Nautika, Svetlana, April 1998, Margo Greenberg: Four of us arranged for 5 nights, 4 days diving on the MV Nautika out of Puerta Princessa, Palawan through our travel agency. One week before we were to fly we called Nautika's office in Manila and were told that all was well. We arrived at the airport and were met by the crew of the MV Svetlana, another live-aboard servicing the same area, i.e., Tubbatahah reef in the Sulu Sea. We were told the Nautika had been out of service for a month and the owners had arranged the substitution. The Svetlana was OK and the crew was wonderful. However, their trip was 10 days and so we were to travel by small boat the 120 miles from Tubbataha reef back to P. Princessa after our 4-5 days were completed. This trip was to take 6 hrs. . . . Diving at Tubbataha was quite good. Excellent reefs only occasionally damaged by dynamite fishing. Few big stuff. Lovely soft and hard corals, lots of small and medium sized tropicals. Huge currents on many dives limiting markedly our photography. We could do up to 4 dives a day including a night dive. Our quarters were very cramped but we had private baths and AC, but no hot water. When it came time to leave we found that return passage was on a banca, an outrigger canoe, about 3 feet wide, with a small, lawnmower-like engine used for fishing by the locals. We placed planks over the struts holding the pontoons and sat in plastic chairs we had confiscated from the Svetlana and lay some mattresses on which to rest. No heads, which was disturbing to the two women who had to part the planks to urinate. The crew was pleasant enough, 3 locals who spoke little or no English. We did have the English-speaking dive guide from the Svetlana who volunteered to accompany us. No food or water but we brought our own. A smaller banca took our luggage as a back up since there was no way we could communicate should our motor fail. We left at 3 pm and arrived at a deserted dock at P. Princessa at 4 am. Fortunately the sea was very calm and it did not rain since there was no protection. If the sea had been rough it could have been a disaster. We were told that the trip should have taken 10 hrs (not 6), but the captain's compass was broken and we were lost. We passed no other boat, plane, island or any living creature for the 10 hrs. of the trip until we reached Palawan and got lost. The extra 3 hrs. were spent retracing our course, traveling along the coast of Palawan. The first 5-6 hrs. were fine. We read and enjoyed the adventure. The remaining 7 hrs, traveling at night, were not. In retrospect it was all an adventure and has added another story to our repertoire. There was no harm done. . . . Diving in the Philippines can be world class. Dynamite fishing has destroyed most of the accessible reefs but trips to the Sulu Sea are worthwhile. It is necessary to go by live-aboard. Few Americans go, the boats are adequate but Spartan and the local operators will outright lie to you re: arrangements. On the other hand, prices are low and a visit to the Philippines is an interesting vacation. (Ph: 63-27135648/49,

Fax: 63-2614230, e-mail: nautika@mnl.sequel.net)

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