I’ve always referred to Apo Reef as the little Tubbataha, with Main Island similar to North Tubbataha where you usually encounter sharks, turtles, jacks, barracudas, hammer heads and the Menor Island similar to Black Rock of South tubbaha where you usually find the Mantas.  After a year since my last visit there here I am again and like always apo reef took my breath away.

It’s 5:30 pm I can no longer focus on what I’m doing in the office, my mind kept on drifting away to the sea. We were the last group to leave Manila, since most of us got off from work at six, it’s was a race against time to reach Maynaga Pier in Mabini Batangas where our boat MY Tristar was waiting. We wanted to leave as early a possible to be able to maximize the number of dives on the first day. The boat left the dock around 11:00, as soon as we got settled and briefed with the rule and emergency procedures on the boat. We hung out on the sundeck watching the stars as the lights of Bantagas city slowly faded into the night.

Day one, I woke around 7 am listening and trying to feel if the boat had stop, well it was just wishful thinking co’z I knew the travel will take around 9 hours which means we still have another hour to go. I got up and lazily walked to the dinning area, as I entered the room I was greeted by the courteous staff and of course my diver buddies, apparently I was the last one up, and I thought I was the one excited. So while everyone was chatting I checked what was on the buffet table, picked a few of these and couple of that and of course my brewed cup of coffee, “I can’t start the day without it”. After a few minutes I heard one of the crew telling the divers “Sir we can now see the island!!” since I knew it would take another 45 mins before the boat settles I went down to my room, took my camera and popped on the zoom lens, when I got to the sundeck no one was there, hmm and I thought they were excited. Oh well no time to think about where they are, I wanted to take advantage of the morning sun and get some nice shots of the island before we dive. After satisfying myself with a couple of shots I finally decided to look for the others. I found everyone busy preparing their gear, some were already in their wetsuits, some were preparing their underwater cameras, I myself took the advantage of the remaining time meticulously cleaning and preparing my underwater housing for my digital cam, Almost as soon as I locked my housing I heard a load roar of the engine reversing its gears to position the boat on one of the few mooring buoys. Then like impatient commuters waiting for the next train to arrive at the station, we watch the boom crane gently lowering the chase boats down which will shuttle the divers back and forth to the dive site.

“Mask, weightbelts, fins, computers!!!” shouted the divemaster making sure all equipment were on board, after everyone signaled ok off we go.. the water visibility was outstanding, looking down from the boat you can see the bottom which was about 10 meters, we immediately started gearing up and one by one divers did their backroll. Slowly we decended along the wall of the reef, being greeted by schools of Pyramid Butterfly Fish, Long Nose Butterfly Fish, Anthias, Basslets, Parrot fishes, etc.and after 5 minutes into  the dive we saw our first grey reef shark swimming about 12 meters below us, further down, a school of midnight snappers paraded infront of us crossing our path, School of barracudas, jacks, and the highlight of the day the turtles than seems to be all over the place,  curiously swimming along the divers, seemingly posing for the cameras for souvenir shots.  I couldn’t forget the dive I had with John preparing the markers for the navigation skills for the advance class. Right after setting the second marker a turtle landed six feet away from us and started breaking corals nibbling, munching. We kept our distance while watching and proceeded on placing the third marker, after finishing we went back to see it the turtle was still there, and there it was still minding its own business breaking the corals with its beak. I approached it slowly till I was just a foot away, I picked up one of the big chunks it broke off and held it and to my surprise the turtle started eating out of my hand…WOW!!! John and I just gave each other a glance and couldn’t believe what was happening, then we realized we needed to go back and start the navigation class. During the class I can still see the turtle about 8 meters away still busy eating boy was the turtle hungry…

Day two the boat moved to the Menor Island where the Mantas frequently fed.. After breakfast I prepped my Underwater Camera eagerly anticipating what is in store for our dives, John’s group was already on the small boat ready to roar out into dive site, my group by now were busy gearing up and after a few minutes were on our way. I stood by the bow squinting my eyes trying to spot anything that might break the surface of the water and after 3 minutes there it was, our main event, a manta skimming just below the surface feeding on planktons. Immediately the boatman cut off the engine and we started gearing up as fast as we could and entered the water with as little splash as possible. I descended to about 6 meters and started scanning the area again and at the corner of my mask there it was, flapping its wings with all its grace and glory, I turned my camera on took a few shots as it circled around us and with one stroke of its wings it glided towards the blue water. Knowing these gentle creatures always return, I stayed at 6 meters while the others went down to 10 meters, keeping a keen eye on any movement, I caught a glimpse of what I thought were pair shadows beneath the rays of light coming from the morning sun, maybe it was just my imagination I said to my self, but as I drifted closer, two mantas dancing under the curtain of sun rays, circling around and as they passed by me I saw one open its huge mouth as if giving winning smile for my camera while I clicked away, I looked back to see if the group is aware of what is happening, and to my surprise they where all busy watching another manta.. Imagine three mantas and they stayed with us for the remaining of the 85 minute dive, circling the group, passing between a group of divers as if putting on a show. Definitely a dive to remember in my log book. We decided to move back to the main island and try our luck with hammerheads but the thermocline was to deep that day..

After the last dive I bid farewell to the Aporeef, looking forward again to another trip next year, as the boat cruised under the stars, I reminisce the experience and until now as I write this article I can still feel the exhilaration I felt with the friendly turtle and the dancing mantas… Till next time…..