the plan was to leave Malapascua on the first ferry, 6:30am, back to Maya Port; then another 3hr ‘luxury’ bus down to Danao City
this should get me in Danao City in time for the 11am ferry to Camotes Islands …. great plan!
i made arrangements with my friend Roland who took me on a tour of the island to pick me up at 6am. i felt he was responsibile enough to actually show up. and he did, right on time. i put my small backpack on my back, and wedged the larger one between us on the bike. i wouldn’t recommend it for a long haul, but it got me to the beach.
the ferry could leave from 2 different beaches, but of course this is not posted anywhere. we checked out the first one, we were early and there was no one there. the second beach was further away, and we were told there would not be a ferry from there until 8am :) Roland raced back to the first beach and they were loading the boat already. he came back, picked me and my bags up. when i walked down to the boat, they guy said it would cost me 200pesos, instead of 100pesos, because i was late. obviously i was upset, that is ridiculous and we were there before they were. i tried my best to reason with him, and so did Roland. but then some skinny old weathered guy, with scary blue eyes showed up, and demanded i pay him 100pesos. on the side, Roland told me to pay him; but not to pay anyone on the boat. so that’s how that goes. of course, there is a 20pesos charge to take the small boat from the shore out to the larger boat. then another 50 pesos to get from the larger boat to the smaller boat to the shore (because i had a large bag). then there was the guy that grabbed that said bag and carried it away before i knew it, and he wanted 50pesos as well. i’ll tell you, you get 'nickel and dimed' to death here. i had to get a tricycle to take me from Maya Port to the Bus Terminal; another 30pesos, which i felt was a fair price.
the ferry did not leave on time, then there were the transfers. i was going to be on the 8am bus, not the 7am … it was going to be close making that 11am ferry. i would like to report, however, that this was a different bus and the seats were very comfortable. i sat in the front row seat to catch all the action. this guy was a very careful driver.
we got to Bogo City, and sat there for 40min, i have no idea why. it was very clear now, i was not going to make the 11am ferry. the best laid plans ;(
but, i did get to Danao and had lots of time to leisurely find a tricycle driver to take me to an ATM. HA .... i forgot to get a photo, but these tricycles are NOT motorized, just plain ole rusty bicycles ! i felt bad having this little fraile old man drive me through the streets, getting a 'load' for my cell phone, bananas, and ... refill my water bottle. they have these all over the city ! what an awesome idea ... the 'civilized world' continues to be shown up by the 'underdeveloped countries' ! let's get with it ! a couple pesos and you can refill your water bottle here .... i.e., less plastic in the world !
Senior Citizen First Class AirCon Ferry, $3, for 2hr journey, watching 'My Name is Khan, and I'm Not a Terrorist' ... good movie. then i was on Pacijan Island, one of the 3 major islands of the Camotes. and again greeted by many opportunities for transport.
luckily i was able to join a larger group on a Jeepney, so i didn't have to pay the entire fare myself. another one of the drawbacks of traveling solo. i arrived at Bella Vista Mare Resort, checked into my nice fan room, w/private bath and shower
i liked this room, the bathroom actually had a shelving to put your 'stuff' on ... a rare occurence here !
then just in time to enjoy my welcoming SunSet at Santiago Bay
while wading through the incoming tide, i met a group of girls from Cebu, who were here on a business trip ... that's the kind of job i should have had ! they invited me to join them for dinner
on my way home i met this unfortunate Hermit Crab.
Me on my 'Soap Box': You know that pretty shell that you find at the beach? he one you want to take home with you? The one you will have to dust and soon forget where it even came from? The next time you see that shell, think about the poor Hermit Crab. It has to scavenge for shells to ‘wear’ that will protect it's soft vulnerable abdomen. Ideally they should be able to retract their entire body into the shell for protection. As they grow, they need to find larger and larger shells to live in. Hermit Crabs with too-small shells cannot grow as fast as those with well-fitting shells, and are more likely to be eaten if they cannot retract completely into the shell.
this poor Hermit Crab could not find a shell large enough, and had to resort to wearing this plastic cap! It looked like the top to a spray paint can
:(
It was not be able to fully retract into it, and had to scramble
away to safety. This has become very common in some areas, due to the
abundance of trash on the beach, but also due to humans collecting the nice pretty shells.
Please, consider the Hermit Crab on your next trip to the beach.
Thank you ! 
