I just got back from shooting an HD production on Malapascua Island in the north of Cebu, Philippines, where we got to dive with pelagic thresher sharks.

While the thresher sharks were fairly consistent early in the am, I finally saw a Stegopontonia commensalis shrimp on an urchin and got some HD footage of that, and also I finally got some decent footage of a crinoid shrimp, which are difficult to shoot as they are normally embedded deep within the crinoid, making focusing and viewing impossible.

I'm writing a 4 thousand or so word, 40 photo review of diving there that will include photos of traditional village life and some utterly spectacular Hi res extended dynamic range tropical photos of secluded bays and pics of the uninhabited Calanggaman Island.

Once done I will post a link.

At the next scuba show in Long Beach we should be ready to offer an hour long HD multimedia presentation on Philippines scuba diving including regions like Bohol, Panglao Island, Balicasag Island, Dumaguete, Apo Island, Puerto Galera, Verde Island, Anilao, Maricaban Island, etc.

Where else can you dive with thresher sharks, see 5 different species of shrimp on one dive, go speelunking in the Dagahoy Caves in Danao dripping with humidity, see millions of bats and bizarre cave dwelling spiders with pinching scorpion-like arms, see tarsiers inches away in the Bohol Tarsier Sanctuary, see as much soft coral as Fiji, see ornate ghost pipefish on almost every dive in season or have a huge frogfish swim up and perch on your chest looking up towards your chin thinking you are the coolest black rock, then after a days worth of diving, buy a San Miguel beer for 50 cents, then get an hour long massage for $4 - that's diving in the Philippines!

Dave

• looking forward to it... (-) Steve Clark 10:03:59 08/21/09 (0)