More About The Oslob Whale Shark Encounters
Let's continue my story...
Through the years, hordes of visitors and their vehicles had been multiplying, so that one must be patient in waiting for their turn. It is orderly but often still feels chaotic!
I'm even still figuring as to what really should-be the ideal time & timing for would-be visitors to consider, for optimal comfort & convenience prior to actual whale watching.
It's that time-frame of waiting and lining up in musical chairs fashion, para kang nasa PCSO, before you can board a boat, to head a few meters and be with whale sharks.
The how to avoid excruciatingly long lines was the real reason why my friend and I were on this tour because our upcoming group is a family with seniors and children.
Timing: should it be weekdays only? non-holidays? or, when there are less Koreans in the country? Time: at the 6AM opening time? or at the 11:30AM last viewing slot?
Makabuang oi! Yet the process of observing & analyzing is a worthwhile fun activity too. But we do that when we're already away from Oslob. On-site is 'data gathering'!
At yan.., iyang data-gathered and facts-found ang ikinukwento ko sa inyo!
What did I find out so far? Confusion hahaha!
On a 2012 visit, we set out from Cebu (on a private van) at 3AM. We arrived at Oslob about 6:30AM. This place was crowded with busloads of visitors (foreign and local).
We got into the water past 8:30AM. Maybe because it was a long weekend? Maybe.
On my last visit, we took the 7AM Ceres air-conditioned bus. There was congestion due to accident, yet we arrived at 9:56AM. Enough time as watching is only 30mins.
There were a number of tourists, but it wasn't crowded. Maybe because it was only 4 days after Yolanda/Haiyan, and the coastal waters were still a bit choppy? Maybe.
Today, Tuesday, we left Cebu at 9AM, yet we arrived at 10:30AM, on the same Ceres bus to Dumaguete. Bakit? Maybe because most public school classes have ended?
I can't say Pinoys don't go traveling on April Fools' Day, since it's not something that we observe superstitiously like Byernesanto. Yet, the highway was clear all the way!
And too few people, compared to previous visits. Ayun tuloy, even if we did not plan to actually go into the water (ocular inspection lang ito, remember?), we did. Hayahay!
Haay, maybe it's too early to decide once and for all as to what is the most ideal time and timing when visiting those butandings. The situation feels like The Cobra Effect.
Oh yes, in Economics they called that Self-Defeating Prophecy - be early to avoid the crowds - everyone does so, ayun nagka-crowd tuloy ng mga early. Ang late hayahay!
Parang sa airport check-in, o kaya sa PCSO, o kaya sa DFA, or trafic sa EDSA!
Basta, in my experience, the briefing center isn't crowded between 11 and 11:30AM.
That youngish (and friendly) bayot in black shirt was to be our "briefer". Because he was approachable, I 'personally requested' that he be the one to conduct the briefing!
Pwede ba yon? Well, while standing around, waiting for this briefing, I overheard him and the old spinster asking each other 'kinsa mag-briefing ikaw o ako'? So I butted-in.
A bit uneasy with eyes darting between me and the kulot old lady he asked "why sir". So, I told them "last November I was here with other friends, nag-linya-linya mi in those chairs, more than an hour, and all she said was “okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy”".
Nahingangha ang bayot oi! Wa ka-sulti for a few seconds. At umalis ang Miss Tapia with burning eyes on me! Ay, if her stare could kill people, on the spot 'goodbye' ako!
All this 'briefer' could say was "hala sir oy, opisyal baya sya namo sa barangay". And I said "all the more that she should do better than how she is doing/behaving right now".
And so I told him my previous encounters with that spinster (I like the Ilonggo term: la-on) heheh! And I also told him that they/them the younger generation should veer away from the old, sinauna, makalumang-style of public service na nagha-hari-harian.
Look at the photo again, di pa tapos mag-fill-up ng form ang iba dyan sa pila namin, briefing was not started yet, so to kill time, we engaged the 'briefer' in a chika-chika!
Ang topic: public service then and now! Old people do not respect the capacities and abilities of the general public especially younger people. Para sa kanila ang respect is one-way lang (respect the elders), yon lang naman kasi ang turo ni Padre Damaso!
