Gato Island
La profondeur indique la plage entre le sommet du site et son maximum habituel ; le « niveau de certification recommandé » correspond au niveau généralement demandé par les opérateurs selon les agences grand public, et non à une règle légale. Les courants et la visibilité varient chaque jour — considérez toutes ces informations comme des estimations de planification.
Gato is a fang of rock in the Visayan Sea, a marine sanctuary and sea-snake haven where banded sea kraits come ashore to rest and hunt through the shallows with unnerving nonchalance. The marquee moment is the tunnel, a roughly 30 m passage cutting beneath the island; at its exit, whitetip reef sharks habitually idle in the gloom, silhouetted for arriving divers. Around the flanks, overhangs shelter cuttlefish, frogfish, seahorses, and nudibranchs in numbers that justify the crossing alone. Torch required, humility recommended, and count on the snakes ignoring you completely.
Le moment pour lequel vous venez: The under-island tunnel with waiting whitetips, resident sea kraits, dense macro under every ledge
Topographie: Boulders, overhangs, and a swim-through tunnel beneath the islet
Courant: Sheltered faces most days; some flow through the tunnel and around the points.
Entrée: About 45 minutes by banca west of Malapascua; usually a two-dive trip with surface interval in the island's lee.
À savoir avant de plonger
Dangers: An overhead tunnel with surge on some tides; venomous (though placid) sea kraits deserve space.
Conservation: A protected sanctuary once used for turtle-egg and snake harvesting, now patrolled; fees fund the wardens.
Qui vous croiserez
Banded Sea Krait
Broadclub Cuttlefish
Frogfish
Nudibranchs
Seahorses
Whitetip Reef Shark
Pour les photographes
Grand angle: ★★★★☆ · Macro: ★★★★☆ — note 1–5 des éditeurs sur ce que ce site offre à chaque style de prise de vue