Sangat Island – July 2016

Divers: Leo, Gary, Phill, Ben, Spike, Push, Youri, Giullian, Nockers, Tim, Simon, Vikki  & Mark
Surface support: Denise, Susan, Rose, Janine & Liz

Every winter Aquability run a dive trip some where over seas that gets us out of the cold that is a Melbourne winter. It appears the winter of 2016 was a very good time to be out of Melbourne. Whilst Melbourne was experiencing one of its coldest and windiest winters ever, our team of 18 were diving some fantastic wrecks in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. We were based at Sangat Island in Coron Bay, and whilst the diving is fantastic, mainly WWll Japanese Maru’s, Sub Chasers, Fishing boats and a Sea Plane tender, the stay at Sangat Island is a experience all of its own. There are no 5 Star apartments here, just bamboo walled huts, grass, sand and the sea. The meals are supplied and the food was never disappointing, with something for everyone on the table every meal. The 32 degree water and with a 15 minute boat ride to most of the dive sites made for very relaxed diving. The dives are not deep here and that allows for long bottom times, giving plenty of time to penetrate the wrecks. The viz varies from about 10 – 20 metres depending on the dive site and the wrecks them selves are silty, so this requires a very good dive technique when swimming through the wreck. The end of the trip came all too soon, but we all agreed, Sangat Island is a great place to spend a holiday diving and we’ll all be back in the near future for sure! 

Mark