A Dialogue With K

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Originally uploaded by: KnOizKi from Ces’ Collection

In the Philippines where typhoon is frequently experienced every year, I am aware that once hit, it’s more likely to be turned away to Hong Kong. Just today, signal #1 has been hoisted by the observatory and it is expected to hit big in the next few days. This means that a tropical cyclone is now centered within a few kilometers of Hong Kong. It was cloudy with showers in the afternoon today but it will be expecting heavy showers any minute.

Imagine a typhoon in the Philippines, if it happens to be a big one like that around here, everyone will be in chaos. Here in Hong Kong, of course, things are much less exciting, with no blizzards, real tornadoes, or even serious thunderstorms. However, the populace around here, even with warnings, still do maintain a low key, they don’t panic. I don’t know if it’s safe to go outside when there are a lot of hanging signboards above will hit you any minute, you never know. Some years has none at all come anywhere near Hong Kong, but most years at least one or two will occasionally visit, at least part of day off work, when the ‘Signal No. 8′ - which is the highest signal is hoisted. I think it’s likely that when screaming up the warning systems, it would make someone happy because, office will be closed right away then they let you leave the office or some would rather visit the bar for a drink.

Somewhere in my province where I grew up, we are visited by many typhoons every year, so it’s not always fun to say, “there’s a typhoon coming, so no classes today”. Our province gained its reputation as an island paradise of howling winds and strange calm that lies in the East of the Bicol region. It’s very far, yet it’s the home of joy. But when typhoon comes, for us it’s all about preparation & getting enough supply of food, matches, candles & even rice or the canned goods. Electricty will be shutdown throughout the island few hours before a typhoon has yet to deteriorates. And our house is just a few feet about sea level and we are all left worrying much when the storm rises.

I think it was in the year 1970’s, I was too young then and couldn’t remember anything. According to my elders, it was a super typhoon named “Sening” that hit the island, one of the many worst strongest typhoon to cross the Philippines that came one after each other in a span of days and weeks only, ours was the place mostly devastated turning into a dead town. It has been noted that one horrible night, the wind was howling so bad, there were lightnings and thunder that could almost blown our house apart. We live in semi bungalow house and it wasn’t really strong for big typhoon. There was no other place we could find to shelter ourselves and few belongings but to stay there so we just have to keep our eyes opened and wait for the next big thing. The rain was neverending, so water started to leak into the walls & the ceiling was dripping like a broken faucet. No one could even sleep while we watch the tiny buckets starting to fill up so fast that it must be emptied by hourly in fear we will all die in one roof, in case it collapses or blown away.

Not far from the Island, there’s a neighbouring province where I finished my BS, I would normally return home to the Island during the semestral break. It was always fun & easy to go home like it’s a walk in the park. One time over the weekend, a big typhoon was earlier announced that it was not safe to travel by sea. All ferries of course will be suspended. I was alarmed it would deter the plans of going home along with few of my townmates living in the same boarding house, will be stranded for a week, in disbelief. We were all feeling outraged by this and thought, maybe we could take a small boat called “banca“, a small fishing boat motorized with frigthening speed. We went ahead of the plans with our bravest effort of going home. At around 9 in the morning, we took the bus for 2 hours to get into the pier. Heavy rains has even more deteriorates as we approached the dock.

The big ferry were safeguarded at the typhoon shelter as the pier was about to closed. We waited there in the hope that someone would give us information as to where we could get a small boat to reach the island. I know it was hell of a stupid proposals but within the next few hours, we were advised by a local owner of a boat that even if it was already impossible to travel for this weather, the boat still travel during typhoon signal #1. We thought this could be the chance. The small ferry would take us at least more than 5 hours to reach the island. Since the weather condition gets really bad, there were several of us whom after an initial bout of checking, the owner of the boat then settled on looking pleased and offered us to ride the boat that would take us to the island even if the fees has been doubled. It was during the time when you really miss your family, rain or shine, it makes you decide brave enough during a dangerous situation.

At that point, I was so scared my family would not see me, even too scared to be swept away in the South China sea. I still had the hopes that miracles can happen even if the weather was already bad. There were at least 25 of us in the boat, more than its capacity but the coastguard eventually assured us the travel would be rough but safe. Safe in a way that we would experienced a sudden bump in hitting the big waves or probably just getting wet. There was no lifejackets and all I had was a couple of yellow raincoats and a cap.

Two hours had passed and off we go sailing in the middle of the sea. It was already getting dark, around 12 noontime, the sky seemed to look really scary, it was so dark we could no longer see any land from a distance. It was pouring rain and thunderous. Some of the passengers were women and they started crying so loud they wanted the “captain” of the boat to go back, while others was praying so hysterically, it made us feel even more frighthened. In my head I can see we were all drowning, in dead calm. It was when I thought that dying is really very scary. I couldn’t even feel my lips from being numbed because of the cold rain. I could almost taste sea water in my lips as it splashes in my face. I started to pray in silence, shivering, frigthened that I was going to die, murmuring the litany of “I believe in God…” and couldn’t even remember the words coming from my mouth. I have attempted few times to shut them from crying while switching to any conversation I could gathered. But I’d lost all that since it was really dark and had to shut my eyes thinking we were getting close to the island.

Few more hours passed by, the weather went calm, the rain had stopped as I still pray and asking forgiveness. We could almost see the island in a distance. Again, the “captain” was true to his word, and as soon as we docked at nearest pier everyone was clapping with a deep gasp of breathe that finally we arrived safe and sound.

I stood on the porch gazing out back the miles and miles of gentle ocean and tiny, uninhabited green islands glittering in the afternoon sunlight. I arrived at home while my family was surprised of my homecoming. My Mom was nagging at me so bad that she could almost swear but cried upon seeing me safe. I was so wet I could still feel my knees shaking. Finally I had a deep breathe that once again, I was home.

As I recalled it from this time on, I realized God was really great. He was with me all throughout that journey. It taught me some lesson that between two forces of nature, one cannot forseen what will really happen, if they will harm us or not. In my little soul inside I feel that He up above somewhere out there was with me. And for whatever plans He has for me, if I were to die, I’ll just wait for my time when He’s ready to call my number, I would never know. I suppose it was all about faith, really.

Back in Hong Kong, I will always have a great deal of sympathy for the Observatory when a typhoon approaches. If the warnings about typhoons is not even inconsistent, people should really take precautions because these storms’ behavior is inherently unpredictable. And I hope this kind of typhoon is not always to be ignored.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures of the island that calms during the summer. Catanduanes is famous for its unspoiled beaches, pre-historic caves, exotic places, stone chapels and massive churches. Despite the typhoons, safe anchorage are provided by its many bays. Its Pacific coastlines are havens for surfers.

Come visit during the hot summer, you’ll never forget once you’d been there. “It’s the island home of joy and people free”, our beautiful provincial hymn, full of spirit about the lives of people who lives there.

Thanks to Ces for this beautiful pictures. A place I’ll forever loved and will always call my home.

Deep Waters
by: Incognito

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