The next in an exciting new series of blogs introducing some of the amazing marine life you can encounter at Magic Resorts in the Philippines…

Fluro diving has been around for quite a few years now but it is still not really common. On the internet you can find loads of information about fluorescence and how it’s achieved, but still doesn’t really answer the questions about what a fluro dive is.

Here at Magic Island, we have a lot of guests who never heard of it before, and yet it’s such an incredible experience!

Read on and learn everything you need to know about fluro diving and why you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do one!

Basically, fluro dives are night dives, using special lights and lenses to allow us to see fluorescent light emitted by certain organisms and creatures. It gives the underwater world a whole new dimension, one you have never experienced before!

That Scorpion fish that was always so well-camouflaged during a regular dive, is now glowing bright red, and those soft leather corals you usually swim by without even giving them a look, are now bright green! Suddenly there are spots of green and red glowing all over the reef!

What is usually a norm becomes the extravagant and if it doesn’t glow, it’s no longer special, regardless of how exotic it may be.

So, before you jump in, there are a couple of things that you need to consider…

1. Right equipment
First you need to make sure you have the right equipment. A light with a simple blue lens will not really give you the effect you’re looking for. Although there are different lights that can be used, we have found that the “black light” works best. You can check if it’s the correct light by shining it in a dark room: if you get the disco light effect (your teeth glow bright white or the white T-shirt you’re wearing looks like its plugged in), it’s NOT the correct one. A black light would make those things look dark blue or black. You will also need a yellow filter lens to block out the other light, enhancing the fluorescent light.

2. Dive planning
The second thing is dive planning. First, you should not do your first night dive as a fluro dive, the lights used are not nearly as bright and your vision is restricted making buoyancy and navigation a challenge. Also, you cannot be around other divers who are using normal lights as this will ruin the effect. The good thing is that you really don’t need to go deep or far to see all the crazy stuff. On Magic Island’s house reef at high tide you can be at 2m/7ft deep and just a stones throw away from the dive centre and see enough to keep you entertained for hours. Of course, all usual night dive planning should be considered.

If you have never done a fluro dive, you should definitely make one! In Magic Island Dive Resort in Moalboal, Cebu in the Philippines we offer this possibility. Our favourite way to make this dive: head out during sunset to see the famous Mandarinfish mating and when the sun has set we switch over to the fluro lights and lenses for the second show – a two for one deal!

Visit Magic Oceans Anda, Bohol and Magic Island Moalboal, Cebu… find out more at www.magicresorts.online.

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