Syempre, part of the talk was si tandang taray hehe! Bayot liked it when I said "hindi lahat na nakapila sa harap niya eh mal-edukada tulad nya, at di kami mga alipores nya!"
Imagine, pipila ka ng pagka-tagal-tagal, lipat pa ng lipat ng upuan, ony to hear “okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy”. Anyone would know she was supposed to say more.
Anyway, that bayot nodded when I said "the likes of that old woman are disappearing, but there are still some that remain - and most of them are still in government service."
He even added "lagi sir no? ikaw na'y bayad ikaw pa'y kasab-an". I said "mismo"!
Okay, enough of that "bugnuting tanders"! Nag-briefing na, and off we were to sea!
* Update 2020 First photo in this article WAS how briefings were done before.
Weather today was great. No more sandwich bags for pones & cameras. Summer na!
In these next 3 pictures, the two little big ones were approaching a 'manong feeder'.
These manongs with the feed (dead krill) strategically position their bancas near the tourist boats, so we visitors can see butandings close enough even if we don't swim.
This big mouth approached us while its sibling went to that boat in front of us.
This one, kumbaga sa pusa nangungulit na ambunan naman sya ng pagkain hehe!
I watched the manong's hand, he gave krill and kind of caressed that big wide mouth!
I know it's not allowed, but somehow aliw panoorin eh hehehe!
Anyway, eto after nila magharutan, iniwan sya ni manong. Ayan lilipat sa amin!
Whale shark eyes (at the sides, ends) look so small, because of the very wide mouth.
Oy, all of them that hang around in Oslob are the young ones. Kids kumbaga sa atin!
But look at the width & length of that one - compared to the man swimming at right.
Let me not anymore pinpoint who (di ba obvious?), but there was 1 of them, na kung maka-tili dinig yata hanggan Southern Leyte! Irritatingly piercing high decibel shriek.
No she wasn't afraid. Excited lang. Pero ang tili, parang kinukubabawan ng kung ano! One of our boatmen (right corner of picture) said something like "'sakit sa dalunggan".
I think she was saying "OMG ang lakiiiiii. Andito sya sa tabi ko piktyuran nyo 'ko daliiiiii". We all remembered that "line" because our boatmen kept repeatedly mimicking her!
Until we got off our boat, they kept sarcastically mimicking the "OMG ang lakiiiiii" - at me action pa! And my friend said "ewan ko ba, ganyan 'ata talaga kaming mga babae"!
I don't know if that should be included in "manners" pero matining, nakaka-badtrip!
When our 30-minute time was nearly up, the topic shifted to 'toki swimming speed'!
At nag-demo sila manong! Our boatmen told us to watch in a direction they pointed. I don't know what they did (ayaw sabihin) but in mere seconds, silently fast, ayan na!
She was fastest and it was to our boat that she ran to! I refer to it as a "she" because the manong feeder called her a female name when he declared that she was winner!
Others also came speeding but were a little behind the declared winner!
And treated as if humans, alaskado sila from the boatmen, who I silently noted , were suddenly all aware that a contest has ensued. I now still wonder 'how they all knew'.
Palaisipan! The "all" now applies to both butandings and boatmen.
There was no announcement nor starting gun of some sort - not even a whistle nor a splash. It was just some talk between me, my friend, our two boatmen and a feeder.
Kung me nagsaboy man ng alamang, there were many of them constantly doing it!
1 of our 2 boatmen just said "tan-aw mo diha sir ma'am"! Then all toki came running!
But how did the young gentle giants know they had to make-a-run-for-it and in which direction? How did all boatmen know whalesharks were making a dash towards us?
Nag-cheer na lang sila bigla eh!
I asked them - I kept asking them - no one would tell me any thing. They'd only smile and say ganyan lang ang toki minsan sir! I'd say estoryaheee, still none would tell me!
Oy, the friend and I didn't notice, some toki actually came from directions other than the path pointed to us by our boatmen. Pati tuloy ito (na galing sa laot) natanong ko!
I asked Ikaw How Did You Know? Who told you to come running to us? That made our boatmen and my companion laugh out loud. But boatmen wouldn't even give a hint.
That quickly, our boat was overwhelmingly surrounded by adorable gentle giants.
They do like nudging the katig of boats although quite gently. Like cats to our feet.
And I think the manong feeders throw more krill when the day is about to be over.
