“THIS POINT is very deep already,” Marlon said nonchalantly while paddling farther out sea. “Look at the water. It’s dark underneath.”
I put on a stern face and said, “Don’t tell me that.” I started moving my paddle against the small waves, steering the boat back to where the corals and white sand under the water could still be seen.
I can’t swim well and if I fell out the boat, it would be the end of me. But I wasn't worried much. I reminded my companion, “I’m your guest so I’m your responsibility.”
A guest I truly was. Though I was a barefaced weekend crasher putting my grown self up for adoption, Marlon’s family and relatives were very hospitable to me. My visit in Malapatan, Sarangani Province, last February was memorable both for the warm welcome I received and the wonders of nature I saw.
The conversation in the boat happened Sunday, almost noontime. We were exploring the aquatic sanctuary near the border of Malapatan and the town of Glan. The sky was cloudless and the sun was straight above us, but I wasn't a bit worried. I wanted everyone at school to notice my fisherman’s tan the next day.
Looking down from the boat, we could see a whole colorful world, pulsating with tiny forms of life. The clear water was acting like a thick protective film, separating us from the creatures below, making them appear so fragile and inviolable.
I suspect we were breaking some law, for the water is restricted. But the protected area’s caretaker, a distant uncle of Marlon, gave us permission and lent us the boat, and we weren't causing any harm anyway.
The sanctuary spans about a quarter of a hectare only. The corals are still young (which, in coral age, means at least hundreds of years old). It doesn't look as thriving as the video clips of the Great Barrier Reef you see on TV—and that fact makes it special. You will want to be part of protecting the area, so it will be like the Great Barrier Reef someday, thousands of years from now.
SUN, SEA AND SAND
From the sanctuary we headed South, to a nearby beach resort in Glan.
There were just three of us: Marlon, I, and his young uncle, who bigheartedly played the role of a driver.
The ride was Nirvana. We stood at the back of the jungle jeep as it sped off over seemingly endless rolling hills, cold air hitting our faces, making them a little numb. The highway slices through two distinct, scenic views. At one side are mangroves and the vast Sarangani Bay. At the other are coconut trees and hulking mountains, which appeared bluish like the sea because of haze.
The white-sand beach resort is commercial but still undeveloped. Young Talisay trees line up the shore, serving as shades for benches made of crude coconut slabs. Except for those features, everything looks untouched and secluded. When we went there, only a few people had come to the beach, mainly small groups of families and barkadas. For a half-day soul-searching, the place is an apt destination .
We grilled some fish for lunch, dipped in the water, and went back to Malapatan.
THE COVE
The previous day, Marlon and his pretty cousin Bulaw took me to a cove by the sea, about two kilometers from the poblacion of Malapatan.
I had never seen anything like it before. Waves splash against large, brown rocks, which reminded me of upturned prawn crackers, ridged and overcooked.
(Unfinished)
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