Four years waiting for this trip to Coco’s island in Costa Rica and finally happened. The trip was booked for 2020, but then the shit hit the fan as you all know….. 2 years on we did it! We had awesome time aboard the Okeanos Aggressor 1 and the shark action did not disappoint for sure. Hammerheads on almost every dive, silkys, Galapagos and whale shark were the highlights along with mobula, manta and marble rays, BIG tunas, huge schools of jacks, and dolphins swimming along to keep us company on an awesome safety stop. Plus a couple of encounters with Tigers! It’s a 36 hour boat ride out to Coco’s so you’re really out in the middle of nowhere for sure. We did 7 days of diving out there than had to do the long trip back again afterwards. Good thing the boat was well supplied with seasickness meds! What a fun group to join me on this epic adventure. Frank, Catherine, Kim, Erik, Emma, Suzie and Conny along with Tony Exall and his group mostly from the UK. Keep a watch here and in our weekly newsletter for details for our next trip live-aboard in January 2024 to the Solomon Islands.
Gotta love happy hour at the Point Bar…Two for one on these delicious cocktails! Happy Hour runs from 5:30 to 6:30 every evening and is always a favorite to wind down after a busy day.
Look what’s new at El Galleon! Allan has his dream come true with our very own wine fridge. Check out the fine selection of delectable wines from all over the world.
A delicious learning experienced happened by chance this past week when one of our guests, Jean volunteered to teach Toto how to make authentic Pad Thai. Jean is a professional chef who lives in Iceland, specializing in Thai foods and was happy to jump into the kitchen with Toto. Next time your here check out the Pad Thai!
Rotary Club of Subiaco does it again
Thanks so much once again to the Rotary Club of Subiaco in Australia for donating the much appreciated school supplies. Rhuby and Alli made the trip to the Paraway Mangyon elementary school to deliver the supplies and also to bring along 4 sacks of rice from El Galleon to go towards their feeding program for the kids. As always, if anyone one wants to donate to these causes just give us a shout.
Congratulations to Chuck Dreyfus for doing his 3000th dive. When he moved to Puerto Galera three years ago he had 1749 dives…that’s a lot of dives in just three years to hit this big number. So why the bunny ears? Well, Chuck likes his numbers and bunnies are great at multiplying! Check out the “3000” hair band too. Rob Jacobs made a video that you can check out on our Facebook page. Nothing like seeing a bunny go scuba diving!
2020 Traveler’s choice
We are very thankful to receive the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award for 2020. Thank you to all of our wonderful guests and especially those that took the time and effort to write reviews. Also, a big thank you to the staff at El Galleon and Asia Divers who made this possible.
We love getting reviews…especially nice ones of course! If you’ve visited us before and enjoyed your stay perhaps you can write a review for us on one of our TripAdvisor sites. During these crazy times every little bit can help:
El Galleon Beach Resort & Hotel
Asia Divers
El Galleon Restaurant
We look forward to seeing you all back soon!
Bring down the nuts!
Thank God the coconuts came down last week! Over the past few months of lockdown they seem to have grown out of control and they were dropping like bombs! Have look at our Facebook page to see the video on how to “Safely drop your nuts” if you want to see how it’s done.
Wild Philippines, a new book by Nigel Hicks
Back in 2018 Nigel Hicks came to stay with us to do some underwater photography for the book he was then working on, about the wildlife of the Philippines, and to be called Wild Philippines. Unfortunately, on that occasion things conspired against him in the form of an ear problem that prevented him from diving, though he was able to do some onshore photography instead.
Wild Philippines was published a few months ago, and you can see some sample photos and pages on his website at https://www.nigelhicks.com/editorial-photography-writing/books/wild-philippines/. It is also available from National Book Stores and from any Amazon site.
