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The
South
Islet, called “Lighthouse”, is a solar-powered
lighthouse where gulls and terns rest. On the east side of
the lighthouse, is a wreck of the Delsan, an old log-carrier.
The
north/northeast
of the islet is a rich slope between 10 meters (33 feet)
and 20 meters (66 feet) ends in an equally rich wall going
deeper. There is some evidence of blast fishing on the reef-top
but no signs of damage on the walls, which contains gorgonian
sea fans, barrel sponges and soft corals. Pelagic species
varies more in this area than the North islet of Tubbataha
reef, including mackerel, barracudas and rainbow runners.
The caves and crevices contain Spiny Lobsters, squirrelfish,
soldierfish, whitetip sharks, nurse sharks, jacks, Emperor
and Six-banded angelfish, barracudas, groupers, sweetlips,
goatfish, butterflyfish, triggerfish, Green and Hawksbill
Turtles, eagle rays and mantas. One portion of the wall
is in fact covered with white hyroids. Site is ideal for
night dives.
The
south/southeast/southwest
end almost the same as north/northwest end but with far
larger area of shallow reef-top, which have been more, affected
by dynamite fishing. But despite of this, the area is still
rich with smaller fish, leathery corals, whip corals, sponges,
anemones with clownfish, damsel, chromis and anthias. Blue-spotted
lagoon rays, sea cucumbers and sea stars are predominant
in the sandy patches. The shallow part of the lighthouse
has sea grass that attracts turtles. Recently, the area
has shown improvement and is now displaying a spectacular
growth of corals.
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JESSIE
BEAZLEY
This reef is 23km (12 nautical miles) northwest of North Islet
of Tubbataha. It is a mound of broken coral surrounded by
white sand and reef. This tiny islet is almost invisible during
high tides. A rich coral slope at 5 meters (16 feet) to 10
meters (33 feet) is a wall often undercut to 40 meters (130
feet) sloping out into infinity. It is known for an amazing
overhang that has Tubastrea corals and Blue sponges, crevices,
large fans corals, huge grogonian sea fans, black corals and
giant barrel sponges. In fact, the reef-top is covered with
lettuce and leathery corals teeming with different variety
of reef fish.
Schools
of snappers, jacks, surgeonfish, groupers, Sabre squirrelfish
and bigeyes, Midnight snappers, black and white snappers,
jacks, Vlaming’s Unicornfish, rainbow runners, emperors,
pennantfish, batfish, spotted sweetlips and lined sweetlips,
hawkfish, gobies, blennies, morays, lobsters are always present.
Pelagics in the form of whitetip sharks, grey reef sharks,
large groupers, Napoleon wrasse, tuna, trevallies, barracudas
and mackerels are present. Spiny lobsters can be found in
many small holes. Large shoals of fish roam around the area
or at times follow scuba divers. |
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Email:
diveshop@diveph.com
Tel:
(632) 926.44.66 / (63) 917.811.12.31
192
-194 Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City, Manila Philippines
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