Surviving Mount Manabu, my first hike

I wrote this essay a day after my hike, an account of my exhausting and exhilarating experience that day.

As I’m writing this, my body is still aching from yesterday’s climb from Mt. Manabu. Going there, I thought, this should be a leisurely hike with some moments of easy climb. But I was wrong, we just started with a short walk then bam! a surprising deep descent. What the…?! Then I saw the rocks scattered on the path framed with thin foliage. Then it hit me. This was not going to be a stroll in the park, it's not going to be easy or as fun as I thought it to be. I was so naïve for thinking that.

But..I read that this was rated as one of the easiest mountain to climb or trek in, recommended for beginners? I thought to myself. Apparently, if you’re a seasoned climber, it would be a beginner’s climb for you. But maybe it was just me or..maybe I was still unfit despite running 10ks (I know I am) or... maybe it was the huge backpack's fault, it was hindering me from moving faster. Because the group’s pace was brisk. Man, it was fast. They were walking on those rocks like a gazelle and I was a hippo lumbering on it. But I can’t blame them, most are on their third to fourth climbs already. I was the only first time hiker.

Then suddenly I slipped in one of the slippery rocks with a crevice on it. They all looked back and I was so embarrassed. The team leader checked if I was okay and told him I was, inside I more flustered than anything. I bumped my knee but I was okay. The trek was just starting and I was slipping already. So I realized then this was not my element, the rocks, the soil, the shrubs. It was my husband’s who grew up near the mountains. He who came with me to watch out for the over the top ideas of adventure I got myself… and him into. Like zip-lining and running. Now, it was hiking.

He was built sturdier than I am. Like a mountain. Steady and reliable. And I am like the ocean, fickle and unpredictable. He’s more of the mountain goat and I’m the sea siren, just kidding. Besides, I grew up going to the beach, playing in the sand, lying in the water watching the clouds, pretending I was a mermaid. I never hiked at all. So this was something new to me.

The rocky and slippery path was the beginning of the nightmare for me. It would mostly be an uphill climb in a steep slope with damp soil and moss covered rocks. My backpack was getting heavier as I grabbed tree trunks, rocks, vines on the way up. There was a rope area for some part of the climb. My heart was beating so fast with the exertion. I was breathing so hard, I thought is it me or is the air getting thinner? So I rested what seemed to be like every five or two minutes. It was a nonstop climb and I was at the tail end of the group. I didn’t care. I just want to survive this. My husband went in front of me and offered to take my pack, I refused, I can do this, I thought, I’m hard core hahaJ Not!

Then we got to the grasslands, it was near the summit. We rested a bit there before going up. I was so exhausted I was not able to fully appreciate the mountains beginning to surround me. But I can tell you, it was enthralling, to see their beauty, their grandness. No picture and video can capture it. It was so different in person. And mind you, it's not the summit yet.

Then we prepared to ascend the summit. It was another ten minutes of uphill climb. Man, I was so tired. My legs were ready to surrender, it was so weakened, it can hardly take another step. When we reached the top, I almost slumped to the ground. Then I looked at the scenic mountain range. The emerald mountains under the azure sky. Unbelievable. The beauty and majesty of nature translated onto these mountains. So this is what people are beating themselves up to see, no wonder. It is definitely worth the arduous climb :) I just wish I was not so breathless, I could have taken more pictures.

The people who were ahead of me were already joking around when I reached the summit. I was exhausted out of my mind. Then after about fifteen minutes or so, the guide told us that we’ll have to take our lunch in the grotto down the path because the sun was high up already and we had no shade. Meaning we have to go down. Now. Whhhhat? I just got here! I thought, I’m still excruciatingly tired and you want me to go down already? Wow. That was just brutal. But they reached the summit earlier so I have no choice. I didn’t want to delay the group.

Then we proceeded to walk downhill. It was another path and it was as steep. I was scared because I was a little klutz on uneven ground. I easily get sprained from misstep. There were also areas of ravine and one slip could lead you tumbling down. It was a little scary. And I thought, who the hell does this for fun, seriously?! This is just crazy. Good thing, the designated “sweeper” of the group meaning the one who made sure that no one wanders off offered to take my backpack while my husband took my hand when I paused on the precarious rocks.

If not for them, I would have stood there paralyzed in fear. They were my lifesavers. And I was bitching already, how far is it? Are we there yet? I asked repeatedly. Poor guys, they were navigating the steps themselves, helping me at that and I was an earful. But I was just so tired and scared. If I sprained my ankle or worst fractured something, how am I supposed to go down the mountain? I didn’t want someone to carry me down, hell no, that would too embarassing.  And in our country, a helicopter rescue is very rare, in fact I’m not sure if it even exist. Moreover, they couldn’t send an army chopper just to get me.

We’re in the middle of nowhere and my thoughts were about my son. I have to get down the mountain in one piece for him. So it became one step at a time. I just want to get home. Then we reached the grotto area and I lay down in a hut. We had lunch there and it was a longer rest this time. And I got up refreshed especially when I said a prayer.

The hard part of going down was over. There were still some hard parts and there were still stumbles and slips but I recovered. And after a final hard climb, we finally got back. Whew! I was so happy that I lasted that long and didn’t quit. The ones who arrived earlier clapped their hands when they saw me. Wow, that was touching, thank you guys.

