Articles From Quackatorium

Seaport Village is perhaps my favorite shopping center in San Diego. I don't go there often, and it doesn't have the major department stores, but if you enjoy unique and quirky shops, this is the shopping center for you.
My personal favorite has always been the Lefty Shop. I'm right handed, and they mostly sell tools for lefties, but they have things anyone can enjoy. I love my "counter clock" I bought there. Look at a regular clock in a mirror, and that's what my clock looks like. The double takes that clock gets is simply classic.
The combination of shopping, park, entertainment and waterfront really makes Seaport Village stand out. Many shops are more geared toward tourists than locals, but there's plenty for locals to enjoy.
At various times, you can sit back and enjoy live music. Sometimes you'll even see people dancing to the music as the band plays.
You'll find a wonderful kite shop, art galleries and other unique stores with merchandise you just won't find many other places. That's the real fun of Seaport Village - the uniqueness of the shopping experience.
Done shopping? Walk on over to the park and watch the kites fly. Take advantage of the kite shop beforehand and you can join the crowd.
The food ranges from cookies to burgers to serious dining. I often just stop for a burger and fries, watching out for the ever present and hungry pigeons. It's also fun to sit on the wall and look out across the water.
Seaport Village takes more time than you might expect to go through, just because of the uniqueness of its shops. Don't hurry through the twists and turns - you might miss one or more shops that you would really enjoy.