Almost all on a generally southern heading. Hmn, I wonder where they go after that.
I asked the manongs. They said they don't know the specifics - especially that out in the open seas, whale sharks are not fond of congregating nor swimming in groups.
My friend said "alangan namang sundan pa nila ang mga 'yan".
Oo nga naman, but my brain is still itching to know: where do they go after Oslob?
Alright. When done whale watching, as planned, we went to hang around the row of eateries (with accommodations, mind you) just beside the briefing area compound.
A group just left those adjoined tables - probably lunch after whale shark watching, which, was one thing we were considering, for our upcoming group of friends' visit.
O ha?! Tour itinerary planner, tour guide na talaga ako! Maniningil na ako, soon!
This area is left side facing the sea (right side is George's where I was last time).
If you want to still watch 'the action' (or what remains of it), this row of eateries has a good vantage, especially their outside tables, as George's is a bit hidden in a garden.
In the pic above, boatmen were landing their boats. But it wasn't day's end yet. Look:
There was still time for late-comers (in fairness, meron mas late pa sa amin)! Look at that boat in the middle, pasugod pa lang sila! Aw 'twas only like 1115H. Me oras pa!
Technically, the last boat departure should be 11:30AM, since the interaction limit is 30minutes and closing time is 12noon. Friend and I smiled at each other. Discovery!
Hanging question:
We saw them leaving... bumalik ba ang mga butanding? Who told them? How?
Look at those bigger boats with roofs. They're not from this barangay's association (TOSWFA), but likely from towns, agencies or resorts such as Sumilon Island Resort!
Why would they come only now? Because, they probably already know that it is less crowded at just about closing time! Ah ganun pala ha? Ahh, I say 11AM is safe-best.
Oh, for your crowd size appreciation, if you think the number of people in that photo above is already 'many', ayayay, that's probably only a 10th of the 'maniest' I've seen!
So to answer my confusion above: as for the time, it should be 11AM! But as for the timing, ewan ko pa heheh. Of course public holidays are automatically crowded, but today, April 1, 2014 was not a holiday naman (yata), bakit konti ang tao? Pag-aralan!
There are big trees (Talisay?) that provide their eatery frontage a cool breezy shade. Masarap tambayan, doing my most important activity on a beach: tunganga chill ra!
Pwede rin people watching, but most humans you'd see are boatmen about to knock off, and few like us, who decided to stay a bit longer, to enjoy this seaside paradise!
Wag ismolin ang crowd dito! Of those I saw while 'people watching', me mga madre of various orders; meron din parang muslim; me balot-na-balot dahil 'takot sa araw'!
As I said, most eateries have accommodations, or most resorts have restaurants.
We had too much of the bingka on the bus, yet we still got easily enticed by these:
That ended with these...
And repeat performances of this...
The life! Di ba?
Languidly basking under the Talisay tree hehehe, I already marked my two best new experiences on this visit were: 1) the "toki race" - how silently fast whale sharks can swim; and 2) "eateries" beside the briefing center - aba me French cuisine sa katabi!
Then uwian na, I thought that was it. Yet I still saw something worth checking-out!
I would readily say it's big & clean. But when visitors arrive lumiliit & disorderly sya!
Front of the building ba yan? Mukha naman. You enter at those steps, to pay and be listed for the next boat, at a tiny table by that wall over at the end. Lakad kayo doon!
Tracing the usual process flow, friend and I curiously entered this briefing center.
There are 2 of that explainer board, the other one is on its opposite side (pic below or the briefing photo above). Very informative and nicely done (kasi 'donated by' OPCF).
They are movable (there are rollers), and I've seen them just about everywhere in my other visits. This time though, the boards are securely tied to the aluminum railings.
Why a special mention of explainer boards on this blog? Aw, if you read them, they're many times better than Miss Tapia just saying "okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy"!
IF you read them. Ang kaso, many of us excited tourists never bother to read boards like that - mas busy sa selfie. So, pila ka to hear the spinster say her famous phrase!
Panning the camera to the right (from that photo above), this is the payment center:
Those two tables are also moved around, according to the whim of their cashier. Or maybe as spinster-dictated. Opisyal daw ng barangay ang buruhang yon said the bayot.
