Category Archives: Diving

This month’s Monday News cover photo is by award winning underwater photographer, Gino Symus who has been diving here with us a few times over the past couple years. You can always recognize Gino underwater because he dives with two very big cameras and one is tethered on to him and floating above. Makes it very easy for us to keep an eye on him! We always enjoy diving with Gino because he is so careful not to touch anything while he is taking photos

“I started diving in 1997. Same time I started up a bakery. Two years later I bought my first underwater camera…Since then I got really fascinated by the creatures under water. The diving was a good cure the get rid off the stress from work. I try to visit all the best dive destinations in the world. My most favorite dive destinations are Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa and British Columbia.  Now almost 20 years and 2900 dives further, I’m getting more passionate by photography. Since 2.5 year I try to make competition with the pictures and I had a few good results. 5th best photographer in the Hucycup competition and 1st place behavior and 3rd place reefscapes were the most important with a nice reward. I was wondering If I would get tired of this for myself but until now my love for the ocean and the critters is still growing. It’s a pleasure to see that the pictures I make get appreciated by many divers. And with this feeling I like to dive and photograph many more years….” Gino

Fantastic to have our good friends from Manila here this weekend (Ike, Eve, Brigitte, Bob) and diving along with our new friends Lance and Brad. They got up to all sorts of fun adventures both above and below water level. Wishing Bob and Brigitte all the best in their big move back to the U.S. We’ll miss you, but suspect that you will be back! A big congrats to Lance too for getting his AOW and Nitrox certifications on this trip. Looks like you had a couple of good instructors

It was a bit of an unlucky day for one of our guests who had left here recently. Unfortunately he had lost his underwater camera at the Boulders on his last dive, and no one could fine it. So, many days later we’re out there and Alli mentioned to everyone to have a look round for it. BINGO….it was found!!  Martin and Arjan “Candyman” found it at the same time. They we’re both laughing because they say “it was a German and a Dutchman who will make the Frenchman very happy today”.  Cedric and Juliette are very happy to know that his camera will come back home to Singapore soon.

Striking the Charlie’s Angels pose, Alli, Maggie and Debra before a dive to the clams to search for seahorses.

Ian happily enjoyed a bit of underwater nudity as he became the photographer for a milestone 100^th dive for Margaret and Cen. Although they lost a few things during this blistery session they did have a lot of fun…

Debra Gauthier was making it very clear to Alli... “this is what happens when you turn my air off and make me flood and clear my mask!” Refresher course done and now it is time to visit all the fishes in the deep blue sea!

Jonas Knutsson, Patrik Korp, Ola Forsberg, Patrik Linder, Robert Thorsson, Orjan Viklund Staffan Ladestrand, Daniel Tiger Dahlstrom, Michael Kinder, Mia Braten, Patrik Ekelund and Malin dalstrom enjoyed getting out of wintery Sweden for a lovely trip to Puerto Galera. They enjoyed the beautiful reefs and sunshine and are now off to Chuuk to get “wrecked”.

Soledad Navarro took this photo of the Juvenile winged pipe in the Clam area. It’s something you don’t see every day for sure. Here’s a bit of information on it.

Juvenile winged pipe fish

Scientific Name:Halicampus macrorhynchus

Family: Syngnathidae

Subfamily: Syngnathinae

Category: Pipefishes

Also known as Ornate Pipefish and Whiskered Pipefish. Found singly or in pairs on reef flats and sea grass areas, among coral rubble and algae covered rocks. This Pipefish has flaps along the dorsal surface (back) of the fish and under the snout giving the fish an irregular outline. Skin flaps and wings are more exaggerated in juveniles. Varies in colour from place to place. They feed on tiny swimming invertebrates which they suck whole into their mouths. Length – 18cm, Depth – 3-25m, Widespread Indo-Pacific. Pipefish are like seahorses in that the male gives birth! The female deposits their eggs after fertilization into the males pouch to incubate the eggs for one month before giving birth.

Congratulations to Anna Barker for earning her PADI DPV certification. It’s always a very special time for us when the Barker family is here as they have been coming here since both girls we’re just Bubble-makers.  Pete, Jeff and Anna enjoyed the scooting around while Julie unfortunately had to be the supervisor on this trip.

Thanks to Marc Eeckhaut for these amazing photos that he took on his recent trip with us.