Sea Pines Resort - Hilton Head Island, SC
In 1956, just five short years after the introduction of electricity onto Hilton Head Island, Charles Fraser purchased land on the southwestern tip of the island in order to develop the community now known as Sea Pines Plantation. The first of Hilton Head's plantation communities, Sea Pines covers over 5,000 acres of thriving natural environment reminiscent of Eden and offers over five miles of gorgeous public-accessible beaches.
Real Estate Information - Homes, Condos, Lots
In 1958, the first deed to a Sea Pines Plantation lot was signed and within four years, beachfront prices grew by close to 50%. Examining the current real estate market for new homesites, homes, villas, and condos, it's easy to see why the prices have continued to grow so drastically. From small, picturesque cottages to sprawling mansions, the Sea Pines Plantation community contains everything you could want when looking to invest in a home. Numerous single- to five-bedroom homes are available, ranging from 450,000 to over 8,000,000.
Starting at only 300,000 - a small fee considering the location - either renting or purchasing is within reason. Potential buyers may choose among one- to four-bedroom for-sale villas and condos with as many view choices as the full-size homes, and options for potential renters include the vacation rentals surrounding the Harbour Town Village. The prices crest around 2 million, making Sea Pines Plantation villas and condos very affordable vacation or year-round homes.
Oceanfront lots can cost over 6 million but a patio lot can cost as little as 295k. Homesites with golf or lagoon views often sell for over 1 milion. Currently, there are four beachfront lots with varying price tags, but the number of lots for sale is always subject to change.
Sea Pines installed Hilton Head Island's first security gates in 1967, and to date remains secure with two 24-hour security entrance facilities on site. Security personnel also patrol the plantation's streets, and they can (and do) issue tickets fining offenders for the infraction of plantation rules. Additional protection is provided by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Department's deputies.
Resort Features
Harbour Town Village and Marina
The Harbour Town village and marina was fashioned after small French and Italian harbors and developed for intimacy and ambience. This Mediterranean-influenced center offers independently-owned and operated clothing/jewelry boutiques, craft shops, dining, live music entertainment, and every water sport available. Harbour Town has a park and a tree house for children, as well as a nature center. The Gregg Russell Playground, named for the entertainer of Harbour Town for 25 years running, is located right next to Liberty Oak. Sea Pines' quaint village center also offers a free trolley that runs daily, with varying hours of operation throughout the year between Harbour Town, South Beach Village, and Turtle Lane Beach Club.
Harbour Town Yacht Basin
Consider owning a 'dockominium' at the yacht club: it's like a condo on the water, but your land is your boat slip. The many amenities available at the Yacht Basin include the unique shops, restaurants, and a grocery store all in the same complex. Concerts and other forms of entertainment are frequently held on the nearby golfing green where Harbour Town Golf Links sponsors tournaments including the Verizon Heritage every year.
South Beach Village
The second marina in the Sea Pines Resort is designed after New England fishing villages and is located at the southernmost tip of Hilton Head Island. Nature tours, dolphin tours, kayaking, and parasailing are only a handful of the activities available near the home of The Salty Dog Cafй. For accommodations, the colorful South Beach Inn is located nearby at the southern tip of the island and arranges both weekly and nightly rates.
Activities
54 Holes of Golf
Sea Pines contains the island's first golf course, the Ocean Course designed by George Cobb, was built in 1959. Restructured by Mike McCumber in September, 1995, the highlight of the Ocean Course is its 15th hole with a sweeping view of the ocean.
George Cobb also designed the 1967 Sea Marsh Course. Remodeled by Clyde Johnson in 1990, the Sea Marsh course - like the Ocean Course - is known not only for its age and elegance but for becoming a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Watch out for the 13th hole; it extends for 163 yards.
Harbour Town Golf Links, developed in 1970 by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, is and has been home to the PGA's Verizon Heritage Classic since 1969, when it was first won by Arnold Palmer. Among the many features of this famous course is its photogenic 18th hole, with Harbour Town's Lighthouse in the background. Noted for excellence in design and playing potential, the par-71 Harbour Town Golf Links has been ranked highly among the country's finest golf courses by multiple magazines since 1971.
Championship Tennis
The Sea Pines Racquet Club, directed by world-renowned coach and U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Stan Smith, hosted the Family Circle Cup from 1973 to 2000, and frequently other tournaments, such as the Corel Champions Tour, the Dupont All-American, the World Invitational, and the Stan Smith Invitational, among others. The club boasts 23 clay courts and offers private and semi-private lessons.
Forest Preserve
When Charles Fraser began developing Sea Pines in the early '50s, he concentrated on keeping the island's abundance of natural beauty as untouched as possible. To this day Sea Pines' Forest Preserve covers approximately 605 acres, home to diverse flora and fauna including over 200 species of critters as well as lagoons and salt marshes. Here you will find a Wildflower Meadow, a thousand-foot-long boardwalk, the Low Ropes Team Building Course, and miles of bike trails and walking paths. Even fishing is allowed, albeit with the correct permit.
Are you a history fanatic? Sea Pines Plantation Forest Preserve has its share of historic landmarks. The 4,000-year-old Indian Shell Ring, for example, is believed to have been constructed around 1450 B. C. A circle of shells and bones piled several feet high, it is one of only twenty shell rings still in existence. Those responsible for its assembly are also believed to have invented pottery here, in North America.
The Stoney-Baynard ruins, once an 18th century plantation house, are now open for tours. The property is covered with oyster shells and its architecture includes porthole-shaped windows.
Horseback Riding
Lawton Stables is home to 50+ American Saddlebred horses, a breed generated by crossing Narragansett Pacer, Thoroughbred, and Morgan bloodlines to develop gorgeous, well-tempered animals now often used for show. Lawton Stables offers - at affordable rates - not only English riding lessons to residents and visitors, but also pony rides for children and guided tours through Sea Pines' fantastic natural Forest Preserve.
This picturesque, sprawling community, bordering the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Calibogue Sound on the west, is ideal for vacationers and residents alike. Villas, Condos, Homes, and available Lots for building that dreamhouse abound in this massive complex just waiting for the perfect family to enjoy the many amenities offered.

For those who have taken scuba diving courses, scuba vacations are the next step to enjoying the treasures of the deep and perfecting their diving skills. In almost every country in the world that is by a warm water coast, there are scuba resorts and scuba vacations just waiting to be discovered. Popular destinations for scuba vacations include:

- Australia
- Honduras
- Tahiti
- Indonesia
- Hawaii
- Galapagos

and many other breathtaking locations. Depending on the time of year and the popularity of the destination, you might be able to find discount on scuba vacations. However, many die-hard scuba divers would rather spend a little extra money for the best quality scuba vacations. Nevertheless, much of that money is spent on fancy food and five star accommodations rather than on the quality of the scuba experience, so it is worth doing some research and take into account your priorities before selecting a scuba vacation.