Note at left edge of photo, there is an entrance/exit too. Below that is where you get and return snorkels. Your boatmen would also be there, assisting or waiting for you.
So, that is going to the boats after briefing? No no no no no, NO! But, you will not be shot if you pass there! Though the supposedly 'proper way' is still via the big stairs.
Now. Take note of the dog, as I panned the camera once more to the right, for this:
That's the other side of the briefing center. Dog did not move, but is now at left edge of photo; the other explainer board also tied to the side rail; briefing chairs iligpit na!
Yes, it is in that area (foreground of picture) where the briefing happens.
AND, there is also that bigger entrance way na walang hagdan. AND, it is facing the highway where people and vehicles come from. AND, if you enter there, ok lang din!
So, you can already imagine, when there are lots of people from say 7 to 10AM, they will be walking in all directions, becoming chaotic - notably for groups of 6 or more.
That is what friend and I came here for, to check out how we shall tactically move as a group, because there will probably be 10 to 18 of us - with seniors and 4 little kids!
Okay, that blue & white building has the only toilets & showers for men and women.
Ah, since it was already past 2PM, wala nang tao, pinuntahan tiningnan. This!
Just 2 cubicles for females; 1 for males; and 2 shower stalls for all - paunahan kayo! Yes, for all the hundreds, if not thousands, that visit this tourist attraction? Konti yan!
Ask any architect or engineer, me science yan para malaman ilang inodoro dapat!
Finally, emerging out of that 'little toilet building' we had this RARE grand view!
Rare? Yes sure yan, there are not many people who have seen, much less taken pics of that scene. Seldom would any tourist or guide even see that white sandy ground.
Why? Ayayii, from opening to closing time, puno lagi ng sasakyan ang space na yan. From bisekleta to dambuhalang bus, kulang na lang "mag-kubabawan" sila sa dami!
From that view, the highway is way left. Doon ang pasok coming down to this place. Parking is unahan. Behind that perimeter fence, are those eateries described above.
Of course, to the right is the spacious but "harum-scarum" briefing center!
Syempre pa, for the sake of my friend, and for this blog's use, ito yun sya o!
It's actually big and beautiful, right? And obviously, entrance isn't supposed to be on the left side in front of that motorbike, di ba? But if you enter 'here', okay din naman!
Di ka naman tatawagan ng foul o traveling, di ka rin kakasuhan ng estafa. Oks ra oy! Thus, because it is 'okay ra', during peak times, crowds keep darting here and there.
Add to that, their payment tables and briefing chairs are positioned in whatever way na maisipan nila. So, entering the briefing queue was from anywhere ka nanggaling!
I saw some tour guides having a hard time with their members' whereabouts for the form to be signed! Ang iba seated na sa briefing line, ang uban nangita pa'g ballpen!
But if you arrive at about 10:30 to 11AM, mingaw. Ayay, secret ko sana yon!
Oh, here is one more for me to say "FINALLY na talaga na totoong totoo"!
It's easier to look around at those pasalubong stalls when the 'pandemonic crowds' are gone. Ay, my friend who has a master's degree in 'tawaran' (hangyo ba) enjoyed!
Tara let's go elsewhere Oslob!
Time and timing
I mentioned this in the last paragraphs of the previous post, but let's overemphasize the time & timing of being at the 'whale watching briefing center' where it all begins.Through the years, hordes of visitors and their vehicles had been multiplying, so that one must be patient in waiting for their turn. It is orderly but often still feels chaotic!
I'm even still figuring as to what really should-be the ideal time & timing for would-be visitors to consider, for optimal comfort & convenience prior to actual whale watching.
It's that time-frame of waiting and lining up in musical chairs fashion, para kang nasa PCSO, before you can board a boat, to head a few meters and be with whale sharks.
The how to avoid excruciatingly long lines was the real reason why my friend and I were on this tour because our upcoming group is a family with seniors and children.
Timing: should it be weekdays only? non-holidays? or, when there are less Koreans in the country? Time: at the 6AM opening time? or at the 11:30AM last viewing slot?
Makabuang oi! Yet the process of observing & analyzing is a worthwhile fun activity too. But we do that when we're already away from Oslob. On-site is 'data gathering'!
At yan.., iyang data-gathered and facts-found ang ikinukwento ko sa inyo!