Santiago Bay is an amazing beach/bay. it has a huge beach. i took a tour the first morning. after the tide recedes, the little crabs get to work, making the best of any bits of food that the tide had just washed in. it is an amazing work of art.
after every single tide changed, it looked like this
i was able to experience a Full Moon while i was there. this is the time when the tides are the most drastic. i walked it off.... it was 200 yards from the low tide to the shore at high tide.
at high tide the waves were lapping up against those tall flags on the beach
when that song talks about 'the tide rushing in' ... that is not just a figure of speech ! there were no 'waves', nor boat that had gone by to create these waves. it was just rushing in. here's a short video
there are 3 islands of the Camotes, Pacijan is the most inhabited, and i chose Bella Vista Mare because the Marine Sanctuary was in Santiago Bay, right out front.
it was time to get in the water and see what the Sanctuary had to offer. i was pretty much depressed at what i saw. lots of coral, mostly dead, and few fishes. i spent over an hour and a half snorkeling here and there.
as if Coral Bleaching, due to the warming of the waters, wasn't taking enough of it's tole on the reef, the Crown of Thorns (COT) eats coral ....in small numbers it is not bad, but recently huge outbreaks have been discovered. possibly the result of people removing too many of it's only predators, the Giant Tritan Snail, out of the water.
i can't imagine anything eating the COT with all those horrible spines. so i had to look it up. if you are so inclined, i found a YouTube video showing it... amazing! check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IocpsnfLjYo
how could anything eat those poisonous spines !
i managed to go out deep enough to find a few color fishes and live corals
i had inquired about a snorkel trip the next day, but i woke up and it was raining, and i didn't bother to get up. in the afternoon, i walked over to the dive shop and found out they went anyway, and committed to going the next day with a Dive Boat.
in the late afternoon i walked the beach. these are volcanic islands which provide for amazing formations. you can see how the water has eventually carved out the ledges. this is the Santiago Bay Garden and Beach Resort next door to where i was staying
they took advantage of these unique formations and made 'volcanic gardens' and seating areas within the recesses of the overhangs
i presume it was once very beautiful, but typhoons and storms have taken their toll, including washing away steps.
it's not as beautiful as it was, or could be, with some upkeep ... but the idea is fantastic
the next morning was still cloudy, but i showed up for my 'snorkel trip' .... when will i learn. the 2 sites they took me to were 'worse' than what was out front :( ... but i persisted and managed to find this elusive Female Solar Box Fish
and this Freckled HawkFish
a true testiment to the determination of earth's creatures. An Egg Ribbon from a Spanish Dancer, perched high on a dead piece of coral
after their first dive i saw photos of all the wonderful creatures they saw while diving. i was told that the coral was in good shape at depths, and that it was just dead in the shallows due to the warming waters... again :( at the second stop the visibiltiy was absolutely terrible, so i snorkeled out to the deeper water and saw a rather large Barracuda Fish. when i got back in the boat i said it was not that good, but i did see a large Barracuda. i realized my mistake the minute the words came out of my mouth. both guys on the boat looked at each other. sure enough ... the next night ... there was barracuda on the menu down the beach :( now i know better to keep my mouth shut; sorry Mr. Barracuda :( ok, maybe it was just a coincidence.... or perhaps the Barracuda was just outside of the Marine Sanctuary
i went back to the Dive Shop the next morning and asked the guy where i could snorkel to find some of those 'creatures' they saw while diving. he pointed me to the volcanic wall just beyond the Marine Sanctuary. i spent 2 hours snorkeling a long distance, and only saw one 'creature'
i continued along the wall. it was interesting to go into the caverns, but there was little there, and the water was quite chilly; ...but it was pretty and clear
i was entertained by this Radial FileFish with it's spiny dorsal fin and sides
and it's totally 'i don't give a damn about you' attitude ...check out those eyes :) i hung with him for 20min and he just went about his way, floating with the currents
i finished up my snorkel back at the Marine Sanctuary, where ... i was actually pleasantly surprised by the amount of corals i found. again, i need to remember that just a few hundred yards can mean the difference between poor and pretty good. there were MASSIVE reefs out there, struggling to survice, but still providing protection to the land. i couldn't help but 'dream' of 20 years ago when these massive reefs were full of living corals and teaming with beautiful fish. why didn't i start my underworld journey even 15 years ago :(
i actually saw a new fish, a Banda Cardinal Fish .... tiny, about 1"
and a Coronet Fish
so, i was encouraged to come back and try it again another day,... with a better attitude ! coming back into the shalllows, the tide had come in, and the since the sand was so hot from the sun ... the water in the shallows was almost too hot to be comfortable ... warming of the waters, huh?
