Miss G Diaries: Weekend Getaway: Exploring LOBO Batangas

I JUST ASSUMED that it was a weekend escape from work and school though, but it’s not. However, the experiences I had was beyond relaxing, because at the same time, it was self-renewing.

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Last weekend, I joined my graduate school classmates for our two-day field work in Lobo, Batangas. We were tasked by our professor, Dr. Tadiosa, to document different species from the terrestrial and aquatic habitat of the said place, which is hailed by scientists and explorers as the center of the center of marine biodiversity.

MAP of Lobo. See how far the place is from Cavite?! -_-

According to my research (prior to our trip), the municipality of Lobo in Batangas is a coastal town that faces the Verde Island Passage (VIP) Marine Corridor. This strip of water is approximately 1.14 million hectares, which stretches in between Luzon and Mindoro Islands. The Lobo Mountain, on the other hand, is covered with dense forest, which is historically significant to Philippine history because this served as the hideout place of Gen. Miguel Malvar before he surrendered to the Americans.

So last January 30 (Saturday), we hit the road at exactly 6 am and traced the path leading to this not-so-popular, but interesting place. It took us approximately 4 to 5 hours of long and nauseous drive, but when we reached the location, everything was nothing but breathtaking.

The stunning view of the beach

~A peaceful place indeed~ Locals are living simple lives in this world-class place.

We settled our things at Lawas Seaside Resort and enjoyed our lunch at 12 noon. After changing our clothes, we immediately set ourselves inside a boat to start our sea exploration. It was an enjoying experience riding a boat and dipping a hand into the waters, feeling the cool rush of the waves and the heat of the sun.

~Boat ride~ I am still bewildered by the complexity of the sea.

~Under the sun~ We are still smiling despite the scorching heat of the sun, looking for fishes!

~The Sea~ Look how clear the water is!

After exploring the sea, we went near the coast to search for sea grasses, sea urchins and sea stars. However, our efforts proved futile because the tide is already high. So we went off the boat and into Lobo’s vast mangrove forest. Honestly, this was one of the most tiring moments in our field work, as we walked for kilometers on a bamboo bridge, while moving our eyes through the line of mangrove trees. But it was my first time to be lost in the middle of a mangrove forest, and also my first time to climb a very high tree house ^_^.

~Sea grass~ You can only enjoy the view of it when it's low tide.

~Into the forest~ This bamboo bridge extends more than a kilometer across the mangrove forest.

We went back to the resort and rested our bones for a while. Of course we can’t let this opportunity slip away, we must enjoy the beach! So on our swimming outfits, we raced down the sea and enjoyed the sun set while submerged in the salty waters. Together with my close buddies, we played a game which made the non-swimmers appreciate the beach better than before. Then the rain suddenly poured which signaled us to retreat the waters, wash our hairs and enjoy the dinner.

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Rise and shine for Day 2! Our group split into two: one explored the mountains and fields, while the other (to which I belong) searched the sea for the species assigned to us. I, with my partners, started to be doubtful if we can find species of sea urchins and sea stars that morning. It is extremely difficult to see underwater because it is very salty, the water seeps into my goggles. But of course, we don’t lose our hopes. We transferred to the neighboring resort, and after hours of searching and asking for help from the locals, we found them!

~A sign of good luck~ This was the first sea star that we've caught (actually it was the bantay dagat volunteers).

~Blue Starfish~ This is me holding a live blue starfish!

~Sea Urchins~ These are one of the two species of sea urchins we've documented.

~Up-close and personal~ According to locals, this sea urchin is edible, it actually tastes good!

It was tiring yet fulfilling. We ended the day with a sumptuous meal again and exchange amusing stories about our quest in documenting different species. I thought this trip will be filled with work alone, but no, it was filled with new experiences which made me appreciate the lovely creations of God. Allowing yourself to be close to nature once in a while isn’t just for the sake of beautiful photos, but most importantly to strengthen your beliefs and be willing to take part in caring for the environment.

~Fulfilling a dream~ I wish I'll be given a chance to work on more marine researches in the future.

But of course, I can’t let this pass without posing for some IG-worthy photos ^_^ Thanks to my friend / personal photographer, Ms. Myrrh, for the stunning shots!