Chasing Whale Shark Genitals and Poop

Oslob, Cebu, Philippines, February 2013 

When I was young, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I don’t know what happened but I ended up selling products for other people. So last month, I replied to a Facebook ad, left in the midst of amihan which is the height of sailing season, and gave up a trip to Barcelona for a taste of marine work. I volunteered as a researcher for LaMaVe*, a non-profit marine conservation organization, studying the effects of the controversial handfeeding of the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu. It was a month of education, physical work and provincial life.

I swam with whale sharks everyday to take their ID pictures and match them against a database, and record data such as number of boat and human contact, feeding behavior and interaction time. I learned to recognize and name the regular sharks by sight through their distinct spots. I never grew tired of watching these majestic creatures swim with astonishing grace despite their immense sizes of 3-8 meters in length. I worked alongside marine biologists almost half my age and learned about shark claspers, genitals, biopsies, parasites, how to distinguish a male from a female. I prayed for the honor of catching shark poop every time I entered the water.

Discovering peace and beauty in Tumalog Falls

I pitied these gentle giants acting like dogs begging for scraps at the dinner table. I understood why we should stop feeding these sharks (yes, they are sharks, not whales, but they are VERY big sharks that eat only plankton) but I witnessed firsthand how the local community benefits and how visitors gain a profound sense of awareness of the sharks and memories that will last a lifetime (Learn more about this debate through the Tuki Chronicles.).

But my education went beyond the water. I lived in “the pink house after the slaughterhouse” with fellow volunteers from around the world. I learned to wake up everyday at 5:20am, to use the bathroom in the shortest possible time, to have a go at the local dialect. I learned to cook on a tight budget, with the limited produce in the market, and picked up a few dishes from an Argentine. I even learned about Republic Act 9262, the Law for the Protection of Women and Children, as I witnessed a domestic violence scene and participated in the filing of the case in the Cebu provincial court (but that deserves another story) against the son of the local jueteng king.

A slice of provincial life

Happy hour in "the strip" with Rachael from Brisbane

It wasn’t all fun and play. I swam in all kinds of conditions, even with 20+ knot winds, 1 meter waves, 0 visibility and jellyfish attacks while chasing sharks and evading a frenzy of boats and tourists, starting at 7am everyday. I developed a mask-shaped sunburn that looked like The Joker because sunblock is not allowed in the water. I craved for privacy as I shared a room with other women and one bathroom for all. I couldn't poop and fart with pleasure. Sleep was often interrupted by heat or mosquito attacks. Walking home was either in the oppressive mid-afternoon heat or on slippery mud when it rains. I ate food I normally avoid such as white rice, white bread and other fattening carbs, with beer as the only alcoholic drink available. I was humbled by the daily mind-numbing work of entering data into our computers when I normally have teams doing this for me. I longed to go sailing as the solid amihan winds blew past me.

Watching the sun break over the horizon everyday converted me into a morning person.

But all that was overshadowed by the simple and unexpected pleasures in our tiny town. Waking up before dawn and listening to the absolute silence before the town wakes up. Watching the sun break over the horizon during our jeepney ride on the winding coastal road that traverses several mountains to our workplace. Enjoying happy hour in our favorite sari-sari store and the assortment of street food that spring up every sundown while people-watching in the town’s main strip. Gorging on the best fried chicken I’ve ever had and rediscovering a childhood favorite- chicken neck. Delighting in the anticipation of what to choose from the bakery for breakfast every morning, and what our favorite carinderia has in store for us for lunch for the day. Looking forward to market day Sundays when goods are triple the usual. Reveling in the efficient bus and jeepney system and not missing my car. Discovering waterfalls and centuries-old Spanish churches and watchtowers. Finding beauty in the breakwater at twilight and solace in the Sunday masses even if I didn't understand the dialect. Reveling at how a little money can go a long way- P6 for pork barbecue, P3 for rice, P5 for the dirty ice cream I would buy everyday for the walk home.

Our daily walk home. These kids brought me down memory lane as they played
a childhood favorite, tumbang preso.

The month went too quickly and I am happy for the opportunity to learn and grow. I leave smarter, my legs stronger, and my heart bigger. I cherish the people I met- from my fellow volunteers from Argentina, the US, Australia and the Philippines, bound by our common love for the sea; to the tourists who are here to see our beautiful country and because it's just more fun in the Philippines; and to the happy Cebuanos with the eternal smiles on their faces. Above all, I look back with fondness at the whale sharks I learned to love- Bubbles, Bender, #2, Fermin, Coco, Eeyore, #43, Mr. Bean, Biboy, Stumper, Roxy, etc, and pray that a sustainable solution is reached immediately for their safety and protection, and for the benefit of the local community and all the Filipino and international visitors.

 *LaMaVe (LargeMarine Vertebrates Project)/Physalus does not agree with feeding any species of wildlife. Physalus is a non-profit organization, founded in Italy, operating for the protection of the environment through marine conservation initiatives. 

 Find out why this is controversial here and follow this contentious debate through the Tuki Chronicles here. 

This article, like the rest of my blog, is based on my personal point of view. 

Missing my family but ecstatic over the flowers and chocolates Raul, my husband, sent for Valentine's Day <3