Donsol – Camera & Carry On

60 Second Recap: the Philippines

Michael — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:44:56 +0000

Donsol, Sorsogon

We got here just a few days after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit. Even though the eye touched only 150 miles from Donsol, we were lucky to see little lasting evidence of the Super Typhoon.
The people here are super nice. The children are constantly following us to say hello. They are all very grateful for the typhoon relief the US has provided.
The town is made up of mostly farmers, and the people here don't seem used to having visitors. This is kind of surprising, even though we got here in off-season; I hear it's quite popular for a solid 3 months out of the year when visitors in search of the whale shark arrive.
Not the nicest beaches, but really great sunsets.
Most houses are really more like huts, and there are few luxuries - including running water.
There are almost no power tools or machinery, lots of oxen work the fields.
We went on 2 boat tours looking for whale sharks, the ocean's biggest fish (technically a sharks, but harmless so normally associated with whales).
I saw one whale shark 15ft long, Shannon saw one closer to 25ft long. It was awesome.
We splurged and spent one night at a nice hotel with a great pool. It was worth it (Vitton Beach Resort).
We were here for 9 nights at the beginning of November, and were often the only people staying at the hotel. Our busiest hotel had 3 rooms filled, including ours.
The food here is pretty good with very fresh seafood. We tried a local favorite, sizzling pork sisig. You may not want to look up the ingredients, but just trust me - it's good.

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Batanes Islands

And I thought Donsol was rural... I bet there are less than a handful Americans here each year.
The ocean here is extremely blue and rough. This is where the Pacific and South China Sea meet.
Since there are so few people, the scenery here is amazingly untouched, really... A-MAZ-ING!
There are a few "honesty" shops around. These are unmanned stores where you take what you want, write it down, and put your payment in a box. (The Honesty Coffee Shop may be the only physical shop, but the system is used in a few other places too.)
We rented a dirt bike for a day to explore Batan Island. It was great to see the island this way. There is only one main road that circles the island... Mostly... There are several areas where the road is little more than a dirt/mud path.
There is an indescribable feeling of peaceful solitude that I felt on the rural southern tip of Batan.
The coastline is very rocky, and there are a lot of cliffs and bluffs that drop off into the sea. I've seen it referred to as the "Scotland of the Philippines." I don't completely agree with that, but I understand the comparison.
The food is ok, but rarely available. Aside from meat, most everything else has to be shipped in. You need to get used to having a back up when you order at a restaurant. I'd say on average 70% of the menu was out of stock.
We took a small boat across the rough sea from Batan to Sabtang island, several people we met barfed over the edge... we did not.
We got a driver to show us around Sabtang on his tricycle. The tricycle appeared to be falling apart, but was actually quite sturdy. Although, a few times we had to shift our weight to make it up a hill.
Our tiny plane left late because it weighed too much for the weather, 4 volunteers had to stay behind.

[See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] The Philippines is a great place to visit. Knowing we'd soon visit a few other countries with amazing tropical beaches, we decided to see some of the less traveled areas there - this was a great decision! I hope over the next few years and decades the places we visited keep their charm. Feel free to comment below, and check out our other articles on the Philippines here!

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The Wonderful People of the Philippines

Michael — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 14:25:00 +0000

We met a lot of really great people during our travels thus far, but the genuine warmth and welcoming nature from the people of the Philippines really stands out. Young children were constantly running up to greet us and ask, "What's your name?" A little girl that spoke virtually no English, walked with us and showed us her family's farm. Wandering down the streets, each person we passed smiled and said, "Hello." It actually seemed strange at first - honestly, we just weren't used to people being that friendly. Generally, it's perfectly normal to look down and pass a stranger in silence; but not here. We visited some extremely rural, undeveloped villages. Many homes were little more than huts, running water was a rarity, and oxen were used to plow through fields of rice. Young or old, man or woman, all people shared a common thread; with so few modern conveniences or luxuries, they are so happy and optimistic. It seemed only fitting to dedicate a post to their charm and character, and to share some great photos and memories they gave us. [See image gallery at www.cameraandcarryon.com] We arrived in the Philippines just a few days after the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the southern shores. The US sent over 13,000 troops to help in the relief, and although the country lost more than 6,200 neighbors, friends, and family members, the final words from one of our hosts was, "Tell the American people we say, 'Thank You.'"

