Puerto Galera Mar/Apr 2025.

[Centrals]

This is a lite trip ie. no gear except computer and mask. A small pack with mere 5kg is great to my back.
Alma Jane.
I have been warned that the water will be cold 25C!!! So it was and I was not comfortable after about 10 mins, need to add extra layer or two for the subsequent dive.
I had dive this wreck right from the beginning when she was first laid down all those yrs ago. And it is beyond recognition now, the hull is the only structure that is still standing and nothing else. Fish life is still good but..... Swam to St. Christopher afterward, a sad reminder of what Alma Jane will look like in the future.
Vis is quite good.

 

[hancockks]

Thanks for the report! We're heading there in two weeks. What did you end up with for thermal protection?

 

[Johncn]

My wife and I are leaving in the morning, but have been diving in Puerto Galera the last week. We wore 3mm full suits and were fine. Looking through logs, the water temps have varied between 25 C and 27 C, with an average of 26 C. Wife wore her hood on one dive because it was raining and windy topside. Hope this helps.

Note: Wish I had known Centrals was here, but maybe next trip we will share a refrigerated beverage!

 

[Centrals]

Thanks for the report! We're heading there in two weeks. What did you end up with for thermal protection?

I will try this tomorrow: 2mm shortie over 3mm full suit + hood, all rental.
Water in Southern Leyte and Southern Thailand last two months was a bit warmer or perhaps my own 3mm full suit gave better thermal protection than rental one.

 

[Centrals]

Earthquake of magnitude 4.6 scale struck off the coast SW from Verde Island early last evening(19:49).
I only realized it when one of the waitress at the resort informed me this morning. There is no high rise building in PG and I believe all the buildings in thesurrounding area were constructed by Pinoy rather than conme chinese.

 

[Johncn]

A couple random iPhone snaps from PG last week. Will find some better ones and post. We left Puerto Galera yesterday. The new Galerian boat (Pterripus II?) is a very nice, brand new yacht hull conversion. Fast, clean and fancy. Great AC. Senior fare 550 PHP. Tuk tuk from Sabang to Balatero Port is 300 PHP.

Currently heading out on first dive across the channel in Anilao for this trip.

 

[Centrals]

Sinandigan Wall.
Extra 2mm shortie +hood and the water temp was 26C(degree higher than 2 days ago), I did not feel the chill on this dive.
Vis was not as good as previously but......the thresher shark was nice.
One big black frog fish + another brownish colour one inside a giant barrel sponge with its mouth just by the rim, probably waiting for food.
Enjoyable dive.

 

[Centrals]

Horse Head.
The site is about 36m deep and is best to dive it in slack tide.
27C.
Dropped on the 1st Canyon and slowly swam toward our target. Current was fine except a small section wher hard finning was required. Vis was not very good. One big grouper and couple of smaller one around Horse Head.
There is a cluster of huge sea fans on the other side of the reef but need to be dropped on different area.
Pretty short dive because of the depth.
Last dive of the trip but will return in May after a short trip to Romblon.

 

[Centrals]

Caught the 11:00 ferry(P620.00) from Balatero to Batangas, bus(P290.00) to Buendia, light rail to EDSA(P15.00) and finally airport bus from Victory Liner Bus Terminal in Pasay to NAIA 3, arrived around 16:00. The airport fare has increased to P150.00.

 

[Johncn]

This is the latest ferry schedule we got in Puerto Galera last week for those like Centrals doing independent travel rather than Si-Kat bus, or who are connecting to/from other places like Anilao.