A popular place to go for a scuba vacation is Montangi Island, which is close to Fiji. It is, however, a bit out of the way, and requires various forms of transportation to get there, but the spectacular beauty of the island and the large lagoon is well worth the trip. The lodging has gorgeous views of the ocean or the lagoon, and the resorts offer free tank refills as well as frequent transportation from the docks to the islands. Local nannies are provided for babysitting, if both Mom and Dad are going scuba diving, and many parents who go on scuba diving vacations to the Montangi Island report satisfaction with the local women as caregivers. The island is located around an extinct volcanic equator and has a striking 440 foot high promontory stretching upward. Many people who come to the Montangi island return for subsequent scuba vacations.

If you are looking for great scuba vacations in the states, try Hawaii, with its many islands and gorgeous locations. The Kauai island is one of the most popular place in Hawaii for scuba vacations. You can choose vacations that focus on other activities, such as tennis and pool swimming, in addition to scuba diving, or resorts that are "scuba intensive" and provide opportunities for diving daily and sometimes at night. You should take into account your level of experience and be careful not to overstrain yourself; if you are a beginner, you can always warm up to diving and go on more advanced scuba vacations at a later date.

The most sophisticated scuba vacations offer 50 foot luxury speed yachts with doors and ladders designed for efficient entry into the water. The yachts should have an excellent record of safety and have a high ratio of guides to guests. Many of these yacht scuba vacations will last for 7 days, with options to dive every day and also a free night dive. When you are not diving, you can enjoy comfortable rooms, internet, a mini-bar, a laundry service, and other amenities.

Before embarking on your vacation, it is important to consider the focus of your trip. If you are the only person in your family who is interested in scuba vacations, you will want to choose a resort that is geared toward activities besides diving to keep other members of your family amused. However, if diving is a family obsession, you might want to consider dedicating your entire vacation to diving, and choose scuba vacations that focus more on the diving experience than on other activities.

This article describes some of the better dive sites in South East Asia. As a scuba diver, you will probably know that scuba diving in South East Asia has always been very popular because of its vast species of marine life and rich diversity of colorful corals.
As a matter of fact, there are many world class dive sites in this region and with its excellent underwater visibility, South East Asia is indeed a scuba diver's haven. So, here are some of the top dive sites in South East Asia many of which I have dived in several times.
We shall start with Indonesia and of course, the island of Bali cannot be left out. Perhaps the most dived site in Bali is the Liberty wreck. The wreck was a US army logistic ship sunk by Japanese submarine torpedoes during the last world war.
Liberty wreck lies in the depth of about 10m (32ft) to 30m (100ft) over 120m (385ft) of the sea bed. Divers can see guns, toilets, ship anchor chain among other things of a typical shipwreck. The wreck is heavily encrusted with corals and brightly decorated with gorgonian sea fans and sea anemones.
Scuba divers will also encounter large schools of trevally and more than 400 species of marine fishes and even exotic colonies of elusive garden eels.
Similan island in Thailand is another interesting dive site. Similan is located off the coast of Khao Lak which was hit badly by a Tsunami 2006. Nine granite islands made up the Similan islands. These islands are covered by luxuriant tropical rainforests surrounded by pristine white beaches and turquoise blue water.
This area is a protected national park. Below the water lie a sprawling underwater garden of deep canyons, coral gardens, huge granite boulders, caves and walls. Liveaboard scuba diving is the norm here.
Sipadan Island in Malaysia was made famous by Jacques Cousteau's documentary entitled Ghost Of The Sea Turtles. This is an oceanic island which is not connected to any continental shelf that rises about 2000 ft on an awesome limestone pinnacle and mushrooms out at the surface.
Many dive magazines have named Sipadan as one of the best dive sites in the world and reported to have the largest variety of soft corals in the world. At Sipadan, scuba divers will encounter exciting drift dives, fascinating coral formations, turtles, lobsters, barracudas and even various species of sharks.
Manado, northen Sulawesi, Indonesia is the gateway to world class dive spots in the Bunaken National Park. Muck diving, meaning diving for little critters on the seabed in Manado bay is the norm here. In this part of Indonesia, you will encounter exhilarating wall dives, drop offs, huge napoleon wrasse, reef sharks and also another shipwreck.
Layang Layang in Malaysia is a breathtaking atoll. It is part of a shoal group in the South China Sea known as the Spratly islands. Here, massive numbers of barracuda roams the water, large pelagic fishes and sharks make this place home. Do not be surprised if you are investigated by a school of hammerhead sharks.

