Rough Groove

Series 56: Busuanga aerials

Series 56: Busuanga aerials now starting at Binary Silver. Eleven photos of Busuanga Island in the Calamianes group of northern Palawan as viewed from the plane.

MV Catalyn D sunk

MV Catalyn D on its way to Coron from Manila sunk off the coast of Mindoro Occidental last Sunday. It came as a surprise to me since it was the boat that I took from Cuyo to Coron Palawan around October last year for an assignment to shoot the fortress churches there and in Culion. I wouldn’t have taken it since I was already on boarded another ship bound for Puerto Princesa but when I learned that Catalyn D will travel direct to Coron, I switched.

I had plans to do a photodocumentary on that boat on one of its trips Manila – Cuyo – Manila but now, it seems that I have to look for another potential subject.

A long week of travel

I’m now already here in Coron from Cuyo after more than a week of travel in Iloilo, Negros and the isolated islands of Cuyo and Agutaya. Whew! The boat ride was short but wasn’t comfy enough despite the sea’s being calm. By 12 noon, I’ll be taking the pumpboat to Culion for the last leg of my Palawan trip. I just hope the weather will be fine.

I miss being online

Series 11: A short trip to Culion

2 June, me and three of my lady staff took the flight from Puerto Princesa to Coron for our annual company outing. And from that day until the 5th, besides enjoying the sea, sand and sun, took my time photographing life as it occured in these fabled islands:

Culion, established as a leper colony by the Americans to house lepers that were found scattered in the streets and homes around the Philippines but now a wonderful island rich in history minus the lepers (okay, I was told that there are still people afflicted with this disease but only few – nevertheless, its nothing to worry).

Calauit Safari, part of the tour package but the African animals are just too few in numbers and kinds.

Coron. Such a wonderful place! Except for a miscommunication with a man while I was doing my photoshoots, the people are friendly, views and sceneries are just wonderful and they don’t mind me taking pictures.

This series includes 31 photos during this short trip (short but I was able to use up around 10Gb of photos in RAW – thus the great number for this series) taken in these islands in the Calamianes group.

Company outing in Coron, Palawan

Last 3 – 5 June, our group, the Nationwide Optimization together with some Metro Manila Field Operations group decended at Coron, Palawan, part of that fabled group of islands in the Calamianes in the north of the province, aboard those small but flyable planes from Sea Air and Asian Spirit. It was sure was a trip of a lifetime as we went island hopping, beach bumming, visiting the beautiful Kayangan Lake, the twin lagoons, viewed World War II wrecks, Maquinit Hot Spring (the first and only salt water hot spring I’ve been to) and of course, a safari tour to the much touted but not so impressive Calauit Wildlife Preserve (just a very small population of African wildlife like giraffes, zebras, antelopes together with Palawan endemic fauna).

But it was very, very much enjoyable.

Ching at the small dock for the trip to neihboring Calauit Island.

The group at the Calauit Island grounds with the usual giraffe that comes close for feeding. Must be a scripted act since this is the same small animal you can see in other visitor’s photos.

Olan, Lenn, She, Joel, Ching, Mikee, Edith, Lorrie, Candy and Ellen on the way to island hopping.

Ching, Edith, Lorrie, Candy and Ellen aboard the motorized banca enroute to Kayangan Lake. There is an entrance fee of P200.00 at the start of the trail for the lake. Visitors should bring anti mosquito lotion as one becomes fodder to thousands of mosquitos feasting on your lifeblood.

The Opti girls: Lenn, Candy, Ellen, She, Lorrie and Edith. Sila pa rin?

Iba na naman: Len (our group has lots of Len, Ellen, Elenita, Lenn, Elena…), my batchmate Aldwin, Ellen, Noel, Lorrie, Arnel, Odette at Sea Dive before our departure for the airport. The background is Coron Island where Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes can be visited.