My first Sea Spider

That was a weekend in February, I went diving again with Fun and Sun in Mactan area. The second dive was Talima, Olango Island. This island is only 10-15 minutes away from Mactan by banca, but the marine diversity is better than Mactan Coast. 10 minutes after jumping into the water, we were in the depth of 15 meters. I saw something "crawling" at an area where some soft corals are. I took a closer look and found out is a sea spider(Anoplodactylus sp.) which is half-transparent body with blue spots.

I am not sure if sea spider is rare in this area, and as I remember, that was my second time to see this kind of sea creature. This is my first time to take some clearer pictures.

The following pictures were taken in two dives on that day. I used Panasonic GF1+45mm macro lens, FIT+10 & FIT+5, and Sea&Sea YS-D1 single strobe:

My First Encounter of Emperor Shrimp

Seeing many pictures of Emperor Shrimp shared on the internet, I had wanted to photograph them for a long time. I tried to find them when I went to Cabilao Island and Dauin, but I couldn't meet any of them.

It was a common diving day trip with Fun and Sun in Mactan. The first dive site was Shangri-La's. I saw a big sea cucumber in the depth of 19 meters. I was trying to find something like sea cucumber crab on it, but I saw a tiny white spot moving. I took a closer look and found out it's an Emperor Shrimp. It's an Emperor Shrimp!! The shrimp I wanted to see badly. I didn't expect to see this colorful shrimp in Mactan where I dive at least one time every month.

After this one, I found another Emperor Shrimp on another cucumber in three minutes. I was so excited. I hope they can expand their family, and maybe one day I can also take pictures of parents with their kids.

Seeing wanted creatures in unexpected places, at unexpected times is also one of the interesting parts of SCUBA diving. That's why we always want to hit the water to stay underwater more and more.

Other pictures on that day:

Second Muck Diving Trip in Dauin (additional remarks)

(The picture above is Apo Island)

The followings are the additional remarks of my last muck diving trip in Dauin:

Accommodation:

I also stayed in Liquid Dumaguete, a dive center with accommodation. It's still very affordable and cozy. For more information about this diving resort, you may check my previous post. Due to the opening hours of their restaurant is until 9PM, the resort recently open a poolside bar for the customers who want to have some drinks until 11PM.

Transportation:

How to travel from Cebu City to Dumaguete City?

I headed for Dumaguete on the first day of local Christmas holidays, so I was worried it would be difficult to take a bus. Instead, I took the flight of Cebu Pacific from Cebu to Dumaguete. For more details, please check my previous article.

Aside from the transportation methods I shared before, I found out there is another transportation service provided by Ceres Liner Bus which includes the bus ride to the south of Cebu Island and ferry transfer to Negros Island. The whole bus is carried by a big ferry craft and the passengers take the same bus going to Dumaguete City. It sounds more convenient than taking a bus to Lilo-an Port and then taking a passenger ferry to Sibulan Port, Dumaguete. If you have the interest of this travel way, please check their Facebook page.

(Google Map search: Cebu South Bus Terminal to Dumaguete Bus Terminal)
(Don't mind 2hr 37min written on the map. It takes about 3 and half hours in the real situation.)

How to travel from Dumaguete City to Cebu City?

I was suppose to take the ferry back to Cebu from Sibulan Port, Dumaguete, however, a low pressure was approaching to Dumaguete on that day. The wave was too big for the ferry to be docked. The port personnel asked the passengers to transfer to another port in Tampi and take a ferry there. It took me around 20 minutes by the tricycle.

Yes! The ticketing office is located in the ground floor of this civilian house. The ferry ticket is P72, and the terminal fee is P2. The sea was choppy, so it took us about 50 minutes to arrive at Lilo-an Port in Cebu.

From Lilo-an Port I also took the bus of Ceres Liner going to Cebu South Bus Terminal. The fee of air-con bus is P175.