CMAS: LYNN FUNKHOUSER

LYNN FUNKHOUSER PRESENTED "PHILIPPINE POTPOURRI" Left: Lynn diving with her housed Nikon F4. Right abd below: Photos by Lynn Funkhouser. Lynn Funkhouser is an internationally published photographer, author, lecturer, environmentalist, adventuress, and leader in dive travel. She specializes in underwater, nature, travel, and environmental images. Her dramatic photos have been published in calendars, ads, and major magazines, notably in "Audubon," "Animals," "Action Asia", "International Wildlife", "Time ", Newsweek", and "National Geographic" Publications, etc. As an environmentalist, Lynn is committed to making a difference on this planet through her images and lectures. One of the founders of the International Marinelife Alliance (IMA) in 1985, Lynn serves on its Board of Directors. Lynn was honored to receive the 1994 SEASPACE / PADI Environmental Awareness Award "for her continuing efforts promoting reef preservation in the Philippines and around the world." She is an expert on Philippine diving and leads several dive trips a year there. Lynn was inducted into the inaugural Women Divers Hall of Fame. "PHILIPPINE POTPOURRI" is a slide projector show featuring the incredible DIVErsity and beauty of three very different dive areas in the Philippines, a country with the greatest species diversification in the world. The Reefs of Tubbataha, a National Heritage Site marine sanctuary, 100 nautical miles from the island of Palawan, are noted for 200 foot in-water visibility and large schools of large fish, manta rays, sharks, turtles, etc. with vertical walls alive in every color of soft coral imaginable and perfect coral gardens starting at the surface. This area is only accessible by liveaboard boat from March through May. Batangas, a province about 90 miles from Manila, is one of the most bountiful areas in the world for rare critters & invertebrates. The waters are plankton rich so visibility is usually around 60 foot, but support huge numbers of anthias which in turn feed 7 species of lionfish, frogfish, sea goblins, groupers, eels, etc. There are crinoids in every color, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, squid, sea squirts, spanish dancers, shells, corals, etc. To give you an idea of the diversity, a team from Scripts oceanographic Institute discovered 200 species of nudibranchs, new to science, in one week. Donsol is located near the Mayon Volcano, which is the world's most perfect cone, a beautiful unspoiled area. Whales sharks arrive here to feed from Nov. thru Apr. and you are almost guaranteed to swim with them. I snorkeled with 11 whalesharks before lunch last April. They hold a whale shark parade and festival every year to celebrate the animals in which children dress up as plankton, baby whale sharks, etc. It is one of the most photogenic parades so will share a few slides on it. There are also a few slides showing the beauty of the Philippine Islands and its people. Home