In Anilao today, the water was like glass. The sun was out. The winds were calm. It was the sort of day that inspired even landlubbers like me to venture into new territory. I told the divemaster: Let's go to Mainit!
Mainit was advertised as having strong current. It also reputedly has a shark cave. Yes, I was feeling macho today.
So off we went. The banca cut through the water without the slightest bounce--the ride was smoother than an SUV on EDSA. Then, we turned the corner and OMG where the hell did the chop come from?! The surface was exactly the sort of surface I DO NOT like to dive in because it threatens to bring the katig down on your head like the Mighty Hammer of Thor.
Then, we had an equipment failure. One of Socorro's regs was leaking.
My daughter, who is always, always more sensible than I suggested we head back. The divemaster suggested to just unscrew the leaky reg, plug the outlet and use the "octopus"--the emergency reg that your buddy would use to share your tank if he/she ran out of air.
The dive master wasn't worried, so I wasn't worried. I swapped BCD and reg with Socorro and we proceeded with the dive.
The dive would have been worthwhile if the viz was any good. Unfortunately, it was comparable to miso soup. There were lots of fish but the colors were all muted, even close to the surface. We got out of the water, still amidst all the waves, about 40 minutes later.
Immediately after turning the corner, we were again in glass-smooth surface. I berated myself, what were you thinking?!
Our second dive was at Cathedral, a stone's throw from the resort. I wanted to feed the fishes again. If you ever want a sim of being attacked by piranhas, feed the fish in open water. Make sure you wear gloves. It was fun, though, something that I would do again.
The first dive and the equipment failure notwithstanding, I was glad we were able to dive today. With December and all its complexities looming towards us, this is likely to be our last dive of the year. I will be more sane next time.
