Zambales '08 4: Subic Bay Diving (Again!)

Dec. 22, 2008: My second time to go scuba diving. A splendid end to our trip, after our unplanned mountain & cave hiking, education outreach program, and tour of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

As with my first diving experience, our adventure was sponsored by the Boardwalk Dive Center (owned by sir George Ang Dy Pay). Maraming, maraming salamat po, sir Jojie!

Hapon na kami sumisid, at inabot kami ng takipsilim. Pinuntahan na nga kami ng coastal police, buti na lang at malakas ata si sir Jojie sa kanila.

From the standpoint of personal ease, mas nadalian at mas kumportable ako sa dive kong ito kesa noong 1st time, kung kelan barado ang ilong ko sa sipon (at kaya madaling sumakit ang ulo ko sa baba ng tubig). The opposite held true for Ynna, who was battling fever. Pero siyempre, di niya mapalagpas ang oportunidad, kaya ayun, dive pa rin! Mataas nga lang ang lagnat niya pag-ahon.

Dahil nga may sakit si Ynna, naiwan kami sa dive center while the other LIRA poets went on a night tour of the beachfront. Oks lang sa amin magpaiwan dahil nakapag-night beachwalk na rin kami sa Subic.

Bago maghatinggabi ay lumarga na kami pa-Maynila, at doon nagtapos ang napakasayang paglalakbay namin. Saktong-sakto para sa Pasko.

Halo-halo na dito ang mga kuha mula sa cam ko, kay Ynna, at kay ms. Beng. Ang mga underwater shots ay galing kay ms. Bebang. Pagpasensyahan niyo ang mga pangit kong kuha -- medyo bago-bago pa ang DSLR ko nito at wala pa akong muwang sa tamang composition, among others.

Full album list of our 12/08 Zambales trip:

• Part 1: Impromptu Mountain & Cave Trekking


• Part 2: Teaching Poetry, Mayor's Party


• Part 3: Subic Tour (Spanish Gate to Shipwreck)


• Part 4: Subic Bay Diving (Again!)

Trip background: Two years ago, the poets of LIRA traveled north to teach poetry to teachers & students in Sta. Cruz, Zambales under the "Sining ng Tugma at Sukat" program of LIRA & the NCCA, under the leadership of sir Michael M. Coroza & then-LIRA President Beverly W. Siy. (STS Overall Project Coordinator pa lang ako nito, and 2 months away from being elected LIRA President. Kaya mukha pa akong totoy!)

2nd time ko palang pumunta sa Zambales for 2008 (the first time for STS Subic, and yes, my first diving experience).

This album is a bittersweet reminiscing, too: this was the first and last time that we were on an out-of-town trip with poet-mountaineer Mark Schwab, who joined his creator in 2009. Pre, pakitagay mo na lang kami sa mga anghel ha.