Atlantis Dive Resorts
Registered
Atlantis Azores Captain’s Report March 8 – 15, 2014
Weather: Sunny most days, moderate wind and seas.
Water Temp: Right around 80 F
Itinerary: Tubbutaha Atoll, Sulu Sea, Philippines
Log Entry by: Capt. Todd
After a nearly 300 mile trans - Sulu Sea voyage from our homeport of Dumaguete, we are now moored in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which is our new port of call for the next three months. This is the commencement of our 2014 Tubbataha Atoll season, and the crew and I are VERY excited.
We arrived four days prior to our first guests’ arrival, allowing us time to provision, check-in with local authorities, and attend two, very important, daylong briefings intended for all present liveaboard operators and staff. The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board puts on these meetings and the crews of all participating liveaboards (this year there are eleven) were educated on everything from unusual tidal currents, to identifying native flora and fauna. We were also made aware of strict adherence requirements of the natural park’s guidelines regarding behavior out there. The atolls, which were once exploited to the brink of near disaster, are now mostly pristine due to measures taken by concerned Palawanians who have become the management team, and the atolls have been made a natural park as a result of their efforts. They’re also backed by the Philippine government, which is helping to enforce regulations.
Saturday-
We have a mixed bag this week, a group we call FIT “Fully Independent Travelers”. Included are Gordon - one of the owners (who is anxious to see how his new captain is performing)…J, as well as two of his friends from the Lake Tahoe area, Teresa and Steve, who happen to own Tahoe Dive Center. Also joining us are guests Jeff and Etienne; a couple of globe trotters from the UK, dive buddies Greg and Mark, Sarah also of the UK and former liveaboard employee, and Rene of Denmark. They all jumped onboard for an exciting first look at Tubbataha Atoll after nearly eight months of no human interaction out there (kind of like getting out on the first day of Lobster Season! Ha Ha).
Sunday-
We left “uber” early for a 90 mile run across fairly tame seas, giving the guests time to relax, get to know one another and spin tales of past dive adventures. We arrived first at Malayan Wreck, which is actually a string of dive sites along a wall in the NW area of the park. The area is crowned with a “wreck” (an unfortunate old tugboat) whose remnants have been reduced to an engine block in only about 5 feet of water. Great wall drifts here were highlighted by some White Tipped Reef Shark sightings.
Monday-
We woke up to choppy conditions that didn’t affect the diving a bit. Greg was “going on” about the Guitarfish he sighted, and the great viz. Lots of pelagic animals were present also. At noontime we headed to the south end of the atoll where we found calm conditions in the lee of these submerged landmasses and we did an afternoon and evening dive there.
Tuesday-
Dropped in at Delsan Wreck (once again remnants, this time of a freighter that was intentionally grounded years ago during a storm in order to save the crew-very interesting!) It was a little rough on the surface, but beneath…SPECTACULAR visibility holding as much large sea life as anywhere I’ve ever seen. Drifting along the wall there at 80’-90’, above we saw marauding Dogtooth Tunas (LARGE ones), White Tipped and Gray Reef Sharks EVERYWHERE, below at least 120’ a vast school of jacks, broken up by charging sharks in pursuit of prey. Greg claims to have seen an ENORMOUS Grouper (do they have Goliaths here?) hanging under one of the ledges, and a virtually limitless school of Barracuda just outside in the blue. All of this going on simultaneously, almost looked surreal! So great was this dive that we did it twice and so far I’ll log this as one of my greatest dives ever. In the afternoon we went back inside for some macro diving along the wall where Steve, Greg and Mark - the lens men on this trip - were delighted by what they found - Pygmy Seahorses, Nudibranchs and other tiny stuff. We did a shallow dive along the top of the reef for the night encounter.
Wednesday-
Leaving before the dawn for a five-mile run north to the south end of the North Atoll (still with me?) we parked it at Amos Rock and dove healthy reef and wall in the morning. At lunch we paid a visit to “Los Lonely Boys” the Park Rangers of Tubbataha, at their humble abode perched upon an ever-shifting sand bar, complete with a volleyball court. The guests bought some destination rash guards (very cool) and we supplied the boys with some much-appreciated cold soft drinks and cookies! The afternoon dives were relaxing. We drifted along the edge of the wall watching Dogtooth Tunas, BIG jacks (Giant Trevally actually-very impressive) and enjoyed pristine corals and lots of colorful fish go by on the reef tops. Later we saw many large lobsters on the night dive (yummy thought, but this is a “no take zone”).
Thursday-
The north end of the Park was our final destination at the Atolls and Shark Airport was our mooring. Once again, moderate winds and seas on the surface, tranquil environment below. We found a light current and many turtles this morning. Another “endless” school of Great Barracuda made a fly by on the afternoon dive and photographer Greg seemingly scared them all off with his flash - oops.
Friday-
Well it was time to say goodbye to Tubbataha, but we weren’t finished diving yet! We headed 13 miles NW to Jesse Beazley Reef, which is another, much more “intimate” atoll, where we had time for a last dive before the long ride home. Once back at our mooring at Puerto Princesa, we enjoyed Bar B Q on the sundeck at sunset, and had some laughs talking about the past week.
