Dark cloud formations were looming ahead as we cruised on the North Luzon Expressway. When it started to drizzle which progressed into rain, I had a sinking feeling that we would get poor light for this trip. It’s already the end of February. It’s supposed to be summer already!

This would be my third trip to San Antonio, Zambales where Anawangin Cove, Capones Island and Camera Island are home to. The first time was when we shot our AVP for GO! Travel Magazine. Being enchanted by the barren beauty and simplicity of Capones Island, I went there for a second time, that time bringing along my high school friends for an epic beach camping trip. This time, I was with a group of about 30 city dwellers, most of which have already met in a previous trip to Ilocos.

Three vans. Thirty participants. Four Guides. Dozens of cameras. This is Photoholic 08: Zambales Beach Camp.

The San Antonio town proper hasn’t changed since then, except for some additional cement work in the public market. It was still as provincial as it could get. After grabbing a quick lunch, we then proceeded to Brgy. Pundaquit, a small fishing village which is the launching pad for the islands. Thankfully, the weather made a complete turnaround and we were now faced with searing temperatures. Which is great! Especially for photography!

Our first destination was Anawangin Cove, which isn’t exactly an island. It’s still part of coastal Zambales although there aren’t any built roads leading to it. Enclosed by the sea and the mountains, one can hike for about 5-6 hours instead. We took the 4-6 seater bancas. Travel time: just a mere 30 minutes of scenic views of mountains dipping in the sea with blackish, rocky faces to boot.

It was my first time to Anawangin Cove and approaching it is just unreal. Well, I’ve seen pictures of it online (as Anawangin is one of the photography hotspots these days) and boy, it sure does ask to be photographed. What greeted us was a big, blue sky, followed by a towering mountain, then a layer of lush pine trees, a dusting of white sand and finally emerald waters. Very promising.

But we weren’t the only ones who had the same idea. There must’ve been around a hundred more campers, half of which were already in a drunken stupor. Of course, it was an omen of good things to come.

Leia, of Travel Factor (http://thetravelfactor.org) announced the tent assignments, the standard being 5 campers to one tent. Ours was the first tent to be announced: “Ced, Mac, Tino, Brian, Francis” said Leia, for everybody to hear. We exchanged perplexed looks as how we would fit ourselves into the tent. It would’ve been no problem if we were all small-framed. Basta, we were not. Thankfully, one of the campers brought his own tent so an extra one freed up. Thankfully.

Itching to get the signature Anawangin shots, we began dispersing into the “forest” but we soon found ourselves converging at the river-slash-swamp-slash-riverswamp. Wanting to get better angles, we entered the water and navigated our way, identifying the shallow portions, “establishing” a trail. We didn’t mind getting wet, all of us were focused on keeping our cameras dry. We were feeling hardcore! Feeling NatGeo! Haha!

Those who’ve viewed pictures from Anawangin will comment that it doesn’t look like the Philippines. I think it’s just uncharacteristic of having pine trees in your frame. That’s why we hug pine trees in Baguio.

Unfortunately, light was patchy that afternoon and we really didn’t have the patience to wait for better light. I know, I know. We are to fault. And we don’t have an excuse! But everybody was such in a vacation mode so what did we do next? Of course we feasted on green Zambales mangoes and hit the beach! Like a true, blue bakasyonista! ;p

At the hint of a setting sun, the photographers in us switched on and we scurried back to our tents to get our gear, walked to the rightmost portion of the beach and set up, waiting for that magic hour of warmth and silhouettes. I found a log by the beach but it just kept being drifted by the waves even as I stomped on it repeatedly to bury partially into the sand. I gave up and settled for rocks instead.

And it was a glorious show of light! For the sunset, I decided to avoid shooting RAW and challenged myself into playing with in-camera settings: White Balance, and my newly downloaded Picture Style from the Canon website, Twilight. It worked wonders, at least for my taste as it brought out the purples, pinks and violets. And just like that, the warm glow of the dying sun was eclipsed by the cool hues of evening.

But the sea claimed one casualty: a Nikon D40. It was standing next to me, mounted on a tripod when a big wave rushed in. Because the tripod’s legs weren’t mounted evenly on the sand, it fell down, camera faced down. It was a sad, moment but it even that opened opportunities as the owner is now contemplating shifting to Canon.

We walked back to our campsite in the pine trees, now illuminated with candles, headlamps and flashlights. Everybody was already gathering, a sure sign of hunger. Dinner was tinolang manok, inihaw na tilapia and rice. That night we all learned about the perils of eating without the benefit of illumination.

1. You will be forced to eat vegetable as you really can’t see what you’re eating. My palate was rudely introduced to sayote or was that papaya? All I know was that it was mushy and watery.
2. Eating fish is like love. Ang tinik ay parang pag-ibig, hindi mo nakikita. Mararamdaman mo na lang.

And we begin the drinking session with a Gilbey’s and Island Lime combo. One that was finished with lightning speed as Brian took the helm of tanggero and the group played a game of categories (One will give a category and the group, arranged in a circle will enumerate valid answers. Faulty answers will merit a shot.) Here are some of the bloopers.

Category: ST Films
Madz: “Troso!”

Category: Beach Resorts
Deneb Villanueva: “Villanueva Resort!”

Category: That’s Entertainment Stars
Francis: “Gilbey’s!”

The group thinned out as the night progressed and by the time we downed the second bottle of our Ginebra Cuatro Cantos (4×4) mixed with Fres-C Calamansi juice, there only seven or eight of us, all obviously buzzed and already sharing stories as if we were friends long before. Alcohol really is the lubricant of friendship.

It was when we lied down, facing the sky that we noticed how bright the moon was shining, how calming the lapping waves were, how cool the sea breeze was blowing and how the distant barks of the Anawangin dogs lulled us to sleep.