Trip Report Live trip updates: USA to Anilao Photo Academy

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

NootFish

Contributor
Messages
175
Reaction score
131
Location
USA
# of dives
200 - 499
I'm going to do live updates (or try my best, anyway) so people can live vicariously through my experiences, and hopefully minimize their stress for traveling so soon after reopening. I'm flying out on Thursday from LGA -> DTW -> ICN -> MNL on Delta/Air Korea and will be arriving Friday at about 10PM.

I've never been to the Philippines. I've done a fair amount of travel to dive locations including SE Asia, including the Maldives pretty early in the pandemic. I'm excited to be one of the first international tourists in the country, and very excited to spend time working on my underwater photography skills!

- I've got my CDC vaccine card and a printout of a copy of my state records. My state (Iowa) does not have digital vaccine certificates.
- I've downloaded the Traze app and filled in my info and uploaded a photo.
- I need to fill out the One Health Pass form and probably print whatever it tells me to: BOQ Health Declaration Registration
- I'm getting my Rapid test NYC on Wednesday morning (results in about 6 hours), the printout from it clearly states "PCR" and has very detailed documentation of methodology. And it's free! Yay! If I for some reason need more testing, ICN airport has rapid PCR test options for about $175.
- I'm going wetsuit shopping in the morning because I need a 5mm wetsuit and I worry that I won't find a rental that fits right
- I decided against malaria prophylaxis, but I still have time to get a Rx if I need one. I am a 6x/year blood donor so I would rather not miss donating for 3 years if I get it!

I'm a little nervous, and worried that I might have forgotten something important.
 
I'm looking forward to reading all about it!
 
Rapid PCR test is expensive and still require several hrs to get the result.
Never bother with malaria prophylaxes in the country. Use insect repellent, I prefer eucalyptus oil based, especially in the evening. It is not wet season yet so mossie should not post too much of a problem but...... Make sure the window is screened if staying in non-AC room(my favourite).
Beware of dengue fever and exterminate any Aedes mossie(black body with white spot) in sight.
Have a nice one
 
Since you are wetsuit shopping, you may wish to consider a hooded vest as well, in case the water is colder than expected or for those 3rd, 4th or night dives. Mine are 2mm hooded vest - they go wherever I go diving.

You probably know this but just in case: the night dive at the Town Pier is very very good. It is also one of the few places where I have surfaced into bioluminescence.

Ask about doing the black water dive to go look for the blanket octopus. I've read that there is a good chance of seeing them in Anilao. If you see it, don't post a pic - I'll die of envy.

Good luck.
 
Rapid PCR test is expensive and still require several hrs to get the result.
Never bother with malaria prophylaxes in the country. Use insect repellent, I prefer eucalyptus oil based, especially in the evening. It is not wet season yet so mossie should not post too much of a problem but...... Make sure the window is screened if staying in non-AC room(my favourite).
Beware of dengue fever and exterminate any Aedes mossie(black body with white spot) in sight.
Have a nice one
I will exterminate ANY mosquito in my room before going to bed. That whine of a mosquito in your ear... NOPE! I like my air conditioning and keep the room pretty cold, and I wear long sleeves outside if I can. (I have lightweight merino wool clothing that isn't too hot.
 
Since you are wetsuit shopping, you may wish to consider a hooded vest as well, in case the water is colder than expected or for those 3rd, 4th or night dives. Mine are 2mm hooded vest - they go wherever I go diving.

You probably know this but just in case: the night dive at the Town Pier is very very good. It is also one of the few places where I have surfaced into bioluminescence.

Ask about doing the black water dive to go look for the blanket octopus. I've read that there is a good chance of seeing them in Anilao. If you see it, don't post a pic - I'll die of envy.

Good luck.
I ended up with a 5mm with fleecey lining that should be nice and warm. I have a hood, but not vest. They tell me that the water is 23C, which should be good in a 5mm.

Bio-luminescence makes me feel like a child again, and I spend as much time as possible playing with it when it's around. We had some on a night dive in Bonaire when I was there in December, and I couldn't get enough of making sparkles with my hands.

Ooooooh blanket octopus is on my list... I want to do as much blackwater diving as I can, but I'd probably have the 90mm macro lens on, which would mean "this is the eye of a blanket octopus" "this is a tentacle of the blanket octopus" "this is the mantle of the blanket octopus"....
 
Looking forward to hearing how your tip into the Phils goes! So far everyone I know that has arrived has had no issues as they are prepared. Best to have all that paperwork properly organized in a folder, you will get asked quite a few times for it.

No need for malaria prophylaxes where you are going, but heed Centrals advice about repellent. I worry about dengue fever much more than anything else (including Covid) so at dusk and early dawn I make sure I use it.

I'm from Iowa too! (Cedar Rapids) I've lived in the Phils for 4-1/2 years.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom