Written by Scott Rogers for ScubaGlobe Magazine
Underwater Photography courtesy of Mike Fehr
Diving in Puerto Galera with any frequency is enough to spoil the most jaded of divers. no matter how many times you visit, there is always something new to see. Puerto Galera and her ample charms beckons me again and again.
Separated from Luzon by the deep waters of Verde Island passage, Puerto Galera (Port of Galleons) is one of the most popular dive destinations in the Philippines. Located on the magnificently rugged island of Mindoro, the beautiful natural harbour provided a safe haven for galleons seeking shelter from typhoons. Prior to the arrival of the spanish in 1572, Malay, Chinese and Indonesian merchants have been plying these waters as early as the 10th century to trade with the island’s original inhabitants. Today the boats are still coming, heavily laden with divers and holidaymakers wishing to experience the area’s bountiful attractions.
Strong currents and upwellings flush nutrient-rich waters through the Verde Island Passage, supporting a wealth of biodiversity. Carpeting the seabed is a dense mantle of vibrant corals and marine invertebrates – a paradise for underwater photographers. These rich coastal waters have been protected as a marine sanctuary for a number of years, resulting in prolific reefs teeming with fish.
High Voltage
With over 30 dive sites to choose from, there is something to offer even the most discriminating diver. From wrecks to high-voltage drift-dives, most sites are within a few minutes banca ride from many of the resorts. A bit further afield lays Verde Island, with its stunning wall and abundant fish life. although the entire area is referred to as Puerto Galera, the bulk of the accommodation is congregated around Sabang Beach, Small Lalaguna and Big Lalaguna Beach.
More than 20 different dive shops in the area cater to divers of many different nationalities. The diving is relatively inexpensive by Asian standards making Puerto Galera an ideal place for beginners to be certified. Europeans, Australians and American tend to dominate the dive sites, but in recent years have been joined by an increasing influx of arrivals from around Asia, especially South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The diving is year round, although bad weather from May-September may hamper bancas from making the crossing to Batangas. Still, there are far worse places one can be stranded!
The Diving
Canyons
Undoubtedly the most popular dive in Puerto Galera is the Canyons. An advanced site due to the depth and strong currents, this is THE place in Puerto Galera for big fish action. After being dropped in near Hole in the Wall, an exhilarating drift-dive sweeps divers to three large fissures in the seabead at depths ranging from 24-30m. In order to be swept into position, a dive guide with extensive knowledge of the currents is absolutely essential. To escape current, duck into one of the canyons, sit back and enjoy the show. The fish life here is overwhelming. Anthias congregate in large numbers among vividly coloured soft corals, while magnificent sea fans provide a colourful backdrop for large harlequin, oriental and ribbon sweetlips, emperor angelfish, lionfish and batfish. Large shoals of snapper, trevally, emperors and chevron barracuda are frequently observed cruising the deep waters just off the third canyon. Extremely lucky divers have even spotted mantas, hammerheads and thresher sharks. Entrenched in the seabed at the end of the third canyon, an old coral-encrusted anchor provides a good signpost for divers to regroup before being swept off into the current for the safety stop. When the currents are running you’ll end up surfacing a LONG way from your entry point. If not, it’s actually possible to swim back to Hole in the Wall. The only downside of the location is the depth, resulting in an all-too-short bottom time. To fully appreciate this site, the Canyons are best made on Nitrox. This is a world-class dive you’ll want to do over and over again!
Boulders
Located at the headland south of Escarceo Point, Boulders is one of the most distant sites from Sabang, taking roughly 30 minutes by banca. Surface conditions tend to be choppy, with some degree of current usually present. A number of huge boulders, one the size of a house, tumble down to around 25m creating a series of swim-throughs, tunnels and overhangs. As you descend the slope, the site is strewn with boulders of various sizes. This is also a terrific site for nudibranchs. During my dive, my guide excitedly gestured to a nembrotha nudibranch lying on a rock. It was only after scrutinising the developed photo that I realised the nudibranch was in the process of laying a delicate spiral of yellow eggs! Prawns and small lobsters can often be found in the profuse cracks and crevices, while dragonets, stonefish, scorpionfish and lionfish are commonly observed. Basket sponges, gorgonias including sea whips housing tiny whip gobies and soft corals decorate the rocky surfaces with a riot of colour. Hanging on a huge boulder at 25m, a diminutive sea fan is home to a lone pygmy sea horse. Despite having been to Puerto Galera many times before, this was the first time I’d ever dived Boulders, and it certainly won’t be my last!
Sinandigan Wall
Nudibranch enthusiasts won’t want to miss Sinandigan Wall. Descending from 5-30m, the wall, cloaked with a combination of stoney and soft corals, is home to a diverse selection of nudibranchs. Up to a dozen different species can be observed on one dive, offering limitless possibilities to the macro photographer. Some species are so common one can almost become blasé! Often mistaken for nudibranchs, hordes of miniature yellow sea cucumbers cling to the wall, tentacles outstretched in the current, to collect any tidbits of food that happen to pass by. With all the nudibranchs on display, it’s very easy to overlook the other creatures found here. Cuttlefish are also common in the vicinity, and are easily overlooked as a result of their expert camouflage. They are usually quite curious, and with slow movements, can be closely approached. However, if alarmed, undulating waves of colour flash across the skin to show their displeasure before disappearing in a jet of water. Plenty of the larger fish species, including snappers, jacks, trevallies, tuna and baracuda, can sometimes be seen off the wall. That is if the nudibranchs aren’t diverting all of your attention!
