Dumagete and Puerto Galera, Philippines

[Tazzie 0]

I've just spent 8 days in the Philippines in both Dumagete and Puerto Galera staying at Atlantis Resorts. Both resorts had fantastic diving, from muck diving to pristine coral reefs, shipwrecks and the best pier diving I've ever done.

 

Both resorts really cater for photographers with great guides who are fantastic at spotting critters that do not need any "encouragement" to pose. In Dumagete the guides even carry slates with them to write down the names of the wierd and wonderful things we were seeing - very handy indeed!

 

I cannot recommend these two resorts highly enough for photographers - the Pier at Dumagete, even though private and needs special permissions, is definintely one of the best locations I've ever been fortuante enough to dive and works well for both macro and wide angle - there's enough life on one pier leg alone to spend a whole 60 minute dive on and the swim back to the boat across the sand always resulted in finding more wierd and wonderful critters!

 

Anyway enough talk, the rest of the pics can be found here: http://www.sealifethroughthelens.com/page11.htm

[james 0]

Sweet, you dove some of the same locations that I just visited last week! I stayed at El Galleon in Puerto Galera and dove the local sites, as well as at Verde Island. I like your pix.

 

Cheers

James

[Tazzie 0]

Sweet, you dove some of the same locations that I just visited last week! I stayed at El Galleon in Puerto Galera and dove the local sites, as well as at Verde Island. I like your pix.

 

Cheers

James

 

Cool How was your resort? What did you think of PG?

 

Did you manage to get to Dumagete? The pier there was awesome...

[Drew 0]

Ducomi pier... that is an awesome site indeed. Probably in my top 4 of macro sites in PI. I'm so glad they opened it again.

Wait... were you that guy in the wreck getting in front of me everytime I was taking a shot of the Volitans?

[Tazzie 0]

Ducomi pier... that is an awesome site indeed. Probably in my top 4 of macro sites in PI. I'm so glad they opened it again.

Wait... were you that guy in the wreck getting in front of me everytime I was taking a shot of the Volitans?

 

Ooooh, what are your other top 3 macro sites?

 

I'm a girl so hopefully wasn't the person getting in your shots If so apologies, I hope I was pointing my fins for you

[james 0]

Haha, no don't worry, it wasn't you then Tazzie (I was on that dive too).

 

A bunch of divers dropped in on us at the sunken dry-dock and by the time they left (we still had plenty of air left when they surfaced) we felt like we'd been beaten up by a gang of angry gorillas! They were all male divers - so you're in the clear :-)

 

Cheers

James

[Drew 0]

Actually james there was a woman on that dive but she didn't give me the fin so it can't be tazzie

 

As for my top 3... sorry it's a secret

[Graham Abbott 0]

Drew, Why so much secrecy over dive sites?

[Tazzie 0]

Haha, no don't worry, it wasn't you then Tazzie (I was on that dive too).

 

A bunch of divers dropped in on us at the sunken dry-dock and by the time they left (we still had plenty of air left when they surfaced) we felt like we'd been beaten up by a gang of angry gorillas! They were all male divers - so you're in the clear :-)

 

Cheers

James

 

He he he that's when you want to be on video really isn't it - it's like watching a swarm of locusts go through destroying everything in their wake! ;D

 

Am very intrigued about the secret macro sites now!

[Big Fic 0]

I've just spent 8 days in the Philippines in both Dumagete and Puerto Galera staying at Atlantis Resorts. Both resorts had fantastic diving, from muck diving to pristine coral reefs, shipwrecks and the best pier diving I've ever done.

 

Both resorts really cater for photographers with great guides who are fantastic at spotting critters that do not need any "encouragement" to pose. In Dumagete the guides even carry slates with them to write down the names of the wierd and wonderful things we were seeing - very handy indeed!

 

I cannot recommend these two resorts highly enough for photographers - the Pier at Dumagete, even though private and needs special permissions, is definintely one of the best locations I've ever been fortuante enough to dive and works well for both macro and wide angle - there's enough life on one pier leg alone to spend a whole 60 minute dive on and the swim back to the boat across the sand always resulted in finding more wierd and wonderful critters!

 

Anyway enough talk, the rest of the pics can be found here: http://www.sealifethroughthelens.com/page11.htm

 

Tazzie,

We did the same trip in April. Atlantis is a top notch resort, we loved both of them. My wife liked PG better and I like Dumaguete better, I loved the muck diving.

 

Did you have Jerry as a dive master? He was incredible! We would have never seen so many things without him. He was by far the beast dive guide we have ever had.

 

I agree the Pier is one of the best dives I have ever been on. We got to dive it 3 times with 2 of them being night dives. Definitely the best night dive we have ever been on.

 

We also got to dive Apo Island twice. The reefs there are unbelieveable!! Did you get to dive there?

 

Anyway, I don't mean to hijack your thread but if you would like to see my pictures from PG and Dumaguete, check out http://www.bradandtrena.com/uwphotography.html

and click on the Philippines 2008 link.

 

Loved your photos, by the way.

 

Brad

Edited June 9, 2008 by Big Fic

[Tazzie 0]

Thanks Brad - I love your turtle shots - they're fab!!

 

We did indeed have Jerry as a Diveaster and he was fab! We also managed a day at Apo and yes you're right the corals were stunning (although I think we Brits are spoilt as the Red Sea is so close to us so we're used to those kinds of vistas (In my opinion)!)

 

I would have loved to dive the Pier in the dark but we didn't get the chance unfortuantely - hopefully next time as this is a place I defninitely want to return to!