Moalboal/Camiguin trip report (very short)

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StirlingDiver

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Stirling, Scotland
Just got back from 3 weeks diving - one week in Moalboal, one in Camiguin and back to Moalboal for the final week.

The first and last weeks in Moalboal were some of the best diving I've ever done with thresher sharks coming in very close to Pescadore Island to feed on the sardines. These are pretty spectacular in themselves, but to see the threshers was a rare treat. There were occasional sightings of threshers over the last year or so, but recently, they've been around almost every day. Visibility was usually pretty good and the sharks were pretty reliable, appearing on about 70% of the dives from depths of 30ms right up to 10ms and sometimes shallower. Most of the time, we would see only one shark at a time and occasionally there would be two together, but they would be around for most of the dive. The most I heard of being seen simultaneously was 4.

The week in Camiguin was a bit more low key. The diving here is consistently very pleasant. I enjoy it as much for the beautiful scenery and friendly people as for the diving. Most days, I was the only diver and could pick where I wanted to dive. For me, the best diving is usually at White Island, but I also enjoy Old Volcano and the other sites nearby. If you have dived the most popular places in the Philippines, but have not yet tried Camiguin, I highly recommend it. If you take the weekly ferry from Cebu, it's easy to get there. The daily ferry to Cagayan de Oro is a little more complicated, but still not difficult. Once there, everybody seems very easy going, the food is good and the beach is pretty much yours.

Having said this, after a few days, I was gagging to get back to Moalboal for the threshers. My last few dives were as exciting as the first. How long the threshers will be around is anybody's guess. They'll probably disappear one day, but while they're around they are definitely worth the trip to Moalboal.
 
thanks, stirlingdiver! wish i can go to pescadore island soon. any pics to share? :D
 
iris, go to my FB page. i just posted my pescador album...no threshers though while we were there...
 
so is the tresher shark fiesta over? i heard from some friends they didnt see any treshers too. not sure if they were in the same group as you. they also reported seeing lots of fishermen around pescador...
 
Sorry, no pics Iris.

As to whether or not they are still there, I was hoping someone would let us know.

As for the fishermen, they will do what fishermen do and I don't blame them for that. Pescadore isn't a sanctuary and I have no idea if the fishermen have an agreement to leave something that attracts visitors to Moalboal (e.g. the thresher sharks) alone. It would make sense to have such an agreement.
 
Leaving for Puerto Galera and Dumaguete in 19 days. Just wandering if anyone knows what to expect weatherwise?
Tom
 
so is the tresher shark fiesta over? i heard from some friends they didnt see any treshers too. not sure if they were in the same group as you. they also reported seeing lots of fishermen around pescador...

The Threshers continue to be spotted at Pescador, and the fishermen are using hook and line. A portion of Pescador is in fact a MPA but not much of it. There is legislation kicking around to increase the area around Pescador.

There are also whale shark sightings around Moalboal but I still have not seen them.

Moalboal remains a very nice snorkeling and diving area. One of the places snorkelers have a great chance of seeing Hawksbill and Green Turtle from the surface.

Cheers.
 
I really hope they start cracking down a bit harder on the fishing that is going on there. I know the locals have to eat and provide for their families, but without the fish and a healthy reef, there will be no tourists.
 
The good thing in Panagsama is the local folk all know that the dive industry is the backbone of our community and they are also very supportive of these initiatives set out by the local authorities.

We are lucky that we have one of the 'jewels' of the Philippines dive spots at Moalboal and also the return of the Threshers, for recreational diving, so we are working to preserve it! :D
 
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