TripAdvisor Certificate of ExcellenceAsian Diver is celebrating 30 years of publishing with a special feature of divers digging deep into their greatest diving experiences. Allan Nash was asked to be featured in their upcoming issue of Asian Diver. Under the 2010s category, he was asked to answer the following questions:
- Share one unforgettable diving experience in the 2010s.
- What were your favourite dive sites in the 2010s?
- What diving gears did you use in the 2010s?
- How did you connect with Asian Diver Magazine? As a reader, contributor or part of the team.
Learning to dive at the age of 12
Below are his answers:
I’m the founding partner of Asia Divers and we own operate Asia Divers, El Galleon Resort, Tech Asia and Ocean Dive Supplies, Philippines. Asia Divers was started May 1987, the other businesses followed shortly after.
I traveled the world diving and some of my favorite places to dive is the Cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Mt Gambier South Australia, the wrecks of Tuke and the Sardine Run in South Africa. But one dive I know well is Black Fish off Verdi island, out of Puerto Galera Philippines, it simply never fails to please.
My first dive at Black Fish was a tech dive to 50m. It starts with a descent to 30m, down a pinnacle (starts at 20m) that is covered with colours and fish life. It rolls off into the abyss. Visibility is almost always twenty to thirty plus meters and there is as the name suggests the resident school of black fish to welcome you on the descent. You drop off the side of a wall that will decent to well over a hundred meters with large over hangs and just a few meters off the wall is another pinnacle that rises up from the depths to around 40m giving you the opportunity to swim over and around the top of this pinnacle. From there you swim (scooter) along and slightly up to where it slops up to an amazing forest of giant Gorgonians, spectacular view looking up through this forest and to the main pinnacle of Black Fish which will lead you up through fantastic formations covered with hard and soft corals to where you will eventually ascend up a finger like pinnacle to a depth of 21m, switch over to 50% and swim south west to the slopping island of Verdi where you slowly make your way up and around a corner into a quiet 6m, switch to a 100% and finish your dive in a sandy colourful reef with all kinds of small critters to amaze you while you finish your deco. Defiantly one of my favourite dives.
On the way to Black Fish early to mid 2010’s
My favourite dives in 2010’s would be the Sardine Run off of the wild coast of Africa. Manta aggregation Dives in northern Maldives, big action dives Darwin Galapagos, Cocos pinnacle, Mantas Raja Ampat Indonesia Cenote Pet Cemetery includes King Pong restriction onto the Blue Abyss, Mexico.
My dive gear, Tech is Halcyon regulators, lights and wing with Shearwater computers. I used an Inspiration rebreather, and Suex scooter. Recreational dives, Cressi dive gear with Waterproof wetsuits.
I first met the Asian Diver magazine owner back in the very start when it was launched at the Asian Dive Expo in Singapore. I was regular advertiser in Asian Diver mag and if I remember right I may have done an article in one or two additions. I have written for many magazines, but it has been a while since I have done any stories.
Allan Nash
Managing Director
El Galleon Resort
PADI Course Director