Kilima Drift
I had mentioned to Ali, my guide that my previous dive at the Canyons had the biggest concentration of anthias that I’d ever seen. Ali smiled and said “Wait until you see Kilima drift.” She wasn’t kidding!
Located between Sinandigan Wall and West Escarceo, this 1.5km drift is one of the best that the area has to offer. Starting well upcurrent from Sinandigan Wall, a series of up and down currents sweep divers past canyons and walls shrouded with a varied assortment of multi-coloured soft corals, whip corals and sponges. Vast numbers of anthias hover in the current amid green tubastrea corals, while out in the deep water, schools of barracuda, trevally and mackerel can be seen hanging out in the currents.
When the moon is full, current speeds can reach up to 6 knots. At these times the distance from Sinandigan Wall to Escarceo point can take as little as 10 minutes! With depths ranging from 10-30m, the dive can be kept shallow or deep depending on the experience level of the divers.
Sabang Wreck
Being thouroughly obsessed with macro photography, I could easily spend my entire visit in Sabang Bay. Lying at a depth of 18m , Sabang Wreck is an old wooden fishing junk purposely sunk for divers in 1993.After descending down the mooring line to the sandy bottom, divers are usually approached by a resident school of friendly batfish looking for a handout. While feeding is generally discouraged, it doesn’t prevent the optimistic batfish from trying! Resting upright on the sandy bottom, the wreck is a magnet for numerous species, especially frogfish. During numerous dives here, I have seen black, white, green, brown and orange specimens in all manner of sizes. At night, large numbers of well-camouflaged scorpionfish are to found hiding in the countless recesses in the sides of the ship, so be very careful where you put your hands. Durban hinge-beak shrimps are to be found among the vessel’s rotting timbers, as are eels, crabs, lionfish and stonefish. The sandy areas neighbouring the wreck are home to a diverse assortment of oddities, especially at night. Black-pitted snake eels, flounders, flamboyant cuttlefish, sponge crabs, mantis shrimp, sea horses and anenome hermit crabs are just some of the fascinating creatures to be found here. Careful probing into the sand with a pointer stick may result in a disturbed stargazer erupting from the bottom. This site is quite popular, with processions of divers congregating here at all times of day. This causes a dilema at night, as it can be very easy to end up following the wrong group. On one dive, one member of our group ended up on the wrong boat! Take care when surfacing as the bay can be thronged with boat traffic, even at night.
Sabang Bay, Sea Grass
Not far from the Sabang Wreck lies an extensive bed of sea grass at between 3-7m. This is also a great place for critters, but you have to look! What at first glance may appear to be a leaf resting on the bottom may actually turn out to be a cockatoo waspfish. Undulating gently in the current, this relative of the scorpionfish forms a perfect imitation of a leaf. Snaking across the bottom, metre-long sea cucumbers resembling vacuum cleaner hoses carry colourful emperor shrimps. Nearby, what appeared to be a tiny red pebble on the sand turned out to be a minute juvenile frogfish. Flying gunards, wings outstretched like elaborately decorated oriental fans, can be observed skimming over the sandy bottom, while Pegasus sea moths, morays, octopus, finger dragonets, dwarf lionfish, and a varied assortment of shells will compete for the macro enthusiast’s eye.
Alma Jane
Sunk in March 2003 near the Asia Divers pier, the Alma Jane is Sabang Bay’s newest wreck. The Alma Jane was a 60-ton, 35m steel-hulled cargo ship built in Japan in 1966, she sits upright at a depth of 30m. After being dropped off, divers descend via a mooring line to reach the wreck. Compared to my first visit in 2004, there had been a significant increase in marine life on the vessel’s superstructure. Fish life was more abundant as well. In addition to the ever-present batfish and lionfish, a shoal of bigeye trevally can be observed cruising around the wreck, attracted by the abundant shoals of baitfish on which they feed. The upper deck lies at a depth of 22m. Swimming through the ship’s hold revealed vast numbers of cardinalfish hovering amongst the numerous steel beams
Verde Island Drop Off
Less than an hour away by boat from Sabang, Verde Island provides one of the most spectacular wall dives in the Philippines. Plummeting down in excess of 100m in some places, this site has something to offer divers of all skill levels. A multitude of plate and staghorn corals can be found in the shallower water, while deeper down the wall, large soft corals, basket sponges and some very impressive gorgonian sea fans drape across the rocky surface. The nutrient rich waters attract swarms of anthias, surgeonfish, trumpetfish and butterfly fish, while shoals of bigeye trevally, rainbow runners, tuna and spanish mackerel can be seen out in the blue just off the wall. The sheer grandeur, colour and diversity of life makes it a must see for all divers.
