In my so many years of travelling all over the Philippines, i have for a few times reached the beach of the Pacific Ocean. However, travelling on it on a boat has not happened yet till this trip to Albay, to an island called Rapu-rapu. It has always been said and written that we have 7,1007 islands and lately there are still some additions. And i guess they did not include those which vanish during high tides. On the plane, it really is lovely to look at the plenty of islands dotting the blue seas.
Last March we need to evaluate a fishery project in an island cove in that island facing the Pacific Ocean. Despite my hesitance there is also that exciting feeling of trying something i haven't done before, as i am really scared not only of heights but also depths. That includes deep bodies of water. But this time, i said let's go! I hope against hope that i will not be scared. Thanks God, the sun is bright the whole day, there was not even some clouds looming in the horizon. The dry season is really the best time to do island travels, and this time i conquered myself.
Those two bays in Rapu-rapu Island-Batan are the sites we visited. Going there entailed 1 hr in the inland waters and 1 more hour along the Pacific Ocean. Our route going there are the red arrows, while yellows show our route on the way back. That body of blue water is the Pacific Ocean. It doesn't look scary on the map, but we worked with the big waves on that blue expanse for an hour.
Our rented boat has a maximum capacity of 25 and we were 11 passengers including
the 3 crews who maneuver it very well. Below is the view of our boat
with only tarpaulin sheets serving as the roof.
The waters are just very tamed and normal during the inland journey, it was at the Pacific side when even just the normal wind is enough to give us big rounded waves. The boatmen decrease the speed when encountering such bigger waves. Actually, they might not be waves but just normal swaying of the water.
Above and the following pictures are some of the islands we encountered. There still are a lot of them, but i was not able to document all. I only labored to get the smaller, lovelier ones.
Small boats like that above is commonly seen along the routes.
They are standing because they are fishermen trying to see where the
schools of fishes are and put their nets nearby.
No two islands have the same vegetation and physical looks, above has a rocky beach.
even the islands have coconuts, some people might have planted them there
above island look so lovely in that cone shape
Above is aptly named the Vanishing Island, as only those huts are seen during high tides.
These huts are built on stilts to give way to the rising waters, looking like floating huts.
This is the only island there with a wide expanse of white beach.
It is made into a resort with amenities for the tourists.
I am so curious with those cavelike crevices on the shore cliff. I wonder if people
have gone there to look what are inside. But these waters are so deep
blue in color which means the water is very deep.
The above area is the first cove we visited for our seaweed and squid pot projects. A small boat got some of us from our big boat to be carried to the stalked sites. I did not go that first time, but i took turn at the other bay where we took even a smaller boat with only 3 passengers.
On the way back from our visited sites, we took another route because the Pacific waves are bigger and might be scary for our boat. The boatmen decided to take the longer inland waters. Please look at the map for the yellow arrows. I put a small asterisk on the map to locate the area we were stranded for 1.5 hours. It was low tide when we got here, stopping our boat to push through.
We just stayed on the boat, watch the boys gleaning for shells in the shallow waters. We even resumed our discussions about a lot of topics. While i was talking with the boss, the research assistants took a nap leaning on the single boat post. I guess they really had a good rest.
That is one of the boatmen looking at the waters for the deeper areas to pass through. He signals his boat mate for the direction to take. This is already on our way back, no more big waves to contend with. I am so glad i did not experience the fear i tried hard not to feel, and i succeeded!
.jpg)
