Thanks to Finn for this video of our divers swimming along with a beautiful turtle in Big La Laguna Bay, just outside Scandi Divers Resort. There’s some really nice close-up stuff about 1 minute in.
Turtles are regular visitors to Big La Laguna, and one of our favourites. So graceful in the water, they are an absolute pleasure to watch up close.
Book your dream Philippines tropical diving vacation with us, and you’ll be swimming turtles and other amazing creatures before you know it!
Marti, who is a long-time local identity here, and owner/manager of Marti’s Bar in Sabang, completed the course over a two week period.
The Advanced Rec Trimix course is designed to introduce divers to safe decompression diving using helium, and up to 100% O2 for deco gas.
Course includes theory, one confined water session and 4 dives to a maximum depth of 48 meters.
Anyone interested in extending their depth and range capabilities, and challenging themselves, please use our inquiry form.
Scandi Divers Resort is very pleased to announce that we have are now offering Sidemount diving and Technical diving, as courses and recreational dives.
Sidemount diving offers a completely new way to configure your diving equipment and has taken the diving community by storm over the last few years. Sidemount diving offers great streamlining capability and helps divers to improve their propulsion and trim. This has an immediate effect on your air consumption, and makes you a more efficient diver. Sidemount diving is also ideal for divers with back problems!
For divers wishing to explore the depths beyond the limits of recreational diving, Trimix is the clear choice. A breathing mixture of oxygen, helium and nitrogen, Trimix allows you to manage the risks of elevated oxygen concentrations and nitrogen narcosis, giving you a clear head when it really matters… You’ll discover the benefits of Trimix diving and learn to assess and manage the hazards associated with extended range diving. You’ll develop your dive skills to safely and competently plan and conduct dives utilising Helium-based breathing gases.
This course is deisgned to introduce divers to safe decompression diving using helium, and up to 100% O2 for deco gas.
Contact us to find out about doing technical or sidemount diving and courses with Scandi Divers Resort!
One of Scandi Divers’ guests, Yu Mengcuan from Beijing. Totally excited about this 13kg Yellowfin Tuna caught in the deep waters out from Big La Laguna Bay.
Yum! Looks like we’ll be eating well!
The Philippine Red Cross is deploying rescue teams to affected areas of the country. Logistics equipment including mobile storage units, pre-fabricated offices and generators, is being sent from the UN humanitarian response depot (UNHRD) in Malaysia to set up operational hubs at Tacloban and Cebu airports. Some 300kg of IT equipment including digital radios are being sent from UNHRD in Dubai. The WFP is drawing upon $2m to buy high-energy biscuits and rice, but will be appealing for more funds as the needs become clearer. The UN’s World Food Programme is providing emergency food assistance to families and children. UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees, plans an emergency airlift of tents, plastic sheets, blankets, mats, water containers and cooking utensils for 16,000 families. UNHCR will also distribute 50,000 solar lanterns. Unicef is asking for funds to help children in urgent need of access to safe water, hygiene supplies, food, shelter and a safe environment. Click here for UK-based appeals Click here for Australia-based appeals Click here for US-based appeals
British aid agencies have launched a joint emergency appeal to get food, water and shelter to victims of the typhoon. The Disasters Emergency Committee is made up of 14 aid charities. Oxfam is raising funds to deploy water and sanitation materials to those affected. ShelterBox is working to assist families affected by the typhoon. Care is delivering food, water, shelter and other essentials to the survivors. Save the Children has launched a typhoon Haiyan children’s relief fund to support their responses to urgent needs. Christian Aid has deployed three rapid response teams to affected areas in Samar, Leyte and Panay to assess the needs of communities. It is working with local partners to provide food, shelter repair materials and hygiene kits. Plan UK is providing shelters, hygiene kits and school equipment to families affected by the typhoon. The British Red Cross has launched an appeal. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has sent an emergency team to Manila and launched a $10m appeal in order to implement the most appropriate response. HelpAge is working with the coalition of services of the elderly (COSE), to send staff to affected areas. It is developing a relief plan to meet older people’s most urgent needs. ActionAid has put a local assessment team on standby in Vietnam. Emergency teams from Médecins Sans Frontières arrived in thePhilippines on Saturday. Four cargo planes carrying 329 tonnes of medical and relief items will arrive in the coming days, flying out of Dubai and Ostende. Anglican Overseas Aid is swinging into action to bring urgent aid to people.
