Hello from Japan

[Bill22]

I originally posted this over on Philippine Paradise Divers, but figured I should put it here also since probably not everyone goes there. I've only been on this forum for a couple of weeks and have made a few posts already

Name: Bill (I wasn't as original as some when thinking up my screen name )

Location: Presently I live in Yokosuka, Japan. I was born and raised in Texas, spent most of my adult life prior to 2001 in Florida.

Occupation: Military Policeman (Master-at-Arms) for US Navy (since 2001). Formerly a US Navy Photographer. Also worked for Photographic Services at Cape Canaveral on the US Space Program and as a Photo Lab Manager.

Diving Certification: PADI Rescue Diver
Specialites: Cavern Diver; EANx; Wreck

Dive Spots: I've dived all over Florida. Also St Thomas and Jamaica in the Carribbean.

Here in Japan I'm the president of our local dive club. We dive around the Miura Pennisula, either Yokosuka or Sagami Bays.

We also make the drive to the Izu Pennisula where we dive in Suruga Bay. The above water scenery includes an excellent view of Mount Fuji Izu is the northernmost point of the Philippine Plate. So when we're diving on the west coast of Izu we're diving in the Philippine Sea. On the east coast and when we're diving Miura we're diving in the Pacific

Japan is the only place I've dived in anything more than a 3mm (we're in drysuits now ) Mostly beach diving here. Being in reasonably good physical condition is definetly a plus, we're often walking/wading over rocks and swimming to get to the site

I've made two trips to the Philippines (so far). Both in 2007. The first was to Puerto Galera where I stayed at El Galleon and dived with Asia Divers. The second was to Cebu where I dived Malapascua Island with Thresher Shark Divers and Moalboal with Ocean Safari Philippines (better known as Nelson's Scuba Diving School). My favorite dive site (so far) is Pescador Island near Moalboal. Night dives on the House Reef were a lot of fun also. For pure rush... Thresher Sharks and Mantas at Monad Shoal near Malapascua. I'll be making at least one more trip to the Philippines this year. Still trying to narrow that down. The problem with the Philippines I always say... is that there are just too many great places to dive!

Guam... Incredible visibility out in open ocean. Still good inside the harbor. I really enjoyed it. Was there this past December... 7th-13th. Did 18 dives in a week. Highlights were Blue Hole, Haps Reef, and the wrecks of the Tokai Maru and SMS Cormoran.

Future trips: Some of these may have to wait until I'm retired and have the time I'll be going back to the Philippines of course. I want to do a wreck trip which would include Subic Bay and Coron in Palawan. I'd like to do Southern Leyte, Bohol (Cabilao and Panglao), Dumaguete, Apo Island on another trip. Tubbataha will be a trip in itself probably.

I'd like to dive the whole Pacific. Initially Yap, Palau, Chuuk, and Bikini Atoll. I want to dive Australia GBR and Coral Sea. The Red Sea is on my list also. Next winter I hope to make it up to Hokkaido for some ice diving.

Future Plans: I'm thinking about doing Divemaster next year. Long term I'm giving serious consideration to living in the Philippines when I retire from the Navy in 2012.

Photography: I'm working on my photography now with a long term goal of using it as supplementary income. This goal will take several years to realize. I have an initial goal of 1000 with a long term goal of 10,000 quality images. That will definitely take time I regularly enter photos at www.underwaterphotography.com I encourage anyone who enjoys underwater photography to check it out. Any photos that you like please feel free to vote for them (anyones, not just mine )

I've already posted some of my photos over in Joy of Japan and Philippine Paradise Divers.... here are a few more. These were all taken in Japan since last August.