With over 300 photos and 50,000 words, Wild Philippines is major work, offering both the public and conservationists working in this field a valuable snapshot of the state of conservation in the Philippines at this time. Published to mark the 20th anniversary of The National Parks and Other Wild Places of the Philippines, Nigel’s first book about the country, and the first ever to look at its natural environment, Wild Philippines now brings an overview of our knowledge about Philippine wildlife right up to date.
X-Ray Magazine contribution by Beth Watson
Check out the latest edition of X-Ray Magazine. Lots of great dive and travel information. Including Beth’s contribution to this issue, located under the “My Favorite Wide Angle Dive” section. You download your free copy today: https://xray-mag.com/magazines/99
Are you a certified diver and want to develop your skills, learn new ones, and become a more confident diver? Are you trying to decide between taking a core PADI course or a specialty when you are diving in the Philippines?
The good news is that as a certified diver you have plenty of options and we have a diverse range of dive sites in Puerto Galera for you to explore while developing your skills and learning new techniques.
Deciding on what course to take next depends on your current certification level, your interests, and what you want to get out of the program.
Complete your Advanced Open Water course theory at home with eLearning or here in Puerto Galera
If you are an Open Water Diver then the next core course for you is the PADI Advanced Open Water Course – and this is our recommendation for all Open Water Divers in Puerto Galera! You do not need to have advanced dive skills to start the advanced course – you learn advanced techniques during your program and the course may even be taken directly after the Open Water course! You’ll make 5 incredible dives with your instructor, including a deep dive and underwater navigation. The other three dives are yours to choose from a wide range of options. Until the end of May, PADI is also offering a 25% discount on Advanced Open Water eLearning so you can start learning from home straight away!
Take the PADI Advanced Open Water course in Puerto Galera and explore to 30 meters
For those who are already Advanced Open Water Certified, the next step is the PADI Rescue Diver Course. Do you want to become a PADI Divemaster or Instructor? Then you’ll need to become a PADI Rescue Diver first – it’s a requirement for all professional level courses.
Here are some other programs that might be of interest to you when it comes to diving in Puerto Galera and developing specific skills…
Emergency First Response: Known as “EFR”, the Emergency First Response is a complete CPR and first aid course which is a requirement for certification as a PADI Rescue Diver and PADI Divemaster. The course deals with all aspects of emergency assistance, not just those related to diving. You’ll learn about handling accidents at home and in other daily situations too. Topics covered included, CPR, spinal injuries, serious bleeding, choking, shock, splinting, first aid assessments, and many more techniques that can extend a patient’s lifeline and provide care. This is a great certification for anyone’s CV and teaches essential lifesaving skills.
Emergency First Response is a complete CPR and First Aid course
Rescue Diver: This is one of the most challenging and rewarding PADI programs you’ll ever take. You’ll learn how to stay calm and handle emergency situations in a focused and efficient manner, You’ll learn self-rescue techniques as well as how to rescue others. Most importantly you’ll learn how to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place and how to recognize potential accidents before they happen.
Start your Rescue Diver Course online with PADI eLearning today!
The Rescue Diver Course is the most challenging and rewarding PADI program
Reactivate: Has it been a while since your last dive and you want to recap some of the essential basic underwater skills before diving in Puerto Galera? No problem, the PADI reactivate program is specifically designed for this purpose – to get you back in the water and feeling confident about your abilities.
Become a PADI Divemaster in Puerto Galera – your first step to becoming a pro!
PADI Divemaster: If you are already a PADI Rescue Diver and are thinking of the diving industry as a future career path, then the PADI Divemaster Course is your first step into professional diving.
Unlike other PADI Courses you’ll be mentored and work alongside your instructor. You’ll gain an insight into working in the industry and behind the scenes at a dive center. You’ll also develop the skills required to assist PADI Instructors with PADI Courses as well as how to guide certified divers independently. If you want to take your scuba diving to the next level then taking the PADI Divemaster Course in Puerto Galera is a great way to do it.
