News from El Galleon Dive Resort & Asia Divers, Puerto Galera

I’m one of the lucky guys who has had the pleasure of diving with Manta Ray’s in big number on a few occasions both on the island of Yap and also in the Maldives. Last month I spent 12 days on a live-aboard in Raja Ampat, West Papua to get the opportunity again to dive with a group of amazing those animals.

One of the dive sites is called Manta Sandy, yes you guess right, a place for Manta’s. The number of Manta on this site was well over 10 and often we had 4-6 of them around us in the same time. I did behave the first dive and just sat on the bottom to watch and so did the second dive go until just before it was time to slowly accent to the surface. As already left the bottom I saw two Manta’s coming right to me, the first with the usual white the belly and the second completely black that just followed. I stopped, hold my breath to avoid scaring them with my bubbles. They passed just on top of me at a very close range and as they passed I

span around and in the same time twisted a bit to get a better view as they passed. This movement seems to trigger an interest in the first ray as she turned around with the black one followed close behind. She got right up to me and had a good look at me, its something else when you look right into the eye of such a big animal half a meter away. Now the dance started and for the next 6-7 min we span around, swam belly to belly (mine being bigger thanks to San Miguel and Bintang beer). She was right on top of me to a few seconds later right below me. Our friend, the black one followed nicely behind and more then once gave the two animals me a gentle tap with their wings. I was so close most of the time that I could easy touched them but of course I didn’t, I was there with their approval not to be misused. The rest of the group of divers just watch the dance and fortunately there was more than one photographers in the group so I have plenty of pictures. You can see some of them here, thanks to Lee Black and Helmut Trinczek-Gaertner.

The first time Asia Divers went to Cocos Island (the Treasure Island), Costa Rica was in 1998 and the experience left deep mark in our dive souls. More or less completely without  corals the island still offer perhaps the best diving in the world. The number of sharks and other big marine life make up for the lack of colourful corals. It is not just the Scalloped Hammerhead sharks that make the island so famous but also a wide range of other sharks. Like Whalesharks, Silky’s, Galapagos sharks, Silvertip and hundreds of Whitetip Reefsharks to mention some.

Add to this plenty of Marble, Manta, Devil and Mobula Rays. Add huge schools of Snappers just to mention some of the fish that are domestic around the island and Lobsters under more or less every rock (sorry you can’t take them and I think they know it). If you like big stuff and plenty then Cocos Island is for sure the place to go.
The trip starts in San Jose with an overnight to get everybody together for the land transfer to Puntarenas where we board the Wind Dancer from the Dancer Fleet. A 30-36 hours crossing out to the island give everybody a chance to get familiar with each other and the Costa Rican beer. When out there we have 7 fantastic days of diving before returning to Puntarenas.
Dates for Asia Divers trip number 4 to Cocos is April 28-08 May 2012.  For more indormation Click here

Four places have become unexpectedly available for an upcoming six day trip aboard Rags II. She is departing evening of Sunday February 13th bound for the WWII Wrecks of Coron Bay, Apo Reef, Merope and Hunters Rock. Return to Puerto Galera will be in the morning of the 20th.

The Japanese wrecks in Coron Bay were sunk by a US Carrier based strike in September 1942 and are a fascinating collection of ships laying close together in relatively sheltered water, with dives ranging in depth from around 24 to 40m. They are ideal for recreational nitrox, and for technical diving alike and divers of either level can be accommodated on the trip. Excellent overviews of these famous wrecks, the Irako, Okikawa Maru, Akitsushima, Ekkai Maru ( whose story we previously told here : http://www.asiadivers.com/techasia/TheEkkaiMaru.PDF ) and others can be found by here : http://www.coronwrecks.com/sites.htm .  We will spend three days exploring these wrecks.
The trip will also be taking in the ever popular Apo Marine Park, whose outstanding reefs and large marine life ( not to mention visibility out to as much as 40m ) continually impress everyone who visits, and the more off the beaten track sites of Hunters Rock and Merope Reef – both famed for their shark action. Again more on the sites, follow the link on the left.
Rags II accommodates eight divers in twin share air conditioned cabins, provides adequate lounge areas and a huge dive deck. Nitrox for recreational trips is free, food and beers all included. She is operated by former Tech Asia instructor Ralph Joerger.

Trip Costs and Contact Info

Cost for six diving days is US$1,320.00, with an additional $30.00 per person for Apo Reef Marine Park fees. It is assumed divers have all personal dive gear though this is available for rent if not. If you have questions or need more information, just reply to this email or contact info@techasia.ph.

Short notice though it is we hope you can take advantage of the chance to join this great trip. If not, drop us a line anyway as more may follow later in the year.

Safe Diving!
Tech Asia Team