Part 5
When my mom was sick we didnt dive that much since we spent a lot of time with her in the hospital and at home. We had to close our dive shops in Bacolod and Ilo-ilo since the whole family moved to manila. With all the spare equipment lying around my dad decided to run the dive shop of Balai resort in Anilao. This was going to be a major thing for us. We purchased 120 tanks fixed up 4 compressors, bought weights and a whole lot of diving equipment.
When we started out it was me and my dad that were the compressor men. We would rent out gear, make out receipts and fill tanks. I think its safe to say that was the only time that a diver would be getting tanks from the compressor man that was wearing a rolex (my dad). After a while I was the one that did all of that while my dad was busy with other things. Id go to Anilao on a Friday and start filling tanks up, then saturday and sunday would be just work. I used to run the dive shop all by myself. Hard but fun work.
We got 3 guys to help out in the Dive shop after a while so wedecided to get the Nitrox filling station in Aquaventure resort as well. They would be in Balai while I would be in Aquaventure filling the nitrox for the guests.
My cousins Nathan and Alex Floro started bringing in Halcyon BC's when we used to live in Bacolod then they alsobecame the distributors as well here in the Philippines. They also borught in 2 of the instructors from Global Underwater Explorers or G.U.E. These guys held the world records for deepest penetration dives and they were also the ones that made the Halcyon BC's. This was the time I was introduced to the Doing It Right philosophy of diving. We did the Fundamentals of D.I.R then my cousins,dad and a few of their friends did Tech 1 which is a more demanding course. I remember this one time when we were loading the tanks with Helium and Oxygen the instructor saw the area where we were filling the tanks, he had to take a picture of it because there we were in this dark corner of the property standing on top of a table filling the tanks while reading analog gauges wherein the US they had digital gauges where you just enter the mix that you want and it automatically fills the tank, even with our cave man set-up the mixes still came out perfect.
It was while I was working in Balai that I saw my first frogfish. It was color black, I had never seen anything like that ever in my life. I even lost sight of it while I was going around the "manta" wreck of Balai, my companion had to point it out to me again since it was superbly camouflaged.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
How I became Aquaboy...
Part 4
disclaimer this part might be a little emotional....
After I had moved to Manila and started school, my mom came to visit and since she also needed to have some check ups done since she wasnt feeling well most of the time. After a series of check ups and tests we sadly found out that she had cancer in the brain. This news came when I was around 18 years old and in Culinary school, and was very very hard to swallow. Imagine knowing that anytime your own mother could pass away anytime was a hard burden to carry.
We practically lived in the old Medical City in Pasig for a few months, there were two operations that were done to try to get rid of the cancer. During this time the whole family changed a lot of our old habits, we ate healthier, no salt, more veggies, and other things. The room where we stayed was like a party room, there was always so much food and a lot of people were always there.
During my parents last wedding anniversary we went to Tagaytay . Relatives from my Dad's side and Mom's side came. One of the best memory I have of this occasion although its a sad one is this was the last time my mom was able to smile at me. Sadly my mom passed away on September 11, 2001. The same day that the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists.
disclaimer this part might be a little emotional....
After I had moved to Manila and started school, my mom came to visit and since she also needed to have some check ups done since she wasnt feeling well most of the time. After a series of check ups and tests we sadly found out that she had cancer in the brain. This news came when I was around 18 years old and in Culinary school, and was very very hard to swallow. Imagine knowing that anytime your own mother could pass away anytime was a hard burden to carry.
We practically lived in the old Medical City in Pasig for a few months, there were two operations that were done to try to get rid of the cancer. During this time the whole family changed a lot of our old habits, we ate healthier, no salt, more veggies, and other things. The room where we stayed was like a party room, there was always so much food and a lot of people were always there.
During my parents last wedding anniversary we went to Tagaytay . Relatives from my Dad's side and Mom's side came. One of the best memory I have of this occasion although its a sad one is this was the last time my mom was able to smile at me. Sadly my mom passed away on September 11, 2001. The same day that the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
How I became Aquaboy...
Part 3
After I had learned to dive, my dad opened up a dive shop in Bacolod city. I think we were the first ones to ever open up a dive shop there. Id work there during the summer selling gear and talking to people interested in learning how to dive. For the people that wanted to learn we would take them to Dumaguete for the check out dives. So when I was in High school id go to Dumaguete during the weekends. We also built a small facility there for the Bacolod divers to fill up their tanks. It was in Dumaguete where my cousins did their O/W course under my dad.