What did I find out so far? Confusion hahaha!
On a 2012 visit, we set out from Cebu (on a private van) at 3AM. We arrived at Oslob about 6:30AM. This place was crowded with busloads of visitors (foreign and local).
We got into the water past 8:30AM. Maybe because it was a long weekend? Maybe.
On my last visit, we took the 7AM Ceres air-conditioned bus. There was congestion due to accident, yet we arrived at 9:56AM. Enough time as watching is only 30mins.
There were a number of tourists, but it wasn't crowded. Maybe because it was only 4 days after Yolanda/Haiyan, and the coastal waters were still a bit choppy? Maybe.
Today, Tuesday, we left Cebu at 9AM, yet we arrived at 10:30AM, on the same Ceres bus to Dumaguete. Bakit? Maybe because most public school classes have ended?
I can't say Pinoys don't go traveling on April Fools' Day, since it's not something that we observe superstitiously like Byernesanto. Yet, the highway was clear all the way!
And too few people, compared to previous visits. Ayun tuloy, even if we did not plan to actually go into the water (ocular inspection lang ito, remember?), we did. Hayahay!
Haay, maybe it's too early to decide once and for all as to what is the most ideal time and timing when visiting those butandings. The situation feels like The Cobra Effect.
Oh yes, in Economics they called that Self-Defeating Prophecy - be early to avoid the crowds - everyone does so, ayun nagka-crowd tuloy ng mga early. Ang late hayahay!
Parang sa airport check-in, o kaya sa PCSO, o kaya sa DFA, or trafic sa EDSA!
Basta, in my experience, the briefing center isn't crowded between 11 and 11:30AM.
The briefing
At 10:43AM, look at how many people were waiting for their "briefing". Only 6 adults and 1 child; add me and my friend; and 1 dad who went back to the payments table.
Pwede ba yon? Well, while standing around, waiting for this briefing, I overheard him and the old spinster asking each other 'kinsa mag-briefing ikaw o ako'? So I butted-in.
A bit uneasy with eyes darting between me and the kulot old lady he asked "why sir". So, I told them "last November I was here with other friends, nag-linya-linya mi in those chairs, more than an hour, and all she said was “okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy”".
Nahingangha ang bayot oi! Wa ka-sulti for a few seconds. At umalis ang Miss Tapia with burning eyes on me! Ay, if her stare could kill people, on the spot 'goodbye' ako!
All this 'briefer' could say was "hala sir oy, opisyal baya sya namo sa barangay". And I said "all the more that she should do better than how she is doing/behaving right now".
And so I told him my previous encounters with that spinster (I like the Ilonggo term: la-on) heheh! And I also told him that they/them the younger generation should veer away from the old, sinauna, makalumang-style of public service na nagha-hari-harian.
Look at the photo again, di pa tapos mag-fill-up ng form ang iba dyan sa pila namin, briefing was not started yet, so to kill time, we engaged the 'briefer' in a chika-chika!
Ang topic: public service then and now! Old people do not respect the capacities and abilities of the general public especially younger people. Para sa kanila ang respect is one-way lang (respect the elders), yon lang naman kasi ang turo ni Padre Damaso!
Syempre, part of the talk was si tandang taray hehe! Bayot liked it when I said "hindi lahat na nakapila sa harap niya eh mal-edukada tulad nya, at di kami mga alipores nya!"
Imagine, pipila ka ng pagka-tagal-tagal, lipat pa ng lipat ng upuan, ony to hear “okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy”. Anyone would know she was supposed to say more.
Anyway, that bayot nodded when I said "the likes of that old woman are disappearing, but there are still some that remain - and most of them are still in government service."
He even added "lagi sir no? ikaw na'y bayad ikaw pa'y kasab-an". I said "mismo"!
Okay, enough of that "bugnuting tanders"! Nag-briefing na, and off we were to sea!
* Update 2020 First photo in this article WAS how briefings were done before.
The butanding interaction
And down to the gentle giants we went (you already know how it's done, right?!).
In these next 3 pictures, the two little big ones were approaching a 'manong feeder'.
This big mouth approached us while its sibling went to that boat in front of us.
This one, kumbaga sa pusa nangungulit na ambunan naman sya ng pagkain hehe!
