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A VIRTUAL TOUR OF A PHILIPPINE REEF

Presented by Charles & Linda Raabe

   MOALBOAL

09 April 2007 - Today it was my distinct honor to have been invited by three fellow reef enthusiasts that hail from the capitol city of Manila, a 2 hour flight from the north, to spend a few hours snorkeling over the pristine reefs of Moalboal, known world-wide as a scuba diving destination.
   Randell Tiongson, Justing Chu and B.J. Legaspi , all members of ReefPhilippines.com, picked Linda and I up at 6:30am for the two and a half hour drive south to the city of Moalboal. Once we arrived, we were treated to a beach side restaurant for breakfast before heading into the water. While eating, one could not help but to look out over the tropical waters and anticipate seeing what had been described to me as a pristine reef holding an immense diversity of both corals and fish.
  A short walk along the shop lined sea wall found ourselves at the Ocean Globe Dive Shop which we used as our jumping off point. I did not waste any time getting myself ready and as usual, was the first one into the water. From shore, it was a mere 50 yard swim over the grass beds before I found myself in ten feet of water looking down at what one thinks of when the word "reef" is evoked. I was quite astonished to see the amount of, and distribution of soft corals mixed in amongst the stony corals. For me, it was also a pleasant surprise to see tangs, angelfish, butterflys and schools of chromis. Not something I get to see on my own "home" reef, nor my aquarium for that matter.
  About one hundred feet further out, a vertical reef wall descends to about fifty feet deep and appears to form a large shelf with yet another wall beginning and I  assume it drops down to the sea floor. If you allow yourself to drift slowly along the drop off, a good many larger parrot fish and schools of tangs can be seen at depth going about their daily lives. The wall itself is home to and covered by, a great many coral species. This is one destination that I will surely be returning to this summer.
  Again, I would like to thank the members of ReefPhilippines forum for their invitation, hospitality and friendship. This is one day that I will not soon forget. Thank you!





The Coral Reef



Photo by Charles Raabe  Copyright 2007   Photo by Charles Raabe - copyright 2007
Left, the island of Pescador, which makes Moalboal a favorite amongst divers. Right, a small goby stands guard as its burrow mate, a pistol shrimp, is busy below enlarging their home.

Photo by Charles Raabe   Photo by Charles Raabe
One of the many coral lined crevices and a look down view of the reef shallows.

Photo by Charles Raabe   Photo by Charles Raabe
A view of the reef wall looking back up towards the surface and a clownfish trying its best to hide amongst the tentacles of a bubble tip anemone.

Photo by Charles Raabe   Photo by Charles Raabe
Two beautiful Acropora examples, which abound on this reef.

Photo by Charles Raabe   Photo by Charles Raabe
I can never help but to admire the beauty of form that corals possess.

Photo by Charles Raabe - copyright 2007

For more information on Moalboal, please visit : http://www.moalboal.org.uk/

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This mirror is being hosted with the permissions of the original content creator for preservation and educational purposes.