the two giant anglerfish, they have moved. Some large fish swam past and also a giant cuttlefish. Finally went to the gorgonia and saw the tiny pygmy sea horse. A couple of flutemouths, a few ribbon eels, thousands of niger triggerfish again, John saw a clown triggerfish here again! Lots of nudibranchs, some lionfish, a large porcelain crab in anemone and lots more. A good dive despite no anglerfish. Visibility fair.

Repeat dive here. Went out W again to the deeper spot, viz out there was 15-18 m (much better than a few days ago) and no current. However as we continued N and got shallower, the viz dropped to 8-10 m and a strong current from the N appeared. Quick trip back. A turtle at the start, the normal niger triggerfish, moray eels, two mantis shrimps swimming, one with eggs and a blind shark. Saw a nudibranch I have never seen before, white with bubbles. A black ribbon eel, a pug head eel but no photo as too hard. Lots of anemones and clownfish as well as a large pufferfish. A very colourful dive site, especially deeper. A good dive. Visibility very good deep, but fair shallow.

Dived this wreck in 2023, an old casino scuttled here. It has now collapsed some more, the SE corner dropped to the ground. Went from the mooring over the small wall to the slope and then towards the deeper SE corner. Then around the W side to the hull section, then to the main wreck. Zig-zagged through the wreck towards the shore. Only a couple of batfish in the hull area, not like last time. Heaps of nudibranchs, some moray eels, lots of anemones and clownfish, including one at the shallower end with deformed mouth and aggressive. A pointy nosed fish (?) in a sort of fern coral. Then to wall which is covered in fine sand so everything is dead. Then to mooring, a couple of nudibranchs under boat. A nice if unexciting dive. Visibility good.  

Located towards northern end of Caban Island on the east side, some houses above beach. A drift dive that started on the N side and dropped in and went S down a rubble slope to 20 m and then NE and later N. Bottom goes to about 30 m. Went to 25 m and up a bit at times, eventually reaching 27 m. Bottom has some larger boulder sized coral with rubble in between. Very colourful with sponges, featherstars etc. Over a dozen moray eels of at least three species, lots of nudibranchs, a large mantis shrimp, two dartfish, tens of thousands of niger triggerfish, many Moorish idols, a colourful boxfish, a large pufferfish, a large rockcod, many nudibranchs including a new one. We ascended gradually from 20th minute and the 10 to 15 metre area was more coral than sand. An excellent dive. Visibility good.

Second dive here so Ofer could see sea horses as he has never seen one before. Out on the sand found a hairy one and then two more on coral/soft coral. Ofer saw one more too. Lots of crabs and squat lobsters on the soft corals and some gobies and shrimp. A long-tail cowfish, a striped boxfish, a skiing decorator crab and another bare one. A sole, a blenny in a piece of bamboo and a yellow goby in a San Miguel bottle. Near the boat an orange anglerfish, the same one we saw last dive here. A very good dive. Visibility fair.

Located on W side of Sombero Island which is off N end of Caban Island. Went W to slope and then SW and S. Sandy with lots of dead coral bits with new stuff on it. Also lots of soft corals and featherstars. No current and viz about 20 to 25 metres. Very colourful site with barrel sponges and some bommies deep and more shallower. Lots of niger triggerfish, plenty of moray eels, only three nudibranchs though. Lots of tropical fish including Moorish idols and lkionfish. Two soft coral crabs, some hairy shrimp and small crabs. A tiny crayfish and then later another. A nice dive. Visibility very good. 

Located off a N side of a huge rock connected by sand spit to the N end of Marikaban Island. Viz again 20 to 25 metres. Went W over a small wall to 12 m and then gradually deeper as we went NE. A slight down current on the way and when we got to the start of the wall, a very strong current towards us, so did not do the wall. Thousands of niger triggerfish here and also a large titan triggerfish. Went back but now no down current! No many nudibranchs again but lots of moray eels. Some cramps and shrimps. A tiny white cuttlefish, lionfish, porcelain crabs, clownfish in anemones and a strange dancing fish I have seen before but cannot name. Back to the shallows and then to boat. A nice dive again. Visibility very good.  

Quite windy (E-SE) so diving here again as protected. Did similar dive to last one to the N and NE. No current and viz 10 to 12 metres. Two tiger pipefish near start and John found two more towards the end back near boat, they were doing a mating dance we think. Plenty of moray eels (four species) nudibranchs, some lionfish, butterflyfish, Moorish idols and a large cod. Some crabs and shrimps and a black ribbon eel. Nice dive. Visibility good.   

Even windier so second dive went to SW into the bay to a small wall. At first all sandy/coral rubble. Saw two garden eels, lots of moray eels again, some nudibranchs. A large sand eel was seen only head out and then it came right out and swam away and buried itself tail first into a new spot. Another black ribbon eel, crabs and shrimps, including a zebra crab on a fire urchin and another with a shrimp. A small ornate ghost pipefish and more. The wall was a bit bare of growth. Turned around at 45 minutes at the end of it and came back gradually getting shallower. Another nice dive. Visibility good.  

Located south of Sunview and north of Twin Rocks. Started shallow and went W down coral rubble slope then SE in a relatively strong current. Viz only 8-10 m but worse at end. Bottom like slope with lots of small soft corals. After 30 mins came to a more substantial coral reef, current dropped for a few minutes and then came back. Along here hundreds of smaller barrel sponges and dozens of large gorgonias, some huge. A sea snake, a large turtle, moray eels, a zebra crab on a fire urchin, a few nudibranchs. a porcelain crab in anemone. Ended up in the shallows 300 m away. Good dive. Visibility fair.

A bit of E wind but not too bad. Viz 8-10 metres deep but worse shallow. Similar route to last dive, to the wall. Some nudibranchs, shrimps, nothing special till the end. Some cobia feeding up high, Moorish idols, the usual niger triggerfish, and a few moray eels. Came back via the top of the wall, dozens of small barrel sponges. Back near the boat three blue ribbon eels. two in one hole. Not the greatest dive here, but okay. Visibility fair.

Went E to steep slope and then SW to the wall. Viz 10 to 12 metres on the wall but less shallow. A great warty anglerfish, more cobia up high feeding, niger triggerfish of course. At the wall there was current from the E. Went around the rocks and then back under the mooring. Some great nembrothas, a few of the bright red rhinopores and two green lined ones. A nice dive. Visibility fair.

Anchored further NE than other dives, so had to swim S to bubbles. Saw a white leaf fish and then a small turtle. After the bubbles went deeper, some very hot (45-50C at least) water coming out of one spot. Viz on the wall was 18-20 metres, but less than 5 m shallow. On the wall saw two long-finned bannerfish and a batfish. At the end of the wall when coming back, a black giant anglerfish, same one as last dive here. Some good nudibranchs, mostly nembrothas, and a flabellina. Lots of cobia feeding as we came back off the wall. A nice dive. Visibility very good deep.