Taal Volcano Island Circumnavigation - Kayak for a Cause (~35km distance)

Finally!!
We were able to ride the waters of Taal lake! And completed our island circumnavigation - and best of all, were able to solicit and donate around 14boxes of school supplies to 350 grade schoolers in the island! :)

We started kayaking at 6:20am Feb21, we were 12 riders in total, using a variety of kayaks. Our most challenging boat were the short (9footer), single plastic sit-on top. We only have 3 sit-ins (2 are said to be in questionable condition) - and the rest are sit-ons borrowed from somewhere. ;)

We arrived in the school after around 1hr of paddling; we distributed school supplies and participated in a short program (lasted until around 830am), before paddling on, and around the island.
We went clockwise - anticipating notorious winds in the afternoon, we thought it was best to ride the eastern part (hence clockwise), and worry about the wind and bad water condition as we exit the western part of the island (we assumed that wind will come from the NE).

By 10:30am, we stopped for a big lunch, I guessed that it was the half-way pt - and that we deserved proper break and rest. :) All team members were still on high, and very much eager to paddle on.

When we hit the southeastern side - our morale and interest started to drift away... ;(
Most of us (if not all) have gone tired, and the thought of paddling heavy sit-on boats just adds to our individual misery... We secretly chanted - "I want a sit-in, I want a fast boat.."

After covering around 28km (close to the northwestern tip of the island), we rested and complained! :) We ranted about how slow our boats were, how tired we were, on why we were doing this trip in the first place, and so on and on... Typical mountaineers!

As soon as we hit 'open water', and see the yawning gap between the island and Talisay proper - we all got possessed and just paddled hard and strong - slapping the water as if there's no tomorrow. We all wanted to finish this trip, to have a BIG lunch (take2), and just take a long REST!

We were on our own for the next hour, until eventually - we hit shore. YEHESS - WE WERE FINALLY DONE!!

We were just so happy that the trip was over, that we can put behind our misery - and live a better life off the water. hehehe. Of course we were complaining then - but the high of the trip is something we all felt even days after...

No pain - no gain! No hardship - No fullfillment!
We were blessed with a good weather, we were lucky to even borrow kayaks for free, lucky enough to even get support from sponsors - and happy enough that we all survived our longest kayak ride to-date (around 35km)!
=)

Will that be our last? We'll see... =)

Kayak for a Cause - Feb21

Greetings!

My team of kayakers from UP Mountaineers will be paddling around Taal volcano island this Feb21. We plan to bring school supplies to the island-school, for children who are in need of notebooks, pencils, school bags and the like.


We’d like to invite you to be involved in this effort, by donating new or second-hand (but useful) school materials, which we will bring along with us. The children of the volcano island are deprived of such treasures as most families merely rely on limited earning opportunity by guiding tourists visiting the island, or fishing in the lake. We would like to support kids’ education and encourage them to go to school, to hopefully provide them with better opportunities in the future.

We hope you can be part of this activity.

Thank you!
Romi Garduce
(in behalf of my team)

For Donations: you may drop them off at ROX Store in Bonifacio High Street.

We recommend you donate goods instead of cash (or pool your money with your friends to procure supplies).

As we also support resource conservation - we also accept 2nd hand school supplies including useful notebooks or calendar-planners with a lot of blank/unused pages (minus the used part); used coloring pens; even coloring books or old school bags.

For those who wishes to join us in the water:

We plan to kayak starting early in the morning (of Feb21/Sunday), from Talisay (Taal Lake Yatch Club) to the island, then go around the island, then back to Talisay - covering around 35km. We expect to paddle around 6-7 hours (depending on the condition).

You may paddle with us either, for the entire route, or the trip to the island (which is around 5km 1-way). But you have to arrange for your own logistic needs, as we are constrained with resources (i.e. get your own kayak, support, etc.)