Camotes Islands

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 in the boat and we started around the island ... i was confused and frustrated, i did not want a boat ride around the island.   and the island was not as small as i thought it was.   we stopped at another 'non-snorkel' area that was full of fishermen slapping the water scaring the fish into their nets, and another one with a spear.   really?   and i'm going to see fish here?    dead coral and algae and i swam in the opposite direction of the fishmen and towards the wall.   where i was able to see some fishes

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 !

 

 

and those large 'sweet lips'  .... anyone have any red lipstick ?

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

Malapascua Island

to get to Malapascua Island, it's a bus ride from Cebu City to the Maya Port, at the tip of the island, beyond Bogo City;  then a ferry to Malapascua Island

Alex and i got a taxi in Cebu City to the North Terminal and hopped on a 210peso bus at about 5am. it was a 4hr journey up to Maya, at the north tip of Cebu. in actuality it is only 85 miles!   travel is painstakingly slow here !    this was a Cirus Air Conditioned bus ... but they had the most uncomfortable seats i think i have ever been in :(


when we arrived at the Port in Maya, it was raining …i looked at the seas and they did not look friendly :)   we carefully boarded the 100peso banca that would take us to Malapascua Island


the rain didn’t last long, but the seas were a bit rough and the trip there was stop and go battling the waves, but we made it safely.


a ‘porter’ grabbed my big bag and carried it to Mr Kwiiz, which was a 10min walk. i liked this place immediately because of this sign.
this is a recent island initiative … one that i truly support … why can’t we do this in the USA ?

sitting in the dining area, waiting for my room to be prepared … i immediately fell in love … with Baby Zane !    i was there for a week, and i never saw this little baby boy cry or fuss, he was just was always smiling ..... at me :)

i might also mention that he has a huge ‘family’ and someone was always holding him.   he was always clean and had clean clothes on … what a sweet baby !     and, coming from me … that says a LOT !


Divers flock to Malapascua Island to dive with the Thresher Sharks.   they are an interesting species that live at 1,800 feet.   but they come to a certain ‘cleaning station’ at about 90-100 feet, much like the Manta Rays that i saw last year in Indonesia.    Divers leave at 5am in hopes to see them.    they have extremely long tails and very big eyes, so they can see in the dark depths.   they swim really fast into a group of fish, and then stop very quickly, which makes their long tail whip forward and 'stun' the fishes.   then it turns around and eats them!   for whatever reason, they are not compelling for me; which is just as well, because i cannot dive with my cold.    i am just here to ‘escape’ the Michigan cold, and ‘do nothing’ :)      Alex is interested in diving with them.   the first day we canvassed the beach gathering information and prices on:  the Thresher Shark dives, a day trip to Kalanggaman Island, day snorkel trips, and motorbike rides around the island.    

the first day sunset

i was there for 7 nights, and honestly don’t know what i did while i was there … not much :)    time goes so fast when you are doing nothing.    we did take a boat tour to Kalanggaman Island … a very tiny island.     i went in hopes of some good snorkeling.    it was a typical ‘Philippine’ tour.    it left late, we had to wait for another boat to show up, and was over-booked.     i counted 70+ people on the boat rated for 26 passengers :)

we were the last boat arriving on the very pretty island, there were several other tour boats already on the small island and most of the cabanas were occupied - there were lots of people there … which kind of ruined the atmosphere.   i think they need to limit the number of boats/people that can visit each day ... but that will never happen

i had an opportunity to snorkel for 1.5hrs.    the sea was rough, not a problem for me, …but there was little to see.    and the coral was in sad shape.

there were 2 floating signs that said ‘Giant Clam Sanctuary’.    i briefly looked around the signs and didn’t see any, so i headed for deeper water to find the ‘Giant’ clams.    finding none, i retreated back to the floating sign.    yep .. i found some ‘BABY' Giant Clams’… actually lots of them … but they were all quite small … not GIANT, like i was expecting !

most of them were pretty

but some of these clams did not look so good.    they had no pretty colors; and their ‘insides’ looked ‘fuzzy’ to me.  but with my poor eye-sight, i couldn’t really tell until i looked at the photos.   i was right ... fuzzy
this one looks like it is in the process of dying

 and this one looks dead   :(

after this, i had to do some research on Clams … yes these were dying from Coral Bleaching.   a direct result of the water becoming too warm.    this is now a HUGE problem on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, of epic proportions ... and obviously here too …

When the coral dies, the entire ecosystem around it transforms… the slow decline:
--Fish that normally feed on the coral, use it as shelter, or nibble on the algae that grows among it, will die or move away.
—Bigger fish that feed on those fish disappear too.
--Birds that eat fish, now lose their energy source
—Island plants that thrive on bird droppings are depleted
--And, of course, people who rely on reefs for food, income or shelter from waves – some half a billion people worldwide – lose their vital resource.
sad what is happening to our earth :(


before my time was up, i did get a photo of this Juvenile Bristle Tail Tang

and some adults

it was time to get out of the water for our included BBQ lunch.    it rained a bit and it was another hour or so (that i could have stayed in the water); but eventually lunch was served.    lunch was great: grilled chicken, pork, fresh tuna, rice of course, pancit (noodles w/veggies and i’ve come to really like this local dish) watermelon and soft drinks.     all in all a good lunch.   it was cloudy and i was ready to go; but because we started late, we were staying another couple of hours in not so nice weather.