Resting atop a submarine mountain of coral, the island of Grand Cayman offers some truly distinctive scuba diving opportunities. Off the shore, the coral walls that descend sharply into the Caribbean create some incredibly unique and challenging dives. Elsewhere around the island, there are plenty of dives perfect for all ages and skill levels. Regardless of where you dive in Grand Cayman, however, you are sure to encounter an unparalleled variety of underwater life. It also helps that the warm waters off the coast often boast visibility exceeding 100 feet - a fact sure to impress snorkelers, as well as scuba divers. With over 250 unique dive sites in all, Grand Cayman stands as one of the most diverse dive destinations in the Caribbean.
Many of the most popular dive sites on Grand Cayman are located off the western shore in an area known as the West Wall. Many of this area's dive sites are located just a short boat ride from the resorts lining Seven Mile Beach. At sites such as Armchair Reef, Wildlife Reef and Aquarium Reef, you will be able to spot numerous species of underwater creatures. Many of these reef dives are suitable for novice divers and snorkelers as well.
As Grand Cayman is known for its wall diving, you will definitely want to explore the deeper water of the western shore. At the first steep drop-off of 60 feet, you will find such sites as the Eagle's Nest and the Orange Canyon - named for its population of colorful elephant ear sponges. Another fun challenge is Bonnie's Arch, a unique site boasting a coral archway wide enough to swim through. All in all, there are more than 50 distinct dive sites located in the West Wall area of the island.
Though the North Wall is on the windward side of the island and features incredibly steep coral walls, one of the world's most famous shallow dive sites rests along the sandy beach. A good part of this popularity is owed to the fact that Stingray City is a perfect site for divers and snorkelers of all ages and skill levels. Once you are in the warm, clear water you will be able swim with families of gentle Southern Stingrays. With wingspans approaching four feet, many visitors find a great thrill in Stingray City while feeding and photographing these majestic animals.
Along the North Wall, you can also spot a large population of tarpons at Tarpon Alley. These large, strange fish are surprising friendly and will swim close to you if you move slowly. Along the coral wall, experienced divers can visit Eagle Ray Pass and the No Name Drop-Off for a glimpse of sea turtles, exotic fish and dense coral reefs.
While many dive tours only visit the South Wall when weather is poor off the western shore, there are plenty of pleasant dives for all skill levels in the shallow southern waters. At sites such as Japanese Gardens and Oriental Gardens, divers are promised an up-close view of colorful coral and sea creatures in calm water perfect for photography. Slightly further from shore, these "gardens" sink into an intricate maze of tunnels, arches and underwater canyons.
Adventurous divers will want to visit the eastern shore of Grand Cayman. Though there are only a few dive operators offering tours of this area, you are unlikely to find more pristine coral reefs anywhere. Within the first slope of reef, you will find a series of tunnels, underwater caves and arches. Sites in this area such as Grouper Grotto and Babylon are always teeming with fish, sponges and sea turtles.
Lastly, what would a Caribbean scuba diving trip be without a few wreck dives? The Balboa, a 375-foot cargo ship that sunk during a storm in 1932, sits at a modest depth of 30 feet in Georgetown Harbor. Today, the vessel is home to an assortment of the Caribbean's most photogenic residents. The most popular wreck dive in Grand Cayman is the Oro Verde, a coral-covered freighter resting in 60 feet of water off the shore from Seven Mile Beach. Additionally, Grand Cayman recently sank five vessels in various locations for both the enjoyment of divers and the ongoing research of environmental scientists.
There are over 40 experienced dive operators serving visitors to Grand Cayman, so finding a knowledgeable guide is a breeze. Even if you have never experienced scuba diving, you can become certified in Grand Cayman and then test your skills at some of the Caribbean's best dive sites.
Come to Grand Cayman and you will see why the island is celebrated by divers and snorkelers across the globe.

