Bautista: The Journey

JUST recently have we (my family) become witnesses to a start of a journey that would have to take all of fifteen years. Not only is it going to be that long it shall also entail travel around the world. In this particular adventure not all is first class travel or that of luxury. Imagine being chased by sharks or having to swim surrounded by jellyfish. Even before starting out, a struggle already will ensure. There is the threat of an attack by rabid dogs or the threat of drunkards somewhere in the dark. I'm not exaggerating at all.

As a teenager, I would fear traveling alone especially in the dark. So you can imagine all I have mentioned. I also tried scuba diving but it doesn't stay well in my comfort zone. I have been in open waters; I may have jumped off the boat at times.  While this may show some sign of invincibility as I am a good swimmer, a member of the Philippine Life Saving, I still have some fear of water.  

The story I share is not mine but that of the pawikans. Yes the Philippine sea turtles. I was just too fortunate together with my kids to witness the hatching of these pawikans and immediately setting them free. But before all these, we scoured the shore divided ourselves (14 of us) into two groups. One headed north the other south.  All these at 2 in the morning. We left the city towards San Juan in La Union at midnight. Armed with sticks and flashlights and the camera we watched for possible dangers that we were told may encounter. Why sticks? To fend off dogs and party goers who may have had too much the night before and even poachers.

As we arrived in the sanctuary, we were given a lecture on the hazards of what the journey of a pawikans might be all about. We learned that there are only five of the seven species that get to our shores. There's also the threat of jellyfish if there are less pawikans (fave snack).

The green pawikan has green meat (even when cooked). The leatherback pawikan is as big as a beetle car. Sharks find turtles as their fave snack! Dogs and birds, like chickens also eat turtle hatchlings. Men eat it's meat for pulutan or soup believing it may give them youth and virility? Poachers make fake turtle tracks just to spite or fool those who care. These turtles are attracted to the lights along the shore.

Hatchlings are made to crawl out on their own because they leave a scent or a trail for when they will return after fifteen years to lay their own eggs (natures GPS). Some wise mother turtles also try to fool every Juan by creating multiple nesting sites. Out of a hundred eggs only one will come back to the very shore it left years ago. Eggs found are marked with a dot from a Pentel pen and placed the same way it was found, in the sanctuary. Upturned eggs will not hatch. You can boil a turtle egg for hours and hours and it will never harden! Hehe, but don't try it, just trust me.

While surfing in Hawaii, I was struck by what I thought was a shark/ Horrified, I checked under the wave...it was a pawikan! Thank God!

We have to thank Him for such wonderful creatures. These we call the world travelers.

Did you know that today many countries will log one or two of our pawikans and immediately inform Philippine authorities that it has checked-in in their own waters away from us and even as far as Italy and Australia? We say Thanks too for the balance and circle of life.

As I am in a new journey myself (and Joy), we expect the worst. But God willing, we will journey through. Hardship and challenges will come. Threats here and there. But just like these hatchlings, we are hopeful. Our new venture will surely bring us the happiness we experienced from these. My kids all smiles as we watched them go back to sea. Priceless!

This "new" life we have with our own hatchling will be the start of our JOURNEY. And it begins on April 8 (our 18th wedding anniversary with Joy)

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