ChildFund Australia is calling for donations to help provide emergency relief items and safe spaces for children. Plan International Australiais prioritising assisting children and will be providing shelters, hygiene kits and school equipment to families affected by the typhoon. World Vision Australia does not have a specific typhoon Haiyan appeal, but you can make donations to its emergency and preparedness fund, which will go towards its work – already under way – in the Philippines and Vietnam. Australia for UNHCR has mobilised teams to pool resources, food and non-food items and distribute them to victims of the typhoon. It is sending 200 tonnes of medical equipment as well as adding to its on-the-ground team with extra personnel, including medical staff and psychologists. The international Caritas network is responding to affected communities, providing shelter, clean water, sanitation, hygiene and household relief. The Australian Red Cross is also asking for donations to help in the provision of emergency relief, rehabilitation and recovery to both the Philippines and Vietnam. Médecins Sans Frontières is sending an extra 50 people to its team in Cebu. It is sending 329 tonnes of medical and relief cargo. Oxfam Australia is aiming to raise $17m in donations to provide relief to half a million people in affected communities in the Philippines.
The American Red Cross has sent relief specialists to the area and is set to send telecommunication specialists and supplies to the area. Its tracing system in place and Philippine Red Cross volunteers are providing local aid. Habitat for Humanity is aiming to raise funds to provide 10,000 core houses, cleaning kits for 50,000 families and shelter repair kits for 30,000 families in the affected areas. Catholic Relief Services has acquired 32,000 tarps and emergency supplies intended for the country. Its strategy is to serve 32,000 households in three areas: Ormoc, Palo and Basey. Direct Relief is collaborating with on the ground partner Asia America Initiative to deliver medical aid and flood relief supplies requested by the latter organization. Médecins Sans Frontières has sent emergency teams to the worst-affected parts of the country and a staff including doctors, psychologists and surgeons. Oxfam America is collecting money to rush emergency aid to the Philippines, including food, clean water, medicine, sanitation supplies and shelter. Operation USA is requesting donations for relief and recovery efforts and corporate donations of bulk supplies. It is also accepting air mile donations.
It’s been more than two months now since a mother Green Sea Turtle came and laid a clutch of eggs right on Scandi Divers’ doorstep. If you have been following our blog, you will know the eggs were moved to a protected area further up the beach, away from the dangers of storm waves, animals and people.
We have been patiently waiting and monitoring the turtle eggs, and were recently rewarded when 54 baby turtles emerged from the sand! It has taken a total of 73 days for the eggs to hatch, which is right inside the average time of 45-75 days.
For the past 4 years, our friends at Coco Beach have been running a turtle sanctuary to try and improve the odds of survival for turtles, and increase the population. The sanctuary raises the turtles until adolescence (approx 2-3 yrs) when they will have a shell size of about six to eight inches, before releasing them into their natural environment.
Normally in the wild only about one in one hundred turtles will survive into adulthood.
Our 54 hatchlings have already been transferred to the sanctuary and 3 juvenile turtles were released to make room for our little critters. We hope the 3 teenagers thrive in their natural environment, and hope to see them around in our local waters for years to come!
Well done to Miguel and Alex, seen above with Scandi Divers instructor Rey. They both recently completed their PADI Open Water course with us and are now qualified Scuba Divers for life!
Check this page for a full list of courses available, and contact us if you would love to get your own qualification as a PADI Open Water Diver! The Open Water course is the most popular of all the PADI courses, and gives you an international lifetime qualification.
At Scandi Divers we offer PADI courses taught by highly skilled professionals with years of experience and local knowledge. Puerto Galera is an amazing place to learn how to scuba dive. Our diving resort is located on Big La Laguna Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, and is only minutes away from the dozens of world-class dive sites Puerto Galera has to offer.
Take a vacation in our beautiful tropical paradise and discover the joys of scuba diving at the same time!
Congratulations to Maria Teresa on completing her Discover Scuba Diving course, pictured here with her instructor Rey.
The PADI Discover Scuba Diving course is a great way to find out if you are comfortable using scuba equipment underwater, without having to invest lots of time or money. The DSD can be completed in only a few hours, and you will have done your very first scuba dive!
Your instructor will spend a couple of hours to familiarise you with the scuba equipment, and basic underwater safety skills, before doing a short session in the swimming pool to put that knowledge into practice. After that you and your instructor will do a shore dive, from the beach in front our resort, where you will experience the wonders of Puerto Galera’s underwater world for the very first time. (under close supervision of course)
Should you wish to take your diver training further, the DSD also counts towards the PADI Open Water Course.