In 1998 we wanted to do a historic project for the Philippine Centennial Celebration. There was this wreck in Sipalay called the S/S Panay, it brought guns for the Filipino guerrillas fighting the Japanese in Negros. The ship was bombed in March 1942 by the Japanese then the Filipino fighters with the help of American soldiers dove the wreck to retrieve guns and ammo. We made a documentary about this and was even able to interview the last surviving diver who dove the ship right after it was bombed by the japanese.
I went to Don Bosco Technical Institute for my high school since my dad wanted me to learn how to work with my hands. I learned how to use the lathe machine, weld, shaper machine and many more. After I graduated high school I moved to Manila to go to Culinary school. When I moved it was a while since I had gone diving since life was kinda hectic during 3rd and 4th year. My first dive trip outside the Visayas region was with my Kuya Nate and Kuya Christian. We stayed in Balai resort in Anilao that weekend, driving in early saturday morning. That was my first experience of the famed ANILAO CURRENT!!! We went to Mainit and the current was ripping, a few seconds into the dive all of us lost each other already, all going in different directions. Talk about a wild ride.
After I had learned to dive, my dad opened up a dive shop in Bacolod city. I think we were the first ones to ever open up a dive shop there. Id work there during the summer selling gear and talking to people interested in learning how to dive. For the people that wanted to learn we would take them to Dumaguete for the check out dives. So when I was in High school id go to Dumaguete during the weekends. We also built a small facility there for the Bacolod divers to fill up their tanks. It was in Dumaguete where my cousins did their O/W course under my dad.
In 1998 we wanted to do a historic project for the Philippine Centennial Celebration. There was this wreck in Sipalay called the S/S Panay, it brought guns for the Filipino guerrillas fighting the Japanese in Negros. The ship was bombed in March 1942 by the Japanese then the Filipino fighters with the help of American soldiers dove the wreck to retrieve guns and ammo. We made a documentary about this and was even able to interview the last surviving diver who dove the ship right after it was bombed by the japanese.
I went to Don Bosco Technical Institute for my high school since my dad wanted me to learn how to work with my hands. I learned how to use the lathe machine, weld, shaper machine and many more. After I graduated high school I moved to Manila to go to Culinary school. When I moved it was a while since I had gone diving since life was kinda hectic during 3rd and 4th year. My first dive trip outside the Visayas region was with my Kuya Nate and Kuya Christian. We stayed in Balai resort in Anilao that weekend, driving in early saturday morning. That was my first experience of the famed ANILAO CURRENT!!! We went to Mainit and the current was ripping, a few seconds into the dive all of us lost each other already, all going in different directions. Talk about a wild ride.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
How I became Aquaboy...
Part 2
Even if that incident happened to me I still didnt fear the water, what I learned was that you have to respect the ocean. The ocean can be calm and soothing and the ocean can become a monster in a second.
It was in Cebu that I started diving and grabbing my dads reg and dive at 10 feet. Another cool thing in Cebu was the beach was like 20-30 minutes away, so sometimes my dad would pick me up from school and take me to the beach so he could dive and I could swim.
We did a lot of dive trips and going to the beaches around the Visayas when we lived in Cebu. We would spend New Year's eve in Bohol, we went to Camiguin, Bacolod and Dumaguete.
After Grade 3 we moved to my moms hometown, Bacolod. Bacolod is different from Cebu since there isint much beaches there because of the many rivers that lead to the ocean the water and sand are color brown. So instead of the beaches my parents put us kids in a swimming program. We would be swimming every afternoon after school and early mornings during Saturday. I also started competing in swimming meets and one time even made it to the Nationals.
To go diving in Bacolod you would have to drive 4-6 hours to go to Dumaguete or Sipalay. I learned how to formally dive in Bacolod when I was 11, and of course my dad was my instructor. My classmate for the Open Water class was my uncle Gabby Gonzaga. We stayed in Danjugan Island in Sipalay which was run by another Uncle of mine Gerry Ledesma. My mom was excited for my O/w class that she had a wetsuit made for me and dove with me during the 4 check out dives needed to complete the course. Since I was just a beginner in Diving Im sure I looked like an idiot underwater with very awkward movements and consuming my 3000psi in a very short time.
The summer after I learned how to dive my family all went to Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan. This was my first Live Aboard experience. We rode the M/V Aquastar (which doesnt exist anymore). During the first dive I already was amazed with the place seeing sharks for the first time and the largest turtle Ive seen. We spent 5 days on the reefs diving every single day with sharks and turtles and the occasional Manta.
