Naimus ak san Kabaysay san Northern Samar: The Islands

Naimus ak san Kabaysay san Northern Samar
(Crazy About Northern Samar):
The Islands
ITLog No.09
17-18 August 2011

I keep seeing nice photos of the islands around Samar and was wondering is it really that nice…

After two days of the Fiesta in San Roque, with all the food most specially the lechon, this day (and the next) would be different, different meaning we would be visiting some islands (a couple in fact) around Northern Samar namely Caohagan Island and the rock formations in Biri island.

Waking up early in the morning to prepare for our trip to Caohagan Island, by 0700hrs we left San Roque by boat and headed to the Island of Caohagan, which is about an hour away. Along the way it started to rain and had to secure all my gears so it would not get wet and be ruined. Being drenched by rain almost half way until finally the sun came out and the island could be seen clearly with a rainbow by its side.

Arriving at Caohagan Island at around 0800hrs and took pictures of the beach immediately, then we were greeted by the only living person in the island named aling nenita, who takes care of an image (which is made of stone but when touched feels like a skin of a person) along with some gatherers of copra (they do not live here but just harvest copra) and we were treated to freshly opened coconut. After a little walk around we saw a boat coming to the island and meet up with it to see if they have freshly caught fish for sale, which they have. We got about a kilo of fish to grill plus the food that we brought and had a picnic by the beach at about 0930hrs. After our hearty breakfast, we headed for the site where the bats clings to trees which is at the other side of the island, reaching the place they began to leave their roost and fly around, which was a sight to see, plus the seashore where the water has receded a long way, which I walked till the part where the seafloor drops to its depths. Here is where most of my photos were taken and even got a chance to take a panoramic shot from one side of the island looking out to sea going to the other side of the island.

By 1115hrs (which was already scorching hot), we headed back to where we started, and arriving at the place we rested and lazed around. With the boat that brought us to the island arriving means it was lunchtime (the boat has to go back to San Roque to do some errands and we had ask him to bring more rice). By 1300hrs we were eating our lunch and then just admire the beauty of the island, by 1430hrs, we left the island and headed back to San Roque. We were dropped off not where we left-off, but at the beach of San Roque, and walked back to the house reaching it at around 1600hrs, after freshening up we just relaxed at the house till night time because tomorrow will be another visit to another island.

Woke up at around 0600hrs and prepared for the day, heading to Catarman, to meet up with an uncle of our travel companion who is the regional director of the bureau of aquatic resources of Northern Samar, who would accompany us to the Island of Biri. By 0900hrs we stopped at Fishville Fishing Resort and Restaurant located at the Municipality of Bobon, where we ordered food for our lunch (but was surprised come lunch time when the piece of chicken then we ordered was so small). By around 1000hrs, we headed for the Municipality of San Jose, where we would meet up with the boat operator to take us to Biri.

At San Jose, we rode a small pump boat and headed for a floating house with fishpen and would transfer to a bigger boat that would take us to the Island of Biri. With about an hour of travel by boat, we arrived by 1130hrs at the Municipal Island of Biri, where we ate lunch at the boat.

After lunch, we took the habal-habal (the regional director was left behind to talk to the mayor), we headed to the Rock formation in Biri namely: Macadlaw, Magsapad and Magasang. We were dropped off and told the drivers to pick us up at around 1500hrs. Crossing the marshland planted with mangroves, we headed for the rock formation, while walking I saw a part of the formation that caught my eye and would take a photo of it. Leaving the group at a shaded part of rocks I headed for a spot to take a photo of Macadlaw Rock Formation.

I was followed by the group to where I was, and we headed back together to the other side and took photos of Magsapad Rock Formation, then transferring to Magasang Rock Formation, and started going up its peak. Here is where a few if not no photographer has ever climbed its peak and took photos below. Taking as much photo as I can so as not to miss anything here. Walking, trying to cool ourselves at the pools dotting the place.

By 1415hrs, we started walking back to our pick-up point and felt a little drizzle falling down, hurrying to our Habal-habal before the rain falls, reaching the port of Biri. Paying our rides we boarded our boat, took a picture of Mount Bulusan and Mayon Volcano partly covered by clouds then headed back, but it started to rain and with it, the waves.

Passing-by another floating house with more fishpens and started feeding the fish and wanted to try some kinilaw na bangus but saw told that the fishes were still small, so we headed back to where we started out, then transferred boats to get to San Jose. Travelling to Catarman, where we ate dinner at the carinderia (where we ate when we arrived in Catarman). Then headed back to San Roque, arriving around 1900hrs, transferring my photos to the laptop to make room for more photos, then freshening up for the night to rest.

I was so excited to take photos of the rock formation at the Island of Biri that I forgot that it was scorching hot and did not put any sun block, so I got burned to a crisp and was all darkened up on parts of my body not protected from the sun.

Would I go back to Biri… yes I would, and take more photos of the place.

All photos are owned and copyrighted by Joey Rico (also known under these names: alien_scream).
All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use, copy, editing, reproduction, publication, duplication and distribution of the digital photos, without his explicit permission, is punishable by law

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Philippines License.