i found this tiny snail, going about it's business ... probing with that tentacle that was continually searching
i amaze myself at how easily i am entertained :)
i decided i should do more than just stay at the beach, and investigate the island. i read that there were some fresh-water caves and a tiny island that was 'good for snorkeling'. i asked Jane at the Resort to find me a habal habal driver to take me on a tour the next day.
that night, i went to my usual spot on the beach for dinner; and i ordered some grilled fresh fish. it was a HUGE piece of fish, moist, perfectly cooked and seasoned ... and probably the best fish i've ever had.
i actually went back the next night and had the same fish .... yummy !
i should also mention, there are no shortage of dogs and cats standing by patiently, waiting for any hand-out you may be willing to offer. and i have never seen dogs so totally GENTLE in taking food carefully from your fingers ! what manners they had ! ...most of the females: pregnant or had just given birth :(
the next morning at 9am, RJ was waiting for me. another nice young man, with a wife and son and daughter (and i was happy to hear him say that is enough children).
i got on his motorbike and off we went. i requested that our first stop be the tiny island of Tulang Diot, where i could snorkel for an hour.
Jane had said i could take a small boat to the island for 10pesos and snorkel, then return and finish up my tour. as we arrived, another guy showed up that could take me on a snorkel tour. i thanked him and said i just wanted to take a boat to the island. well, that isn't how it works. it's 100pesos to go there and i could snorkel and he would bring me back. i'm a bit untrusting of 'snorkel tours' and said i had expected to pay 10pesos, not 100. back and forth, and finally i agreed and got in his boat.
we went a short distance and i snorkeled, in yet another area of dead corals and few fishes. i saw so many of these fish traps in the water. the fishes swim in there and can't get out. i wanted to cut them all open and free them :) ...these 2 Reef PipeFishes have teamed up together and are trying to figure out how to do the same thing :)
i did find the 'wall' and met some new friends. these are really pretty... Blue Sided Wrasse
back to the boat in 10min and around the rest of the island. he motioned if i wanted to stop here, i shook my head no and pointed to the shore. clearly, he did not understand what i wanted to do
i gave him the 100pesos, and he looked at me like i was crazy and started talking... something about 600pesos ! we went back and forth, he never said one word about 600pesos, on and on. he finally stormed off and wouldn't take any money. i talked with RJ and explained, he agreed it was a huge misunderstanding. i wanted to at least pay for the gas, but the guy refused again. RJ asked if i could give him 200pesos ... i agreed, and we left. i felt really bad, but in no way did i agree to a 'snorkel tour for 600pesos' :( ....language barriers !
i had a really enjoyable day, after that uncomfortable beginning. we went to our first fresh-water cave. RJ said i didn't have to worry because there wouldn't be anyone there offering 'tour' ... he had a good sense of humor. :) it was no-frills operation, down a dirt road and a lot of dark steps into the cave. it was small but cool and refreshing and a great opportunity for me to rinse the salt water off my body, hair, and equipment. and, i was the only one in there :)
the next stop was a large fresh water lake, which is a rarity on an island. i got out and looked and ended up talking with a Philippina girl. she worked for JPMorgan in Cebu City and was on a short get-away. she was well educated and i spent a half hour trying to reverse her beliefs that 'all Americans must be like Trump'. that is what she said, after all, ...we elected him. i tried to explain the electoral voting system, and probably did not do a good job. i also tried to nullify the misconception of most Philippinos that ALL Americans are RICH. it was a good conversation and i think i convinced her :)
the next cave was Parisio Cave, which included a small resort with very nice surroundings and gardens, well cared for. this flower reminded me of our Poinsettia... it was brilliant and large
this was a much nicer Cave and Resort, with nice gardens and a 'proper' entrance
they even had built a little seating area inside the cave before getting down to the water
and a look-out spot over the water ... it was very pretty. and the water was impossibly clear
as i was leaving another group came in and graciously took a photo of me. again the water was cool and refreshing
look how clear the water is, you can see each stone
the Amazing Island Cave and Beach Resort was our last stop. this Cave was recently 're-opened' after they did some upgrades and construction. i got a Senior Citizen discount at the entrance… without even asking. then saw a sign that said we had to wear a lifejacket…. that seemed strange to me. i was able to sign a ‘Waiver’, yes a Waiver, if i didn’t want to wear one, releasing them from all responsibility. WoW… where am i ? i was also ‘guided’ down the steps and into the cave.
