Philippine Notes: 1.5 Acres

We went snorkeling for our first time yesterday off of Balicasag Island, which is about a 30 minute boat ride from Panglao. The entire experience was incredible.
1. For $100, we were able to rent a boat for the day, for just two people. This place just jumped a notch on the retirement option list.
2. I'm not sure we have ever seen water this clear. Apparently, we also lucked out in that March is one of the best times of the year to go snorkeling in the Philippines due to the fact that this month is one of the months with the calmest seas.
3. On the beach at Balicasag, you can walk up to a small tent, pick from an array of seafood and they cook it up for you while you are out exploring the coral reef. The crabs had amazing patterns on their shells.
4. Having never been snorkeling, I was not sure what to expect but this exceeded my wildest expectations. The sheer amount and diversity of fish on the coral reef here was amazing. Along the edge of the reef, there was a massive sea wall of coral that stretched down to the ocean floor. Seeing geography like that under water was amazing. Watching our guide Lydio, born and raised on this 1.5 acre island in the middle of the Bohol Sea, dive down that wall into the darkness with nothing but the clothes on his back and a mask covering his eyes was a beautiful sight.