Ocean Safari Scuba

Taiwan & Philippines Expedition 2024

We started the Taiwan portion of the spring 2024 overseas trip in March and wrapped up the trip in the beginning of April. We ventured down to the southern tip of Taiwan and enjoyed diving in Kenting National Park. We loved the rustic and laid-back feeling of Kenting and we felt we experienced more authentic Taiwan. This was such a fun-filled and memorable trip that we started planning another Taiwan trip while we were still there.

Some of us continued on to Anilao, Philippines, after the Taiwan portion of the trip. We were joined by more Ocean Safari divers there for a 5-nights, 6-day dive trip. Anilao is considered macro photography heaven, but there were more than just tiny critters to see. Of course we saw countless tiny nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs, and fish, but we also enjoyed swimming over a wide field of heathy coral reef teeming with fish. We enjoyed our stay at the resort and had so much fun diving and hanging out with each other. We were discussing planning another trip there before we even started packing for our trip home.

Epic November

It was a record setting November for Ocean Safari. We had five different overseas diving and eco expeditions in three weeks – Galapagos, Ecuador, Cabo Pulmo, La Paz, and Magdalena Bay Sardine Run. Alongside the overseas trips, we also ran local dive trips to Catalina, pool sessions, and seminars. This was one of our busiest November, but it was a month of great adventures and wonderful memories for everyone. We look forward to setting another record in the near future.

Ocean Safari 31st Annual New Year Party

It's Our 31st Annual New Year Party!

Dear OSDT Divers, Family, and Friends,

You are cordially invited to our New Year Party on Saturday, January 6, 2024.

Let's welcome in the new year together!! Bring your family, and friends. We will have food & drinks, slide/video shows, and prize drawing. There is no charge for our party. Rain or shine, let's welcome in the new year together!

Time: Saturday, January 6, 2024 from 12pm - 3pm
Location: Ocean Safari Parking Lot

This event is a pot luck, so please bring one dish or BBQ meat and/or vegetable of your choice sufficient for 4 people (max 4 servings, otherwise we'll have too much food).

BYOB - bring your own beverage/booz.

We will provide BBQ grill and ice chest.

Hang out with fellow divers and exchange diving stories.

We will have filtered water, so we encourage you to bring your reusable canteens. Please do not bring bottled water as a potluck item.

Prize Drawing - we will be giving away prizes totaling over $1000 in value (donated by Ocean Safari and various manufacturers).

Important:

To help us meet ocean safari's initiative to be eco-conscious divers, please bring your own reusable plate, cup, and utensils to use for eating and drinking. Please do not bring disposable items.

San Ignacio Gray Whale Watching and Glamping Adventure

During the last week of March, we headed to San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur for a gray whale encounter and glamping adventure.

We first flew to San Jose del Cabo. After a briefing at the dive center, we had time to go out for tacos before heading out on a complimentary humpback whale watching boat tour arranged by Nautilus. Then we checked into the hotel and relaxed. Some of us went on a leisurely walk to the nearby San Jose estuary before dinner. We could have gone to the trendy looking restaurants near the hotel, but we opted for a more authentic experience at a taco place about 15 minutes away.

Next morning, we flew to San Ignacio Lagoon, where we stayed in insulated and windproof tents that had heaters, ensuite bathrooms and showers, hot and cold running water, power, and real beds. We enjoyed encounters with gray whales in the lagoon, kayaking, walking on the beach and the sand dunes, stargazing, and hanging out around the camp.

The gray whales in this breeding and birthing lagoon choose to swim over to the pangas to be caressed, stroked, and rubbed. Most of the whales we encountered were mothers with their calves. It was amazing to see the mother whales approach with their calves and allow us to touch them. Some of us got to hug and even kiss the whales! It was such a fun trip.

Trip report by Megumi

Diving Triton Bay - by Judy Ho Orange

We (John and I ) made some memorable and amazing dives on a recent trip aboard the Arenui in Feb 2023. When I first approached Gabe at Ocean Safari about his charter boat trip, it was full, sadly for us. But Gabe said he would look around and find something, and surely he did, the best option for us being on the repositioning trip after his charter, i.e., an 11 day trip from Sorong to Kaimana, so it would have the reverse route, from Kaimana to Sorong. It was a most amazing trip and we are so glad we went!

Near Kaimana, at the beginning of our trip, is Triton Bay, known for the baby whale sharks that would come around, sometimes in droves, to feed on the fish set up in nets by the local fishermen on floating platforms called "bagans". On the day of our Triton Bay dive, we got up at 4:45am, had a light breakfast, and then suited up, ready to dive. Peering into the dark along the horizon we could see two bagans all lit up. But no whale sharks came. So we waited and waited, until just before 7am, the cruise director decided that, to increase our chance of seeing the fish, we should get into the two small dive boats and move closer to one of the bagans. It was already daylight, and we continued to wait for another 15 minutes, all suited up, on the two dive boats. Then suddenly the cruise director shouted "Get ready! One, two, three, go !" Having repeatedly checked our gear, yes, we were ready to go! We all back rolled into the water and immediately I could see a whale shark swimming towards us at about 20 feet deep. Size is relative, and this whale shark, if it is a "baby", still looks pretty big next to us divers.

As I was still adjusting my buoyancy, all of a sudden the whale shark made a big swoop and came charging at me! All I could do was back off as fast as I could as we were told NOT to touch wild life. Chasing me almost to the surface, the giant fish turned around and dove down. Just as I was debating whether to follow the fish, it turned and came right at me again! This happened at least three times. I finally got my camera ready and started shooting; however, I turned the strobe off as I did not want the flash to hurt the eyes of the fish; yes, we were that close. I kept mumbling through the regulator to the fish: "I'm not supposed to touch you! Don't get so close! Open your mouth! I want to see if you have any teeth?" Later, I wondered if the funny noises I made was the attraction.

In the end, every diver enjoyed a great encounter with the whale shark. We were told by the fishermen that the whale shark was not hungry at all, as it spit out all the fish they threw at it, so it was just playing with us.

When the dive trip came to a close, the boat held a photo contest with only one winner. I sent one entry, reluctantly, as my TG6 is no match for other divers' big rigs. I even disabled my strobe! But this trip is full of surprises. The final surprise is that I won !

Judy Ho Orange

Ocean Safari Blog

Taiwan & Philippines Expedition 2024

Epic November

Ocean Safari 31st Annual New Year Party

San Ignacio Gray Whale Watching and Glamping Adventure

Diving Triton Bay - by Judy Ho Orange