From venomous sea snakes to Chinese cargo ships, the next leg of our Philippines adventure has offered up an unexpected variety of close encounters.

We left you last time as we boarded our second ferry from San Jose to the town of Coron on Busuanga Island. I’m hoping that (assuming you read the last post) you are all filled with the same false sense of security that we were…

Having hung around baking in the shadeless port for a few hours, a very recently pregnant sniffer dog reluctantly sniffed some of the passengers’ luggage.

Her ambivalence was the signal that we were finally permitted to board the ferry….a ferry where everyone had been booked into the same four sleeping beds.

Once everyone had established that no one knew what was going on we settled in for the 6 (ish) hour journey.

side note from Kate – words cannot express how happy I am that I no longer suffer from seasickness!!!

Some way across the Mindoro Strait we turn hard to port, the swell that had been hitting us from one side for hours is now throwing the ferry sideways and we’re heading back to Coron. We keep turning, we’re just doing doughnuts in the middle of the ocean.  As we come back around to our original heading, the bow of Great Han from Hong Kong is definitely still in our path. After some frantic discussion in the wheelhouse about who’s right of way it is, we loop back round again, coming back on course in the wake of the much larger ship.  Close enough to see there’s no one on any of the decks or, it seems, at the wheel.

Thankfully Busuanga Island turns out to be much more organised than our ferry crew. Fusion restaurants and functioning air-con provide a welcome rest.  For one brief moment we even found real coffee!

As we head further south Bamboo beach huts, tiny local boats and island hopping tours relax our pace between cycling days and open up the underwater wonderland of the Philippines.

Sunset as Conception was alright.

A rare photo of Gez.

We reached Salvacion on the final day of a week long fiesta.

The first of many Philippine dance-offs. Wobbly gabba trance is a thing, and it’s LOUD.

The road ran out some time before we reached Ocam Ocam beach, dust and rocks are much more fun.

Concrete roads. Hot.

Type 2 fun.

Monkey see…

Monkey do.

Komoot said there was a bridge here.

.. and here. and another 4 more times along this day’s route.

If you’re thinking of coming to the Philippines definitely bring water shoes or reef boots, flippers (if you’re up for free diving) and a good quality mask and snorkel.

Fish gazing is highly addictive regardless of how old you are and local guides can also assist you if you are unable to swim.

Here’s our first glimpse of the underwater world of the Philippines:

Gez had no idea this turtle was there, but managed to get an accidental photo of it anyway!

This sea snake was definitely not happy about Gez floating 1 foot above it, a bit of a close call, yellow-lipped banded sea kraits are quite venemous.

Lots more fish photos to come..