Alex spent the night there, in a tent, on the ground, with no pad, no fresh water.   it sounded like fun, kind of .... but i had already booked/paid for my room, so i went back with the boat.    we arrived back just as the sun was setting, a long day

the next morning i scheduled a ‘personal island snorkel tour’ … it was not worth the money.   i spent 20+minutes and believed that i had communicated my wishes for my own personal snorkel experience, to a 'smooth-talking-english-speaking’ local.    he obviously paid no attention to what i had said, and sent me on ‘run-of-the-mill’ snorkel tour with a guy and his wife, who could not speak English.  (one of my criteria was they were English speaking, it's difficult to sit with someone for hours and not be able to talk).    in the future i will make sure that i talk directly to the person who will be the ‘boat captain’ and not rely on the 3rd party ‘sales rep’ … grrrrrr

the first stop on my 'personal tour' was at Coral Gardens ….quite a way off shore … the seas had really picked up, but i got in the water and managed to stay a half hour

i hope that on a better day, the coral would look better.    but today was not an ideal day, and i had a hard time seeing any beauty.   it was a huge area of corals, there had to be something there; but i wasn’t going to see it today.

i saw a few fishes.     a Long Beaked CoralFish that continued to elude me time and time again.    it’s a pretty fish, but this is the only shot i got

one nice piece of coral

this was a pretty bright site on the reef … it is a ‘Burrowing Clam’ …. different from the Giant Clams. this one ‘burrows’ into the coral, as opposed to standing up straight.

here is a pic taken from the water looking at ‘my boat’ … not a great day

when you are snorkeling it’s hard to tell just how big the waves are.    you are just part of them and float and bob as they roll.   it’s not until you get out of the water that you realize…. hummm, them are some serious waves !


i took this video of us in the boat to give you an idea of the size of the waves.     the boat was good size and stable, so i wasn’t worried — plus, i had my snorkel gear if i fell over board ;)

i should also mention that with the huge waves, came lots of clouds and wind.    ...i was cold :(

but i persisted.    the next ‘snorkel stop’ was a non-snorkel-stop …. there was nothing there, rock ledges and a deep ‘pit’ …. what a waste.    i managed to find these Spot Gill Cardinal Fish that i meet for the first time in Anda

i lasted 10min there :(      ....disgusted, i got back in the boat.



on to the next ‘non-snorkel stop’ …. the Japanese Ship Wreck.   some people love to dive a ship wreck …i don’t get it …. and i specifically told Mr. Smooth-Talker that i did NOT want to go to the Ship Wreck.    this piece of information he was supposed to relay to my boat Captain.    obviously that didn’t happen.   before i got in the water the captain said ‘last stop’ …. i said no, i get 4, not 3.     i don’t know where he was going to take me next, but i was going to find out and hopefully get my money’s worth.

i got in the water and dove down and took some photos of the sunken ship … exciting, huh?     ....you decide …

10min later and we were motoring off to a couple of large rocks off shore.     this actually is probably a good snorkel spot on a different day.    not really any coral there, just the rocks, but there were shallow areas and deep drop off, so i saw quite a few fishes.    fortunately, my boat captain coached me on where NOT to go because of a ‘strong current’.     so my snorkel area was very limited.     another 15min and i was cold and done.

i thanked my Captain, and his wife, who could speak a little English .. it wasn’t his fault.  

when i made this ‘deal’, i did not have the correct change.   so i owed Mr. 'Smooth-Talker' another 100pesos when we finished.    Fat Chance !     ... If i see him again, he’ll get an ear-ful, and not one peso more.    live and learn, and then learn again   :)


Alex returned and we went to dinner.     it really is nice to have someone to have dinner with and share the day’s experiences, good or bad.    i will say we had a couple very nice 'classy' dinners

the next morning, Alex and i walked to the north end of the island.     it was sunny and hot!     we walked up to the LightHouse ……. which shockingly provided no views.    ...that was a hot sticky climb for nothing.    then we walked down to the beautiful beach and spent several hours in the shade.    neither of us needed any more sun, and it would have been unbearably hot.   when we arrived, the tide was out and we put our towels down, by the time we left, our feet were almost in the water.    there are huge tide swings here

  

it looked like the clouds were forming, so we found a guy with a motorbike to give us a ride back.    neither of us had any interest in walking.     we returned to our rooms just as the skies let loose again.   it has rained every day we’ve been here.     we really thought that after that Tropical Storm-Typhoon, all the rainy weather would be gone for awhile … not …



the next day Alex went for a dive with the Thresher Sharks.   i called a guy that we met the first day and asked him if he would take me on a motorbike tour of the island.    what a great day we had !     such a nice young man, Roland   .... he posed me 'here', and posed me 'there', for lots and lots of photos of the beautiful views.

when i got back and looked at all the photos he took.   i then realized he was taking photos of 'ME'   ... i was centered in every one of them !

