Under the sea

Diving is an activity that I love because allows you to see the world from a unique angle. I try to dive on each trip I take, and since my trip is coming to an end soon, I decided to quit procrastinating and see what the ocean floor of the Philippines looked liked. From my snorkeling adventures here, I knew what fascinating views were awaiting me. 
At the airport, waiting for my flight from Palawan to Cebu, I met a Lithuanian girl named Eva, who asked if she could travel with me since she was alone after her friend had to return to work. My new friend had never experienced diving before. I told her I planned to dive in Panglao, an island off the island of Bohol, Philippines. I suggested that she went and she was game. 

Eva and I after our dive

We scouted out a few different dive shops and finally settled on one that we got good vibes from. We would be joined by 2 boys from Hawaii, the first Hawaiians I've met on my trip. However, like most, they had not lived on the island their entire life.

At 7:30 am we jumped into a pool and demonstrated our skills after watching a video. This was old hat for me. I had 2 dives under my belt already. My 1st dive: The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. (amazing!!) 2nd dive: Red sea, Egypt. Not a pro by any means, but I grasp the basic concepts. It was the first dive for the other 3. I was excited for all of them.
After everyone felt comfortable diving in the pool, we boarded a small boat and zoomed off to an island about an hour away, named Balicasag island. The island is known for having lots of sea turtles and we were all about seeing these enchanting creatures.
The captain drops the anchor and we pile on our cumbersome diving gear. We are now prepared to be aquatic! 

Eva in her gear

Plunging into the salty water backwards, I mentally prepare myself to navigate my underwater world. We are each accompanied by our own dive instructor. My dive master, Denec, had the required calm attitude of a dive instructor and we clicked well. The first thing we saw as we dipped below the surface was a huge sea turtle. Swimming languidly through the ocean, flapping his fins slowly and smiling. Denick pointed for me to swim up next to him, I did, and could see the intricate details of his rough skin and shell. For a short while, we both existed in the same environment, swimming together, happy as could be. 

holding a starfish

Denec guided me by hand through the water as I stared in amazement. The sound of my breathing through the regulator was bubbly and relaxing. It almost feels like "I shouldn't be here", when I dive. Thanks to modern day invention, man can breathe underwater. How cool is that? I floated through the water weightlessly, slowly kicking my flippered feet. I saw Nemo fish swimming around squishy sea creations, long skinny fish hovering in the blue water and coral islands beaming with life. The floor was covered in a mossy grass, which made it feel like you were walking on land, except you were surrounded by colorful fish. 

Denick had us pose on the ocean floor as he snapped our photos with his underwater camera. We struggled to stand upright as the weak current threatened to sweep us away.

I would say my favorite sea creature would have to be the sea horse. They are so cute and majestic. I love to watch them float along so gracefully. I kept an eye out, but didn't spot any of my beloved sea horses :(
Denick motioned for us to gather around him. Laying on his back, he removed the regulator from his mouth and produced big rings of bubbles. We all watched intrigued as the rings floated to the surface.

After exploring for 30 minutes, we surfaced to the top, each one of us with a big smile. 
It was a magical experience, but after the Great Barrier Reef, well, those are pretty big shoes to fill. But I thoroughly enjoyed my undersea time and am looking forward to dive #4! 
Btw, Eva loved it and I think she may be hooked now!