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Surf 6
May 23-26, 2013
Isabela, Philippines
This surf trip was months in the making. Thought it wouldn't push through because of a lot of changes until only three of us were left for the trip. But hey 3 is still a good number! Last minute changes and yiii ended to have 9 as a good good number!
Thursday morning all of us met up at Baler. We rented a van to take us to Dilasag Pier. And the ultimate Love.Risk.Surf.Live episode begins. 5 hours trip to Dilasag. We thought once we get there we could all leave for Isabela already. But no! We had to wait at the Pier for 13 hours! The long wait was bearable because of each ones company. Yeah. Fishing while waiting, SLEEPING, eating, SLEEPING.
12:30am the next day Friday, we finally left Dilasag. 8 hours boat trip. Whew! What a relief that we got to our camp safely. Agenda for the day: rent a boat, visit Papa Jack's Tita Mary (whom he has never met), courtesy call with Mayor, find the surf spot, SURF.
Courtesy Call with Mayor
He was happy to see us and invited us to have lunch but we had to pass because we were to go to Tita Mary's house and be back by high tide in time for us to surf. Mayor laughed and said he's sure there won't be any waves. Sesaon starts October.
Papa Jack's Tita Mary
The travel to Tita Mary's place was worth it (boat, tricycle and river crossing). She prepared a delicious lunch for us. She even gave bigas to take with us back to our camp. We bought everything we needed at the bayan.
Surf
Back in our boat to check out the surf spot. Our boat man said waves are good in Sabang but it is not its season today. True enough we went there and it was off shore. My hopes were getting low. Akala ko ma-zero kami sa alon. But Papa Jack didn't let that happen. He stood in front of our boat to search for waves. He saw small waves breaking from where we were and asked the boat man to take us in the middle of the sea. True enough those small waves breaking was the point and waves weren't small at all when we got there. Woah surfing reef break in the middle of the sea! That's a first for me and I wouldn't dare do it again without my surf buddies. Wala raw alon sabi ni Mayor! Eh ano ito? Hmmm. Waves left and right. Rode the longest ride ever! I vividly remember every millisecond of it while wearing my biggest smile. Sa sobrang haba gusto ko na tumalon at itigil dahil sa nakakangalay at malayong padelan pabalik. That ride was one of my best for the day and I had one solid big drop I felt my heart drop as well! Sarap. All of us had a one of a kind experience riding the waves all to ourselves. We were the only ones at the line up. It was the best experience and having it shared with the best surf buddies. We may not have pictures of the surf spot or of ourselves riding the waves or of the laughter we had or of the cheering every time someone gets a good ride but the memories will remain. And we'll definitely have our own piece of story to share.
The next day we spent half of the day just enjoying the scenery from our camp. Our Baler friends opted to search for buting, kibit and other shell creatures for our food trip! After lunch, we left camp exactly 3pm to surf our newly discovered point. Our boat man said no one has ever surfed there except us and a couple of foreigners. We had to swim longer distance because our boat is smaller this time. The point didn't fail us and kept on giving nice sets of waves. Everyone happy and stoked!
Food
Good food always. I've never had three servings of rice before! That's how delicious our food prepared for us by Papa Jack and his assistants Oppo and Jess. Where can you find 4 kilos of fresh fish for 50 pesos and 1 1/4 kilos of fresh shrimp for 200 pesos! Talap talap! And it's my first time to try tortang noodles na binudburan ng seasoning dahil nakalimutan ihalo habang pinapakuluan yung noodles. And the chewy buting that looks gross but tastes good! My first attempt to taste it was in Dilasag but it got over cooked.
This surf trip was one of a kind! The travel itself was hardcore. The experience very very priceless! And having surfed the point with the best surf buddies...No one can ever replace them and the moment spent together whether at the lineup or not. I'm glad and grateful it pushed through. I guess I'll have to label this trip as the Pilot episode and Season Ender for this year cos I don't think there's another surf trip as good as this! Looking forward to our next surf adventure! Calicoan.
I think this will be a yearly tradition Month of May will be blocked for the Ultimate surf trips. Last year of the same month we were in somewhere in Aurora in search for waves as well. Read my post Commit.
Isabela Surf Trip 2013 from Mace Cruz on Vimeo.
