# Moalboal Diving



## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Was able to dive today for the first time in over 110 days. It was only a shore dive but the shop I am diving with is right next to the famous sardine run so it was still a nice dive.

Cebu is supposed to be opening up, other than in Metro Cebu City. Just about everything should be at least 50% open except for things that by their nature do not lend themselves to social distancing. Close contact sports and cockfights are still banned and restaurants are limited to 50% in house dining with buffets banned.(and no AirCon lol).

It remains to be seen how long this will go on for and if the opening will continue or get pulled back but it was nice to be 20 m below sea level again.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> Was able to dive today for the first time in over 110 days. It was only a shore dive but the shop I am diving with is right next to the famous sardine run so it was still a nice dive.
> 
> Cebu is supposed to be opening up, other than in Metro Cebu City. Just about everything should be at least 50% open except for things that by their nature do not lend themselves to social distancing. Close contact sports and cockfights are still banned and restaurants are limited to 50% in house dining with buffets banned.(and no AirCon lol).
> 
> It remains to be seen how long this will go on for and if the opening will continue or get pulled back but it was nice to be 20 m below sea level again.


It's nice you are allowed out, us over 60s are homebound.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Gary D said:


> It's nice you are allowed out, us over 60s are homebound.


They did away with the over 60 or under 20 ban here as well. Now only people that consider themselves at r9sk are to stay home.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> They did away with the over 60 or under 20 ban here as well. Now only people that consider themselves at r9sk are to stay home.


So what quarantine level are you because MGCQ was changed to keep the over 60 and under 20 still banded two or three weeks ago.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

The Cebu provincial governor issued an order #20 that allows all to go out except those with comprised immune systems. It allows almost all to reopen, keeping distancing and hygiene standards with restaurants at 50% capacity, no buffet meals etc. Tourist and recreational businesses are allowed to operate as well.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> Was able to dive today for the first time in over 110 days. It was only a shore dive but the shop I am diving with is right next to the famous sardine run so it was still a nice dive.
> 
> Cebu is supposed to be opening up, other than in Metro Cebu City. Just about everything should be at least 50% open except for things that by their nature do not lend themselves to social distancing. Close contact sports and cockfights are still banned and restaurants are limited to 50% in house dining with buffets banned.(and no AirCon lol).
> 
> It remains to be seen how long this will go on for and if the opening will continue or get pulled back but it was nice to be 20 m below sea level again.


Pics? I would love to swim in a huge sardine school, but I have only been close to a small school.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I'll take some next dive. Since it is onlt shore diving with two options, turn left or right, I am only going to dive once a day so as to keep it fresh. I will dive tomorrow.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Here are a couple shots, sorry but photography is not my thing, these were from a GoPro.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> Here are a couple shots, sorry but photography is not my thing, these were from a GoPro.


Nice! So I assume these huge schools are normal in that area?

Here in Subic while snorkeling I see some schools of 50-100 silver jacks, but never thousands / millions like the sardine schools.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Just the one here, said to be around a million fish. It varies in size each dive, I think that the school may just separate and reform over time. It does tend to stay in a small area.

Today the school was huge, when I swam under it it was almost a night dive and the temperature dropped noticeably. I was at about 12 m deep.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> Just the one here, said to be around a million fish. It varies in size each dive, I think that the school may just separate and reform over time. It does tend to stay in a small area.
> 
> Today the school was huge, when I swam under it it was almost a night dive and the temperature dropped noticeably. I was at about 12 m deep.


You ever run across those large eels? this happened to me once while assending on a snorkel dive, I was going up a cliff and it looked like he was to go grab me with his big mouth it was huge eel, I went down about 60 feet, I was a Navy Rescue Swimmer so I could hold my breath a long time.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> You ever run across those large eels? this happened to me once while assending on a snorkel dive, I was going up a cliff and it looked like he was to go grab me with his big mouth it was huge eel, I went down about 60 feet, I was a Navy Rescue Swimmer so I could hold my breath a long time.


Eels of all sizes a very common in good reef areas. If you dive with a divemaster, in a highly frequented dive spot, the divemaster will often know where they live. Sometimes they have known the same eel for years. Normally they are not aggressive and would not bite unless you aggravate them. In fact, once or twice that I can remember, the divemaster brought some snacks for the eel. That is probably why they become fairly tame.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I have not seen any ells in Moalboal but they were very common in Bohol.

They alive in one location and generally are only aggressive when threatened. The open mouth behaviour is not aggression but I believe is part of how they breath by forcing water past their gills.

Clown fish with their comical antics is aggression against intruders as they too are very territorial. Sometimes what we see as aggression is not and sometimes what we see as not aggressive is.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> I have not seen any ells in Moalboal but they were very common in Bohol.
> 
> They alive in one location and generally are only aggressive when threatened. The open mouth behaviour is not aggression but I believe is part of how they breath by forcing water past their gills.
> 
> Clown fish with their comical antics is aggression against intruders as they too are very territorial. Sometimes what we see as aggression is not and sometimes what we see as not aggressive is.


When I snorkel here in Subic at the only good spot (Camayan) those small black damselfish are really aggressive. Those are popular in home aquariums and we called them 3 post damsels. There are some similar brown damsels that act the same. The Huma Huma (Hawaiian Triggerfish) are also aggressive but I only see a few in the bay here. There are a few clowns here too and they are fun to watch!


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

My diving motto is "Get wet, blow bubbles and look at all the pretty fishes."

I would like to get a good on line resource on aquatic life identification as I want to know and understand more about what I am looking at.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> My diving motto is "Get wet, blow bubbles and look at all the pretty fishes."
> 
> I would like to get a good on line resource on aquatic life identification as I want to know and understand more about what I am looking at.


I used to have two copies of a large book something like "identification of reef fishes" but I'm not sure I still have them. Got one as a gift when I already had it. There must be something like it online.

They have some amazing phone apps for identifying plants on land. My sister has one and she just snaps a pic, and it tells her all about it the flower or plant. Too bad we can't do that UW.


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## ScubaBill22 (Jul 30, 2020)

Manitoba said:


> My diving motto is "Get wet, blow bubbles and look at all the pretty fishes."
> 
> I would like to get a good on line resource on aquatic life identification as I want to know and understand more about what I am looking at.


Sorry I'm new. The system won't allow me to post links or photos yet. I have some links I can share once I'm able too. Or just pm me... hopefully I can share via pm


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## ScubaBill22 (Jul 30, 2020)

DonAndAbby said:


> I used to have two copies of a large book something like "identification of reef fishes" but I'm not sure I still have them. Got one as a gift when I already had it. There must be something like it online.
> 
> They have some amazing phone apps for identifying plants on land. My sister has one and she just snaps a pic, and it tells her all about it the flower or plant. Too bad we can't do that UW.


'Reef Fish Identification-Tropical Pacific' by Gerald Allen, Roger Steene, Paul Humann, and Ned DeLoach is the go-to reference for many divers. I had a chance to dive with Roger Steene in Anilao in 2008. Great guy  

There is also an e-book available on Kindle called 'Coral Reefs Philippines-Reef ID Books' by A.S. Ryanskiy. I have that on my tablet.


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