Dive deeper for longer with the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Course
If you are already an advanced level diver, or want to specialize your skills in a particular field then PADI Specialty courses allow you to do just that…
Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty: It seems so unfair when you have plenty of air left and your computer tells you that you need to shallow up. Have you ever wished you could stay deeper for longer? Diving with Enriched Air (Nitrox) increases your allowable bottom time meaning you can admire the depths of your favourite sites when diving in the Philippines, for longer. Did you know that you can take the Enriched Air Specialty theory online with PADI eLearning?
Learn more advanced photography skills in the Digital Photography Specialty
Digital Underwater Photography Specialty: It’s hard to explain to non-diving family and friends some of the creatures that we see underwater, but with amazing images, you don’t need to! Master the techniques required to produce sharper and more colourful images that will impress your buddies and land-loving friends.
Do you want more advanced photography skills? Take the Digital Underwater Photography Specialty
Other PADI Specialties: Is there a particular type of diving that you want to learn more about? We also offer a full range of PADI Specialty Courses which allow you to learn more and develop knowledge in specific aspects of diving. We currently offer the following additional PADI specialty courses: Boat Diver, Deep Diver, Drift Driver, Night Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search & Recovery Diver, Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Navigation, DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and Wreck Diver.
Imagine exploring underwater with a DPV scooter!
Are you feeling inspired to step up your diving skills? For more information about diving in Puerto Galera and our PADI Courses, send us a message through our online contact form or email us at instructors@asiadivers.com and we will get right back to you.
We look forward to introducing you to scuba diving in the Philippines soon!
Romero-Caicedo, A., Galvan-Magana, F. and Martinez-Ortiz, J. (2014). Reproduction of the pelagic thresher shark Alopias pelagicus in the equatorial Pacific.
Liu, S.YV., Chan, C.LC,, Lin, O., Hu, C.S., Chen C.A. (2013). DNA Barcoding of Shark Meats Identify Species Composition and CITES-Listed Species from the Markets in Taiwan.
It’s been a week to remember for sure with this fun gang from Diveline Aus. Superb conditions, lots of sun and tremendous amounts of fun for all. The grand finale included a lovely BCD float in the Verde island Passage.
This was a perfect day for a Verde adventure with Diveline Aus! Thanks to Paul Sorensen for bringing Adrian Marshall, Julie Wrighton, Peter Wrighton, Ian Hulett, Christine Reynonds, Paul McGrath,John Timms, Stewart Andrews, Matthew Grahams, Kenneth Mills and Jennifer Mcgrath to our happy home!
What’s happening here
Kenneth Mills and Matthew Graham did their PADI DPV courses with Jamie and had two super dives , than Alli took all of them plus Rene on a “Magical Mystery Tour” to West Escarcio, Canyons, Atol, Kilima, Sinandigan, and Coral cove. They finished in an area that Rene and Jamie had never even seen before!
We’ve also enjoyed the company of this very experienced group of underwater photographers (Choi Yee Shing, Yiu Hei (Alex) Cheung, Wu Wei Keung, and Li Yat (Ken) Hung) this week. They were a pleasure to dive with. Many highlights including two Blackwater dives too.
Matt Hutchinson is well immersed into his Instructor internship now after passing the Instructor exams. Matt will spend the next month with us gaining lots of experience in teaching all PADI courses and also helping out on guiding. For everyone who does their IDC with us we offer this internship program for no extra charge. If you’re interested in becoming a PADI pro and living the dream, please have a look at our website for more information: https://asiadivers.com/gopro/
Ruben and Matt are teaching Greg Tirrell PADI Advanced course right now, getting him experienced in several different types of dives.
Huong Ly has been enjoying her stay with us doing DSD and follow-up dives.
Mid Autumn Day and National Day holiday in China means lots and lots of folks from China around this week. Our Chinese instructor team is busy busy and soon we’ll have a bunch of certified PADI divers to celebrate with.
Homies! First time for Kjell to meet up with someone from his hometown here at El Gal. Daniel Haworth is from Arboga, Sweden and Jimmy Strand is from the next town over. Small world stuff for sure!
