The shark, the myth the legend

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Imagine if with a subtle wiggle of the hips, you could thrust yourself forward by 15 meters. If you were a Thresher shark, that would be your modus operandi for evading predators, and catching your prey. The thresher is one of the most agile creatures in the sea, pure muscle, and with his exaggerated tail, he looks like something that was engineered by a team of NASA scientists, or a crazy Japanese animation character.

I feel really lucky to have picked Malapascua as a destination. From the time I got here, this place demands you to relax. The whole island is only about 1 X 3 kilometers. Half of it is dive resorts, bars, restaurants, and the other half is the native, a sleepy fishing village with a bunch of chickens and pigs running loose throughout the island. I feel like if there was an actual place where crash bandicoot lives, it would be here. A routine day in my life here consists of waking up at 4:00 AM, getting my gear together to make it to the dive shop by 4:30 - Thresher shark dives leave at 5, and that is the main attraction. I get back to the beach at 8, eat a quick breakfast and get ready for the next dive. Yesterday, we went to a double dive, one in a ship wreck called the Dona Marilyn wreck, and the second is at the island of Gato. I find the super choppy 2 hour boat ride out there much more challenging than the dives. Both dives are pretty intense, 45-50 meters for 45-50 minutes. The second dive, Gato, is really neat. swimming though caves rich in coral, one of the caves has a room, where a large white tip shark lives. He's just hanging out - probably doing the shark equivalent of watching TV or reading a book. We don't stay for tea - before he feels invaded, we head out of the cave. Then another shaky 2 hour boat ride back to the island, We've been at or under sea for 7 hours, by the time i'm back it feels like i'm hung over, and i can hardly walk straight. but.. wouldn't have it any other way. Back to the hotel to shower, and meet the dive crew for dinner and drinks. I don't seam to be able to muster up the energy to party here like I did in Manila. After all, tomorrow I'm waking up at 4 AM again - got a date with the threshers.

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Comments

[Carol Goldin]

Amazing photos
Wow Daren, You're camera has a very competent owner. Those last ones were beautiful of the sea horses. How's the wake boarding going? Any more videos of the recent days?love Mom