babuyan memories, part 4a: losing sight of the mainland and finding the natural charms of camiguin norte

"One does not discover new lands without consenting

 to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."   

-- André Gide

during that early april morning when our group of eight -- kat, mati, bren, bryan, jb, sherelle, yanyan, and i -- boarded a motorized banca (locally called lampitaw) in sta. ana, cagayan to brave the big waves of the babuyan channel, we got what we hoped for: indications of good weather and favorable wave conditions.

the captain (kuya totoy), along with two assistants (jayjay and zombie), ably steered our boat towards our island destination in the babuyanes. the dual-engined boat effortlessly got us away from the northeastern edge of mainland luzon and across the channel.

after a good while of seeing only shades of blue (blue waves against blue sky) and some white (white clouds) around us, a breathtaking sight of camiguin norte, our island destination, welcomed us on the other side -- as if we entered another dimension.

as seen from my seat on the boat: camiguin norte island

as my eyes feasted on the vegetated mountain slopes and rugged edges of camiguin norte, i was reminded of other daunting boatrides survived in batanes, zambales, and palawan and i was thrilled to have reached another place, another paradise in MY country -- the philippines.

glimpses of camiguin norte island, 40km or so away from the mainland

destination: camiguin norte
camiguin norte is one of the five major islands comprising the babuyan islands, an archipelago of 24+ volcanic-coralline islands situated between the balintang channel and the babuyan channel of the luzon strait.

map of babuyan islands from http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/babuyanislands.htm

map of camiguin norte island
image source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/32556780/Varanid-Lizards
(i provided the labels in red)

camiguin norte of the babuyanes, not to be confused with camiguin island of mindanao, is a 22-km long volcanic island dominated by mount camiguin (also known as camiguin de babuyanes and locally referred to as dakkel nga balay, which means big house), a 712-meter high forest-covered stratovolcano located on the southern tip and considered by the philippine institute of volcanology and seismology (PHIVOLCS) as one of the 22 active volcanoes in the country. the island is part of the municipality of calayan which, despite the considerable isolation from the mainland, is under the political territory of cagayan province.

if camiguin norte's geological features are not enough to give away her volcanic nature, the undeniable strong smell of sulfur along the southwestern  shore and the smoke and heat emanating from a nearby semi-undersea hot spring are additional tell-tale signs.

notice that smoke? the smell of sulfur prevails in this area. this is one spot in camiguin norte island where you see a tell-tale sign of the presence of volcanoes

experiencing unpredictability in unfamiliar territory
i'd like to believe that all of us in our group of eight really knew what we said yes to in addition to taking the chance of seeing whales and dolphins in our country's northern seas. the trip is not for everyone, not just for anyone. it is only for the ones who are willing to yield to what's difficult to shake off -- the potent combo of the lure of the remote and the call of adventure.

we took the challenge of crossing the babuyan channel  and spending time in the babuyanes despite knowing that the area is a playground of the winds and that the possibility of being stranded is high due to the unpredictability of the weather and sea conditions even during philippine summer months, when the seas are expected to be calm.

the babuyan area's notoriety for unpredictability revealed itself to us soon after we reached the aquatic territory of camiguin norte. while the sky remained clear allowing the sun to shine on us and our boat as we traversed the babuyan channel, we suddenly found ourselves under a very cloudy zone and got welcomed by drizzle when we reached the island's southwestern side.

suddenly gloomy camiguin norte: experiencing unpredictability and still seeing beauty

under the gloomy sky, camiguin norte and the nearby islets on her western side still looked enthralling. towering above all, mount camiguin was imposing yet gave the impression of being coy, her peak hidden by a large mass of clouds. the caves, coves, cliffs, multi-colored rock formations, and the forest-covered slopes bore no signs of human abuse nor degradation and looked very pristine and inviting.

glimpses of camiguin norte's natural charms

when we cast our eyes away from these and looked to our left, pinon island easily commanded our attention. at first, pinon appeared as a mound of green rising just a little above the waves. when we got closer, it was easy to recognize her as an islet gifted with features that reminded us of batanes' valugan boulder beach because of the countless smooth rocks lining the shore where waves crashed angrily and zambales' capones island because of her vegetated elevated portions and the way the rocks were scattered on the lower portions. plus, she also has a good stretch of white sand. her beauty beckoned to us but the prevailing wind and wave conditions made further approaching her very daunting.

