What does a significant earthquake feel like underwater?

Have you ever had an experience where your senses know what's going on, but your brain can't catch up? I had one, 10 minutes into my dive in the Philippines, as I involuntarily went fetal and covered my ears against a cracking roar most like the percussion of too-close fireworks and the scream of a 747 about 10 feet overhead.

Editor's note: The video below was filmed on the same day in the Philippines by different divers at a different site.

My chest hurt, my gut ached and my ears were ringing.

Adding to my disorientation was being suspended in the relative calm of the water while the bottom shook violently just below me and soft coral whipped back and forth. Sand lifted off the bottom and into the water column. My equilibrium started to get mushy and I closed my eyes.

Many long seconds later, the harshness faded and all that was left was a dull constant rumble like a generator vibrating on a boat. Hmmm — really strange, but probably better down here then on land, I thought to myself. I recover a little and relax my limbs enough to start moving along the bottom.

Several more small jolts occurred as fish jerked slightly in concert. But then — CRACK — another big one hit with all the acoustics and animation of the first. Suspended between fascination and fear, I realized I was an unexpected participant in a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I hold on for the ride.

READ MORE: 6 Places You Didn't Know You Could Dive

The Aftermath

Earthquakes are not uncommon in the Western Pacific Ring of Fire region that we love to dive. I have even heard and felt minor ones underwater before. During this particular trip to the Philippines we had numerous tremblers felt above and below the water, so I felt psychologically tempered, but nothing really prepares you for the scale and proximity of the quakes we had on April 8.

We had four significant quakes during a 45-minute dive before we finally aborted. We would later learn the epicenter of two of them was likely less than a mile from where we were diving and the strongest was a 7.0 on a scale that measures what it feels like (based on depth, type of movement, etc.). Unfortunately, it was also strong enough on land to force evacuations and cause landslides and structural damage to some resorts and homes.

Interestingly, in the days afterward, we found only very minor damage on the reef. The occasional flipped coral head or dislodged barrel sponge. We did our best to restore what we did find and were grateful these amazing waters would still be as rich on our next visit. And yes, we will be returning — confident that earthquakes, like lighting, won't strike twice.