We got to Donsol, it was already dark. We saw the town procession (it was Maundy Thursday) making its way down the streets, so we parked the big bus to get off and watch. Most of the pictures below are Bea's.
We lost the Zosas/Narcisos somewhere after Legazpi City, and they finally caught up with us already at the hotel, Casa Blanca. China, Popsie, and I forayed back into town in search of a botica to buy Coca Cola, katol, rubbing alcohol for disinfecting the bathrooms, suka with sili for the Chabi kropek. For dinner, thanks to Tita Lilibeth, and Popsie, we had an elaborate picnic, with Bicolano food galore: the best Bicol Express I've ever had (using alamang), prawns, prawns in talankga sauce, nilantang pili, inihaw na belly, inihaw na isda, Burong mangga from Milky Way, hotdogs for the kids (you don't know what you are missing), banana chips, macapuno balls, fresh tamarind. We were so eager to just chat and make kuwento and chismis with each other, while the kids got acquainted and played ball or habulan or taguan, but we had to call it an early night because we had to be up early the next morning to meet the butandings.
THURSDAY. Dawn broke, and we were all up before six (wow!) ready to be at the Butanding office before 7, so we are first in line. And so we were! Two boats for the group: Tito Mike, Tita Penny, Gia, Andie, Rafa, Sabine, Agot, Chinggay, Mark and Mica in one boat; Marichi, Gerry, Monica, twins, China, Lory, Enzo, Rocio, and Popsie in the other boat.
Our BIO (Butanding Interaction Officer) is named Jun. There are 4 other men on our boat, including a spotter, who goes up a crow's nest on the nice big banca to find butandings. Pretty soon we all become spotters ourselves. You have three hours on the boat, keep your fingers crossed because sightings are not guaranteed, siempre! We were going by sheer prayer, and intent (as in: Butanding, malayo ang biyahe namin, magpakita ka naman). It took an hour to spot our first one.
The waters of Donsol are a foamy sea green, opaque and rich in plankton. According to our banca guys, the water could be up to 60 feet deep. From a distance, to spot a butanding, you look for a dark spot in the water, literally. This is a butanding, hovering just below the surface of the water. Many of us were too Sea World oriented. We kept expecting the butandings to surface from the water, open its big mouth, (and smile, maybe?) Well, butandings don't do that, first of all they are SHARKS and not WHALES.
Funny Marichi moment: We were kind of getting impatient, in spotting our first one. So she urges the twins to chant "Whale-ma, whale-ma", just like we chant "Park-ma, Park-ma" (for good parking karma) when looking for a parking spot in NYC.
One of the twins says: Lola, we should not say whale-ma, we should say shark-ma, since it's a shark, not a whale.
Marichi: It's a shark? Okay, I'm scared now. What are we doing here and why are you jumping in the water?
One of the twins: Lola, it only eats krill and plankton, and we don't look like krill, do we?
Not sure if Marichi was amused, or comforted, at this point. All we know is she was worried about the sun, so after giving up on her umbrella, and after slathering herself over and over again with SPF 45, she just gave up and covered her face with a towel. This below is MARICHI, my mom, and not an Abu Sayaf!
So, back to the banca. At the first sighting, we all jumped in the water en masse, which was not a good idea. To top it all, the shark swam deep right away, so no one saw anything other than that initial black blur in the water. Next, Jun the BIO suggests we just jump in one or two at a time. At the next sightings, Jun readies himself by putting on his flippers, then you watch for his hand signal, and when he does, one must immediately jump over the side of the boat into the water, snorkel and goggles at the ready of course. Jun then guides one, (actually pulls and steers one) over the butanding, as you look through your goggles into the water below. One by one we all took turns, many of us taking multiple turns. See Angelica below, with her "blur" and swimming back to the boat. Angelica thinks she was able to take an underwater picture of her butanding, but we still have to develop that roll and see. We all did take pictures with our hearts, since we did not have a great underwater camera. Also, once you see the shark underwater, it is such an overwhelming moment, you just want to stare and gaze and you forget about clicking on the camera. This is one of those times where it is better to look at real life with your own two eyes, rather than through a viewfinder, lest you miss the moment entirely! And yes, your heart is somewhere near your mouth, because you can't forget that this is a SHARK, and it is HUGE! But they are gentle, and their local name butanding is perfect for them, indeed a term of endearment!
Jun made us swim ON TOP of the butanding. The other boat's BIO had another style. They jumped in front of the shark, so that the shark would see the swimmer. Poor Agot, whom I am told was not too keen on jumping anyway, but got egged on by the entire boat. Right when he jumped, his butanding opened its mouth, and poor Agot had visions of his life flash before him, as well as have some organs almost jump out of his ears, making him say: Naku, gusto ko pa namang magka-anak pa! So Chinggay and Agot, when that 3rd child comes, we shall celebrate and give thanks to the butanding for having spared the family jewels!
Seeing the butanding, and swimming amongst it, is such an emotional, memorable, astounding event, I can't even describe it. Even those of us who just stayed on the boat had profound moments (just imagine a very large fish, bigger than your banca, swimming by it, or going under it....) It is something you should all aspire to be able to do one day (and hurry up before they are gone, who knows how long they will hang around Donsol.) We all hope that the people of Donsol are successful in their conservation efforts, but with nature, one never knows what can happen, no matter how hard we try. Right now, I believe what Donsol is doing it just right: there are not that many boats that go out in any given day, they have rules such as one boat per butanding at a time, there is income coming into the town and townspeople such that they will not resort to hunting and selling butanding in order to make a living. Keep your fingers crossed that the good intentions continue, and that they are all good for the people of Donsol, and the gentle giant butanding. At the end of the day, our boat spotted 13 butanding in our alloted time. We each got a beautiful certificate from the town of Donsol, certifying we were there, and had interaction with the butanding, on April 5, 2007. But like I said before, we did not need pictures, or certificates, because we already took great pictures with our hearts!
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