The islands of Fiji are famous for its spectacular scenery and a world class attraction for sea sports such as big game fishing, snorkeling, sailing and scuba diving. Fiji is a favorite scuba diving location for scuba divers from all over the world and its highlights include a fantastic variety of colorful soft corals, more than 1200 species of fish, 12 species of whales and dolphins.
There are also many scuba diving resorts in Fiji which cater to all kinds of budgets and divers. Alternatively divers can choose live aboard dive boats or if you are a tourist on vacation in Fiji do not know how to scuba dive, you can take up lessons there or simply go snorkeling off the pristine beaches.
The Fijian archipelago is encircled by a huge reef and therefore there are many shallow lagoons to swim, snorkel or frolick in. There are also thousands of scuba dive sites to choose from. Most dive locations are easy to get to with plenty of resorts offering scuba diving scattered around the Fijian islands.
The water temperature is just perfect for scuba diving with at its coldest at only 25C. On warmer days, it is about 30C. Water visibility in Fiji is excellent with superb visibility of up to 40m or 120ft is a norm rather than exception.
Mamanuca dive sites in Fiji is easily be accessible by boat from the Nadi Airport area on the main island of Viti Levu. Several resorts in the Nadi offer full diving facilities and there are numerous day packages for snorkeling and scuba diving. The diving landscape in Mamanucas consist of shallow lagoons with hollows and bommies and excellent marine life. There are some interesting caves to explore, especially in Sawa-i-Lau in the Yasawa Group.
If you are in Fiji for a scuba diving vacation, you must dive in the world famous Astrolabe Reef on Kadavu in the Southern Islands. This dive spot has excellent hard and soft corals and abundance marine life. There are more soft corals along the north and south coast with some interesting caves to explore. Majestic drop-off can be found on the western tip of Kadavu.
Another excellent dive spot is the Beqa Lagoon to the north of Kadavu boasts of beautiful soft corals, reef bommies and passages. This dive location is famous shark feeding activities with many species of sharks including hammerhead sharks.
The Rainbow Reef in Northern Islands is another world famous scuba diving destination. If you are diving in the Rainbow reef, you will enjoy diving the Great White Wall and advanced drift diving through channels.
These are just some of the many excellent scuba diving sites in Fiji.

One of the world's most famous scuba diving dive sites is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Australia is the only living organic collective on earth visible from outer space. The other is a man made structure, The Great Wall of China.
This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.
The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.
One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.
Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook's ship "Endeavour". Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.
More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.
For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.

The islands of Fiji are well known for its spectacular scenery and world class attraction for sea sports such as big game fishing, snorkeling, sailing and scuba diving.
Fiji is a favorite scuba diving location for many scuba divers from all over the world and its highlights include a fantastic variety of colorful soft corals, more than 1200 species of fish, 12 species of whales and dolphins.
There are also many scuba diving resorts in Fiji which cater to all kinds of budgets and divers. Alternatively divers can choose live aboard dive boats or if you are a tourist on vacation in Fiji do not know how to scuba dive, you can take up lessons there or simply go snorkeling off the pristine beaches.
The Fijian archipelago is encircled by a huge reef and therefore there are many shallow lagoons to swim, snorkel or frolick in. There are also thousands of scuba dive sites to choose from. Most dive locations are easy to get to with plenty of resorts offering scuba diving scattered around the Fijian islands.
The water temperature is just perfect for scuba diving with at its coldest at only 25C. On warmer days, it is about 30C. Water visibility in Fiji is excellent with superb visibility of up to 40m or 120ft is a norm rather than exception.
Mamanuca dive sites in Fiji is easily be accessible by boat from the Nadi Airport area on the main island of Viti Levu. Several resorts in the Nadi offer full diving facilities and there are numerous day packages for snorkeling and scuba diving. The diving landscape in Mamanucas consist of shallow lagoons with hollows and bommies and excellent marine life. There are some interesting caves to explore, especially in Sawa-i-Lau in the Yasawa Group.
If you are in Fiji for a scuba diving vacation, you must dive in the world famous Astrolabe Reef on Kadavu in the Southern Islands. This dive spot has excellent hard and soft corals and abundance marine life. There are more soft corals along the north and south coast with some interesting caves to explore. Majestic drop-off can be found on the western tip of Kadavu.
Another excellent dive spot is the Beqa Lagoon to the north of Kadavu boasts of beautiful soft corals, reef bommies and passages. This dive location is famous shark feeding activities with many species of sharks including hammerhead sharks.
The Rainbow Reef in Northern Islands is another world famous scuba diving destination. If you are diving in the Rainbow reef, you will enjoy diving the Great White Wall and advanced drift diving through channels.
These are just some of the many fabulous scuba diving sites in Fiji.

