Sunday, March 15, 2015

Wreck and Side-mount Specialty at Coron, Palawan, Philippines (11 - 15 Mar 2015)

Our original plan was to go Brunei for the wreck diving specialty, but changed after my IDC coursemate, Yang Yang, highly recommended Coron.


Exchange rate was about SGD$1 = 31.2Peso

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Flight details: Cebu Pacific

Flight DetailsBooking Date: 28 Dec 2014
RouteFlight NumberDepartingArriving
Manila to Coron (Busuanga)5J 804
Wednesday 11 March 2015 , 0040 H (12:40AM)
Singapore Changi Airport – Terminal 2
Wednesday 11 March 2015 , 0405 H (4:05AM)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
Manila to Coron (Busuanga)5J 529
Wednesday 11 March 2015 , 0630 H (6:30AM)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
Wednesday 11 March 2015 , 0730 H (7:30AM)
Francisco B. Reyes Airport
Coron
(Busuanga) to Manila
5J 540
Sunday 15 March 2015 , 1635 H
(4:35PM)
Francisco B. Reyes Airport
Sunday 15 March 2015 , 1735 H (5:35PM)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
Manila to Singapore5J 803
Sunday 15 March 2015 , 2030 H (8:30PM)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City
Sunday 15 March 2015 , 2355 H (11:55PM)
Singapore Changi Airport – Terminal 2
Cost:  $530.39 SGD


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Dive #1
Location: CYC (Coron Youth Club)
Max depth: 16.7m
Bottom time: 35min (1704H - 1739H)
*Side-mount Open Water 1


Departing Changi Airport Terminal 2


Arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.


A quick bite


Crowded and delayed flight






Domestic flight on a propeller plane


Arrived at Francisco B. Reyes Airport (Busuanga Airport)


Mini-van (150 Peso) to Rocksteady


Rocksteady Dive Center


Going to the boat




We spent the whole morning setting up our harness... Lunch on the boat cooked by the Captain


Left tank... Right tank... We had a confined open water dive followed by an open water dive.


End of dive


Sunset




Finally check-in at about 6.40pm


The room


Toilet: Hotwater shower available


Dinner: Fried vegetable, grill squid...


Chicken


"Bando grill resto & bar" / "Samantha kim seafood restaurant" near the central area


Verdict: Not recommended. The waiting time for the drinks was about 20 minutes and the food was 40 minutes. Price is also relatively more expensive.


Night 1 walkabout...

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Dive #2
Location: Olympia Maru
Average depth: 17.9m
Max depth: 29.1m
Bottom time: 41min (1030H - 1111H)
*Side-mount Open Water 2
*Wreck Specialty Open Water 1 (Navigation)

Dive #3
Location: Morazan Maru
Average depth: 14.5m
Max depth: 24.3m
Bottom time: 36min (1318H - 1354H)
*Side-mount Open Water 3
*Wreck Specialty Open Water 2 (Mapping exercise)


Breakfast included at Balaibinda Lodge




Setting up the gears


Passing down the tanks one at a time


Lunch on the boat


Relaxing


Mapping exercise at Morazan Maru






Back to harbour


Welfie on the motorised tricycle (Price about 10 Peso per head)


Getting dark


"Lobster King" recommended by Jianna


Soup and vegetable


Steamed 1.2kg lobster


4,320 Peso among 3 person... About SGD$45 each...


Dog at the tourism office


Provision shop


BBQ


Coron Town Plaza: Where residents gather for activities


Fire Station


Totally regretted drinking the coffee - can't sleep at night


Day 2 evening walk

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Dive #4
Location: Akitsushima
Average depth: 19.8m
Max depth: 32.7m
Bottom time: 27min (1000H - 1027H)
*Wreck Specialty Open Water 3

Dive #5
Location: Kogyo Maru
Average depth: 16.6m
Max depth: 27m
Bottom time: 35min (1335H - 1410H)
*Wreck Specialty Open Water 4


Boat with an upper deck to sun-tan




This boat has beds - reminds me of Princess


Cooking on the boat


Group photo


Lunch on the boat... and the Captain says "we have to have lunch now"


Lusong Gunboat - Shallow 6 to 10m wreck


Lusong Gunboat






Sunset




Dinner at Sinugba sa Balay Grill and native Restaurant




1,265 Peso for dinner


Women's Day Celebration


Cafe

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Dive #6
Location: Olympia Maru
Average depth: 19.8m
Max depth: 28m
Bottom time: 42min (1115H - 1157H)
*Nitrox 32%

Dive #7
Location: Morazan Maru
Average depth: 17m
Max depth: 26.4m
Bottom time: 41min (1345H - 1426H)
*Nitrox 32%


Walk to the Barracuda Lake, pay 100 Peso for entry






Free Diving


Scuba in half-fresh-half-salt water


Clear water showing the nice rocks formations






Posing for photo


Auto-level, and the colour looks good


Another dive


Revisiting the Olympia Maru


Finally have chance to take photos while diving because Jianna was very strict during the course and we can only bring our cameras during fun dives.


Overhead environments...


Swim-through..




The "Jail-room" because of the bars. But most likely a storeroom for dry provisions










Posing during safety stop


Lunch


Descending...


Morazan Maru


Boilers














Razorfish and Filefish






Back to land


Motorized Tricycle


Group photo back at Rocksteady with our Instructor, Jianna Park


28,000 Peso (SGD$865.45) for Wreck and Side-mount Specialty course and 5,400 Pesos ($166.91) for 2 fun dives with Nitrox and Side-mount. Total SGD$1023.36


Dinner at BIG Mama's Pinoy Hotpot and Grill


760 Peso in total, not too bad

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Woke up early about 4am to climb the Mount Tapyas


About 700 plus steps to the 150m top.


Wind was strong




Good view


Similar to Hollywood?




Sunrise




Back to Balaibinda for breakfast


Coron public market


Pork


1.7kg crab (1020 Peso) we brought from the Coron public market to bring to the restaurant to cook... Cooking charges based on per kg of the ingredient brought over.


and fish


Busuanga Seadive Resort


Nice view from 4th level




Supermarket


Domestic airport: They weigh you on the scale!


Crowded


Crowded airport and someone decided to occupy 2 seats




Plane was delayed and Google still thought the plane already landed at Manila on schedule...


Finally (time check: 1752H)


Maybe it is a blessing in disguise that we get sunset view


Sunset


Ramen at Ninoy Aquino International Airport


Preparing to depart


Airport taxes: Francisco B. Reyes Airport (Busuanga Airport) 75 Peso and Ninoy Aquino International Airport 550 Peso


Souvenirs: A customised t-shirt (300 Peso), animal hats (150 Peso each) and duty free items

More pictures: Wreck and Side-mount Specialty at Coron, Palawan, Philippines (11 - 15 Mar 2015)

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