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Swimming with the Biggest Fish in the Sea

Shannon — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 14:17:42 +0000

“Look there! Okay everyone… get ready!" the captain commanded over the rumble of the motor. We turned our attention west as the boat kicked into high gear. In the distance, I caught a glimpse of it. Water swished and swirled as the black crest emerged and maneuvered at the surface. “Let’s go! To the left side of the boat!" Scrambling for fins and snorkel masks, we hastily geared up and positioned ourselves port side among the other three passengers. After a morning of false alarms and unfulfilled anticipation, the pressure for this one was building. It was our second trip out in pursuit of the ever-evasive butanding, or whale shark. On the first search off Donsol’s shore just days prior, Michael had seen one at close range, from massive head to swaying tail. Aware our quest came at the very beginning of the season, we were lucky just to get a glimpse of a few active dorsal fins near the boat. Still, I was keen for my own encounter with the biggest fish in the sea. The last few seconds above water were a blur. Over my shoulder, shouts from the crew urged us to move quickly. “Now! Go!” I secured on my mask, took a deep breath, and plunged over the edge. The water was murky with plankton and I focused my eyes to see through the haze. Not more than a few yards away, little, white dots were fast approaching and growing in size. I knew those spots. Whale shark skin! Google image searches, YouTube videos, and the mandatory ‘before your interaction’ video at the tourism center prepared me for what I would see, but not how I would feel in the company of that which I sought. I was stunned but intrigued, and somehow resisted an urge to reach out and touch the shark to make sure it was real (I like to play by the rules… we’re told we can look, but not touch). I held my position, taking in the sight of the giant that passed beneath me. Then, realizing that very soon it would be gone, I kicked my feet as fast as they would propel me. Must. Not. Lose. Sight. Steadfast, I followed the shark for a few seconds before it took off into the abyss. “Farewell, fishy,” I thought. The whole thing couldn’t have lasted more than 60 seconds, but that moment overflowed with intensity. My senses were buzzing. I felt electric on an adrenaline kick, and yet so vulnerable, just feet from the massive creature, which I estimate to have been between 20 and 25 feet long. The big blue ocean is a thing of wonder, but for some, a source of fear as well. Perhaps it has something to do with all the unknown. To be there, to have that experience, to feel the adventure… Jumping into the deep with little visibility, and hoping to find a huge shark is not part of my general repertoire. But what’s life without a little risk and pumping up the heart rate? Back on the boat, my grin spread from ear to ear. I shook my head to indicate that yes, I had seen the butanding. The captain nodded back in approval. Michael squeezed my hand and we spent the next 45 minutes on the boat enjoying the warmth of the sun and salty breeze. There were no other sightings in our remaining time on the water that morning, but I was okay with that. My experience in Donsol was complete; I’d be going home with a spectacular memory of the day I swam with a whale shark. Some things to know about searching for whale sharks in Donsol…

The excursion is about 3 hours long, 85% of which is primarily comprised of what I like to call hurry up and wait, because that’s just what you do. Sadly, many times a whale shark is spotted, it will dive too deep before you have a chance to get to to it (hence, all the aforementioned false alarms). But what can you do? Just cross your fingers and hope you see one!
There are a few guys on the boat that make up the crew, along with a captain (or BIO = buntanding interaction officer). The boat itself is quite simple, but serves its purpose well. There is covered area just large enough room for the max 6 passengers, and a nice open spot in the front where everyone gathers before the scramble to jump in.
There is no equipment, per se, for ‘spotting’ whale sharks; at least not in our experience. The crew look toward the horizon in all directions searching for signs of activity. I guess when you live here and have been doing this for a while, your sight is as good a tool as any.
Guarantees are not made that you will see a whale shark. It’s helpful to go in the height of the season, which has varied slightly over the last few years with warming trends, but tends to be toward the beginning of the year. Even the locals will tell you that it’s never a sure thing, and to see one is very lucky!
Seeing a whale shark first hand is truly amazing. Highly recommended!!!

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