Should have written this one up a couple of weeks ago, when I got home, but there's been a lot to do around here. Finally got to visit a place I've wanted to see for a long time: the Caramoan peninsula, a piece of land jutting out from Bicol (the tail hanging off the southeast corner of Luzon) toward the island of Catanduanes. I'd heard a lot about it, and the scenery really did justify the reputation: jutting limestone cliffs, tiny craggy islands scattered around, untracked forest (mostly pretty scrubby and stunted, not much topsoil) inland. A few freshwater lakes, lots of caves. Great place to paddle sea kayaks, took 3 days to go around the peninsula, though we could have done it easily in 2 if we'd hurried. Some choppy water, actually a rather strange piece of water, at the very tip where two currents run into each other, but it could be got 'round (which we did), and there was nothing really difficult. In a month or two when the typhoons start, and after the northeast monsoon starts in Sept., that won't be the case.
Unfortunately the underwater environment has really been trashed, and the locals say that most of the damage has been done in the last year - we were just a little too late. The area is officially a national park, but there is no enforcement of the laws, and big fishing companies send trawlers in close offshore. They run over coral areas, dragging heavy weights to scare the fish up into the nets (and destroy the reef). They also have big outfits using cyanide (low doses stun fish, kill coral) to catch live aquarium fish for export and larger fish for live display in Chinese restaurants. Between them they haven't left much.
The usual third world lament. Unfortunately, about the only places left with real coral cover are spots where dive operators have set up operations and provided patrols. The small local fishermen actually suffer more than anybody else, but there isn't much they can do about it.
Went up to check the water levels in the local creeks earlier today; there's been plenty of rain, and it looks good. White water next weekend.
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