Last weekend I flew down to Legazpi with Sherry to check out the whale sharks, or butanding as they are known by locals. There is a high concentration of whale sharks in Donsol during the months of February through May. Butanding are the worlds largest fish and can reach up to 40 feet long. They only feed on plankton and are completely docile, but because of their size, swimming alongside of them is a huge rush. Absolutely exhilarating. They are endangered because their meat and fins can fetch alot of money, so the local fishermen had all but killed off this beautiful creature in Sorsogon until 1997, when laws were passed to prevent the killing and sale of whale sharks. As an alternative livelihood for the fisherfolk of the area, there was a big ecotourism push and swimming with the whale sharks quickly became a popular tourist activity. All you have to do is rent a boat, guide, snorkle, and fins, and you are on your way. You put on your gear and sit on the side of the boat as the guide scouts the waters from up top; when he sees one he yells go and you all jump in the water and swim towards it. We saw several the day we were out, despite the rainy conditions (they are harder to spot when its cloudy), and Sherry and I swam alongside the same one for several minutes, close enough to touch it, until he whipped his tail (scared the crap out of us!)and took off. Here are some pics of the adventure:
Afterwards we visited our friends and environmental volunteers Jarod and Mariah, who possibly have the sweetest setup of any Philippines PCV. They live in the guesthouse of a renowned vulcanologist, who had his homes build on the beach, directly facing Mt. Mayon. Spectacular. They even have a nipa raft, which we swam out to with a bottle of wine to enjoy the sunset... What a weekend!