pinon island: an islet just off camiguin norte

beyond pinon and around 4 kilometers or so away is another island -- pamoctan (pamuktan in ilocano). our boatmen told us that she's really a beautiful island and we could stop over there. weary from the long boatride across the channel and badly wanting to walk again on land, we all agreed for our boat to dock in pamoctan so we could as well have our then soon-due lunch on her beach.

at first, since we were approaching her from the south, pamoctan looked like an island version of a misplaced and deformed chocolate hill. as we approached her on her southeastern side, her two-peaked terrain became obvious -- a charming tandem of a mama hill on the northern side and a baby hill on the southern side.  she's quite a picture of a lumpy pretty island and the babuyanes must have really wanted to show her off to us -- the clouds let up and allowed the sunshine in as our boat approached her shore.

approaching pamoctan island

according to online resources, pamoctan is actually a lava dome and is recognized  as one of the three volcanic centers in the southern part of camiguin norte. she is a landmark to navigators and is known as the island that lies in the middle of the entrance to the anchorage they refer to as port san pio quinto -- in ordinary speak, pamoctan is the island guarding the southwestern cove of camiguin norte.

personally, i consider pamoctan as my la isla bonita of the north -- the northern counterpart of tawi-tawi's sangasiapu island, my la isla bonita of the south.

the white coralline beach of pamoctan island, my la isla bonita of the north

very clear seawater and a glimpse of pamoctan island's underwater charm

more than her charming lumpy look and her white coralline beach, pamoctan really endeared herself to me when i saw the marine life she keeps around her -- corals and fishes -- so healthy, so colorful, so diverse, so attention-grabbing, and so close to the shore. even from the boat, the corals were visible because the seawater was so clear!  i was really more than thrilled. the natural underwater garden one could clearly see even from above the water surface is beyond awesome!!!

(to be continued)

babuyan memories, part 3: post travel thoughts on summer rains and such things

"somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight..."
-- lyrics, somewhere out there

transformed skies, early morning rain, moonset, and rushing waves | memories of the rained on and awakened

somewhere out there -- in the babuyanes -- lies that beach where we once slept while the stars and the full moon kept their watch. i remember spreading my sleeping bag in full view of the big sky and it was comfortable, felt right. i remember sleeping, my spirit at home and calmed after humming songs and watching the stars to my heart’s content.

the beach in naguilian

the beach is in barangay naguilian in the southwestern cove of camiguin norte island, a volcanic island bounded all around by the deep blue sea & her waves and accessible mainly to those who take time to leave the comfort zones to dare cross the babuyan channel.

we -- kat, mati, bren, sherelle, bryan, yanyan, jb, and i, with our three boatmen -- left our comfort zones. we dared, we crossed the babuyan channel. we got to camiguin norte island and we got to the beach in naguilian. we got rewarded with tranquil ambience, a beautiful sunset, and a pretty night sky with full moon and stars -- my senses feasted on all these.

i usually don't sleep early. however, i do observe exceptions and that friday night, when the moon was full and bright, was one of those.

things felt right. after having our dinner -- with some sand getting on our food, hehe -- there was nothing much for us to do anymore but to gather around the campfire, to give in to good vibes, relaxing vibes. think of nighttime society minus scary stories. think of night life minus booze and minus boisterous behavior. think of light from the campfire dancing off our faces, us aglow with orange light. think of the full moon keeping watch and the stars not wanting to be outdone. think of the night wind blowing just right and the waves hitting the shore making a lulling symphony. think of all those, put them together, and you could see what that friday night was like -- untainted, unstrained, a time to just embrace all the good, if not perfect, in.

maybe it was just between 8 to 9 o'clock in the evening when i spread my sleeping blanket next to yanyan. we -- yanyan, sherelle, and i -- were supposed to sleep inside yanyan's tent but sleeping directly under the night sky was more inviting so we stayed outside, close to the campfire but not too close. sherelle, yanyan, i and then space, space, the fire.