Weather: Sunny most days, moderate wind and seas.
Water Temp: Right around 80 F
Itinerary: Tubbutaha Atoll, Sulu Sea, Philippines
Log Entry by: Capt. Todd
After a nearly 300 mile trans - Sulu Sea voyage from our homeport of Dumaguete, we are now moored in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which is our new port of call for the next three months. This is the commencement of our 2014 Tubbataha Atoll season, and the crew and I are VERY excited.
We arrived four days prior to our first guests’ arrival, allowing us time to provision, check-in with local authorities, and attend two, very important, daylong briefings intended for all present liveaboard operators and staff. The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board puts on these meetings and the crews of all participating liveaboards (this year there are eleven) were educated on everything from unusual tidal currents, to identifying native flora and fauna. We were also made aware of strict adherence requirements of the natural park’s guidelines regarding behavior out there. The atolls, which were once exploited to the brink of near disaster, are now mostly pristine due to measures taken by concerned Palawanians who have become the management team, and the atolls have been made a natural park as a result of their efforts. They’re also backed by the Philippine government, which is helping to enforce regulations.
Saturday-
We have a mixed bag this week, a group we call FIT “Fully Independent Travelers”. Included are Gordon - one of the owners (who is anxious to see how his new captain is performing)…J, as well as two of his friends from the Lake Tahoe area, Teresa and Steve, who happen to own Tahoe Dive Center. Also joining us are guests Jeff and Etienne; a couple of globe trotters from the UK, dive buddies Greg and Mark, Sarah also of the UK and former liveaboard employee, and Rene of Denmark. They all jumped onboard for an exciting first look at Tubbataha Atoll after nearly eight months of no human interaction out there (kind of like getting out on the first day of Lobster Season! Ha Ha).
Sunday-
We left “uber” early for a 90 mile run across fairly tame seas, giving the guests time to relax, get to know one another and spin tales of past dive adventures. We arrived first at Malayan Wreck, which is actually a string of dive sites along a wall in the NW area of the park. The area is crowned with a “wreck” (an unfortunate old tugboat) whose remnants have been reduced to an engine block in only about 5 feet of water. Great wall drifts here were highlighted by some White Tipped Reef Shark sightings.
Monday-
We woke up to choppy conditions that didn’t affect the diving a bit. Greg was “going on” about the Guitarfish he sighted, and the great viz. Lots of pelagic animals were present also. At noontime we headed to the south end of the atoll where we found calm conditions in the lee of these submerged landmasses and we did an afternoon and evening dive there.
Tuesday-
Dropped in at Delsan Wreck (once again remnants, this time of a freighter that was intentionally grounded years ago during a storm in order to save the crew-very interesting!) It was a little rough on the surface, but beneath…SPECTACULAR visibility holding as much large sea life as anywhere I’ve ever seen. Drifting along the wall there at 80’-90’, above we saw marauding Dogtooth Tunas (LARGE ones), White Tipped and Gray Reef Sharks EVERYWHERE, below at least 120’ a vast school of jacks, broken up by charging sharks in pursuit of prey. Greg claims to have seen an ENORMOUS Grouper (do they have Goliaths here?) hanging under one of the ledges, and a virtually limitless school of Barracuda just outside in the blue. All of this going on simultaneously, almost looked surreal! So great was this dive that we did it twice and so far I’ll log this as one of my greatest dives ever. In the afternoon we went back inside for some macro diving along the wall where Steve, Greg and Mark - the lens men on this trip - were delighted by what they found - Pygmy Seahorses, Nudibranchs and other tiny stuff. We did a shallow dive along the top of the reef for the night encounter.
Wednesday-
Leaving before the dawn for a five-mile run north to the south end of the North Atoll (still with me?) we parked it at Amos Rock and dove healthy reef and wall in the morning. At lunch we paid a visit to “Los Lonely Boys” the Park Rangers of Tubbataha, at their humble abode perched upon an ever-shifting sand bar, complete with a volleyball court. The guests bought some destination rash guards (very cool) and we supplied the boys with some much-appreciated cold soft drinks and cookies! The afternoon dives were relaxing. We drifted along the edge of the wall watching Dogtooth Tunas, BIG jacks (Giant Trevally actually-very impressive) and enjoyed pristine corals and lots of colorful fish go by on the reef tops. Later we saw many large lobsters on the night dive (yummy thought, but this is a “no take zone”).
Thursday-
The north end of the Park was our final destination at the Atolls and Shark Airport was our mooring. Once again, moderate winds and seas on the surface, tranquil environment below. We found a light current and many turtles this morning. Another “endless” school of Great Barracuda made a fly by on the afternoon dive and photographer Greg seemingly scared them all off with his flash - oops.
Friday-
Well it was time to say goodbye to Tubbataha, but we weren’t finished diving yet! We headed 13 miles NW to Jesse Beazley Reef, which is another, much more “intimate” atoll, where we had time for a last dive before the long ride home. Once back at our mooring at Puerto Princesa, we enjoyed Bar B Q on the sundeck at sunset, and had some laughs talking about the past week.
