Liveaboard Seadoors Leyte/Maripipi/Malapascua ( Philippines)

Hello guys !!

I went for my 2nd Trip on the Liveaboard : "Seadoors" there is a trip report of the first one going to Tubbataha here :

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=53421

And i actually enjoyed so much this trip that i just went for another one... But this one was in "Visayas" area (Philippines)

On this 1st report, there is a description of the boat and of the organisation... So i am not going to come back on it !!
This is a good boat... And stable... Which was good on this trip because the sea was a bit rought... And... you can appreciate to have a stable boat when the sea is rought in fact !

So lets focus on the route, the dives and on the pictures!

Trip started in Malapascua. where we encountered those Famous tresher shark in Monad shoal.
Didnt get any nice shot of it... 10-17mm Tokina, is not really usefull for shark !

Still in Malapascua we dove gato island in day time and in night time !!

Maripipi is kind of volanic island with block of rocks on a sandy area, with canions, gorganians and soft coral patches little bit everywhere.

GRD Boule par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Maripipi par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

La crix par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Toon 2 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

We also had lots of interesting night dive, but the best one for me : was the one in the peer of Padre Burgos (Leyte).
Right under the boat, there is 6 concrete post, cover of soft coral and gorgonians, and the floor is cover crap, garbages and dead fishes lost by fishermans...
Shoes, cans, bottle, platics, and everywhere, hell a lot of macro !

Scorpion Yellow par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Hawk par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Nudi par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Mantis 1 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Chrinoshrimp2 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Crab deco par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

And to finish it : Leyte !
Hahaha !!!!
Limassawa and Napantao !!

The pictures talk by themselves !!

Grd Toon Diver par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Napantao 1 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Grd poisson jaune par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Grd 3 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Sans titre-1 par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

Grd orange par Jojolcuisto, sur Flickr

For conclusions !!
That was a great trip !!
Exelent organisation, services, food, dives !! All went again really well !!
And lucky we was !! The boat is suppose to be for 12 to 16 divers !! And we was only 5 divers !!

Private Liveaboard !!

Cool, there is some more pictures on my flikr... Have a look if you want !

Cheers, Have a good one !

Jo

Great shots! Looks like a fantastic trip

Tks Mike !!

If fact !! That was really nice !!
The 2 trip was Exelent !!

Tubbataha is only wide angle... Et Leyte/Maripipi/Malapascua is mixt macro wide angle !!!

I bet you had the time of your life. The photos say it all. The Philippines is indeed a wonderful place for divelovers. I was there a couple of years ago and dove some of the best diving spots Palawan and Cebu have to offer and man, they're all worth it. I wanted to return to the Philippines last year but due to time constraints, I was not able to but I promised to myself that I will go there early next year.

Perfect timing for me! I am just beginning to look into diving the Philippines and certainly would like to photograph threshers in Malapascua

I'm also looking at Apo Island area as someone recommended that area too.

What lens would you recommend for the threshers? I guess they don't come too close?

You went on live-a-board. Is that much better than land based there?

Thanks

I bet you had the time of your life. The photos say it all. The Philippines is indeed a wonderful place for divelovers. I was there a couple of years ago and dove some of the best diving spots Palawan and Cebu have to offer and man, they're all worth it. I wanted to return to the Philippines last year but due to time constraints, I was not able to but I promised to myself that I will go there early next year.

Yep !! That was a good one Kerry !!

Really enjoyed this trip !! I do love macro critters and i am getting more confortable on shooting macro

But, i am happy too cause i progress a lot on wide angle on those 2 trips (i just start with wide angle )

Looking to do another trip next year !!

Tubbataha will keep on beeing one of my "favorite dive destination" !! And Napantao (in Leyte) is... my 2nd love... but dont tell it to anybody...

 

Perfect timing for me! I am just beginning to look into diving the Philippines and certainly would like to photograph threshers in Malapascua

 

I'm also looking at Apo Island area as someone recommended that area too.

What lens would you recommend for the threshers? I guess they don't come too close?

You went on live-a-board. Is that much better than land based there?

Thanks

 

Sorry Bob for the late reply !!

Regarding thresher shark !! I would higly recommend zoom lens !!

Tokina 10-17 would not offer you the best chance to get a nice shot... (i still havent one nice from the Tresher) i got only 10-17...

I am actually leaving in Malapascua !!

So if you need some more info... Dont hesitate to contact me !!

Oh by the way... I just start a web site : www.j-ternoy.com

This is not finish yet... Only starting

For Apo island... Its pretty good too !! And if you like Macro, there is Dawin and all near by that are a paradise for critters hunting !!

And for liveaboard... I have been on the same liveaboard in Tubbataha and Leyte... (no choice for Tubbataha no land base), and for the second Trip : Leyte, Malapascua, Maripipi...

For me liveaboard and Land Base are completly different !

Liveaboard is :

Wake up, breakfast, DIVE, 2nd breakfast, DIVE, Lunch, DIVE, snack, DIVE, dinner, Sleep !!

The really good point is that you only dive the best spot !! No assle traveling, (expecially in the Philippines traveling is not soooo fun...)

It s also an different atmosphere... usually people on liveaboard are "dive freak" !!

So that allow you to do the best spot in the country... On a short time !!

Land base, is usually more relax on diving... 1, 2, 3 dives a day... But can be 4 also...

And it's not only on the boat !!

This is the third trip on liveaboard i do : 1 with Syren and 2 with Seadoor !

I have been working here for 7 years....(land base)

And honestly i love Liveaboard !! I its Majic !!