MANGROVE LOVING PENGUIN: Thank God for Kayaks and the Adventure and Learning it Provides.

 

"The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes." - Jack Hanna  

Paddling thru the brackish waters inside the Manito Mangrove Ecopark on that August mid-morning, the Mangrove Loving Penguin could not help but be fascinated by the richness of nature's diversity all around him.  Originally the Mangrove Forest Reserve which spanned 193 hectares  when established in 1981, the Manito Mangrove Ecopark is a smaller version now but it is home to 14 mangrove tree species and at least 36 species of birds.  My visit to this veritable green oasis is thanks to the hospitality of the Alliance of BacMan Farmer's Association, Inc. (ALBAFAI) agricultural cooperative, particularly its officer Joebeth Padilla who was introduced to me by a First Gen - EDC officer. Joebeth in his wooden banca accompanied the kayak-paddling MLP inside Manito Mangrove Ecopark.  

     

MLP with Joebeth Padilla, an officer of ALBAFAI, at the entrance to the Manito Mangrove Ecopark.

MLP with son Marcel who operated the drone to take photos and videos of the adventure of the MLP kayak inside the Manito Mangrove Ecopark.   

Paddling on a kayak gave me the opportunity to cover a lot of area in the mangrove forest and see up close the many mangrove species in Manito.  Studying mangroves firsthand from a kayak offered a richer, more immersive and more memorable educational experience than looking at pictures in a book or documentary video in YouTube.   Thank God for kayaks as it provide a multi-sensory engagement and deeper connection with the mangroves. 

The MLP Kayak entering the vast network of waterways inside the Manito Mangrove Ecopark.  

Kayaking provides a multi-sensory learning opportunity about mangroves by allowing you to hear the wildlife, see the lush environment, smell the unique ecosystem, feel the water's motion, and touch the plants and water.   Kayaking provides an ideal method of observing the unique and diverse species of mangroves in the forest.  As a quiet and low-impact activity, kayaking allows for a peaceful immersion in this coastal ecosystem and minimize disturbance to wildlife. Paddlers can navigate narrow, winding channels to observe the intricate root systems and rich biodiversity that define these forests.  

Drone shot of the MLP Kayak with the ALBAFAI  banca navigating its way into the tidal creek that connects the freshwater river to the estuaries, mixing land runoff and saltwater to create a dynamic environment . Paddling thru the tidal creek, the MLP got upclose to number of the 14 mangrove species inside the ecopark.

With the sleek kayak, the MLP is able to go up close and inspect the mangrove species along the waterways. This particular mangrove species is of the Rhizophora family given the prominent stilt roots that grow downard from the branches to provide support.  This is a Rhizophora mucronata or Bakawan Babae mangrove as indicated by its broad light green leaves.        

This mangrove tree is called Lapis-Lapis (Ceriops decandra). It gets it name from the almost pencil-like appearance of its   propagules which measures between 12 to 18 centimeters long. It thrives on muddy tidal flats  

Another interesting mangrove species that is found inside the Manito Mangrove Ecopark is the Tabigi (Xylocarpus granatum).  It is identifiable by its round fruit that looks like a small pomelo. The Tabigi fruit is actually a woody spherical capsule which split open to reveal up to a dozen seeds. In the provinces, kids use this as some sort of a puzzle - shuffling the seeds and attempting to reassemble them into the original spherical arrangement.       

Aegeciras corniculatum is the scientific name of the Saging-Saging mangrove.  The strongly curved fruits hang in clusters like small bananas (hence the local name).  The cylindrical fruits are pale green to pinkish-red.    

Thank God indeed for kayaks. 

What is then the origin of kayaks?  Kayaks were originally developed by indigenous Inuit people, who used the boats to hunt on inland lakes, rivers and coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantics and North Pacific oceans.  These first kayaks werre constructed from stitched seal or other animal skins stretched over a wood or whalebone-skeleton frame.  Kayaks are at least 4,000 years old. Human ingenuity is old and thriving. 

Native builders designed and built their kayaks based on their own  experience and that of the generations before them, passed on through oral tradition.  The word "kayak" means "man's boat" or "hunter's boat", and native kayaks were personal craft, each built by the man who used it -- with assistance from hins wife, who sewed the skins -- and closely fitting his size for maximun maneuverability.   Inuit kayak builders had very specific measurements for their boats.  The length was typically three times the span of his outstretched arms.  The width of the cockpit was the width of the builder's hip plus two fists.  The typical depth was his fist plus the outstretched thumb (hitch hiker pose).  Thus typical dimensons were about 17 feet long by 20-22inches wide by 7 inches deep.      

The kayak I have has a dimension of 11 feet long by 25 inches wide by 11 inches deep.  It was crafted by a Canadian national based in Mandaue, Cebu.  His name is Karl Gallop  and he has 40 years experience in crafting solo kayaks and tandem kayaks made of  fiberglass.  

In mid-June this year, the MLP visited Karl in his Mandaue shop to talk about the design and colorway of the MLP kayak. 

Fiberglass produces a ligther kayak than polyethylene (plastic).  Fiberglass offer advantages in lightness, speed, and performance due to a stiffer, smoother hull, making them better for long-distance paddling and touring. In the words of Karl -

"There are a few differences between the two (fiberglass kayaks and plastic kayaks).  The lifespan in fiberglass is longer.  Fiberglass doesn't become brittle after a couple of years. Fiberglass will break down but not after a minimum of 20 years.  Plastic will break down from UV starting right away. Repairs on fibeglass can be done. Plastic can't bre repaired no matter what anyone says. Performance is completely different. The fiberglass will hold its shape and perfom well given a good design.  Fiberglass will hold its tracking and go easily thru water.  Plastic once it warms up will soften and become sluggish and more difficult to manage. You'll have to paddle twice as much and harder."         

My  kayak has a logo of the Mangrove Loving Penguin (MLP). I call it the MLP kayak.  It has customized features like dry hatch compartment in the front and a hatch compartment at the back.  

The MLP Kayak was delivered to me in late July and by August 2 I was already testing it in the waters of Lake Buhi, home of the fabled Sinarapan fish.

MLP kayak in action in Lake Buhi.  It is very manueverable,  gliding near the rocky shore.  

MLP and grade school batchmate Ruvill Villagomez paddling their kayaks in Lake Buhi with Mt. Iriga/Asog in the background.  

  

Yehey! The joy of gliding thru the water with the greatest of ease.    

Good as advertised.  After the test paddle at Lake Buhi, the MLP Kayak was deployed on its first tour of a mangrove forest the following day in the town of Manito in the province of Albay. And as they say, the rest is history. 

The MLP Kayak will be a constant companion of the Mangove Loving Penguin in its quest for adventure in the pursuit of greater learning about the mangrove ecosystem in particular, and nature in general.

Thank God for human ingenuity.