Goin’ fishing

Posted on January 26, 2008 by David

fishing net

While the fishing in the Philippines is still a top industry, life for fishermen and their catches is becoming harder. Large commercial vessels from China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines are competing for the decreasing number of fish in deeper and more dangerous waters off the northern coast of Luzon in the South China Sea. Throw into the mix the numerous smaller, traditional bankas that carry at most 8 fishermen using line and hooks and one can begin to appreciate the dangers involved with simply trying to eek out an existence for the small scale fishermen; many of whom never return home in the fast changing weather far from shore. 

banka

High winds and wild waves have postponed my journey to the sea for the second day as our small crew decided to delay our 3-5 day trip to the deep sea. We’re all keeping an eye out on the weather and will try again tonight to head out from Bolinao, Pangasinan for what we hope will be a prosperous trip. And a necessary one; they just arrived in port four days ago and already much of the income earned has been spent. Time to turn the boat around see what fortune may bring… Stay tuned for more stories and image of this trip. 

Posted in Philippines, Travel | 2 Comments

super cylone sidr’s progress

Posted on November 18, 2007 by David

‘November 16 represents tragedy for Bangladesh’ i was told by a well dressed man who claimed to have walked since dawn from Barisal; it was now around 3pm and we are stuck between a traffic jam of monumental proportions or heading back against the fallen trees and the thousands returning to their homes after evacuating less than 24 hours before. He was refering to both past and present.
Road to Barisal
Super Cyclone Sidr had come ashore. At current count, over 1,000 are dead without the worst areas being reached by rescue workers and NGOs. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and much of the country is without power or communications for at least the next three days. The total toll to the economy cannot even be comprehended yet.
Home
Much work will be done over the next few days and the full extent of the damage done by this awesome display of energy will be better known. What is known now however, is that, unlike many years ago in November, Bangladesh was better prepared. Over 130,000 died during the last such storm.
Road to Barisal
Stay tuned for more updates and slideshows.

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