I know it's not allowed, but somehow aliw panoorin eh hehehe!
Anyway, eto after nila magharutan, iniwan sya ni manong. Ayan lilipat sa amin!
Oy, all of them that hang around in Oslob are the young ones. Kids kumbaga sa atin!
Can we stitch some mouth?
I took this next picture to remind me na me kinabadtripan ako dyan sa grupo na yan!
No she wasn't afraid. Excited lang. Pero ang tili, parang kinukubabawan ng kung ano! One of our boatmen (right corner of picture) said something like "'sakit sa dalunggan".
I think she was saying "OMG ang lakiiiiii. Andito sya sa tabi ko piktyuran nyo 'ko daliiiiii". We all remembered that "line" because our boatmen kept repeatedly mimicking her!
Until we got off our boat, they kept sarcastically mimicking the "OMG ang lakiiiiii" - at me action pa! And my friend said "ewan ko ba, ganyan 'ata talaga kaming mga babae"!
I don't know if that should be included in "manners" pero matining, nakaka-badtrip!
Docile does not mean slow!
Interactions here are not necessarily solely with the butandings or toki as locals call them. It is also fun and quite educational talking to those manongs about any thing.When our 30-minute time was nearly up, the topic shifted to 'toki swimming speed'!
At nag-demo sila manong! Our boatmen told us to watch in a direction they pointed. I don't know what they did (ayaw sabihin) but in mere seconds, silently fast, ayan na!
Others also came speeding but were a little behind the declared winner!
Palaisipan! The "all" now applies to both butandings and boatmen.
There was no announcement nor starting gun of some sort - not even a whistle nor a splash. It was just some talk between me, my friend, our two boatmen and a feeder.
Kung me nagsaboy man ng alamang, there were many of them constantly doing it!
1 of our 2 boatmen just said "tan-aw mo diha sir ma'am"! Then all toki came running!
But how did the young gentle giants know they had to make-a-run-for-it and in which direction? How did all boatmen know whalesharks were making a dash towards us?
Nag-cheer na lang sila bigla eh!
I asked them - I kept asking them - no one would tell me any thing. They'd only smile and say ganyan lang ang toki minsan sir! I'd say estoryaheee, still none would tell me!
Oy, the friend and I didn't notice, some toki actually came from directions other than the path pointed to us by our boatmen. Pati tuloy ito (na galing sa laot) natanong ko!
That quickly, our boat was overwhelmingly surrounded by adorable gentle giants.
They do like nudging the katig of boats although quite gently. Like cats to our feet.
And I think the manong feeders throw more krill when the day is about to be over.
After the last 30 minutes... uwian na!
Like clockwork, they start quietly leaving towards noontime, starting w/ bigger ones.
I asked the manongs. They said they don't know the specifics - especially that out in the open seas, whale sharks are not fond of congregating nor swimming in groups.
My friend said "alangan namang sundan pa nila ang mga 'yan".
Oo nga naman, but my brain is still itching to know: where do they go after Oslob?
Alright. When done whale watching, as planned, we went to hang around the row of eateries (with accommodations, mind you) just beside the briefing area compound.
O ha?! Tour itinerary planner, tour guide na talaga ako! Maniningil na ako, soon!
This area is left side facing the sea (right side is George's where I was last time).
In the pic above, boatmen were landing their boats. But it wasn't day's end yet. Look:
Technically, the last boat departure should be 11:30AM, since the interaction limit is 30minutes and closing time is 12noon. Friend and I smiled at each other. Discovery!
Hanging question:
We saw them leaving... bumalik ba ang mga butanding? Who told them? How?
What did we discover?
That, it might actually be best to come later, as in just before closing time, than gruel it out with the big crowds of people and vehicles, at opening time until about 10AM!Look at those bigger boats with roofs. They're not from this barangay's association (TOSWFA), but likely from towns, agencies or resorts such as Sumilon Island Resort!
Why would they come only now? Because, they probably already know that it is less crowded at just about closing time! Ah ganun pala ha? Ahh, I say 11AM is safe-best.
Oh, for your crowd size appreciation, if you think the number of people in that photo above is already 'many', ayayay, that's probably only a 10th of the 'maniest' I've seen!
