Anilao · Philippines · Pinnacle · Reef
The Cathedral
A concrete cross set between two pinnacles at 15 m
Area photo: andre oortgijs · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Cathedral is built around a small concrete cross standing in the substrate at about 15 m between two underwater pinnacles, planted in 1983 by Fidel Ramos, later president of the Philippines. The corals seeded around it have grown in since and the structure is now swarmed by fish, with the reef sloping away to 24 m.
Also known as Cathedral.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Anilao and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The cross is the anchor of the dive. It stands in the substrate at around 15 m in the gap between two pinnacles, and the corals seeded around it have grown enough over the decades that it is now swarmed by fish rather than sitting bare on the bottom. The fish can seem too friendly, because they have been fed here for many years. This is where they are thickest: pufferfish, moorish idols, triggerfish, surgeonfish and parrotfish.
From the cross the reef slopes down toward 24 m, and this is the more colourful stretch of the site. Featherstars, sea stars and barrel sponges decorate the coral patches, with hawkfish in the coral bushes and butterflyfish and angelfish flitting around your head. The usual Anilao characters are here too: pygmy seahorses, giant frogfish and octopus, each of which needs a guide and some patience to find. Bamboo sharks have been seen here many times.
Because the cross sits shallower than the coral patches, the natural profile is to drop to the 24 m end early and work back up. That leaves the last of the tank for the gap between the pinnacles and the cross itself, where the fish activity is heaviest and the shallow water keeps the colour in what you are looking at.
Background
A small concrete cross stands in the substrate at around 15 m, in the gap between two underwater pinnacles, and it is what gives the site its name. It was planted there in 1983 by Fidel Ramos, later president of the Philippines. Corals seeded at the site have grown significantly in the years since and are now swarmed by fish, so what began as a bare marker on the bottom has become the structure the dive is built around.
Marine life and season
- Pygmy seahorses
- Frogfish
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Anilao: Main season mid-November to May; July to September is typhoon season, with choppy seas and poor visibility.
Dive videos
Wow!!! A Cathedral Underwater??? Anilao Scuba Diving in Philippines | The Cathedral Story unlocked… · Leah is here on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What is the cross at The Cathedral?+
A small concrete cross planted in the substrate at around 15 m between two underwater pinnacles. It was placed there in 1983 by Fidel Ramos, later president of the Philippines, and the corals seeded around it have since grown in and are swarmed by fish.
Sources
- Anilao Diving Sites - Batangas, Philippines — Dive The World
- Anilao, Batangas Dive Sites — Divezone
In The Logbook
- Frogfish: species, behaviour and where to diveMacro & muck · 12 min read
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