at around 11:30 that night, i woke up. probably, it was because of the campfire. somewhere in my sleep, i remembered kat's instruction that we put out the fire before we go to sleep. i looked at the fire and it was still very much alive. sherelle, who was also awake that time, and i partnered in putting the fire out. then, i went back to being cocooned in my sleeping bag, went back all the way to dreamland.

at around 1:30am, i woke up again. i heard kat, who was two or three meters away from the rest of us girls, calling out my name. then, the word 'ambon'. drizzle. i took out my left hand. i felt no raindrop. i looked at the sky and saw that it was close to overcast, the clouds trying to mask the full moon and the moonlight. so i continued to hold out my hand and, yup, raindrops. small ones, dropping in intervals that made them almost unnoticeable. yanyan and sherelle stirred and awoke; we decided to go inside the tent. kat decided to just remain where she was.

i passed by mati's sleeping form between bren's tent (with bren inside) and yanyan's tent; i mumbled 'ambon, ulan' to him, he acknowledged what he already knew and simply went back hiding in his sleeping bag. beyond yanyan's tent, was jb's tent and outside it, i saw a sleeping form but, without my eyeglasses and my eyes lazily half shut, i couldn't tell if it was jb or bryan who decided to sleep out there. i had half a mind to inform whoever it was of the raindrops but i was feeling too sleepy to walk any further just to mumble 'ambon, ulan' some more; besides, the person stirred so i figured he'd probably have the sense to transfer should more raindrops continue to fall. i went inside yanyan's tent, settled myself between sherelle and yanyan, and slept BUT...

sleep became elusive. at around 2:30am, i decided to go out and went back to our sleeping area next to the campfire. i had a feeling that time that i won't be able to sleep anymore. just as well. one of the boatmen probably stirred the fire back to life when we went to the tent so, with that fire needing tending while the rest continued to sleep, my senses had something to do beyond idling. i switched from sitting to lying to sitting to lying to sitting, half awake, half asleep, watching the fire and our camp, half awake, half asleep, trying to court sleep (i don't count sheep), watching the clouds growing heavier and darker as they moved and changed patterns.

at 3am, it rained cats and dogs (and elephants and giraffes, i must add); we barely had time to secure our stuff from out in the open to the small waiting shed, where we made them all fit, where we scrambled for shelter from the sky's seemingly all-out shower of many, many big tears. i remember shivering and feeling cold despite wearing my waterproof jacket. i remember thinking, "very interesting philippine summer season. this."

it took a good while before the rain started to let up. at 4:55am, we were rewarded with the sight of the moon... setting. the clouds were still dark and heavy overhead but the horizon was clear -- the moon looking like a perfect ball of orange light, the sight unhindered by clouds and mists.

the full moon setting on a saturday | very, very early in the morning

by 6:30am, there was good morning light and the pictures i took gave the impression that it didn't rain heavily just a few hours before.

the waiting shed and the stuff we kept safe from the downpour

the waves had gotten bigger and stronger though, so much so that i was reminded of the morning waves in calaguas and i couldn't resist welcoming them as they rushed to shore, eventually breaking, creating beautiful foam. despite having been rained on and awakened way too early, it was still a good morning that greeted me on a saturday.

the saturday morning waves: bigger, stronger

we were supposed to cross the babuyan channel again (and go back to luzon mainland) that day BUT unfavorable wind patterns intervened. we got stranded in babuyan.

stranded again?! hehe. =)

babuyan memories, part 2: post travel thoughts of a starlit sky admirer

♪ and when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby

it helps to think we're sleeping underneath that same big sky ♪

-- lyrics, somewhere out there

a date with sunset, bonfire under the full moon, and falling asleep lulled by the stars | memories of a starlit sky admirer

somewhere out there, on an island in the luzon strait, past the rarely calm 40-or-so-kilometer wide babuyan channel that isolates it from mainland luzon, was where i stood watching this year's good friday sunset. i was, at that moment, an adventurer feeling at home on the cozy white sand beach of naguilian, a barangay off the beaten track along the southwestern cove of camiguin norte -- the island.

where is camiguin norte island? there!

