CAMPING IN THE RUGGED OUTDOOR OF AWESOME ANAWANGIN

Anawangin Cove is a crescent-shaped cove with a glistening white sand beach. What makes the place so awesomely unique is the surprising vegetation of tall pine trees flourishing around the area. There are no roads leading to Anawangin. It is only accessible by a 30 minute boat ride from Pundaquit, San Antonio, or by a six-hour trek through hot, open trails thru the Pundaquit range. The cove's relative isolation has kept it free from development.  There are no resorts on this rugged piece of natural beauty, save for a few huts and deep wells. Just behind the beach is the pine forest and a marsh, where one can find natural springs feeding to the sea. The area is home to a number of bird species.

Our journey was a drive along the newly opened SCTEX (Subic-Clark Expressway), where we passed thru Clark, Subic then proceeded to Pundaquit, Zambales.  I was then driving my red Corolla McDudes 1300 which encountered engine trouble when we exited NLEX.  Fortunately, McDudes was still able to complete this ardous journey until its engine conked out due to loose compression.  I had many fond memories with this old jalopy that until now I don't have the heart to sell it.   This trip was the last long distance trip that McDudes did for me.

We arrived at Pundaquit, Zambales at noontime and parked my car at the residence of the boatman to whom we had arranged to ferry us to the cove.  A quick observation of the fishing village shows the entire place to be relatively clean compared to the beaches of Cavite which is full of plastic trash.  You can even opt to bathe here since the water is still clear, that is if you don't have the money to reach Anawangin.

The boat ride was relatively smooth.  Everyone in the expedition was in high spirits although there was a bit of delay caused by one of our companions which caused anxiety among some members of the group.  Nevertheless, nothing can stop this trip from proceeding at this point.  With me is my trusted guitar and I always bring this favorite musical instrument of mine during expeditions because it helps me express myself on cam and inspires me to sing songs to mother nature to the delight of my friends.

When we arrived at Anawangin, the sun was blistering hot so we proceeded inland to pitch our tents. It was only in the late afternoon that we were able to frolic in the beach.

Aside from the land trek in the cove, another great activity in this expedition is the island hop to Capones Island.  This island is where Marian Rivera shot the commercial for San Marino Tuna.  We will be going to that story in my next blog.

The waters of Anawangin is sparkling clean.  There are rocky areas, sandy areas and grassy areas.  The place is teeming with life as we marvel at the underwater world while snorkeling in this area where I am standing now.

Another fun activity is climbing.  There were many rock formations where you can have fun posing for pictures.  If you are physical enough, you can even climb to the highest point to get a breath-taking view of the entire cove.

 

I got to pitch my tent in a nice shady spot within the forest's interior.  There were also many campers around so it was a little bit crowded and there was not much privacy to enjoy during that time.  It would nicer probably to come here in the off-season where you can get to enjoy nature with the utmost serenity.

Anawangin is awesomely beautiful.  It makes you feel like you're in a temperate forest in the middle of spring when the snow has just melted and life is in full bloom.

The best part of this summer escapade is having the company of your closest friends with you to savor this moment. 

Every person has his or her preference whether to live the moment alone or not.  Sometimes I wish also some moments of solace and isolation but ultimately after feeling the euphoria that you derived from a place as beautiful as Anawangin, the next thing that you would wish is that a loved one or a close friend is right beside you to cherish moment.

With so much wilderness around you, one fun activity is rock climbing.  This is one activity that I would really like to experience because of the risks involved in climbing.  However, being physically-challenged,  rock climbing still remains as a dream to be accomplished.  Probably if I could shed off some extra weight, I would be able to try out this very challenging task in the near future.

When night time fell on camp, other campers became busy preparing dinner and preoccupying themselves thru storytelling and jokes among comrades.  Me, I started to pluck the strings of my guitar and singing country songs.  Everytime I could take along my guitar with me, I never pass on the chance because it becomes part of the the memorable experience of having to sing songs in front of the fireplace.  There are moments that I was not able to bring my guitar with me and all I can do is just whimper and whine with regrets.

Anawangin is so beautiful.  The chance to see this place in its pristine condition is reward enough for me.  It makes me feel like I am in another country with all the pine trees around me.  All that is absent is the occasional visit from your friendly bear who would try to steal your food and scare all the campers away.  It is just so sad to think that every year, the number of visitors in this place increases rapidly, that soon the number will exceed the carrying capacity of the place and environmental degradation soon creeps in all over.  There are already incipient signs of garbage accumulating at the edge of camp, courtesy of irresponsible campers and poor management of caretakers.

Apprehension aside, the best part of this camping expedition are the light moments of fun that spontaneously burst among the weary but still euphoric campers.  These are the priceless moments that make the experience unforgettable.  I was so engrossed by the beauty of this place that I didn't notice there was a hole in my shorts.  AWKWARD!  Sometimes, there are misunderstandings and conflicts among the campers but friendship still prevails over these challenges and that is what is most important.  Because even with all difficulties arising,  true friendship  will still prevail in the end.

Well folks, that's my story about my Anawangin experience.  What has it contributed to my health and well-being? A lot! The expedition was a little bit physical and cardiovascular but I made it through.  But most of all, the emotional  euphoria of enjoying nature at its best is the most rewarding of all!  So remember, travel the great outdoor for longer life and have a better appreciation of nature around you!