My, my! What was I thinking? Diving in January??? It was just tooo freezing cold!! Haha! But atleast I got to cross off one item in my 2014 checklist - to dive somewhere other than Anilao, Batangas. Haha! It would be lovely to try somewhere outside the country but we'll see. ;-)
Anyways, the weekend was spent in Puerto Galera. It feels good to be back since my last visit around 2008! Yaaaaaaayyy!!! We stayed at El Galleon in small La Laguna Beach. It's a 5-star PADI dive resort and I just love their swimming pool! :)) Obviously, below.
The dive sites here are truly rich with one or two spotting of bigger creatures. Bigger than what we usually find in Anilao! There were some shark sightings too according to the dive masters but we didn't have such luck during our 2-day stay.
I didn't have much pictures underwater because the group I joined with were mostly the beginner ones. Our group was divided into two and the cameras were on the advanced trainers, not to mention they went to dive sites were the currents are strong. Yay! Scared much.
But from my last dive, it was fun that I could spot creatures by myself but the problem is identifying their exact names! I mean, I meet a thousand of fishes and creatures under the sea during a 30-45 min dive. So, I realized having a guide like this is useful!
I mean, I should really buy something like that instead of borrowing it everytime from my friend Louie. Haha! I also realized that to make this blog post a bit informative to my few readers, I will dedicate one special fish and a feature of it everytime I dive. How d'ya like that idea? :))
Aside from that unforgettable tiny pufferfish from last year, my other favorite spotting underwater are - the boxfish! I remember back in Anilao sighting some tiny ones in nice blue colors and I did too during this weekend. Did you know that the boxfish is so energy-efficient that it became the basis for the development of cars? It's true. I'm no scientist but this simple explanation below would enlighten you. :) (Source here.)
To produce a car that is sturdier, more energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly, designers looked to an unlikely place for inspiration—under the sea! The boxfish, found near coral reefs in tropical waters, provides an excellent model for a vehicle with lightweight construction and astounding aerodynamics.
Consider: The boxfish can swim fast—covering a distance of up to six times its body length each second. But this speed is more than a feat of strength. Contrary to expectations, the cubelike shape of the fish actually enhances its aerodynamic qualities. In fact, engineers who constructed a model of the boxfish and tested it in a wind tunnel found this design to slip through the air far more efficiently than compact cars do.
The boxfish has a bony outer skin that gives it maximum strength with minimal weight. Tiny vortices form in the water surrounding the fish, stabilizing the creature when it encounters turbulence. Thus, the boxfish has outstanding maneuverability and protection from injury.
Engineers believe that the boxfish provides the secret to producing a safer, more fuel-efficient, yet lightweight, vehicle. “Quite frankly,” says research and development chief Dr. Thomas Weber, “we were surprised when this clumsy-looking fish, of all things, became our model for designing an aerodynamic and fuel-efficient car.”
Don't you just love trivias? Haha! And don't you just appreciate how Almighty the Creator is? :)
Okay, back to the resort. Though the divesites aren't really that far from the resort, it's cool that speedboats are mainly used for getting to them. It is really convenient and faster. Though that weather wasn't a good timing though because the ocean is wavy, one of our divers ended up throwing up in the boat due to seasickness. Yay!
And if you really wanna know, how cold it was.... Look at us here freezing by the dock...
Cheers to more dives this 2014! :D
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