the sun gloriously tainted the late afternoon sky with orange and spilled it further on the blue seawater and on the shore. the sight of awesome warm colors hitting the cove was made even more beautiful by the captivating view of nearby pamoctan (also pamuktan in ilocano) island, which is actually a lava dome. it defined a charming lumpy silhouette as the sun went down the horizon.

the summer sunset in naguilian

it was a beautiful summer sunset -- the sun giving a perfect adieu, bursting a fantastic dose of orange hues before leaving the sky dark and ready for the next spectacle. i'm grateful that i was there. my seven travel buddies -- kat, mati, bren, sherelle, bryan, yanyan, and jb -- and our three boatmen were also there. they, too, experienced the beautiful summer sunset. they, too, had a date with the sunset like i did. we were there, a good 3.5-hour boat trip away from the mainland, a challenging expanse of sea separating us from the known and the familiar.

i took comfort in the beauty of that sunset and in the tranquil country ambience of naguilian. it was a good moment to be just there, allowing the good vibes to soak in, hearing the music of the waves, feeling the gentle motions of the wind, and knowing that -- in that isolated place -- i wasn't alone. how i wish i had the ability to capture all that in pictures. even my words are not enough.

naguilian beach and the sunset

the beach of naguilian is very gently sloping and is all sand for quite a stretch so running to the water and getting soaked, taking a swim, is relatively safe. particularly when the waves are just right, the sight is really tempting. i had no immunity to that temptation so i took a dip just as daylight was already quickly fading; yanyan did, too. i befriended the waves, floated on my back, felt the clear seawater. above me, the stars were already starting to appear.

i soon went back to the shore and helped in tending our campfire; feeding it with dried twigs, driftwood, and dead leaves. i had a personal stake in that fire -- not only did i need the warmth after allowing myself to be soaked, i was also the one who successfully started it using flint and steel. naturally, i felt inclined to be one of its prime guardians, to keep it going, and to see it last for as long as our group needed it.

taking advantage of the remaining natural light in the horizon, we did jumpshots -- ourselves registering as silhouettes in the pictures, with pamoctan island and the boat also as silhouettes. it was fun and a fitting activity for draining excess energy prior having dinner under the starlit sky, with the night wind blowing some sand onto our food, haha. the moon soon rose, so full and bright -- illuminating the boat and everything else. it looked so big and moonlight seemed to be everywhere. i thought of taking pictures but i did not bother bringing out my camera anymore. i committed everything to memory instead -- the bonfire, the conversations, the hustle bustle around our temporary camp until the last one standing, so to speak, called it a night.

somewhere out there -- in the babuyanes -- lies that beach where we once slept while the stars and the full moon kept their watch. i remember spreading my sleeping bag in full view of that big sky and it was comfortable, felt right. i remember sleeping, my spirit at home and calmed after humming songs and watching the stars to my heart’s content.

babuyan memories, part 1: post travel thoughts of a sunset-chaser

"We do not remember days, we remember moments."
--Cesare Pavese

friday, flint, fire, fireball and a bit of rewind | memories of a sunset-chaser

there was kat, there was mati, there was i. there was also bren and there was sherelle. the five of us were huddled in a circle, taking turns trying to start fire using flint and steel. not too far away from us, there was a game of frisbee and some late afternoon photography. there was bryan, there was yanyan, and there was jb. somewhere not too far away, too, were our boatmen -- kuya totoy, kuya jayjay, and zombie.

it was just us and our boatmen, there on that wide stretch of white sand where we chose to camp and stay overnight, back-to-basics style. the place breathed simplicity and serenity. it was enveloped with that aura of being untouched, unexploited and, at that time, it was all ours, just ours.

the place is called naguilian, a seemingly quiet barangay of camiguin norte island of the babuyanes. in the afternoon sun (and always -- i'd like to believe -- no matter what time of day), it is pretty and welcoming. we met some of the residents there upon our arrival and they were good-natured and accommodating, telling us directions to their abodes so we'd know where to find them should we, in the duration of our short stay, find ourselves needing help. this, even before we needed anything. they're grace -- unmerited favor -- in the flesh.

