Three awesome dives at Apo!

The morning started out a bit overcast, and there was a hint of thunder in the air. Then of course it started to rain on the boat ride over to Apo. Rain picked up to the point that for a bit we couldn't even see the island. As we got closer the rain slackened, and the skies started to clear up.

Our first dive of the day was Chapel Point. Really nice wall dive. Lots of nudibranch, all sorts of amazing colors. A friendly little turtle, and a sea snake. It was with the sea snake I forgot one of the cardinal rules of shooting video. Just because you're watching through the view finder, doesn't mean you're not actually part of the scene. I found myself thinking 'gee, I didn't realize I had zoomed in that close to make the snake fill the frame.' Then I looked up and realized the snake was only about two inches from the camera. Needles to say I backed up a bit and made a point of trying to remember to look up more often.

Second dive was Rock Point West. Great wall dive, covered in all different hard and soft corals. Titan trigger fish were on patrol, and a huge barracuda was cruising the reef. We anchored in 'town' for our lunch stop, and Jen and I went ashore to buy t-shirts. The Apo Island t-shirt ladies have a very aggressive marketing strategy. As soon as a boat pulls up they line the shore in front of it and start waving their t-shirts and sarongs. As soon as someone sets foot ashore they are mobbed. If you show interest in a particular shirt, suddenly every one is waving the same shirt in different colors. You mention a color you like, and they all have the same color.

Last dive of the day was in the Apo Island Marine Sanctuary. Another gorgeous wall dive. In the shallows at the top of the wall was the area called Clownfish City. It is a large area with tons of anemones and all different species of anemone fish. Some anemones might even have as many as three different species of anemone fish living in them. Needless to say, Nemo found! Along with his entire extended family.

Photos today are a really colorful nudibranch, the Apo shirt ladies, and one of the inhabitants of Clownfish City.

Wrapped up the day with another massage and great dinner. Tomorrow morning is another early start and lots of diving to do. More to follow.

-Matt