Brandon ColeTube anemone larvae drift in the open water before burying their stalks in the sand or mud.
Odds are I will never make it to space. That’s OK, because a closer cosmos beckons—in the open sea at night, where aliens abound, no rocket ship needed.
Enter blackwater diving. The specialized subgenre of nighttime critter-hunting began in the 1980s, when underwater photographer Chris Newbert floated around in blackness in miles-deep Hawaii searching for the unknown. With the buzz blackwater is generating today, the scuba community’s passion for planktonic discovery should have a long future ahead.
Anilao, Philippines, is a celebrated mecca of blackwater diving. It was written in the stars that I would visit, and I finally did in late January 2025.
A two-hour minivan ride from Manila’s airport brought me to what I now believe is the best blackwater destination. For starters, many Anilao operators offer two dives each night instead of the usual one. Sea conditions are generally calm. Weather rarely cancels dives. Anilao is also less expensive on a per-dive basis than French Polynesia and Cozumel, and much less expensive than Hawaii’s Big Island. Most importantly, Anilao boasts amazing diversity of weird and wonderful marine life waiting to be found under the cover of darkness.
Related Reading: Introduction to Blackwater Diving
Brandon ColeThe elusive blanket octopus is rarely seen, even by experienced divers.
Strange Encounters
Blackwater diving is all about the search for otherworldly life forms. On my trip’s first dive, my guide, Regie, introduced me to the wunderpus. I had enthused over adults crawling on the sand while muck diving in Indonesia. Never had I seen its pelagic juvenile form, a glowing tangle of spaghetti with a cartoony, translucent head. What a spectacular start! Much more was to follow, including salps, seahorses, jellyfish, and larval shrimps and sea anemones. The background scenery—black and more black—remained the same, but the animals magically appearing were as different as night and day.
At a site called Basura in Janao Bay, I was swarmed by three snake blennies. Did they come to investigate me, or was it the copepods and worms buzzing around my lights that whetted their appetites? A swimming crab feasting on megalops crab larvae made for a difficult photo with its erratic moves. I enjoyed the challenge.
High on my Anilao wish list was witnessing the symbiotic relationship between jackfish and jellies. The former seek refuge from predators within the latter’s bell, but biologists are torn on how the jellies benefit. I observed this curious bit of biology three times in my 31 dives over 16 nights.
But at the top of my list were the “big four” cephalopods. Wunderpus? Check. Diamond squid? Check! Paper nautilus? Checked—multiple times.
The cephalopod of my dreams became reality when, at 10 p.m., our excited dive guide’s waving torch revealed a female blanket octopus in all her splendor, 60 feet deep at the Honey Hole. So impossibly fantastical and chromatically beautiful is the “blankie” that you still can’t believe it’s real, even as it glides across the velvet stage inches away.
Related Reading: Why Do Octopuses Change Color? How It Works and Why They Do It
Landing the Shot
I did not achieve nirvana every dive. Some were a thrill every minute, others were sleep-inducing. Finding and photographing these critters can be challenging. I learned much in two-plus weeks by trial and error, and from others.
Rather than hovering motionless, actively swimming increases your search area to hopefully locate more cool stuff—but keep the glowing downline in sight. Search both near and far from the light array, and from surface to depth.
When we did find something, my buddy and I coordinated to ensure that at least one of us tracked it—no blinking allowed! It’s very easy to lose these wily beasties. Avoiding sudden, water-displacing movements close to animals is critical. Most are very fragile. Your flailing fins, even your ascending bubbles, could spell their end.
On the photo front, I found the 60mm macro lens on my full-frame camera to be more versatile and easier to focus than my 105mm. I preferred a small grouping of active autofocus points in the center, with tracking activated.
In most scenarios, my camera settings were around 1/250 second, f22 and ISO 400, with strobes at half power. Dome diffusers on my flashes helped minimize overexposure.
Related Reading: How to Use Snoots to Light Your Macro Photography
Need to Know: Blackwater Diving, Philippines
When to Go
Some people think that the week centered around a new moon is the most productive for critter-spotting. Cephalopods seem to be more abundant from January to early March, whereas the peak time for larval fishes is March to May.
Operator
Pick one doing two dives each night. A small guest-to-guide ratio (2:1 or 4:1 max) generally increases your creature count. Some resorts teach blackwater photography.
Health Tip
Up-and-down diving stresses your sinuses. Clear your ears early, often and gently. I also use a homemade 50/50 vinegar-alcohol solution after every dive. And hydrate to the max!
Certification
Take the PADI Night Diver course, and before booking a big trip, get as many night dives under your belt to prepare and get comfortable.
Must-Have Gear
1. An LED light, like the Big Blue VTL9000P-Max.
2. A compass to check the bearing on the downline.
3. A safety sausage, which can be illuminated at the surface by holding your light against it.
4. An air-integrated, always illuminated backlit dive computer like the Shearwater Perdix 2; mount it on your wrist or camera to minimize distractions.
