|
|
June 2009
Click on heading to jump to article
|
 |
Ten Years on – it seems like only yesterday when we started to build Frontier Scuba back in the summer of '99. We'd bought two derelict cottages to knock into a dive shop. The goal was to finish the building and be open after one month.
Well, it turned out that we met the schedule. In fact building was fun and easy. The hard part was just starting – going into business and dealing with government departments, typhoons and earthquakes, hiring staff and having our boats sink at their moorings (three times!)
The shop has also expanded. From just ten tanks, 100m2 of floor area and 6 sets of equipment, we have expanded into the buildings behind which has doubled our usuable area, added a further 65 tanks and now have 18 sets of recreational and tech gear. |
| |
| At home, we now have a three year son – Nathaniel, the five grandchildren are all growing up, Yolanda is as beautiful as ever and I have caught a mysterious illness whereby my belly continues to expand and what little grey hairs I have left have started to fall out.
LOVE has blossomed in Puerto Galera. Our instructors Inaky Trias and Shin Yahiro both met and married their students. Shin has gone on to have two children and now lives in Okinawa, Japan.
Our team, past and present, have expanded their families. Kazuko Tashiro now lives in Australia and has just had her second son, while Kiyo is back in Japan and has just had her first child. Harry and XC are both still part of the team and both have two year old children |
|
|
So, after all the hard work would we do it all again? Absolutely ! It's been great fun. Diving everyday, waking up to a beautiful morning on the beach and best of all meeting our new friends from all over the world. We've had divers from Iceland to New Zealand, South Africa to Russia and even one student from the Navajo nation.
As the next 10 years start we all have one thing to say. Thanks for your friendship – looking forward to seeing you back in Puerto Galera!
|
|
 Canadian Invasion 
|
Regine Quintal (right with XC, Rick and Harry) arrived in March with Forty four people and 39 divers from dive clubs around Montreal, Canada.
To say that we were nervous would be an understatement. With every large group we just cross our fingers that everyone has a good time. Anyway, we shouldn't have worried. Not only was everyone super nice - but the diving went smoothly and not one brownout during their entire stay!
In Puerto we operated seven boats to keep the groups small and thanks to Vic, Robert, Amil, Jack and German for helping out with the guiding
The trip was just short of three weeks - with two weeks diving in Puerto followed by a few days with the whale sharks in Donsol.
|
|
|
|
In the Water
 A great shot of a thresher by Anne O'Toole - February 2009, in front of Coral Cove
|
The Marine life has been outstanding this year. Throughout the winter months we were seeing thresher sharks on a regular basis on Kilima beach, while in the bay we have found clown frogfish, mimic octopus and blue ringed octopus.
Thresher Sharks are one of the easiest sharks to identify due to their long whip like tail. For the past three years, we have had threshers in shallow water from December until March. These are probably the same sharks coming back (or moving shallower) year after year.
We've seen both small sharks (2.5m) and larger adults (3.5m+). The best times to see them are December to February, when we see them every few days on Kilima Beach and in front of Coral Cove. The photo above was taken by Anne O'Toole at a depth of 13m.
The Clown Frogish is one of the prettiest fish in the sea. It has beautiful yellow and orange on it's fins as well as purple and brown camouflage spots. It is perfectly designed as an ambush predator - waiting for fish to swim to close before it pounces. The clown frogish is much small than the giant frogish that we see on other dive sites, at about 12cm long.
Thanks to Ms.Marisa Chatchchaiyalerk from Thailand for this shot taken at The Clam Farm.
The Blue Ringed Octopus is also very beautiful, but also one of the deadliest animals in the sea. Though it is not agressive, if you pick it up it will bite and it's poison is one of the fastest poisons know to man - look, but don't touch.
While it is not uncommon, it is very difficult to find, as it is small at 15cm and highly camouflaged. Look out for it on the sea grass near the Clam Farm at 17m.
|
Clown Frogfish
Blue-ringed Octopus
|
June has also seem some great sea life. A Manta on Kilima beach and a whale shark was seen in the Canyons Fantastic. I've also taken to kayaking in the early evening with Nathaniel. Usually at 5:30 we can see 20or 30 Monkeys feeding on the rocks at Monkey Beach - so, that's where the name came from !
|
|
|
This year was great for whale shark interactions and we introduced more than 120 people to the gentle giants for Donsol.
January started off well with about 6 sightings per day, which rose steadily throughout the month so that by February the 21 people from the US Embassy in Manila had a great time. March saw even more sightings and we were joined by our 44 French Canadian friends.
As usual, we skipped touring in Easter, but had six groups in April and May, some of whom were lucky enough to see the Butanding festival [right].
A baby Whale Shark was caught in March by local fishermen and luckily released by members of the WWF. They responded with a 15 tonne truck expecting to be relasing in adult. Instead they measured the smallest whale shark on record (ever) ~ 15 inches long!
