FULL. Rescheduled from 2021 to 12-20th May 2023. Contact Caroline@scubatravel.com for waiting list spaces.
Join Alex Mustard for an underwater photography wide angle workshop on the pristine reefs of Tubbataha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and ASEAN Heritage Park. This is one a few locations in the Philippines where you can reliably dive with the big stuff and typically in 30m+ visibility, ocean water. Huge schools, whale sharks, mantas, mobulas, reef sharks, eagle rays, tuna and dolphins all pitch up in this oasis of life in the middle of the Sulu Sea. Equally attractive are the thriving corals, especially hard coral and soft coral gardens and attractive sea fans.
Alex says “this is one of the best places I have been to photograph classic coral reef scenery in with clear water and sunny conditions. There are loads of mighty schools, turtles galore and the place has a reputation for providing encounters with whale sharks and plenty of other big stuff. Actually, on my last trip to Tubbataha, I felt we were unlucky with the pelagics, so I am hoping this trip will be the payback.”
Tubbataha has a short diving season when the park is open and the conditions are optimal for the open ocean reefs, which means places on the best boats are always in high demand. The workshop is based on Solitude One, a very spacious, 52m long steel-hulled ship, that Alex has used previously for workshops. Alex adds “Solitude usually takes 22 divers comfortably, but I am limiting this trip to 16. This will make the boat feel incredibly spacious, but more importantly it gives me more time with each of you and it gives you all more space underwater.”
The diving is classic wall diving, mixed with slopes and coral gardens, with current at some sites, and hopefully plentiful encounters in the blue. The Workshop will focus on reefscapes, wide angle photography, schools, turtles and big animal shooting. Alex will give lectures on board and run image review sessions for the group, to give feedback on your photos and to get ideas and inspiration from what others are producing. Tubbataha has plenty of macro subjects, but it is not as rich for tiny critters as other parts of the Philippines, but a macro lens is well suited for reef fish portraits. Alex adds “Tubbataha is a wide angle destination, a place to shoot the richness of the coral triangle in perfect conditions for photography.”
VITALS
Dates: 28th May – 4th June 2021 (Manila to Manila).
Price: £3845 GBP – pp based on two sharing. Limited single occupancy is available, as are cabin upgrades.
Included: all diving and accommodation (full board on board), domestic flights from Manila, 1 night in Belmont Hotel in Manila. Extras: Nitrox (currently $135 USD), Tubbataha National Park fee ($100 USD).
Please contact Caroline@scubatravel.com for waitlist reservations and further information. A deposit of £1000 GPB is required to secure your spot, followed by an interim payment of £1000 GBP in July 2020, with the balance due 100 days before departure.
PRE TRIP
The Philippines is a long-haul destination for many and Scuba Travel have organized an official pre-trip, staying at a favourite resort of Alex’s: Aiyanar in Anilao (a 2 hour drive from Manila Airport). This is a non-teaching extension, but the rich macro life of Anilao will be an ideal complement to the wide angle subjects of Tubbataha. It is expected that many of the group will be together in Anilao before joining the liveaboard.
