Presentation and a question on DuCoMi

[tonyN]

Hi evereybody

I'm an avid scubadiver since a few years with a couple of visits to the Red Sea from before. About a year ago I went to the Visayas for the first time and in a few weeks I'm going back to Dauin with a few dive buddies for a two week stay. Diving around Dauin was an awesome experience with all the macro life around, the Red Sea doesn't come close in this respect (miss the sharks though). However, I've read about the work that is being done at DuCoMi, the dive spot that made us chose to go back to Dauin for the full trip. Can anyone tell me what the latest updates on the work is, any first hand experiences? I've read somewhere that it is being done while trying to minimize the damage to the corals and wildlife around the piere, is that so?

Thanks

[Diver]

I was at the famous Ducomi divesite in november for 4 times and it is still one of the most beautifull macro and soft corral sites in the world.
And I also diveved many times at the red see, but over there is no macro live like at the Philipines
Yes it was closed for about 2 years but it is now again open for already a long time.
As you know you must have a permit to dive over there and book in a diveresort like atlantis, diveworx (at privat residence) , El Dorado and so on.

Greetings and you will have a great time at the pier.

j.Diver

[Rhoody]

Jan,

that a kind of wrong,
1.) to dive the pier you need to apply for it, but you DON'T need one of the resorts at all. To dive with a resort was the situation 2 years ago but changed looong time ago. Maybe they don't tell you the truth to keep them atatched to you.

Also the statements of Amontilado - Resort (I read on other boards and websites) that nightdives are only possible with them are just wrong and a bad try to get customers.

2.) The pier will undergo renovation. At present there are about 10 to 15 posts blank (out of some hundred). The company stopped cleaning as whole pillars as hey found out that the damage is only in the lower few meters. They also wait if money is available from organisations like project aware and others.

The small pier is up to now untouched (if you don't count the damage some poor divers do).

Both Piers are still worldclass dives and only the future can tell. There can't be a statement done by now. DUCOMI and diving industry works together to find a solution...

cheers

Rhoody

[Diver]

Thank you Rhoody for correcting me.

I know a solution, let they make a new pier and leaf the old one for diving.
The pier is a divemonument and we must keep it that way, and the bureau of tourism have to know that or has te be informed.

Greetings J.Diver

[Rhoody]

Jan, there are many things on the way at the moment. For me it is already a success that a Private company want to do something and works together with the diving industry and environmental related projects.

I doubt that I would be that open, if someone want to stop me from renovating my house just because there is a rare bird breeding under my roof...

so, from my side deepest respect to them ... for now... time will tell

Rhoody

[Diver]

I know that, and we will see what will happen.
When I am in Dauin I dont care to dive everyday at the pier, no i want to dive every day at the pier.

Greetings J.Diver

[tonyN]

Originally Posted by Rhoody

/.../

2.) The pier will undergo renovation. At present there are about 10 to 15 posts blank (out of some hundred). The company stopped cleaning as whole pillars as hey found out that the damage is only in the lower few meters. They also wait if money is available from organisations like project aware and others.

The small pier is up to now untouched (if you don't count the damage some poor divers do).

Both Piers are still worldclass dives and only the future can tell. There can't be a statement done by now. DUCOMI and diving industry works together to find a solution...

cheers

Rhoody

Thanks for the info Rhoody, I guess that was as good news as I dared hope for. I'll be back in Dauin for a two week stay on the 23rd of february and I'll make sure I'll go to the Pier as often as possible. Last time I was there only twice but I'll make up for that this time.

I too find it encouraging that the owners of a commercial pier take the diving perspective into consideration. Hopefully there's some economic up-turn for them and the local community so that a longterm solution can be worked out that benefits all parties.


Rhoody, another question. Do you know if anyone in the area has done any Bluewater Diving around Dauin, as described in:

NOAA Ocean Explorer: 2007: Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea: Bluewater Diving

[Rhoody]

sad news-update, the small pier is now also "under investigation"

[Just a dude]

actually they have already scraped the bottom 1 meter off of a few of the posts at the small pier.

[Just a dude]

actually they have already scraped a few posts on the small pier. just the bottom 1 meter. It seems that they are looking to see if there is a problem there as well.....