Next year we plan to expand the business in Donsol with full-time guides and school trips. We are currently the owner operator that offers a full package that includes in-water guiding by a naturalist. This not only makes the interactions more meaningful but makes them safer too.
In 2010 we will be joined for some trips by a marine biologist from the WWF who will be helping with activities for school groups.
|
Michael and Ruriko Wentling, Andrew Sanchez and Ginnie Holleman relaxing at the Baracuda Bar after an exciting day ofwhale sharking
Butanding Festival 2009 ~ boys painting as whale sharks (butanding)
More than 30 floats paraded through town ~ each Barangay competing for best-in-parade
|
|
We're taking booking for 2010 right now. Follow this link to find the dates and make your booking 
If you have a school group interested in making an educational tour go to our Schools Whale Shark Page [under construction - online August 09]
|
|
In November we are planning two trips to Apo Reef and Coron.
The First trip will start in Puerto Galera, finish in Coron and fly back to Manila. The second trip will be a tech trip starting in Coron and finishing in Puerto Galera
We will be using MB Rags 2 - a 30m liveaboard banca. Minimum group size is 6 and the boat can accommodate 8 divers in 4 airconditioned cabins. The boat has 240 volt generators on board, as well as compressors, nitrox (free) and hot showers.
Our first stop will be Apo Reef. Fantastic visibility and great marine life makes it on the best dive spots in the Philippines. The second day will see us dive Apo in the morning and then move to northern Coron in the afternoon. We will then spend a further three days diving the WW2 wrecks of Coron.
The rate is $200 a day which includes all meals, aircon accommodation, diving and nitrox. Extra charges include equipment rental and a marine park fee to dive Apo reef (about $60). We can arrange flights out of Coron. Current rates are about $75 including a surcharge for heavy bags.
Our tech group will spend more time on the wrecks and then do some deep wall dives on Apo Reef before finishing in Puerto Galera. The daily rate is $200 plus the above extra charges and a small extra charge for oxygen for decompression |
|
We are fixing the dates right now and will release them in a few weeks. To join the trip please contact us as soon as possible as places are limited |
Recreational trip
Provisional dates: Nov 7 ~ 13
U$1200 + flight (one way)
Itinerary
Day 1 Board boat 1600 and overnight to Apo
Day 2 Dive Apo Reef
Day 3 Dive Apo and afternoon trip to northern Coron
Day 4 Dive Coron wrecks
Day 5 Dive Coron Wrecks
Day 6 Dive Coron Wrecks
Day 7 Leave boat 0600 and fly to Manila
Special Offer: Add
PADI Nitrox diver course U$99 + certification pack ($65)
PADI Wreck Diver course U$99 + certification pack ($45)
|
Tech diver trip
Provisional dates: Nov 14 ~ 20
U$1200 + flight (one way) + oxygen
Itinerary
Day 1 Board boat 1400 and overnight Coron
Day 2 Dive Coron Wrecks
Day 3 Dive Coron Wrecks
Day 4 Dive Coron wrecks
Day 5 Dive Apo Reef
Day 6 Dive Apo Reef and afternoon trip to Puerto Galera
Day 7 Leave boat 0800 in Puerto Galera
Special Offer: Add
TDI Advanced Wreck course U$350
|
|
|
Frontier Scuba joins the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network
|
The Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network (PMMSN) was set up in 2005 to train volunteers to respond to marine mammal strandings. Since then, they have trained hundreds of government workers to form the basis of a network in the Philippines.
In the Puerto Galera area we have had five strandings in the past 12 months. Earlier this year a 15 meter Bryde's whale was stranded near Batangas. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the animal did not survive.
Harry, Rick and Yolanda spent 2 days in Subic Bay learning the basics of species identification, record keeping, moving, handling and first aid for whales and dolphins. On the second day we had the chance to enter the water with a false killer whale and a bottlenose dolphin to practise our skills.
Thirty six hours after we finished the course we received a call to respond to 6 dolphins stranded in Batangas. Talk about baptism by fire! Luckily, the animals were refloated by local fishermen (though they may have been injured in the process) and so we have yet to help in our first real stranding.
To help raise funds for medical supplies, stranding equipment and educational materials we'll be selling PMMSN t-shirts in the dive shop. If you'd like to buy one, or make a donation let us know. All money will go to the PMMSN in Puerto Galera
t-shirt back |
(L-R) Harry, Mr Park, Yolly, Ocean Adventure Trainers and Bianca Espinos (R) of the PMMSN
Yolly and Rick help support a false killer whale and protect the blow-hole
Lifting and moving using a specially designed stretcher
|
|
Dive Sites of Puerto Galera U$12
Divers having been admiring our new dive sites board, so we decided to print some copies for sale. The board is printed on waterproof white plastic and measures a full 4 ft x 2 1/2ft (about 1.3m x 0.8m). All the main dive sites are listed as well as full colour photos of the local marine life. A great souvenir of your diving holiday to hang on your wall back home.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
