Sardine Run @ Pescador Island in Moalboal, Cebu

It was supposed to be the last day that our team, Motivating Minds, will train the staff of Club Serena. However, when Carelle and RR decided to stay late the previous night to finish the training, we had the whole morning to ourselves. It was a perfect set up which means my friends get to dive while I get to snorkel at no other than the most famous marine park in Moalboal, Cebu --- Pescador island.

Carelle, RR and Ian were all raving about it. I just hoped it wasn't like my experience at Gato island where I couldn't see anything underwater because of the illegal fishing going on causing the water to be murky with dead fishes floating. On the other hand, I was still excited. They were hoping to catch the sardine run on video and I was hoping to catch it too from the surface where I'll just be snorkeling.

The boat ride from Club Serena to Pescador island was about 30 - 40 minutes. The boat docked near the shallow part of the coast where I can already see the beautiful and colorful corals from where I was sitting. I thought I'd snorkel there too. Unfortunately, as soon as all the divers went underwater, the boat moved to the deeper part of the coast where the water was so choppy. I was scared to snorkel at first. But thinking that we'll be going back to Manila later that afternoon, I gathered enough courage and just went into the water.


I was dumbfounded with what I saw. There were like a billion sardines swimming all around me! I snorkeled right into the middle of the sardine run! I couldn't explain how I felt. I was just too happy that I didn't have to dive just to see this! I was one with the multitude of sardines swimming all around me.

Malapascua Highlight: Exotic Dive Resort

I gave you a bit of a background before about this whole 1 week Malapascua-Moalboal trip. This is the continuation. But if you'd like to see everything that I've written so far about this trip, head to Malapascua 2010.
~~~oOo~~~

front view of Exotic Dive Resort

As I mentioned before, our team was accommodated by the most high end resort in Malapascua Island, which locals call "Exotic", short for Exotic Dive Resort. The last time I was in Malapascua (November 2009), Peter and I checked in at one of the more affordable resorts (Hippocampus). Even then, we already noticed how nice Exotic Dive Resort was, we were just not willing to stay there since it was out of our budget and we had no plans of diving anyway, plus, we were out most of the time exploring the nearby islands. So I was really happy that I got to try staying at Exotic Dive Resort this time around.

Exotic offers air conditioned concrete apartment cottages with balcony.

Malapascua - Moalboal Trip with Carelle Mangaliag: an Introduction

This very enriching vacation/volunteer work I did at Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu started last Dec. 1, 2010 right after our trip to Dumaguete from Nov.26-30, 2010 (which I will just blog about after this Cebu trip).

me inside PAL's Boeing 747

One day, as I was finishing all my tasks at work before heading to Negros Oriental with my hubby, my friend RR Herrera (yes, the former child star ^_^) called me asking if I know how to dive because their company, Train Station (formerly Motivating Minds), is looking for a diver who can help document the training they will conduct among the locals of Malapascua and Moalboal as well as the staff of the dive resorts they will be staying at (the very accommodating Exotic Dive Resort in Malapascua and the beautiful Club Serena resort in Moalboal). Excess funds from the office of former DOT Secretary Ace Durano (he's amazing!) will be used to cover the plane fare and food while accommodations and dives at Malapascua will be handled by Exotic Dive Resort. In Moalboal, Club Serena will take care of the dives, accommodations and food. All of these things will be provided to the team in exchange for the training that will be provided to the people there which will be based on Neuro-linguistic Programming principles being taught by Carelle Mangaliag and RR Herrera of Train Station.

Anilao Batangas Fun Dive

This entry has been inspired by Koryn's entry on scuba diving...

Scuba diving at Anilao Batangas is one of those things that Peter and I have been putting off for two years now. Yes it's quite an expensive hobby/interest but other than that, I'M JUST PLAIN SCARED TO TRY. But heck, I'm not growing any younger and even if I drink less and less coffee, my heart will always beat a million times per second at the thought of going underwater for a considerable amount of time. So, we finally decided that it's time to get over my fears one by one (bungee jumping and sky diving included). Thus, our discovery scuba diving trip to Anilao, Mabini, Batangas.

Pacifico Azul Resort

We were supposed to dive at Sunbeam Dive Resort but the dive master I contacted was an @#%&*. He tried to rip us off ($70/person)! Instead, we found a nicer & nearer place, Villa Ligaya (0910-439-1073 (Resort); mnla booking: (02) 896-6016 / (02) 896-6391; alex@philtech.net / mic@philtech.net, www.philtech.net), which charges 1500/person for the discovery dive and P600/person for an extra dive, inclusive of equipment and boat rental. But since their accommodations were quite expensive, we stayed at Pacifico Azul Resort, (0916-736-8666) for only 3000/ night good for 6 pax regardless of what time you check out the next day. It was really homey and the Japanese owner was very kind.

Posing by the beach and on a docked boat nearby...

So, together with Ces, Vina and Odhe, off we explored this heart-pounding new interest of ours. Philip Albar, our dive instructor, who was with the Philippine Marines for 9 years, taught us and took care of us. He was very gentle, encouraging, funny and kind. We felt so at ease and less nervous. Peter, of course, easily learned and was as comfy as a whale underwater (He was able to reach the maximum depth of 40 feet.) and Odhe was like a torpedo while us girls just did 20 ft. Not bad!

Odhe clinging onto the rope for dear life before zooming deep down...

Cecil giving the OK sign...

Vina holding on to Philip as she slowly descended...

All I can say is that it was very awesome for all of them. For me, it was just like snorkeling with pain in my ears (I was having a hard time equalizing pressure as we were going deeper and deeper). But the moment I looked up from below, with the sun's rays penetrating the deep waters... alas! It was heaven! I felt like a mermaid. Hopefully, Peter gets to take the dive master's course since he really fell in love with it. As for me, I'm ok with doing an "extra" dive every now and then.

Peter the Human Walrus... need I say more? :-)

Me... trying to be Mrs. Walrus myself...

Another go for Peter...