A Moment in Anawangin Cove, Zambales

As the Fortuner rolled to a halt when it stalled in Pundaquit, I or shall I say We, were mesmerized with the breathtaking view of the mountain alongside the sea. It was not as green but its brown color still glowed exuberantly. Mang Iking, our all around boatman welcomed us and offered to buy Red Horse, ice, and rice that we will use for our camping.

The boat was just right, not big enough to fit 10 people but perfect for 7 big guys with luggage good for a week and 2 coolers (one for beers and one for fresh meat). As we approached Anawangin cove, at 930am, we all turned silent. The scenic view that the cove has to offer was indescribable. White sand, covered the roots of abundant pine trees along the shore and the stream of fresh water from the mountains created pleasing sound as it flows to meet the salt water at the edge of the cove.


We opened a bottle of Johnny Walker and started the day right. Cheers!

The sun was in full blast which gets hotter and hotter by the minute. Setting up the tent under “hell” condition is another story. Since we all have very limited experience in camping, we were forced to put up two tents, which we successfully accomplished after 30 minutes, a record a 7 year old boy scout would probably beat in a jiffy. We decided to explore the other parts of Anawangin cove after setting up the tents and cottage. We strode the stream hoping to find a route going up to the mountains. We got back to our tents and started to prepare for lunch. Thanks to kerosene gas, setting up the griller did not seem as difficult. Tilapia was our main dish and it really went well with grilled tomatoes, eggplants, salted eggs, mangoes and bagoong!





Full and sweaty, we decided to swim at the beach. The cool water was refreshing. It gave us back a bit of strength for us to hike a steep trek up the mountain. My heart was pounding faster, similar to what I usually feel when I ride a roller coaster, as we ascended to the top. The trek was slippery, almost muddy, which made it harder for mountaineer wannabes like us to climb. Finally, we reached the top. The feeling was triumphant (I can almost hear Viva La Vida by Coldplay at the background). It was all worth it to see the exhilarating view of the whole cove from the top.


Our exhaustion from the climb ended when we slid our way back to the beach. It was almost sun set, when we opened a bottle of Red Horse. Peaceful would be the perfect word for that moment, as the sun bid its farewell.



We started grilling right when we head back to camp. The darkness of the night made difficulty level climb up a notch. Everyone took part in preparing supper which made it actually a lot more fun! Black barbecue, maya maya (a type of fish) drenched with sand (thanks to Ralph), and hotdogs were what we had. It was almost 1 when we decided to hit the sack; and since the chilly weather offered a good environment for sleeping, we decided to bunk outside our tents. Drunk, full, and nostalgic from all the memories we had together for ten years, I closed my eyes with a smile on my face. Satisfied.

I unexpectedly rose from my sleeping bag quite earlier than expected, everyone was still asleep. I got a cup of coffee, which I conveniently bought from a small sari-sari store and lit a stick of Marlboro and witnessed one of God’s most beautiful creations, the sun rise. I took my ipod and played Kissing by Bliss while watching the sun gradually lit the whole of Anawangin. That was MY moment.


Capones island was next in our itinerary. The old Spanish lighthouse stood strong by the rocky hill and the view from the top was perfect for a Kodak moment. We went back to the boat and headed back to Pundaquit. The trip was almost over and my cellphone started beeping again. It felt good not hearing it for quite a while since Anawangin shooed away all possible frequencies. I saw the Fortuner again and it finally hit me. I’m going home and will be back to work the next day. It was depressing to see the breathtaking view slowly fade away from sight. I closed my eyes again, and pictured My moment in Anawangin cove as I slowly doze to slumber.