Just Back From Malapascua

[not so old china hand]

I'm just back in Beijing after visiting Malapascua for the first time. It's a gem of an island which seems to have balanced some excellent tourism facilities with maintaining the basic rural charm of the island.

 

I have to kick off by apologising for a lack of photos. I failed to pack my camera thinking that my phone and iPad would be adequate. Both were new and purchased in Beijing. The iPad I acquired the day before I departed (I know, I know). I'm still struggling to extract the photos onto my MacBook through the Great Firewall.

 

I travelled there with a mate from Beijing who has been helping financially with the rebuilding of the island's elementary school, which was devestated by typhoon Yolanda. In one way it is remarkable how the island recovered. It's green again and, at first glance, many of the buildings have been restored. When one looks more closely it's obvious that many people are still living in temporary shelters and the only part of their former home left is the foundation.

 

While I was there I got in some good dives, including a sighting of a thresher shark, and did a fair bit of snorkling.

 

I had intended to stay for four days then head on to Negros. However the lotus eating life beguiled me and I extented my stay on the island unlil my leave was almost over.

 

Hopefully I will get some photos off the iPad when I can reclaim it from my better half.

 

Cheers Terry

Edited July 14, 2014 by not so old china hand

[not so old china hand]

Here are a few photos that I have managed to transfer.

 

1) Bounty Beach from the bar

 

2) Inside the bar

 

3) Sunset from Logon Village beach

 

4) Chicken!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medic Mike]

Here are a few photos that I have managed to transfer.

 

1) Bounty Beach from the bar

 

2) Inside the bar

 

3) Sunset from Logon Village beach

 

4) Chicken!

Nice pics :)

[MikeB]

Glad to see they've bounced back. Thanks.

[Jake]

Hey Terry,

 

I took the liberty of Google mapping the island of Malapascua -- only about a mile long and half a mile wide

and plenty of beach and dive resorts.  Just my type of getaway where one could find a nice private cove all

for yourself......he, he.

 

 

I don't know if I could be in the same ocean if I spotted any shark that has those sharp rows of teeth.  But

their tail is very interesting.  I wonder what kind of adaptation was required to have a longer tail?  Could

it be the selection process of the female to breed with the longer fin?

 

By the way, if you could do me a favor......throughout your travels in PI, did you notice any popular beaches

for windsurfing?  Preferably a strong side shore (white caps), a flat water conditions with no hidden corals.

 

Thank you for sharing your adventure.  Well done, my friend -- Jake

[Jollygoodfellow]

Great to see the island is recovering and tourism returning.

 

Arial view of the island just after the typhoon.

 

[not so old china hand]

I wonder what kind of adaptation was required to have a longer tail? Could it be the selection process of the female to breed with the longer fin?

 

Nice pic of a thresher breaching.

 

Threshers use their tails to herd and stun their prey so I assume its size makes a male more attractive to the lady sharks.

 

To obseve the threshers on Monad Shoal we set out at 4:30 am and sat on the bottom waiting to see if one would arrive at its cleaning station. I was lucky to see one on my first dive there. My mate made five dives on the shoal before his first sighting.

 

Divers are told to stay well back, not because of dangers to them but to avoid disrupting the sharks' swimming pattern and perhaps driving them away permanently. The main danger to divers would be getting accidentally struck by the tail, which would be like being hit by a train door.

 

I'll keep my eyes open for suitable beaches for you. I didn't see any whitecaps while I was there, the sea was like a millpond.

 

Cheers Terry

[not so old china hand]

Arial view of the island just after the typhoon.

 

 

Hi Jollygoodfellow

Thanks for the link unfortunately youtube is blocked here.

My mate was there at the beginning of the year and he said the island looked as if a giant lawnmower had  been run over it.

Cheers Terry

[Americano]

Here are a few photos that I have managed to transfer.

 

1) Bounty Beach from the bar

 

2) Inside the bar

 

3) Sunset from Logon Village beach

 

4) Chicken!

 

Malapascua island looks like a nice place to visit but if its in the path of most Typhoons like Manila is then its not a good place to live in my opinion. The first picture you posts of the beach looks like the next Typhoon is on its way.

[RBM]

I wonder what kind of adaptation was required to have a longer tail? Could it be the selection process of the female to breed with the longer fin?

 

Nice pic of a thresher breaching.

 

Threshers use their tails to herd and stun their prey so I assume its size makes a male more attractive to the lady sharks.

 

To obseve the threshers on Monad Shoal we set out at 4:30 am and sat on the bottom waiting to see if one would arrive at its cleaning station. I was lucky to see one on my first dive there. My mate made five dives on the shoal before his first sighting.

 

Divers are told to stay well back, not because of dangers to them but to avoid disrupting the sharks' swimming pattern and perhaps driving them away permanently. The main danger to divers would be getting accidentally struck by the tail, which would be like being hit by a train door.

 

I'll keep my eyes open for suitable beaches for you. I didn't see any whitecaps while I was there, the sea was like a millpond.

 

Cheers Terry

Great post and congratulations on seeing a thresher first dive. I was diving there many times some years ago, enduring the super early starts and never saw a single one.

Be interested if they have the dynamite fishing under control yet. We had a few scares while diving.

Good to hear they have recovered, must return soon.