I've gone back to Tubbataha maybe 4-5 times already but the two best ones would have to be the time we went after my mom passed away. Before the trip started I told my cousins that I would like to see a Hammerhead shark which is pretty rare for Tubbataha. On the last day 2nd to the last dive we were at Blackrock,everyone had gone shallower already to look at a huge school of Jacks while I stayed a little deeper but still by the reef because during the start of the dive I said a silent prayer to my mom that I wanted to see a Hammerhead shark. I think she heard my prayer coz as I looked into the blue I saw a huge silhouette of something, so I went a way from the reef and swam towards the blue as I got nearer I realized that it was a huge 8-9 foot hammerhead swimming solo. I couldnt believe my eyes and had to clear my mask just to make sure that I wasnt imagining things. I took a second look and it was still there, this is the point when I started screaming (yes, its possible underwater) and signaling to my dad and to my cousin that there was a hammerhead. That was one hell of a dive for me.
The second most memorable was when I took guests that frequent our resort, Dive Solana, to Tubbataha for a "Solana Trip" (Tubbataha Diving with the Solana service). I took the group of French guests down, I forgot the site already. I was in the lead and the Belgian boat manager was in the back. During the dive I looked back and noticed the boat manager out in the blue with his arms out like he was calling a dog and I was like "WTF is this guy doing?". After a few seconds something appeared which I thought was HUGE shark but then it went sideways and I realized it was a pilot whale (I shit you not) it started doing flips and swimming around the group and everyone was just amazed with what they were seeing. When we got up everyone was ecstatic with what we had just seen.
Even if that incident happened to me I still didnt fear the water, what I learned was that you have to respect the ocean. The ocean can be calm and soothing and the ocean can become a monster in a second.
It was in Cebu that I started diving and grabbing my dads reg and dive at 10 feet. Another cool thing in Cebu was the beach was like 20-30 minutes away, so sometimes my dad would pick me up from school and take me to the beach so he could dive and I could swim.
We did a lot of dive trips and going to the beaches around the Visayas when we lived in Cebu. We would spend New Year's eve in Bohol, we went to Camiguin, Bacolod and Dumaguete.
After Grade 3 we moved to my moms hometown, Bacolod. Bacolod is different from Cebu since there isint much beaches there because of the many rivers that lead to the ocean the water and sand are color brown. So instead of the beaches my parents put us kids in a swimming program. We would be swimming every afternoon after school and early mornings during Saturday. I also started competing in swimming meets and one time even made it to the Nationals.
To go diving in Bacolod you would have to drive 4-6 hours to go to Dumaguete or Sipalay. I learned how to formally dive in Bacolod when I was 11, and of course my dad was my instructor. My classmate for the Open Water class was my uncle Gabby Gonzaga. We stayed in Danjugan Island in Sipalay which was run by another Uncle of mine Gerry Ledesma. My mom was excited for my O/w class that she had a wetsuit made for me and dove with me during the 4 check out dives needed to complete the course. Since I was just a beginner in Diving Im sure I looked like an idiot underwater with very awkward movements and consuming my 3000psi in a very short time.
The summer after I learned how to dive my family all went to Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan. This was my first Live Aboard experience. We rode the M/V Aquastar (which doesnt exist anymore). During the first dive I already was amazed with the place seeing sharks for the first time and the largest turtle Ive seen. We spent 5 days on the reefs diving every single day with sharks and turtles and the occasional Manta.
I've gone back to Tubbataha maybe 4-5 times already but the two best ones would have to be the time we went after my mom passed away. Before the trip started I told my cousins that I would like to see a Hammerhead shark which is pretty rare for Tubbataha. On the last day 2nd to the last dive we were at Blackrock,everyone had gone shallower already to look at a huge school of Jacks while I stayed a little deeper but still by the reef because during the start of the dive I said a silent prayer to my mom that I wanted to see a Hammerhead shark. I think she heard my prayer coz as I looked into the blue I saw a huge silhouette of something, so I went a way from the reef and swam towards the blue as I got nearer I realized that it was a huge 8-9 foot hammerhead swimming solo. I couldnt believe my eyes and had to clear my mask just to make sure that I wasnt imagining things. I took a second look and it was still there, this is the point when I started screaming (yes, its possible underwater) and signaling to my dad and to my cousin that there was a hammerhead. That was one hell of a dive for me.
The second most memorable was when I took guests that frequent our resort, Dive Solana, to Tubbataha for a "Solana Trip" (Tubbataha Diving with the Solana service). I took the group of French guests down, I forgot the site already. I was in the lead and the Belgian boat manager was in the back. During the dive I looked back and noticed the boat manager out in the blue with his arms out like he was calling a dog and I was like "WTF is this guy doing?". After a few seconds something appeared which I thought was HUGE shark but then it went sideways and I realized it was a pilot whale (I shit you not) it started doing flips and swimming around the group and everyone was just amazed with what they were seeing. When we got up everyone was ecstatic with what we had just seen.
