Pagsanjan Falls

---

OK - our last outing was Taal on the 6th and it's now the 17th (it's actually February when I'm writing this). The reason for the delay was not the pulled calf muscle from the Taal Trek - I got that tended to at "Sonya's Secret Pleasures" the next day and within two days was 99% OK. Rather; the delay was simply due to nothing having been planned so we sat around the house doing SFA.

It was decided that this trip was to be an adult excursion so this time there was a much smaller entourage in the van and we headed off.

The thing about Pagsanjan falls is that they're not really Pagsanjan Falls at all, rather - the boat ride originates in Pagsanjan. The indigenous name for them is/was actually Magdapio falls, but I guess popular usage gave them the new name. There has even been an official move to rename them the Cavinti falls, but all the tourist paraphernalia still says Pagsanjan. However - I digress.

So we get to the launching point and find the trip is to be 1500pese/hd x 8 = 1500pesos ($285). Arthur (Squish's brother) baulks at the cost to us and so only 3 of us go up river.

We don vests and helmets and jump aboard Mahogany canoes sans outriggers. Now i'm 110kg, Squish's weight I won't mention and Jojo (#3) was probably 70-80kg. Needless to say the canoe rode low in the water and without the outriggers was unstable so took on water regularly.

The canoes are towed up river by a motor driven canoe which runs up and down to the various starting points and the beginning of the 'rapids' and it's here the reason for not having outriggers becomes obvious. In some parts, not only is the passage between the rocks very narrow - it's often so shallow the two operators of the canoes push it over bamboo poles running perpendicular to the water flow. This is done presumably to save the bottom of the canoe from being torn to shreds on the rocks.

We finally get to the falls and the Devil's Cave - the main attraction of the falls. There's a rope that runs from the launching point, under the falls and into the cave. They pile as many people as they can onto a bamboo raft, to the point where the raft is almost a foot or so under water. Two guys then pull the raft through the falls and into the cave, turn around and then pull you out again.

Squish and Jojo wimped out and gave this a miss.

Going through the falls was quite an experience. Nothing prepared me for just how cold the water was going to be. You could argue that logic should have - but it didn't. Everything in the Philippines to date had been warm/hot and muggy; these waters were almost ICY cold. The cold of the water was however, contrasted by a peppery stinging of the force of the spray as it his your arms and face.

5 minutes later and it's all over.

The trip back was a lot more fun. rather than two guys struggling to push the combined weight of the canoe and their rather heavy cargo upstream and over rocks, the return was propelled by the current and their main challenge was keeping the canoe safe from the rocks. Whilst it was hardly white water rafting their was still many a shrill squeal from most of the canoes as they hurtled through the narrow channels.

The canoe operators keep reminding you to keep your hands inside the canoe (especially when you are gripping the side with white knuckles). The reason is soon VERY apparent.

All in all - I guess I'd have to rate this experience a 7 or so out of ten. Didn't get many pics as had to keep the camera in a plastic bag most of the time to protect it from the water.

I remember wishing about this time that I was in San Rafael, Bicol at the foot of the Mayon Volcano.

---

Photos

The Expedition Team
Well the team consists of those ion the fluro vests anyway. I'm the bolb on the right

The Train
The lead has a motor - the rest just barb a rope and get towed up river to the 'rapids'

Life on the River #1
Gotta love the life style

Life on the River #2
Rather be Fishin'

Life on the River #3
Just doing the laundry

Life on the River #4
House Boat????

Journey to the Centre of the earth
Well the Devil's Cave anyway. The rather largeish passenger at the back is . . . . guess who. . .

Welcome to my parlour. . . .
You can pretend this is my trip under the falls but in actual fact it is the previous group

Comments

[Kaibigan ni Juan]

Nope
Lets call it a water gazebo. That really should have a dining table and benches.