Diving Danjugan

[shugar]

now that's recycling !!! very innovative of the hermit to use a toothpaste cap... either that or no more shells huh?

don't show that to WWD... he'll start some bullcrap about filipino hermit crabs being too stupid to tell a toothpaste cap from a shell...

then he'll go on to say that we (filipinos) have some real issues because we use too much toothpaste...

then he'll get all high and mighty about how in lembeh and zimbabwe and botswana and hisanus they don't use toothpaste but instead prefer to be all-natural by not brushing their teeth...

then somebody from lembeh (MV?) is going to say that they DO brush their teeth...

then he'll say that MV can touch his (WWD's) nether regions if he wants too...

then chip's gonna call out WWD on the international conventions of toothpaste and toothpaste packaging regulations and standards in non-EU countries...

then larry's gonna come in, half-drunk, and call WWD a moron... but in much more flowing and beautiful prose...

then we're going to thank larry for his post, and feel sorry for how miserable his current state is...









or something like that...

Jag

 

[prandyulo]

For the price of less than a steak dinner at Mamou’s in Serendra, one can already buy a round trip ticket to Bacolod by Zest Air, formerly Asian Spirit. It costed only 1567.00!

Another 151 kilometers’ drive south along the provincial road (terrain like Batangas City to Anilao) of some 2.5 hours and you hit Bulata, the barangay where Danjugan Island (Dan-who-gun) belongs.

Danjugan is not your run of the mill dive resort nor does it claim to be one. This is my first caveat for those who are used to comfort diving in the resorts of Anilao. First and foremost, it is an island dedicated to conservation. After intensive surveys by international organizations of its flora and fauna, the 43 hectare island can boast of the same corals that the whole Great Barrier Reef contains.

The island is promoted worldwide for eco-tourism, a more detailed presentation is found in this website:

Coral Cay Conservation - Life on Danjugan Island

The island is about 10 minutes by banca from a great resort named Punta Bulata which can be the jump off point for those who prefer comfort living.

Punta Bulata White Beach Resort & Spa

The island also has Spartan live-in accommodations for the guerilla divers. Presently the logistics support can accommodate 10 divers in a day with complete diving gear and divemaster to do 4 dives. Rates run at 1000 per dive; and if one chooses to live in, 2500 per head with 3 meals included. With minimum 4 days stay free ecotour of the island with lectures on the biodiversity aspects are included. Marine camps for the youth are conducted during the summer.

The island structures are a construction in progress with more facilities developed for training and more living accommodations.

After the previous day’s heavy downpour, my day was limited to 2 dives in one side of the island that would not do justice to the island if I posted my own pictures of extremely limited scenes and not so good visibility.

However, a google search on “Danjugan” led me to many who have already experienced the island with better photos, so let me just lead you to one of them here:


Philippines: Negros Occ - Danjugan Island Dives pictures from philippines photos on webshots

Better pictures have already been taken of the flora and fauna which I wasn’t able to do, but here’s one:

Danjugan Island - Neg. Occ., Philippines 2006 Photo Gallery by Jake Atonson at pbase.com

The island is owned by a foundation with a very colorful story of how it was acquired from its previous owner. The president is my old friend Gerry Ledesma who anchors his trimaran the “Tita P” in one of the lagoons in the island.

After visiting the place, (the area was where I used to dive some 30 years ago) I am now considering to volunteer as the island resident manager when I retire with my compensation only in the form of free dives daily. There will be a lot of challenges yet as the foundation continues to promote eco-tourism and conservation in the midst of an uncooperative local government and still undisciplined local fishermen.

 

[jigo]

don't show that to WWD... he'll start some bullcrap about filipino hermit crabs being too stupid to tell a toothpaste cap from a shell...

then he'll go on to say that we (filipinos) have some real issues because we use too much toothpaste...

then he'll get all high and mighty about how in lembeh and zimbabwe and botswana and hisanus they don't use toothpaste but instead prefer to be all-natural by not brushing their teeth...

then somebody from lembeh (MV?) is going to say that they DO brush their teeth...

then he'll say that MV can touch his (WWD's) nether regions if he wants too...

then chip's gonna call out WWD on the international conventions of toothpaste and toothpaste packaging regulations and standards in non-EU countries...

then larry's gonna come in, half-drunk, and call WWD a moron... but in much more flowing and beautiful prose...

then we're going to thank larry for his post, and feel sorry for how miserable his current state is...









or something like that...

Jag

i missed this one. nice attempt at a hijack. where is everyone?

 

[prandyulo]

I'd like to add these interesting facts about the island bio-diversity:

1. Danjugan Island is 1.5 kms long and is .5 km at its widest..Adding the east and the west, it should have a coastline of 5 kms. at most.....it has 73 genera of corals that equals the Great Barrier Reef but is 2000 kms. long....

2. the island has 244 species of hard corals while the entire Caribbean has only 80 species.....

3. in the western reefs of Danjugan, there is a small coral head the size of a queen sized bed--this has 40 species of hard corals equaling the Hawaiian Island chain's hard corals diversity but is 2,400 kms long.....