How I became Aquaboy...
PART 1
I started diving when I was about 11 years old. My dad's a Dive Instructor so that kinda meant that I would have to learn how to dive as well. I had tried scuba diving before when I was younger, I remember those dive trips my dad would go on in Cebu, all the kids of my dads friends would all be on the boat as well and we would wait for our parents to start their deco stop at around 10ft. So what I would do is dive down and grab my dads spare regulator and we would cruise around the reef for a few minutes, that was a trip for me back then.
At a very young age my Mom and Dad already introduced me to the water. I have pictures that my mom took, me in the water when I was about a month old in our old beach house is Nasugbu. They also used to take me to the country club in Alabang to learn how to swim and get used to the water.
You can say I was a beach kid back then. During weekends we would get into the old Uichico coaster and head to Nasugbu with my ninang Wendy, Ninang Wni and my other cousins. Wed use old pieces of driftwood as floaters and race one another. It's wonderful when you are a child, you are genuinely happy and content with the simplest things and you are content.
The fishermen used to throw fishing nets by the shore and when the time came to pull up the nets I would be there helping them out, back then they used to catch a whole lot of fish just by the shore. After we pulled the net up they would give me a few fish to take home and I would be super happy and run home to give the fish to the cook to fry or grill.
When I was around 4 or 5 we moved to Cebu for my dad's business, we first rented a house in Cebu City where we stayed for a few years, then my mom built her dream home by the sea. The place was called Punta Engano in Mactan Island, people used to tell my Mom and Dad that they were crazy for building a house there coz no one lived there and that it was so far from the city. Me, my bro and sis would go there during weekends while it was being built and just freely roam around the construction site and the property. The end of the land was a cliff which led straight to the water, so one of the first things my mom built was stairs going down so we could swim anytime we wanted to.
You know how some people are traumatized after something bad happens to them, well something traumatizing happened to me and water while we were living in Cebu. We had just went boating with a Japanese family that was also living in Cebu at that time. It was me, my mom, the Japanese lady and her daughter and the boatman in a small rubber dinghy heading back to shore when a wave capsized the boat. I was underwater I think for about 5 seconds when I got up I was crying and scared but I kept calm and started swimming as fast as I could back to the bigger boat. You could say I nearly drowned that day.
I started diving when I was about 11 years old. My dad's a Dive Instructor so that kinda meant that I would have to learn how to dive as well. I had tried scuba diving before when I was younger, I remember those dive trips my dad would go on in Cebu, all the kids of my dads friends would all be on the boat as well and we would wait for our parents to start their deco stop at around 10ft. So what I would do is dive down and grab my dads spare regulator and we would cruise around the reef for a few minutes, that was a trip for me back then.
At a very young age my Mom and Dad already introduced me to the water. I have pictures that my mom took, me in the water when I was about a month old in our old beach house is Nasugbu. They also used to take me to the country club in Alabang to learn how to swim and get used to the water.
You can say I was a beach kid back then. During weekends we would get into the old Uichico coaster and head to Nasugbu with my ninang Wendy, Ninang Wni and my other cousins. Wed use old pieces of driftwood as floaters and race one another. It's wonderful when you are a child, you are genuinely happy and content with the simplest things and you are content.
The fishermen used to throw fishing nets by the shore and when the time came to pull up the nets I would be there helping them out, back then they used to catch a whole lot of fish just by the shore. After we pulled the net up they would give me a few fish to take home and I would be super happy and run home to give the fish to the cook to fry or grill.
When I was around 4 or 5 we moved to Cebu for my dad's business, we first rented a house in Cebu City where we stayed for a few years, then my mom built her dream home by the sea. The place was called Punta Engano in Mactan Island, people used to tell my Mom and Dad that they were crazy for building a house there coz no one lived there and that it was so far from the city. Me, my bro and sis would go there during weekends while it was being built and just freely roam around the construction site and the property. The end of the land was a cliff which led straight to the water, so one of the first things my mom built was stairs going down so we could swim anytime we wanted to.
You know how some people are traumatized after something bad happens to them, well something traumatizing happened to me and water while we were living in Cebu. We had just went boating with a Japanese family that was also living in Cebu at that time. It was me, my mom, the Japanese lady and her daughter and the boatman in a small rubber dinghy heading back to shore when a wave capsized the boat. I was underwater I think for about 5 seconds when I got up I was crying and scared but I kept calm and started swimming as fast as I could back to the bigger boat. You could say I nearly drowned that day.
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