 ... i didn't mind being in the photos, as a 'footnote' ....but i really wanted photos of the beautiful views  :(      more than ever, i realize how important 'composition' is in a photo, and i had to do a lot of cropping.     but he was sweet and was having fun  :)    
he totally choreographed this photo   :)

we took photos from high up on the cliffs where 'kids' jump into the water ..... a VERY high cliff ... crazy !

there were beautiful views everywhere you looked.    the water was amazingly clear

 then down to the beach

past where Alex and i were, and up some steps that someone painstakingly took a lot of time to design and build

to where a Dive Shop, Resort, and Restaurant once stood before Typhoon Yolanda destroyed it the morning of 8 November 2013.   Malapascua took a direct hit from the super-typhoon Yolanda, the strongest typhoon ever measured in the recorded history.    (unfortunately, that record has probably been beaten a time or 2 since 2013 The typhoon left Malapascua almost completely devastated with more than 95% of all buildings totally destroyed or severely damaged.

many were rebuilt, but this one was not.   this is the remains of what appears to have been a very nice Resort.    the bar at the restaurant

overlooking this 

the building in the distance is what's left of the Dive Shop on this beautiful beach

i was taken by how much time, effort, and money someone(s), put their heart into this making this Resort .. lots of small ponds/waterfalls, now overgrown .... and to have had to walk away from it all -- destroyed

i should also mention that while Roland and i were at one of the beaches, we ran into Mr. sweet-talking-english-speaking jerk that i booked my personal snorkel tour with.    he recognized me right away with a smile, and i let him know how angry and disappointed i was in his performance.    he shrugged and got on his motorbike and left.   there, i felt better  :)     if anyone is reading this blog and looking for reviews ... his name is Jason .... find someone else !

i haven't said too much about Mr. Kwiiz where we stayed, other than i met my little Baby Zane boyfriend there, and they don't use straws.     it was on a 'back street', where the locals live, and not on the main beach.    which would be nice and quiet ... we thought ... until the first morning.    when we heard the roosters crowing

i actually like hearing a rooster crow in the morning, reminds me of my Grandparents farm.   however, this was not just one rooster.    what we learned was that out our back door was a 'Rooster Farm' .... and there were 20-30+ roosters ... all crowing at the same time.    ok, now that's a bit much
they were all beautiful birds

and, the unfortunate part of this, for the roosters, is that they are being raised for Cock Fighting  !     they attach razor blades to their feet, and only the winner comes out alive  .. i don't have to tell you my feelings on that subject.    but it is a favorite Philippines 'pastime' on Saturdays and Sundays    :(


other than that, i have mixed emotions about Mr. Kwiiz as a place to stay.     the food was basic but really very good, and cheap... that's a big plus.    their English is not very good, and they didn't seem very willing to do anything, nor were they very flexible with their bookings and requests.     although the sheets were clean, as far as i could tell, they were stained and thread-bare.    but i was there for 7 nights, and at the end, the girls began to 'warm up' to me.

i needed to plan my next move.    this is always a struggle, especially without good WiFi.   fortunately, when i was in Anda, the guys helped me get my cell phone set up to use as a 'hot spot' so i could get internet through the cell phone signal.    this turned out to be an amazing life-saver!   it works really well as long as you have good cell service, which was pretty good most of the time, ...slow, but working.     Alex was leaving for Germany, and it was time for me to go too.

the Camotes Islands were on my original list of places to visit.    so i started researching:   which of the 3 islands do i want to be on?   what part of that island?    do i want peace and quiet, or noisy-lively where i might meet some people?    which facility do i want to stay at... or can i afford to stay at?   not knowing if i will like it there or not, how long do i want to book for?    how do i get to the island?   once on the island, how do i get to the resort?   and where can i get some more money before going there, because there are no ATM machines on the islands.

after a couple of days, i had it figured out ... at least the major parts.

Malapascua Island summary:   it's a small, rather flat island.   2km x .5km (about 1.5miles x 1/3 of a mile), they say you can walk around it in 1-2hrs.     no cars, nor tricycles because all the 'streets' are sand ... only motorbikes with horns, which they use frequently.   it means, 'i'm coming through get out of the way'.   this is TOTALLY normal for the Philippines, and the sooner you learn this, the better  :(    

i really like islands with sand streets and no cars ... there are a few:  Caye Caulker in Belize; Gili Air in Indonesia; Ko Lipe and Ko Kraden in Thailand .... my kind of places !

there are a lot of families living in the interior with little more than a roof over their heads.   it's hard to see.   most were born there and will die there, never knowing anything else.    but all seem happy; there's a lesson there.    it has some beautiful beaches and scenery.   there are some nice 'resorts' there, that serve very nice meals, if you want to spend your money that way.   but, there is little to do except diving, eating and relaxing; and no snorkeling from shore  :)

one more photo of Baby Zane ...he looks like he has a halo  ;)   ....and that little girls is a beauty

on to the Camotes Islands in the next blog.