Apiton Island
This is a little island off the town center of San Policarpo, Eastern Samar.
On a map you will see that Apiton Island is possibly just a kilometer away from the shore of the town's poblacion area. But the usual approach is via a 30 minute boat ride from Binogawan Beach area. That would be some 5kms of leisurely sea ride (on a clear day). It's now a good island hopping destination.
The waters in and around Apiton Island (this is a pacific coast) is still a fertile marine area..,
It is still common to see subsistence fishermen using the hook-line-sinker method to catch fish during the day and all through the night. Their little boats with sails (layag) are a wonderful "sight of the sea"!
This was the view as we arrived at the island.., "nothing much".., and we loved it!
This is a privately owned island, still "au naturelle" with only a family as caretaker residents. I would've hoped for it to remain as is forever (and ever).., but we were told the owners are about to put up some kind of 'development' (probably a resort, what else!) very much soon! Oh eh, good luck sa kanila, diba?
I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen this island in its "unadulterated" pristine state!
This is how the island's shoreline looks like in general. Bad news for the playful youngsters haha!
But we all know that when resort developers swoop in to do what they do best, things can be removed relocated or replaced in order to "smoothen" the look and feel of the area, right? Let's hope 'not much'.
Ever since I've watched nature-related documentaries, I learned to love environments like these..,
Yep, I learned that the fallen dried leaves and seaweeds washed ashore are parts of the ecosystem of a beach. They are needed by other living organisms to thrive, so we need not sweep them away just to make the beach look "clean" or "clear" on human standards. That's now my standard of a good beach!
Clean to me (now) is when there are no bottles, tins or single-use plastic rubbish scattered around.
So by my standards, Apiton's beach is clean. Did you know? That even if you don't recklessly throw or scatter non-biodegradables on an island, these can be washed ashore by the waves or carried by the tides from somewhere else? That's why, wherever we are, we should observe proper rubbish disposal.
Anyway, we went to say hello to the island's resident caretaker family..,
Their fishing nets are strewn to dry all over a cleared ground (yard) in front of a hut.
True to their being Filipinos, they said they have nothing to offer us as "visitors" but if we would like to, they had fresh buko (young coconuts), to which we eagerly agreed to have. And the climbing ensued!
Take note and be careful what you agree to! None of us ever thought that the "fresh buko" they meant were not anywhere on ground but were rather still up the coconut trees. Meaning one of them still had to climb high up the trees in order to pick those coconuts. Then that kid had to chop open all of them.!
The coco-water was truly refreshing, and amazingly not hot from the sun's rays. The "silot" (young still soggy coconut flesh) was delectable! Oh, before you get too excited and start an exodus to Apiton for a freebie of fresh coconuts, take note: since we were unexpected (even unknown) visitors to a private island, the least we did was pay for each coco fruit we consumed. They won't accept, but we insisted!
I think this little hut is where they sleep..,
We stayed a while, sitting around, savoring the pacific breeze and tranquility of the island..,
Until the boatman said it was time for us to go! First I thought it meant the waves would already grow bigger, or the water current might already become stronger, so I was first to hop back unto the boat as instructed! Then he said something like "our other companions who might also want to come visit this island could already be waiting". We chorused "hayaan nyo sila"! Hmm, paradise can make us greedy!
Anyway, here is a view of Barangay Binogawan's main residential area as our boat passed by..,
The whitish strip lining the shoreline isn't a white sandy beach! It's a concrete breakwater purportedly to protect the barrio from pacific waves! Poblacion is to the right, Binogawan Beach Resort to the left.
And this is a view of Binogawan Beach Resort as we returned to it from Apiton Island..,
Let's go northwards next!
The waters in and around Apiton Island (this is a pacific coast) is still a fertile marine area..,
This was the view as we arrived at the island.., "nothing much".., and we loved it!
I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen this island in its "unadulterated" pristine state!
This is how the island's shoreline looks like in general. Bad news for the playful youngsters haha!
Ever since I've watched nature-related documentaries, I learned to love environments like these..,
Clean to me (now) is when there are no bottles, tins or single-use plastic rubbish scattered around.
Anyway, we went to say hello to the island's resident caretaker family..,
True to their being Filipinos, they said they have nothing to offer us as "visitors" but if we would like to, they had fresh buko (young coconuts), to which we eagerly agreed to have. And the climbing ensued!
The coco-water was truly refreshing, and amazingly not hot from the sun's rays. The "silot" (young still soggy coconut flesh) was delectable! Oh, before you get too excited and start an exodus to Apiton for a freebie of fresh coconuts, take note: since we were unexpected (even unknown) visitors to a private island, the least we did was pay for each coco fruit we consumed. They won't accept, but we insisted!
I think this little hut is where they sleep..,
We stayed a while, sitting around, savoring the pacific breeze and tranquility of the island..,
Anyway, here is a view of Barangay Binogawan's main residential area as our boat passed by..,
And this is a view of Binogawan Beach Resort as we returned to it from Apiton Island..,
Let's go northwards next!
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