The Butanding

Whale Shark watching is a series of polarities; excitement: calm, anxiousness: peace, intensity: hilarity, exhaustion: relaxation. However, this is if you are only lucky enough to find whale sharks. We were in such a boat. Yes the only boat to find whale sharks. Yes, we were the only boat out there, besides tuna fisherman, but being the only boat out looking for whale sharks was certainly more enjoyable than the crowded stampede of boats jostling for position to drop tourists close to any butanding in the area. This difference, one boat vs several is based on the fact that in Donsol the presence of whale sharks is a regularity while in Puerto Princesa it is often only for one week a month as they move through their feeding areas and even that one week is uncertain.

A 5 am wake up will start your day in order to get a full 7am-2pm day of whale shark excitement. However, before that excitement is a groggy yet relaxing 45 minute banca ride from the Puerto Princesa Bay Walk. The vibrations of the engine will quickly put you to sleep but if you are able to resist you will be able to take in unique social and political dynamics of the Philippines. From the Bay Walk a quick turn will take you in front of the PPC Harbor with its assortment of container ships from around the world. If you had been lucky to be in Puerto a few weeks previously you would have been created by the sight of two modern US Destroyers, many who say were sent due to the escalating tensions over the Spratley Islands. These destroyers were truly top of the line with helipad, multiple satellite arrays, what looks like a Vulcan mini-gun and slanted siding to disburse radar.

However, that day these ships had already set sail, leaving only two small destroyer type ships of the Philippine Navy which, I am told were given to the Philippines by the United States once World War II era technology became truly obsolete. Near the port is a sight that tourists will not fully see unless viewed from the ocean. Now, I do not know the accurate composition of this community but people refer to it as a Badjao* community due to its predominant population. I am looking through my pictures and I can’t believe I never took one but I will next time I head to Brgy Mangingisda.    

    *If you are interested in hearing more about the Badjao let me know and I will post.

Another turn and the banca is now headed out into the open ocean. Ironically you will then pass by the Badjao Seafood Restaurant resting on stilts in a grove of Mangroves. This restaurant is a very nice high end restaurant which is at odds with the name Badjao which is normally associated with poverty.  I hope that is the correct use of ironic, my Engrish is slipping. After this before you know it you are out in the open ocean, chasing dolphins and headed to the Tuna fisherman and the dreaded whale shark!

PS This is why my English is slipping

Now I will not upload the footage on this site because it’s already on facebook and takes an eternity to upload and I do not have any pictures of the actual trip I was so focused on video. The upload speed makes me think of dial up internet. Here are some simple anecdotes about my experience.

 

-First Krystal supposedly saw a Manta Ray (don’t believe her) and I didn’t which, if true, is very upsetting especially after diving the Manta Bowl in Donsol and not seeing any!

-Second, being the only person in the water with the whale shark changes the entire experience. The footage on facebook is when I was the only one with the shark decently far from the boat. If you notice he stops swimming and simply feeds, he or she is calm/relaxed. Usually you are swimming so fast you wish you were aquaman but I was actually able to just float next to it at one point.

-One image that stands in my mind was when we had an unexpected sighting while we were waiting for our lunch (freshly caught tuna from one of the fisherman J) and I jumped in, not from the runners of the banca but right off the front. I am not sure but it just seemed that the water clarity and lighting made the ocean seem like it was actually thousands of feet in the sky and I felt like I was floating in mid air along with the whale shark as he slowly swam away. I couldn’t stay with him for long because a tuna boat was zipping by with hooks dangling out the back trying to get a catch.

 -Even getting back into the boat is hilarious because if everyone goes to the same side to get you the banca will tip. However, sometimes you don’t notice how far it is tipping until all the boatmen are running to the other side of the boat to balance it out. It’s good that they are super fast.

-Finally, one of the best memories was seeing how excited not only the tourists were but the boatmen who were laughing hysterically whenever a whale shark was sighted. This is one word:

Boatmen: “SHARKTHERETHERELEFTSIDELEFTSIDEGOGOJUMPJUMPWAITWAITTHEREITISGOGOGOGO”

Followed by an eruption of laughter while they watched people frantically adjusting their snorkel gear, jumping in on top of one another, kicking each other, and chaotically swimming with all their might towards the whale shark. Everyone was able to get a good look at the whale sharks and seeing everyone so excited and happy really made an already awesome trip even awesomer. ;-)