Trip Photos: Anilao / Batangas (Oct 2011)

[DevonDiver]

Just returned from an excellent week in Anilao/Batangas, teaching the Rescue Course a fellow Scuba-Boarder - we managed to do 20 awesome fun dives also. I'll be doing regular trips to this destination in the future, both to run courses and for myself (with camera).

Here are the best photo highlights of the week...

1. Nudibranch. Anilao is quite possibly the world's best nudibranch destination. As I write this, there is a major academic aquatic biodiversity study being done in the area by marine biology students from an American university.

Chromodoris kuniei


Nembrotha chamberlaini


Flabellina Sp.


Chromodoris willani


Chromodoris reticulata


Hypselodoris infucata


Nembrotha chamberlaini


Mexichromis multituberculata



2. Cephalopod. It seemed like we saw one or more species of cephalopod on every dive; cuttlefish, octopus and squid are everywhere.

Reef Squid (very attracted and inquisitive with the torch light)


Mimic Octopus


Mimic Octopus


Mimic (again)


Reef Squid (Again)...mesmerised by torchlight


Reef Octopus

 

[DevonDiver]

3. Muraenidae (Moray Eel). Again, there were many species of Moray evident on most of the dives. The variety is astounding.

Fimbriated Moray


Giant Moray


Juvenile Dragon Moray


Juvenile Ribbon Eel (yes... not a Moray)


Fimbriated Moray (again)


4. Crustaceans. Close inspection will quickly reveal that just about every rock, coral or living object has some form of resident and/or symbiotic crustacean species. Perfect for working the macro lens..

Shrimp Sp.


Emperor Shrimp (resident on a sea cucumber)


Decorator Hermit Crab


Slipper Lobster


Harlequin Crab (on Sea Cucumber)

 

[DevonDiver]

5. Fish Species

Juvenile Crocodilefish


Pink (Skunk) Anemonefish


Juvenile Devil Walkman


Demon Stinger


Sandperch


Sole


6. Assorted Critters

Ornate Ghost Pipefish


Dragon Face Pipefish


Flatworm


7. Diver Photos (Dive buddy Bob)

Shallow reefs = lots of fish


Wall Dive @ Ligpo Island. Lots of fan and soft corals


Working on the photo technique @ Ligpo Cavern/Wall

 

[TSandM]

You had me at the slug pictures . . . we really do have to come dive the Phillippines. It's clearly a great place for a slug nut!

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

Lynn --

Jeff Bozanic and the docs at Longbeach Memorial are going to the Phillipines in February 2012 for a dive medicine meeting. I was going to try to make it but it conflicts with a trip I am running to Palau/Yap at the same time. PM me if you and Peter are interested and I'll send you the info.

Doug

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Nice pics, Andy ... from the pics it appears the Philippines shares a lot in common with Indonesia. It's definitely on my bucket list of places to visit.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DevonDiver]

Several of the pics (including the Mimic and a bunch of the nudi) were from a site called 'Secret Bay'. It's a proper muck diving site... comparable to a good day in Lembeh. One of my all-time favorite dives. A few hundred meters away is Mainit Point.. lots of good macro there also, but most notable for the spectacular soft and cup coral display over the rocky pinnacles... I didn't have a wide-angle/flash to capture that sadly. Ligpo Island/Cavern is a great wall dive, with an adjoining shallow reef and acres of amazing soft coral growth. There's a few whitetip reef sharks in the cavern and nearby is an Electric Clam (never seen anything like that before...)

Apologies for the poor video quality...

 

[Midget]

You had me at the slug pictures . . . we really do have to come dive the Phillippines. It's clearly a great place for a slug nut!

Was at Anilao in September. Saw more nudis than any other destination I've been to. Lots of nudi mating, too......like a great big nudi love fest!

 

[sonar]

great pictures

thanx

 

[gee13]

Nice photos andy...for a moment there i thought you were going to start a PI fish id book!