May 23-26, 2013
Isabela, Philippines
This surf trip was months in the making. Thought it wouldn't push through because of a lot of changes until only three of us were left for the trip. But hey 3 is still a good number! Last minute changes and yiii ended to have 9 as a good good number!
 |
| Boards loaded |
Thursday morning all of us met up at Baler. We rented a van to take us to Dilasag Pier. And the ultimate Love.Risk.Surf.Live episode begins. 5 hours trip to Dilasag. We thought once we get there we could all leave for Isabela already. But no! We had to wait at the Pier for 13 hours! The long wait was bearable because of each ones company. Yeah. Fishing while waiting, SLEEPING, eating, SLEEPING.
 |
| Boat ride to Palanan |
 |
| My bed for the trip |
12:30am the next day Friday, we finally left Dilasag. 8 hours boat trip. Whew! What a relief that we got to our camp safely. Agenda for the day: rent a boat, visit Papa Jack's Tita Mary (whom he has never met), courtesy call with Mayor, find the surf spot, SURF.
Courtesy Call with Mayor
He was happy to see us and invited us to have lunch but we had to pass because we were to go to Tita Mary's house and be back by high tide in time for us to surf. Mayor laughed and said he's sure there won't be any waves. Sesaon starts October.
 |
| At Mayor's boat |
Papa Jack's Tita Mary
The travel to Tita Mary's place was worth it (boat, tricycle and river crossing). She prepared a delicious lunch for us. She even gave bigas to take with us back to our camp. We bought everything we needed at the bayan.
 |
| With Tita Mary |
Surf
Back in our boat to check out the surf spot. Our boat man said waves are good in Sabang but it is not its season today. True enough we went there and it was off shore. My hopes were getting low. Akala ko ma-zero kami sa alon. But Papa Jack didn't let that happen. He stood in front of our boat to search for waves. He saw small waves breaking from where we were and asked the boat man to take us in the middle of the sea. True enough those small waves breaking was the point and waves weren't small at all when we got there. Woah surfing reef break in the middle of the sea! That's a first for me and I wouldn't dare do it again without my surf buddies. Wala raw alon sabi ni Mayor! Eh ano ito? Hmmm. Waves left and right. Rode the longest ride ever! I vividly remember every millisecond of it while wearing my biggest smile. Sa sobrang haba gusto ko na tumalon at itigil dahil sa nakakangalay at malayong padelan pabalik. That ride was one of my best for the day and I had one solid big drop I felt my heart drop as well! Sarap. All of us had a one of a kind experience riding the waves all to ourselves. We were the only ones at the line up. It was the best experience and having it shared with the best surf buddies. We may not have pictures of the surf spot or of ourselves riding the waves or of the laughter we had or of the cheering every time someone gets a good ride but the memories will remain. And we'll definitely have our own piece of story to share.
The next day we spent half of the day just enjoying the scenery from our camp. Our Baler friends opted to search for buting, kibit and other shell creatures for our food trip! After lunch, we left camp exactly 3pm to surf our newly discovered point. Our boat man said no one has ever surfed there except us and a couple of foreigners. We had to swim longer distance because our boat is smaller this time. The point didn't fail us and kept on giving nice sets of waves. Everyone happy and stoked!
Food
Good food always. I've never had three servings of rice before! That's how delicious our food prepared for us by Papa Jack and his assistants Oppo and Jess. Where can you find 4 kilos of fresh fish for 50 pesos and 1 1/4 kilos of fresh shrimp for 200 pesos! Talap talap! And it's my first time to try tortang noodles na binudburan ng seasoning dahil nakalimutan ihalo habang pinapakuluan yung noodles. And the chewy buting that looks gross but tastes good! My first attempt to taste it was in Dilasag but it got over cooked.
 |
| Photo by Geom |
 |
| Fried and Sinigang |
This surf trip was one of a kind! The travel itself was hardcore. The experience very very priceless! And having surfed the point with the best surf buddies...No one can ever replace them and the moment spent together whether at the lineup or not. I'm glad and grateful it pushed through. I guess I'll have to label this trip as the Pilot episode and Season Ender for this year cos I don't think there's another surf trip as good as this! Looking forward to our next surf adventure! Calicoan.
I think this will be a yearly tradition Month of May will be blocked for the Ultimate surf trips. Last year of the same month we were in somewhere in Aurora in search for waves as well. Read my post Commit.
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