This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by Hive account@marc-allaria: BORNEO - Stop#6 - Big fishes school...!

^{As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.}

Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (Hive account@vcelier), but Marc Allaria (Hive account@marc-allaria), a French guy.

---

BIG SCHOOL

Big school

"Big Fish Country"! This is the name given to the most popular dives on the island. Once is not custom, the big fish meet where the current is strong. In this case, at the entrance of the famous unknown pass. Four knots of current is not rare event at high tides. Here, divers bring hooks to attach to the rock. I explore the place with the club of the hotel and their 10 divers, 10 strings of bubbles, 10 pairs of flippers, 10 sources of noise ...! There is no secret, approach the fish with a group of 10 divers ... it's just not possible.

Shadow of the shoal of fish

Going alone in such a place when the current is established would be rather unreasonable. Diving alone makes possible a certain freedom of evolution and philosophy of diving, but obviously brings its share of logistical constraints. After long discussions with the team of divers of the hotel I see only one alternative. Wait for the low slack at the beginning of the incoming tide and go down with the anchor in hand, the camera in the other hand, and from time to time the inflator in the other hand. .

* * * * *

Today the water is smooth, I'm on time, the water is particularly clear, and reward supreme, a huge black blob is under the annex. This is the huge shoal of barracudas, star of the corner and came to get me on the surface. The opportunity is too beautiful! I put the anchor inn the water and get as fast as possible to the bottom. I remain a few tens of seconds busy head down to fix the anchor firmly at the bottom. The task accomplished, I raise my head and discover erected a few meters from me the famous "fish school".

Two thousand to four thousand barracudas are there in front of me, facing me as if they had watched me do my maneuver from the beginning. The scene is simply surreal. In a few minutes, I'm part of the group. I could touch them by reaching out. I am totally surrounded. At times, their shadow eclipses the sun yet very present on the surface. My camera gives itself to my heart's content, and my heart gives me one of the most beautiful joys of my life as a diver. A little more shy, an eagle ray remains at a respectable distance in the company of a school of small trevallies and another group of snappers. Definitely, the place is appreciated by the "big fishes" of the area. This ballet lasts a good half-hour, after which the current begins to be established. I understand that I will soon have trouble swimming against the current. The dive will have been short but I'm not in a hurry, I'll be back tomorrow, and tomorrow again! I catch my anchor, the fixed on my stab and let me drift inside the lagoon by making my bearings at 2 or 3 knots of speed! What a feeling ! It's time for me to come down from my soft cloud back to the surface ...

* * * * *

01: DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES: Funny situations ...! at sea..., by @marc-allaria
02: DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES: The fishing file ...!, by @marc-allaria
03: DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES: The Cagayan Islands, by @marc-allaria
04: DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES: Seaweed...!, by @marc-allaria
05: DISCOVER THE PHILIPPINES: The Bacuit Archipelago, by @marc-allaria
06: BORNEO: Kudat and the technical stop, by @marc-allaria
07: BORNEO: Kinabatangan River, by @marc-allaria
08: BORNEO: Maratua, part 1, by @marc-allaria