it was friday and it was late afternoon when we arrived in naguilian. we -- our group of eight with our three boatmen -- had just spent the earlier part of the day traveling from sta. ana, cagayan in mainland luzon to camiguin norte. the sun was up, the skies were clear, the sea was a beautiful blue, and the normally big waves were moving just right in our favor when we crossed the babuyan channel on board a motorized banca.

camiguin norte and dakkel nga balay, the most prominent volcanic peak of camiguin norte island as seen from our boat

it was friday and it was late in the morning when we got our share of dark clouds as we entered the aquatic territory of camiguin norte and, eventually, we also got our share of some pitter-patter. by the time we docked in pamoctan island (pamuktan in ilocano), the sun was with us again as the clouds and fogs multiplied and hovered in the distance, darkening the numerous peaks of camiguin norte but sparing pamoctan and sparing us, granting us good light -- just exactly what we needed for good pictures and a beyond awesome marine life-watching experience.

pamoctan island

that the seawater in pamoctan island is very clear, it's no surprise to me. most places that are seldom reached often keep their pristine status. what really impressed and truly delighted me was seeing a healthy marine ecosystem right there from the shore, no snorkel and mask needed. it was my first time to see such colorful, such lush, such diverse natural show of underwater creatures and elements that did not require me to step into the water -- because... one moment i was standing on dry white sand. the next small step i took, the water was up to my ankle. the two next steps were not necessary and called for caution because the corals and fishes were already there -- they're that close to the shore!!! but i did swim and i did use my snorkel and mask so i could check out the impressive underwater showcase in the deeper portions of the area. awesome is not enough to describe the sight and the experience!

proof of how clear the seawater in pamoctan island is!

it was friday and it was right after having lunch when we left pamoctan island and headed off to camiguin norte's brgy. balatubat, location of the nearest coast guard station and where we needed to register. there in balatubat, we met the coast guard personnel and the barangay chairperson. they suggested naguilian to us.

as already written, it was friday and it was late afternoon when we arrived in naguilian. from balatubat, we -- our group of eight with our three boatmen - got to naguilian by boat. the beach was pretty from afar and it was prettier up close. with the afternoon sun shining down on us and the rest of the day still before us, as soon as we reached the shore, we excitedly got off the boat and unloaded our stuff. a busy rhythm typical to travelers and adventurers prevailed upon us all as we set up the tents, enjoyed the taste of fresh buko juice and young coconut meat (jb and the boatmen did some short distance hiking in naguilian and came back carrying the young coconuts which they got for free), took pictures, walked, looked beyond the vegetation that separated the beach from the barangay road, among other things. the rhythm was neither fast nor slow but just right -- right for discovering, experiencing, living in the moment, getting things done.

so there was kat, there was mati, there was i. there was also bren and there was sherelle. we were literally playing with fire, taking turns to start one using flint and steel -- the game went on for ten, twenty, around thirty minutes with no success. never mind that the boatmen gave us a box of waterproof matches and mati had with him a lighter. not too far away, there was a game of frisbee. there was bryan, there was yanyan, there was jb. it was friday, it was late in the day, and it was again my turn with the flint, my turn to play. it was then that i became successful in starting a fire -- our fire, the fire that provided comfortable warmth and light to whoever among us moved close enough to it and it lasted until the next morning.

it's probably nothing to most other people but it's something of a triumph for me -- i managed to start a fire using flint and steel! the rewarding joy was definitely something more than i could ever get if i worked on the fire using the usual match or if i sought the convenience of using a fuel-loaded piezoelectric lighter. both alternatives were available, yes, but, from the first moment i saw the flint (kat's flint), such was my tenacity to see it work over the familiar and the convenient -- a tenacity that didn't disappoint. i was, of course, elated that i was able to do something that i so wanted to do and something that i've never done before.

i was in that elated state when i turned to check the horizon and saw the fiery colors of sunset starting to appear. no way was i gonna miss watching that day's battle between light and dark. so i rushed towards the sunset, camera in my hand. i rushed towards the sunset but only went as far as where the sea would not eat me up.

our boat and the sunset in naguilian

sunset in naguilian

today, i remember that it was friday, i was there in naguilian, and i experienced one of the most beautiful summer sunsets i've laid my eyes on. :-)