NEWSFLASH

Cagayan de Oro City, July 30, 2000 - North Mindanao has been slowly gaining a well-deserved reputation as one of the favorite dive destinations of the Philippines.

With a plethora of attractions including exotic underwater caves, walls, sand bars, shoals, pristine coral gardens, and a dazzling array of unique underwater wildlife, the waters especially off Misamis Oriental and Camiguin Island have long been a favorite haunt of local divers, who share the wonders of its underwater gardens with friends and visitors.

Mario Jugador and Dodong Uy of Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort gave a list of their favorite dive spots excluding a few favorites that, of course, must remain confidential for now. After all, there’s plenty of unexplored territory out there to go around, enough we’d say to provide every blue water diver a secret garden of his own for some time to come:

AGUTAYA REEF­ Also known as White Island in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental. A small white islet with a wide expanse of shallow coral reef, five kms. east of Jampason, with a two-kilometer coastline and land area of some 15 sq. kms., of which a patch of about 130 sq. meters is visible during high tide. A drop-off starts at 50 feet on the east side and extends to 100 more, with numerous cracks and crevices to explore along the wall. Pelagic fishes such as barracuda, tuna, eagle rays, surgeon fish and an occasional shark may be sighted here.

CONSTANSIA REEF. A shoal approximately three hectares in size with the shallowest depth at 20 ft. below the surface. Go for the south side where the coral reef is in excellent condition and an infinite variety of colorful tropical fish abound.

SIPAKA POINT. It lies just a pleasant three-minute boat ride from Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort. Due to the strong current, the spot is recommended only for experienced divers. The current feeds nutrients to the surrounding ecosystem resulting in a lush, magnificent underwater garden of huge seafans, basket sponges, hard and soft corals, and feather stars. Stingrays, snappers, groupers and an astounding variety of small tropical fish make the area a visual feast for the underwater photographer ideal for macro and wide-angle setups. It is also a transit point of dolphins and whales, including the rare whale shark or tawiki.

TALISAYAN SHOAL. It’s a short 10-minute ride to this small shoal fronting Talisayan town from the Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort. The shallow portion of the shoal is covered with lush coral growth with plentiful schools of small, colorful tropical fish, shells, and other unique flora and fauna. Turtles (pawikan) and other pelagic fishes may also be sighted.

STA. INES WRECK. There’s an old pontoon wreck dating back to World War II on the steep, sandy slope starting at 50 ft. and extending down to 150 ft. The wreck is now covered with fan corals, black corals and other marine growth and serves as a sanctuary for a wide variety of fishes including Lapu-Lapu, sweetlips, red snappers, surgeons and batfish.

MEDINA UNDERWATER SPRINGS. Approximately 300 yards from the white beach at the edge of the shallow coral reef are two excellent dive spots.

The Paradise at 90 to 110 feet down looks like a canyon with lots of cracks and holes and has an underwater cave best explored with an uunderwater flashlight.

The Aquarium is a good spot for a second dive since its depths ranges between 20 and 70 feet. Both contain the unique underwater springs that spew large volumes of very cold freshwater locally known as alibuag. The rich variety of marine life that congregate here makes every dive a unique feast for the eyes.

PUNTA DIWATA. Located at the tip of Gingoog Bay and part of the border town of Magsaysay, about an hour’s boat ride from Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort. This dive spot has a stair-type of coralline slope. Its ledges and walls are beautifully covered with marine outcroppings. Groupers, snappers, colorful tropical fish and an occasional manta glide in these waters. The dramatic seascape is excellent for wide angle photographs.

OLD VOLCANO. A unique lava formation is the main attraction of this Camiguin dive site which rises from depths of over 80 ft. from the bottom in a series of pinnacles. The coral covered molten rocks are populated by tropical fish such as anthias, clown fishes, damsels and huge jacks and Napoleon wrasses occasional feed in these areas.

SUNKEN CEMETERY. Lying 20 feet underwater in front of barangay Bonbon, Camiguin Island is the old Bonbon cemetery which sunk with the 1871 eruption that buried the town as well. Coral encrusted tombstones can still be explored by snorkelers and scuba divers.

JIGDUP SHOAL. Approximately two nautical miles from the shore of Balbagon, Camiguin Island, the sea bed rises to form a shoal the size of three football fields.

With its dazzling variety of marine life, this is one of the best dive spots in the island. Teeming with fish of all varieties and sizes, it will delight both underwater photographers and novice divers. Only a 50 minutes boat ride from Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort.

BURIAS SHOAL. Slightly smaller than Jigdup Shoal, Burias is a favorite haunt of thrill seekers. A breezy 30 minutes speed boat ride from Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort, the shoal teems with schools of jacks, tuna, surgeons, mackarel and barracuda. A lush black coral covered bottom is also one of its treasures. The strong current makes diving a bit tricky but the little effort of finning against it is worth the excitement.

CABUAN POINT. Located between the ports of Guinsiliban and Benoni in Camiguin Island. Giant, brightly colored sea fans, branching corals, flashy tropical fish, tangs, elaborately designed-angel fish, cuttlefish and parrot fishes abound. The light current offers divers a pleasant free ride making the visit relaxing and fun. Cabuan is accessible from the shore or by a 25 minutes boat ride from Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort. Visibility varies from 40-120 ft. making it ideal for serious underwater photographers and beginners as well.

MANTIGUE ISLAND. Known for its captivating white sands and crystal clear waters, this islet is ideal for beach combers, swimmers and divers. Its majestic walls and overhead coral formations are a haven for a wide variety of tropical fish, pelagic fishes, marine turtles and stingrays.

MANONGUL. Just our front of Mantangale, Balingoan is a busy reef called Manongul meaning coral garden in the local dialect. Here you’ll find shallow sandy area with coral patches which are excellent for snorkeling or a long easy scuba dive. Blue-spotted, bottom-dwelling stingrays, convict damsels, lionfish, colonies of hard and soft corals and a variety of clown fishes are among the residents of the area. With good visibility for most of the year, it is ideal for photography as well as a pleasurably paced lunge or night dive. (From The Manila Times)