Talikud and Malipano Islands Underwater




August 9, 2006. It was a dark and stormy day....


But we got on a boat, anyway, and went diving at Mansud Wall. Wanted my brothers who were in town from the States to do their intro dives. I had a couple of firsts on that dive, too:


1) First time to dive in Davao again since I took my diving lessons 5 years ago. This time, none of the OC-ness of a newbie, and wearing my usual, stripped-down diving attire—BCD, regulator, tank, mask & snorkel, full-foot fins (no bulky booties), two weights (no cumbersome belt), shirt & shorts (no suffocating suit).

2) First time to dive alone (since the divemaster was with my brothers). Although I only went down to 25 ft by myself, since my main concern was taking good pictures, and visibility was only good till that depth. (I figured it was ok, anyway, since I can skin dive to around 30 ft, and nothing happens to me hehe. But kids, don’t do this at home.)


3) First time to go island-hopping in Davao with waves so big, the wharf got flooded! Also my first time in my entire life to see waves that big in Davao Gulf. The next day, 200 houses got wiped out by waves in Cebu, and the temperature in the US East Coast dropped from 110F to 40F. Now that’s what you call climate change.


4) First time to dive with a full-blown cold AND a cough. Did it only because I didn’t have trouble equalizing (but again, kids, don’t do this at home). Unfortunately, at about 50ft on my third dive, just when I was about to see a pygmy seahorse on a gorgeous sea fan, my cold gave me trouble clearing my mask, and I started coughing really bad because my throat was dry. So no seahorse because of my stubbornness =(


5) And finally, first time to bring my underwater camera diving! Learned a lot of things on those first three dives (when to use and not use the flash, how to get the best colors, etc.), and can’t wait to go back to Cebu where the underwater life is more exciting. Another thing I discovered is that shooting underwater feels so natural for me. Had no problems twisting and turning to get the best angle--which means that I got this camera at the right time, when diving is no big deal for me anymore and I can concentrate on photography.


So here they are, first few photos taken diving with my underwater casing, last dive max 50 ft because of bad weather. Again, no post-shoot editing.

Comments

  1. Sus ubb622August 16, 2006 at 1:54 AM

    Namiss ko bigla ang diving....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bugoy Traveler PHAugust 16, 2006 at 8:45 AM

    whoaaaa! makes me envious *winks*

    ReplyDelete
  3. Eric TiongsonAugust 16, 2006 at 9:07 AM

    nice!

    one of these days, i'm going to learn how to dive. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. XXXX YYYYAugust 16, 2006 at 6:08 PM

    awesome pics, jeneen! get that diving butt over here soon!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mike TeschAugust 16, 2006 at 11:15 PM

    Hey Jeneen,

    Great pictures! You compensated for the filtered red light beautifully. Please tell me you didn't use Photoshop :) hehe. Anyway, if you'd like to share any of your photos, please send me the ones you like most along with how you'd like to be cited/credited. We have photo exhibits coming up. Your pictures would be a welcome set.

    Miss you girl.

    Sheryll Tesch

    ReplyDelete
  6. beng garciaAugust 17, 2006 at 8:35 AM

    galing ng first time underwater pics, neen! i'm glad we were together; saw you in action at last. be careful anak because your pretty legs might be too irresistible for a hammerhead shark.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jeneen GarciaAugust 17, 2006 at 11:40 AM

    don't worry, i didn't =) photography for me, more than anything else, is about truth and its natural beauty ;-) just used the camera's white balance settings, flash, etc. to get the right colors.

    will get in touch with you about that exhibit. see you soon in cebu!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jeneen GarciaAugust 17, 2006 at 12:59 PM

    and when are YOU diving in davao?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Janet VillaAugust 21, 2006 at 12:47 AM

    Hey Jeneen! You naughty girl, diving with a cold! Ayayay. :) Didn't it get too cold without the wetsuit? I can never dive without it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jeneen GarciaAugust 21, 2006 at 2:29 AM

    fortunately, i seem to have high tolerance for the cold and stings when diving =P so i don't usually need a wetsuit. wouldn't risk it on a night dive, of course. i don't know, i just find wetsuits awfully uncomfortable around the neck especially. you know me, i'm all for natural. i'd swim and dive naked if i could.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Manang KaiyenAugust 21, 2006 at 11:10 AM

    wow. great pics @ 25 feet!

    ReplyDelete
  12. e_guy 1226September 3, 2006 at 3:42 AM

    whoaaaahhhh!!! ....good shot...... really nice shot.....hat's off to ya...well done..

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jeneen GarciaSeptember 7, 2006 at 3:25 AM

    thanks =) diving is less than half the fun if you can't share the wonder with others abovewater.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hype DavaoSeptember 30, 2006 at 12:54 AM

    will definitely be using some of your shots jeneen - I will be sending you a copy wherever you want me to send them ...also is it possible for you to send me high res copies of the kadaywan photos namely: bsgobo, old muslim lady and sta. ana bouncy....Thanks, rica of hype magazine

    ReplyDelete

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