BUTANDING @ DONSOL

Whale-Shark watching was the main purpose of our Easter trip to Donsol.  This is the 'Certificate of Interaction' for our encounters with the Butandings ... local dialect for these huge inhabitants in neighboring waters.  'Buta' means blind, and 'Ding' is a large fish, put together they mean 'Blind Giant'.

We were under the impression whale-sharks migrate between the oceans when in fact they can only be traced on both sides of the equator, say 15 degrees north & south, in places like the Philippines, Mexico, Madagasca, Central America etc.  With sharks as ancestors (we never quite find out the whale side of the story) they go back a long way and Butandings can live as along as 100 years .... since they are not mature for reproduction until they are 30.

Each Butanding carries a distinct marking, behind the 5th gill and above the left pectoral fin, it is like a signature in an attractive polka-dot pattern.  We booked a Banca for two mornings, when they usually surface to feed on planktons, to ensure we go home with a sighting.  Luck was on our side, we met 3 : a baby about 10, a teenager about 20 and a full grown adult about 30+ years old that measures 8-9 metres, in the size of a narrow minibus.

Commotion begins when a Spotter, like the one in Moby Dick, identifies a shadow (a big one underway) as everyone on the Banca jockeys for position.  Only snorkeling is allowed as diving may scare off these tame giants. On the command 'Jump' we enter the water as our BIO - Butanding Interaction Officer - directs us to the terribly exciting but intimidating target underneath.  As in Jacque Cousteau documentaries we see her huge head first, then her dotted dorsal, and then without warning the tip of her tail right in front of our face ... breath taking, scary, and in such proximity one can touch it ... which of course is not permitted.  A good minute or so will lapse and like a replay of that time honored footage in Jaws, she almost carelessly fades into deep blue yonder, leaving one panting in total amazement.

Yes, one can call this sort of encounter spiritual, as one ponders one's smallness in the presence of these wild, georgous, graceful but blind giants who are 'Born Free' and are fortunate enough to 'Stay Free'.

On the lighter side, our BIO reminded us to never confuse Butanding with Tambunting, as city folks from Manila often do ... the latter is the name of a highly successful pawn shop chain in the nation's capital.