This is the center of shallow water marine speciation for the entire world – the bull eye of marine bio-diversity.

 In the Philippine water of the Celebes and Sulu Seas have the deepest water - as deep as 16,700 feet, and their basins have very high sills.

They are so isolated from the world’s oceans that they have never been exposed to, or mixed with, the cold Antarctic bottom water which chills the deep water in all the oceans of the planet.  As a result, the water of the Celebes and Sulu Seas is relatively warm, even at great depths. During past Ice Ages, when the level of the oceans dropped as much 400 feet, the Celebes and the Sulu Seas were even more isolated.  Because of their locations near the equator, and lack of Antarctic water, they have the warmest water left on the planet.  A Miocene like relic, they could be thought of as incubators or perhaps the ancient heart of the ocean. 

Philippines - ‘The Heart of the Ocean  is one of the finest book of the ocean; the first in the world to illustrate and celebrate the richness of life in both shallow and deep water of the South East Asia Seas. In Its true intend, the volume evolved as an accolade for the Earth richest marine biodiversity province.  This high quality 7 colour production pictorial almanac encapsulates the richness and beauty of what lies beneath the heart of the Philippine Sea into one exquisite volume; it is designed to raise the standard for all books of the sea, a hallmark for underwater imageries production.  Celebrating the arts of nature and the wonders of biological science this production reveal  the usual suspects of coral reefs, the pelagic zone, inshore and fringing reefs, and the oceanic atolls and well as several deep sea critters from the heart of the tropical ocean seen for the very first time.

The author and photographer of Philippines - ‘The Heart of the Ocean  is Michael AW, Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographer elegantly brings together a repertoire of images that vigorously expose the extraterrestrial beauty of underwater life in extraordinary perspective. Many of these pictures have been selected for archival fine art collections and limited edition reproduction. A trailer of this production recently won the SILVER DIVER AWARD at the

2008 World Underwater Pictures Festival in France. 

  Available at all good bookshops  – author autographed limited edition copy can be order from one@oneocean.com USD150 freight included. Part of the Proceeds of the limited edition is designated for OceanNEnvironment’s “SAVE OUR SEAS” fund to support research and conservation projects in the Asia Pacific. The limited edition production is endorsed by President Gloria Arroyo and supported by the Department of Tourism Philippines.

 About Michael AW

 Pursuing the art form of documentary photography, Michael AW is well known for his saturated colour imagery. His work on environmental issues, wildlife and eco-travel have been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Asian Geographic, GEO, Ocean GEOGRAPHIC, Nature Focus, Action Asia, Smithsonian magazine but a few. His photographs have received more than 50 awards from several international organizations including the prestigious Nikon International Photo Contest on three occasions. Michael is a three time winner at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Antibes. He is also a recipient of two awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition in 2000 and in 2006 he won the Best Winner award in the underwater category.  Michael AW is also the founder of OceanNEnvironment’s a charity organization registered with Environment Australia.  “Beneath Bunaken”(1993) was his first and “Philippines- Heart of the Ocean” is his 27th book of the sea.

 Michael Aw was awarded the prestigious 2008 Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award by SRI president Stan Waterman at 2008 Celebrate the Sea Festival in Manila. The award honors the memory of the late Peter Benchley is awarded for Michael’s a highly-effective and unrelenting campaign against shark fin soup consumption in the Asia Pacific region.Michael AW was recently inducted as fellow of the prestigious Explorer Club.