I’m not sure when my next hike would be. But next time, I’ll be ready. I hope to be fitter mentally and physically. So now I have to beef up my running time and try trail running perhaps? J

The Cove: A Slaughter in the Ocean

This is not an easy post to write. I had to watch it again. And I almost didn’t want to because I had to recall the haunting images again and put into words what I saw. To tell you about this bloody massacre.  And I admit, I put it off for a while, meandered a bit because it was wrenching. I love dolphins just as I love the ocean and I am quite disturbed by the images of its slaughter in Taiji. Sadly, it is still happening today. Because even if the documentary won an Oscar in 2010 and viewed by the world, the Japanese fishermen are still capturing and killing dolphins in Taiji.

The Cove is a documentary directed by Louis Psihoyos, one of the founders of the Oceanic Preservation Society. Together with Rick’O Barry, the trainer of the series Flipper they covertly filmed dolphin killings in a cove in Taiji.

Rick O’ Barry became a famous dolphin trainer in the 1960s because of Flipper, a show about the adventures of a dolphin. And after Flipper, he became an activist, letting out dolphins out of cages and protesting dolphin shows. According to him, the turning point had been watching “Cathy” one of the dolphins who played Flipper commit “suicide” in his arms. Not faring well in captivity, she decided not to take her next breath and sink in the bottom.

Dolphins are not only intelligent creatures but freedom loving. They love surfing on the waves and swimming freely in front of ships. One surfer claims a connection with these freedom-loving animals and even had a dolphin save him from a tiger shark. Dolphins are also acoustic creatures and uses sonar ability to catch their prey. Sonar is the ability to locate an object by bouncing off soundwaves. So in captivity, with sounds bouncing off glass walls surrounding them and cheers from people, the dolphins become distressed. They develop ulcers and are regularly given medicine–injected food to counteract this ailment.

Activists like O’Barry have been put to jail protecting these creatures and some have died for it. But even if going to jail had been part of his life,  O’Barry seems to be bent on trying to undo the harm that befell these creatures due to the popularity of Flipper. Watching him, I can sense the guilt that still plagued him because the show’s popularity gave rise to more dolphins shows and more dolphin captures.

According to the documentary, Taiji is the largest supplier of dolphins to marine parks and swim with dolphin programs around the world. Maybe that’s why fishermen and local officials of Taiji continue to block any attempt of filming.  And this is why the crew had to resort to covert means.

The director assembled a special team to help him in his endeavor, his “Ocean’s 11” and this includes ex-military, special effects guys, free divers and other daring individuals willing to help him. They made plans to infiltrate the cove which was dangerous because they are already being followed by the police. Because if you are with Ric O’Barry, a well-known activist, something is always up.

But before they finally saw what happened inside the cove, they had to dangerously set up HD cameras disguised as rocks in the middle of the night,  also using thermal cameras to see if anybody’s watching  them while the free divers set up hydrophones in dark waters with waves furiously breaking on the surf.

These individuals didn’t need to put themselves in danger because if caught they can be put to jail for 28 days. They came there to use their talents for a good cause, to let the world know what is happening to the dolphins of Taiji. So they had cellphones with the number of the US embassy inside their pockets just in case.

And then they saw it.

The boats with long rods poised to the ocean floor with fishermen hammering on it, using the dolphins’ sonar ability against the species, creating a wall of sound to confuse them.

The dolphins are then corralled near the cove, trapped in nets.

Then the next day the dolphins for marine shows are picked, usually young females. The others are then killed even the mothers with their calves. Their meat is sold to supermarkets in Taiji and in other cities.

It was bloody. Horrific, like watching a dolphin genocide.

To think that dolphins should also be protected like whales because they are both covered by the IWC (International Whaling Commission) because they are both cetaceans. But the whales are in trouble themselves. The IWC can’t even stop their slaughter by Japanese whalers because of Japan’s strong presence in the body, a country that seems to resort to bribing smaller Carribean countries to question IWC’s whaling ban and claim that their whale killings are for research. Given this, smaller cetaceans like the dolphins has become the least part of IWC’s agenda.

It’s been three years and The Cove has won an Oscar. But the dolphin slaughter is still happening. Though I know the awareness have increased and more people want to help in stopping it. It’s still not enough. In Sea Shepherd’s website, there are group of volunteers who acts as Cove Guardians (http://www.seashepherd.org/cove-guardians/). They try to intervene but there is so much they can do. And they appeal us to write to some people in Japan to help them stop this. (I'm going to write one of these days).

Maybe together, we can stop them from killing these magnificent and intelligent creatures. We can stop the gruesome murders of these innocent animals that have continually marveled us with their intelligence, empathy, playfulness and joy. Because should the tradition of one country be strong enough excuse to kill these creatures? Or the money acquired for them warrants the reason to almost decimate them?

I have watched this and I can’t forget it. I may not be there physically protecting the dolphins in Taiji but I want my voice to be heard. To cry out in protest and have these words flow out in anger and sadness, to wail and grieve for all the dolphin blood spilled in the ocean.