So to answer my confusion above: as for the time, it should be 11AM! But as for the timing, ewan ko pa heheh. Of course public holidays are automatically crowded, but today, April 1, 2014 was not a holiday naman (yata), bakit konti ang tao? Pag-aralan!
A tranquil, well-provided beach strip
Friend and I decided to linger-around until after-whale-watching closing-time. Here:
Pwede rin people watching, but most humans you'd see are boatmen about to knock off, and few like us, who decided to stay a bit longer, to enjoy this seaside paradise!
As I said, most eateries have accommodations, or most resorts have restaurants.
We had too much of the bingka on the bus, yet we still got easily enticed by these:
That ended with these...
And repeat performances of this...
The life! Di ba?
Languidly basking under the Talisay tree hehehe, I already marked my two best new experiences on this visit were: 1) the "toki race" - how silently fast whale sharks can swim; and 2) "eateries" beside the briefing center - aba me French cuisine sa katabi!
Then uwian na, I thought that was it. Yet I still saw something worth checking-out!
Process Review at an 'empty' briefing center
From the eateries and resorts on the northern side, there's no way out to the hi-way, other than via this facility. So I had the chance to see it sanz the umaatikabong tao!I would readily say it's big & clean. But when visitors arrive lumiliit & disorderly sya!
Tracing the usual process flow, friend and I curiously entered this briefing center.
They are movable (there are rollers), and I've seen them just about everywhere in my other visits. This time though, the boards are securely tied to the aluminum railings.
Why a special mention of explainer boards on this blog? Aw, if you read them, they're many times better than Miss Tapia just saying "okay, no touching and no flash, enjoy"!
IF you read them. Ang kaso, many of us excited tourists never bother to read boards like that - mas busy sa selfie. So, pila ka to hear the spinster say her famous phrase!
Panning the camera to the right (from that photo above), this is the payment center:
Note at left edge of photo, there is an entrance/exit too. Below that is where you get and return snorkels. Your boatmen would also be there, assisting or waiting for you.
So, that is going to the boats after briefing? No no no no no, NO! But, you will not be shot if you pass there! Though the supposedly 'proper way' is still via the big stairs.
Now. Take note of the dog, as I panned the camera once more to the right, for this:
Yes, it is in that area (foreground of picture) where the briefing happens.
AND, there is also that bigger entrance way na walang hagdan. AND, it is facing the highway where people and vehicles come from. AND, if you enter there, ok lang din!
So, you can already imagine, when there are lots of people from say 7 to 10AM, they will be walking in all directions, becoming chaotic - notably for groups of 6 or more.
That is what friend and I came here for, to check out how we shall tactically move as a group, because there will probably be 10 to 18 of us - with seniors and 4 little kids!
Okay, that blue & white building has the only toilets & showers for men and women.
Ah, since it was already past 2PM, wala nang tao, pinuntahan tiningnan. This!
Ask any architect or engineer, me science yan para malaman ilang inodoro dapat!
Finally, emerging out of that 'little toilet building' we had this RARE grand view!
Why? Ayayii, from opening to closing time, puno lagi ng sasakyan ang space na yan. From bisekleta to dambuhalang bus, kulang na lang "mag-kubabawan" sila sa dami!
From that view, the highway is way left. Doon ang pasok coming down to this place. Parking is unahan. Behind that perimeter fence, are those eateries described above.
Of course, to the right is the spacious but "harum-scarum" briefing center!
Syempre pa, for the sake of my friend, and for this blog's use, ito yun sya o!
Di ka naman tatawagan ng foul o traveling, di ka rin kakasuhan ng estafa. Oks ra oy! Thus, because it is 'okay ra', during peak times, crowds keep darting here and there.
Add to that, their payment tables and briefing chairs are positioned in whatever way na maisipan nila. So, entering the briefing queue was from anywhere ka nanggaling!
I saw some tour guides having a hard time with their members' whereabouts for the form to be signed! Ang iba seated na sa briefing line, ang uban nangita pa'g ballpen!
But if you arrive at about 10:30 to 11AM, mingaw. Ayay, secret ko sana yon!
Oh, here is one more for me to say "FINALLY na talaga na totoong totoo"!
Tara let's go elsewhere Oslob!
#oslob #TravelPhilippines #whaleshark
Comments
Post a Comment