Apo Reef, Philippine Islands
March 12, 2020 The water was glass as we motored toward the lighthouse marking the Apo Reef ranger station. We had sailed (well, motored) throughout the night under the light of a nearly full moon. Our goal - to arrive in the morning so we could fit in a full day of diving. Apo Reef is 90 miles southwest of Puerto Galera. It is designated as a national park, so first thing we had to do was pop into the ranger’s station and pay the fees (US$60 per diver) for a 48-hour permit. There was only one place that we were allowed to anchor, which was quite a distance from where we paid the fees, so instead of anchoring and making the long trek, I pulled Field Trip right up to the reef wall near the station, stayed on board, and manned the ship while everyone else hopped in the dinghy and went in to check us all in. Motoring around near ranger station Thirty minutes later, they returned with the details. Turns out, there are members of the Phi...