Fantastic diving in Anilao - report & photos

[scottfiji]

how can I put it simply? Anilao rocks!!

All 3 of us had been to Lembeh before, but Anilao blew us away. we just completed 46 dives with Peri at Club Ocellaris.

I think we all wore out our camera shutters.

We saw dozens of unique critters, and over 100 nudibranch species. Bobbit worms, colemani shrimps, flamboyant cuttlefish, ambon scorpionfish, 6 pipehorse species, seahorses like crazy, wonderpus, 2 rhinopia species, mucho frogfish, huge schools jacks, napolean wrasse, schooling great barracuda, mantis shrimps under every rock, and the list goes on and on. The reefs were beautiful, all covered in more crinoids than i've ever seen in my life, in so many different colors. extremely healthy coral.

The resort and our guide were excellent. great food, great boat crew. vis was good, weather great, water was 81-84. We can't wait to go back! I think some of you guys have been keeping this place a secret thanks to all the scubaboarders who helped me answer my research questions before the trip.

Critter & reef photos can be seen here:
Scott : photos : Anilao underwater- powered by SmugMug

and my nudibranch gallery is here:
Scott : photos : Anilao Nudibranchs- powered by SmugMug

and here's some sample photos:

enjoy, Scott

dueling gobies on wire coral

rhinopia frondosus

hairy squat lobster

flamboyant cuttlefish

peacock mantis shrimp

ribbon eels

orange Rhinopia

Mating Nembrotha chamberlaini

juvenile longfin batfish

schooling jacks

baby pufferfish, less than 1 inch long

 

[annasea]

Wonderful shots, Scott! 46 dives? How long were you there?

 

[glenver]

great pictures scott! thanks for posting.

 

[drbill]

Hey, Scott... the vis in that one picture looks almost as good as we had last weekend at the dive park! Just teasing you guys... your reports made me very jealous. I may dive Anilao next spring if my trip to Palawan comes through.

 

[clgsamson]

thanks for sharing , Scott. FYI, Anilao has long been an underrated dive destination in the Philippines.

 

[shugar]

thanks for the photos scott, glad you had a great time...

oh, and about anilao SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Jag

 

[Rogersea]

NIce Pictures, I am heading to Anilao in the morning I hope the weather holds and the visibility is as good as it looks in those pictures. This is my first trip to Anilao, I had hoped to make it to the last DOR, but got stuck in meeting.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Jack Scuba]

I am very glad I had the chance to dive there for two weekends. My camera skills still need a lot of work though!

 

[glenver]

really excited to go back there this saturday... i hope i can see these guys din.

 

[scottfiji]

thanks everyone.

anna, we were there for 11 full days of diving, 4 dives per day + 1 night dive the day arrived, and we squeezed in a 5th dive one day.

dr bill, I hope your trip to palawan goes through.

Scott