Discovery and Meaning

It has been two hours of gazing through the glistening blue waters of Donsol town in the Philippines. The nearly perfect slopes of Mount Mayon popped up erratically in the background, a reminder of nature’s mastery of timing and surprise.

Half a hundred bangka frantically roamed the sea in pursuit of the butanding, giant filter feeders endemic in this side of the archipelago. At the moment when the engines seemed to have warmed up, the overcast skies gave its go-ahead. The next thing I know, I was jumping off our boat front crawling in saltwater teeming with restive travelers like myself. There was a sudden shift in the mood as no more than ten meters below the surface, a shadow gradually picks up acuity. Her wide head, spattered in white spots against a dark blue dorsum, ushered a swarm of swimming bipeds. She was elegant and by the tips of her tail she knew it.

That weekend solo trip has just started so further south I set out to the town of Gubat in Sorsogon Province. Lola Sayong Surf Camp fell silent as the neighborhood comes to a standstill for Manny Pacquiao’s biggest fight. A short walk on the twisty footpath led me to a gray-laden beachfront. The bay was shipshape, the waves delicate, and hardly any warm bodies at sea. It was a neophyte surfer’s dream!

As I waited for my turn with the longboard, the lull bought me time to change into beach garb. I tucked myself under the sandy nipa hut and began rummaging through a cerebral jukebox. Never felt the slightest remorse for coming empty-handed on the gadgets. The musical options in my head were limited, but I settled on a familiar tune. The waiting dragged on a little bit more. So did my crooning.

Leash strapped to my ankle, I paddled fluidly toward the growing swells. The waves were not at all nasty. I silently conceded to a disappointing performance. But on each chance I would look around, the hills and swaying trees glanced back in encouragement.

It was around half past 12 noon. Halfway across the world, Pacman had his own fight to win. An entire nation cheered behind with gusto. Only foot marks remained on the shore now. The sea turned mellow. At that very moment, the waves few and far in between confessed to me – I was their last buddy paddling.