we got down to a small pool, i looked around, and thought, is this all there is? no, the guide was already ahead of me in the water, pointing me towards a small tunnel, 20-25feet long, which was deep enough that i could not touch the bottom. ah, now i see the lifejacket requirement for people who cannot swim. then there was narrow space between the rocks where you could squeeze into the next larger cavern. WoW .... this was Amazing !
i spent 20min in there with the guide. this was mid-tide, he told me that at high tide, you actually have to dive down and go under the rocks to get into this cavern. as it was, at mid tide, there wasn't much room. he showed me where the owner had 'chiseled' away some rocks from that tiny entrance that i was able to squeeze through... it was a lot smaller before he worked on it.
this was definitely the best cave, and i would highly recommend it. it was a very nice day with a very nice young man, RJ. if anyone reading this, i would recommend him as a safe motorbike driver and guide. phone 63
i am not very good at keeping track of the days. and it was in a conversation with RJ, that i realized what day it was. i initially booked here for 4 nights, and extended for 3 more; and then all of a sudden, my time was up. i wanted to stay longer, and was able to extend for another 2 nights, but the 'local weekend warriors from Cebu' were coming in on Sat, and they were 'fully booked' ... i had to leave :( ...just when i was beginning to really appreciate my current location: it was quiet, the beach went on and on, i NEVER had to wear shoes, the food, drinks, room and people were good... and pretty inexpensive.
i did some research and analysis of my options: packing up and finding another place on the island and then packing up and moving back in on Monday; moving to another island; or ... returning to Alona and spend my last week with Kevin, Nadia, Pat and Viana. i wasn't happy about packing, moving, packing, and moving; and i felt that going to Bantayan Island, although beautiful, did not have beach snorkeling, so i was just going to be another 'disappointing snorkeling excursion'. i sent Kevin a text and asked him if they would accept me for another week. he said i was 'always welcome'. decision made
so, being my last opportunity to snorkel and with a renewed 'attitude' towards the reef, i set out again for my last day of snorkeling at the Camotes. even when the surrounding conditions are not optimal, i ALMOST always seem to find something that i've not seen before. this is the part i love about being underwater..... there is so much to discover and experience.
i am not sure why, but it is important to me to know the names of the fishes. so after last year, of visiting various Dive Shops, borrowing their books; i bought the Fish ID book for Pacific Fishes. but, at almost 2 pounds, i wisely decided not to haul it around with me. fortunately, a kind and generous Dive Master copied the pdf file to my laptop. WoW, this makes it more convenient to ID the fishes. one of the reasons why i take so many photos of one fish, is to make sure i can make the correct ID. there are so many fishes that look so similar, one tiny spot here, or part of a stripe there, or a tiny stripe on the edge of one fin ...having photos from many different angles really makes it easier .... but still no guarantees, so don't 'bet the ranch' on my IDs :)
another new fish! the Iridescent Cardinal Fish. this one is distinguished by it's first yellow dorsal fin.
i did not need to look this next fish up in the book. i knew it well from last year; but unfortunately never really got a good photo of it, much less be able to spend so much time watching it swim in and out of the safety of it's cavern, to check on me. this is a Many Spotted Sweet Lips. it is a rather large fish, up to 2feet, this one was probably just over 1foot, and hard to miss with it's spots.
i was extremely excited to see it. It actually has dark red spots on it's yellowish upper body, and the same dark red spots on it's bluish tail. such a pretty fish !
he got quite comfortable with me and even left the safety of his cavity to swim to another one. i really enjoyed my time with him
this is a Pearl Scaled AngelFish, a small fish that quickly swims in and out of the rocks. i never realized until today that it had such a pretty bright blue edging on it's tail fins !
and i love this photo of the Yellow Chromis.
titled: "Listen, do you want to know a secret?"
the Philippine people, no matter how simple their homes, they always have pots of plants and flowers everywhere decorating their property. i've never seen a Hibiscus with this 'frilly' and intricate pedals
the sky on my last night on Camotes ... even though their reef is in sad shape, it still yielded many hours of entertainment for me. i loved the peace and quiet, i was sad to leave.
back to Panglao, Bohol tomorrow
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