From Rain to Seashells: Our Low Tide Journey

 One weekend, we decided to visit the sea after hearing it was low tide. Since our family loves shell hunting or manginhas, we didn’t mind traveling all the way to Lapu-Lapu. Together with my tita, who is also our pastora, plus my cousins and church friends, we brought containers and tools so we wouldn’t have a hard time collecting crabs, shells, and whatever we could find for food. Honestly, it’s not because we didn’t have anything to eat at home, but because we enjoyed the experience. It was a simple way to unwind, spend time together, and save on ulam or viand too!  Before heading to the sea, we rode my tita’s maroon car. Since my uncle didn’t want to come, she asked Dodo, who works in their business and had no duty that day, to drive us. He agreed happily and even brought his wife along to enjoy the trip.  During the ride, I noticed water streaks on the window and a man outside wearing a raincoat, since it was raining. At first, the rain poured quite a bit, but we just kept going. We knew the journey was worth it and that the real fun would begin once we reached our destination. Rain or shine, our excitement to enjoy the sea together kept us moving forward without hesitation.  While on the road, I glanced at our companions riding at the back of the vehicle. Since the back was open, they could easily get wet from the rain. There wasn’t enough space inside, so Hannah, Mekaela, and Jonah stayed there. But honestly, it didn’t seem to bother them at all. Just look at their laughter—so loud that they even tried covering their mouths. It was the kids’ first time joining us on a trip like this, so they were truly enjoying every moment, not minding the rain one bit. Getting soaked was all part of the fun!  By the time we reached the bridge, everything around us looked gray because of the fog and traces of rain. Earlier, it had poured heavily, but luckily, we didn’t get caught in the worst of it. The bridge was still wet, with mist hanging in the air, making the scene feel calm and cool. Crossing it was a sign that we were almost at our destination, since the bridge is already part of Lapu-Lapu. Thankfully, there was no traffic this time, unlike earlier when we were stuck for a while. Excitement grew as we drew closer to the sea.  When we passed by the sign that said “Welcome to Barangay Ibo,” we knew we were already close to our destination. At that moment, we were already imagining what we’d pick up first from the sea—crabs, shells, or maybe something else. The excitement was real! There was a bit of traffic along the way since it was around 4 PM. People were heading home from work, lots of jeeps passing by, and probably kids going home from school too. But we didn’t really mind. We were just laughing and chatting, already thinking about the fun waiting for us.  I suddenly noticed a red sign with the number 31 on it, and I couldn’t stop thinking, “What does that even mean?” All I know is that red usually means stop and green means go, so does this mean you can cross or not? Hahaha, it was honestly confusing but also kind of funny. It made me realize I really should learn more about these things—safety first, always! Luckily, during that time the road wasn’t too busy anymore. There weren’t many cars or people around, so everything felt more relaxed as we continued closer to our destination.  And this is it! Just look at my companions—they were more than ready, even ahead of me. Some of them were already waving happily as we headed toward the sea, carrying all the things we needed. You could clearly see the excitement on their faces, as if they were fully prepared to dive into the adventure of gathering seafood. There’s no denying it, the joy of being at the sea is always special. At that moment, the weather was still bright, making everything feel even more cheerful and perfect for what we were about to do.  I wasn’t even that far yet, but look at what I already got—a bunch of aninikad shells mixed with others too. I had collected quite a lot even without going too deep. I also brought a Coca-Cola bottle, but instead of soda, I filled it with vinegar. You never know, we might come across something that’s ready to eat on the spot, and at least we’d have vinegar with us! HAHAHAHAH It felt so fun and resourceful at the same time, turning simple things into part of the adventure while enjoying the blessings of the sea. I’ll post the continuation next since I still have a lot of pictures to share with you 🫶