Blackwater Magic
We took advantage of the perfect conditions for Blackwater diving this week and went out for two nights back to back. Check out what Arthur Nash shot with the Olympus TG-3 and no strobe. Join us for some more of this really cool diving: https://asiadivers.com/blackwater-diving-puerto-galera/
Matt Hutchinson captured this lovely image just as the group was heading out for a night dive. It’s a tough call sometimes…Barrel Bar or night dive?!
Wechat and Alipay is now available
Life just got much easier for our Chinese guests. You can now use WeChat pay and ALIPAY here at the resort and dive center. You can also use it to pay for deposit before you arrive. If you’re coming here soon and would like to do that, just send an email to admin@asiadivers.com
DM Internship with Asia Divers, Puerto Galera, Philippines
Are you keen on becoming a PADI Divemaster? Would you like to spend 2-3 months in Puerto Galera Philippines with Asia Divers PADI CDC center? If the answer is yes, we are currently looking for enthusiastic and self-motivated individuals who are eager to experience what it is like to work in the scuba diving industry! Apply for the Divemaster Internship with Asia Divers, gain the first professional level in the diving industry and join the PADI family. Contact instructors@asiadivers.com for details.
This month’s cover shot for the “Monday News” of our stunning private pier and dive platform was done by Beth Watson. Check out more of Beth’s amazing images which have been published in books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, web sites and have been selected for juried art exhibitions.
Alli and Ruben took the gang out on a wonderful day trip to Chicken Feather, Bonito and Maricaban for a very cool day with some good variety of different types of diving. Along for the adventure were Beth, Steve, Sue, Chuck, John, Jenny and Elly. We ended the trip with a nice lazy slow ride back to the resort with a few beers and lots of laughs. Contact us and learn more about day trips to these places.
Visit our La Palm Spa and enjoy the unique and tranquil surroundings and enjoy the full range of treatments from our professionally trained staff and take full advantage of our discounts in our Low Season Promotion.
Our updated menu is now out with a mix of old and new favorites for you all to try. Check out this week’s special our very yummy seafood laksa
Just recently Chuck got his 2100th dive and he also did his 200th of the year. That’s a lot of time underwater! Congratulations Chuck! We’ve had a fun week of cool critter sightings including the Solar Powered Nudi and two dive spots with Harlequin Shrimps. We haven’t seen Harlequin shrimps here in years so this was something extremely special and got everyone very excited to go out and see them.
Congratulations to Jos for doing his 600th dive with us with 90% of those dives having been done with Asia Divers. Jos lived in the Philippines for nine years, but now he lives in Norway and we don’t get to see him too much, except on Facebook! Welcome back Jos, it was wonderful to see you back.
It’s always nice to see our old friends come back to visit. Mike and Elfriede Gould have been long time Asia Divers customers, in fact for more than 20 years! It was wonderful to see them back again and hope it won’t be another eight years before we see you again.
This week we welcomed Dolphin Scuba all the way from Australia Perth. The guys at Dolphin Scuba heard about Asia Divers a couple of years ago when they met Allan and Tommy on their tour around Australia, so they decided to come over and find out what all the fuss was about. It’s been a fantastic week with great weather and even better diving with sightings of Hairy Frog Fish, Soft Coral Crabs and Pygmy Seahorse, not to mention the great drift dives at the Canyons and Verde Island. Special thanks to Emma and Ben for putting the trip together.
Dave is a Canadian/Australian living in Perth who originally became a diver as part of his marital obligations to Michele Mannix less than five years ago. He recently made his 200th dive with Asia Divers here in Puerto Galera at the Boulders site. When he is not force-feeding mathematics into the minds of unwilling Aussie teenagers, he likes to spend his time photographing the world above and below the sea. His dreams include being a financially kept house-husband, world peace, and better camera gear. All of Dave and Kelly’s dive pictures can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dvanv333/
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