Boracay is a beautiful tropical island located at 200 miles (315km) south of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. This island resort is one of Philippines' most popular tourist destinations because it is consistently voted by popular scuba diving and travel magazines as one of the best scuba diving destinations in the world.
There are many dive centers and operators in Boracay offering diving trips to top rated but hard to reach dive sites such as those in the Sibuyan Sea, Tablas, Romblon and Semirara. Close to Boracay are also excellent dive sites catering to divers of varying diving skills. Non diver will find snorkeling in Boracay an enriching experience because of its rich and diverse marine life near the beaches.
Friday's Rock is a nearby rocky outcrop in Boracay's western shore. Expect to see a variety of brilliant colored soft and hard corals, flittering butterfly fish, curious wrasses, darting damsels, playful blue tangs, ominous stingrays and snappers when diving around Friday's rock. Hidden under the rocks, crevices and corals are big scorpion fishes and lion fishes.
There are two great dive sites near the main island of Boracay, known as Punta1 and Punta2. Punta 1 is a shallower dive of the two spots and is a drop off of about 24m (80ft) and Punta 2 starts at 30m (100ft) and goes way down to about 50m (170ft). These two dive spots are home to various species of garoupas, trigger fish, angel fish, sweet-lips, tuna, barracuda and the occasional reef shark.
At the southeast coast of Boracay is Crocodile Island (the island is named as such because of its shape). The island a very popular dive location and is a wall dive to about 25m (80ft) in depth. This dive site is also very rich in marine life so much so that many species of fish and corals make this location their permanent home.
Crocodile Island is also home to some poisonous banded sea snakes some of which are long as two meters (6.5ft) in length. Scuba divers need to be very careful of sea snakes because all sea snakes are poisonous and their bites lead to fatality.
Another great dive location near the main island is the Laurel Island. This dive site is for the more experienced and advanced divers because the undercurrent here can be very strong and because of this, drift diving is the main scuba diving activity here. Furthermore, the strong undercurrent encourages corals to open up their brightly colored yellow and orange polyps to feed on passing planktons. Divers can also find big colorful sponges and huge waving gorgonian sea fans here.
At northern tip of Boracay is a dive site known asYapak. This is a deep wall diving location starting at about 30m(95ft) and descending into the depth of 60m (190 ft). Once again, the undercurrent here can get pretty strong. Scuba divers will encounter larger pelagic fishes here, such as barracudas and various species of sharks.
Hammerhead sharks and giant manta rays are the main attractions when diving in Yapak. Other excellent dive sites around Boracay are Carabao (buffalo), Cathedral Cave, Buruanga, Black Rock and Dog Drift. Is it any wonder why Boracay is consistently rated as one of the best scuba diving site in the world?

Perhaps, the most important invention and greatest discovery of the occurred a few years before the end of the 20th century. It was a victory of the human soul. And a victory of human flesh.

A number of futurologists recently tried to predict what other miracles of the human mind would appear before the end of the 20th century. One said that we would defeat cancer. He was mistaken. Others believed that we would create a controlled thermonuclear reaction and that humanity would have an unlimited energy source. He miscalculated. A third hoped that we would discover a unified field theory, which Einstein unsuccessfully dreamed about. Close but no cigar. A 4th predicted a manned mars landing. Not quite.

And then, at the sunset of the century, scientists created something that even futurologists couldn’t have dreamed about. Even in their wildest dreams no one imagined that human ingenuity could defeat nature.

A monument needs to be put up for this invention. Actually, for a phallic monument the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. or the Colonne de Vendome in Paris are completely acceptable.

Of course, you’ve already guessed what this invention is. Yes, its Viagra!

The names of the researchers who discovered the role of Nitrous Oxide in creating and maintaining a normal erection are already widely known - Robert F. Furchgott, Ferid Murad, and Louis Ignarro.

Viagra’s blitzkrieg attack on the world began at the end of March, 1998 and it literally circled the globe in a very short time. The demand for Viagra was explosive. 247,666 prescriptions for Viagra were issued the first week that it went on sale. In the second week this number increased by 50,000. All in all, in 1998 Pfizer was able to sell one-billion dollars worth of Viagra.

Many people have asked me if Viagra is a panacea. Unfortunately, it isn’t. But the fact that it helps more than 80% of men who earlier couldn’t enjoy their sex lives is unarguable. However, questions about the effectiveness of the drug aren’t the only ones asked by patients. Thats the reason for the creation of this article.