It’s hard to believe we’re this spoiled, but indeed we are and we just continue to be thankful and delighted in the experience. With the connection of a cousin of a cousin’s friend we were hooked up with Alfie Fernandez (if you ever need a scuba instructor and are in Cebu, double thumbs up!). He took us out three separate days and we did two dives each day along with beachside power point instruction (printed out flip chart) and hands on training/orientation. And walah! Presto chango we’re certified scuba divers! Not exactly sure what that means…I definitely don’t plan to be going out solo anytime I can foresee, but I think it means we can skip the hand holding when someone takes us and get to the diving. Which is great because it is Spectacular! Chad and I were both looking forward to learning to dive, and figured it would be great, but it was So Much BETTER than expected! Not sure what I was expecting, I think maybe just snorkeling plus? It was so much more.
Firstly, I could just see so much better! Maybe it’s my eyes getting older but my long distance sight underwater seems to be lacking. Snorkeling I can see some amazing things and at times I will dive down to take a closer look but I have such a hard time holding my breath I can’t ever look for long. With the scuba I could scrutinize the minute little anemone’s or camouflaged fish to my hearts content (well, to some extent, I still had to keep up with Chad and our instructor). Having that time and being able to be so close up was priceless.
It seems so cliché but it feels there is a bit of magic in being submerged for that extended time. Can’t describe, or remember, all that I wish I could, and sometimes want a camera to try to capture things but others times, mostly, I am grateful to be relieved from trying to capture and remember but to revel in the exploration and discovery as it happens. Delighting in making sense of the coral that looks like a giant kids maze, or like a topographical map of a mountain. Discovering the sandy grays and taupes and browns are hiding fish of the same color but that fade (what’s the opposite of fade?) into lavender, royal and neon purple.
Looking across the seascape it can seem like a sea of burgundy and creams but on closer look the rust-colored finger coral hides a family of black and white fish that emerge and dart within completely hidden upon the slightest threat. Attached to tan rock-like walls are chihuli purple-orange rimmed bulbous vases from which you are distracted by a couple hundred mackerels or yellow/white/black striped fish swimming and swerving en mass around you. Pretty sweet.
We’re looking forward to more exploring and diving in the future and hopefully even helping out with some reef restoration. Our instructor is part of the Sea Knights, a group of folk involved in reef restoration (among other things) which includes planting corals and removing ghost nets. We went to a lecture on both projects and last weekend Chad went and helped plant coral! Go Chad!! (I was feeling under the weather 😦 bummer).
The Adobo Hobos 