The sky was raging, in the process of a quick transition from intense blue to fiery red. At the edge of the sea, the sun was sliding down like a curtain dropping after a circus show. Our boatman told us to hurry so we'd catch a glimpse of the last remaining cross marking the buried gravestones. Though most of the cemetery has long been covered by coral reefs—the bones of the buried having since been transferred to another cemetery inland—the site of what is now known as the "Sunken Cemetery" used to be entirely above the sea. That is, until a catastrophic series of eruptions from Mt. Vulcan Daan in the 1870s eroded parts of Bonbon in Catarman town, thereby swallowing the cemetery and tucking it completely underwater.
I Don't Want to Be Buried in a Sunken Cemetery
During my first trip to the island in 2010, we only caught a glimpse of the giant white cross erected in 1982 to mark the site of the former cemetery. This time, as part of the Cebu Pacific bloggers' tour of Camiguin, I got the chance to snorkel and see for myself what lies beneath those waters. It was finally time for me to take a peek into this strange and eerie landmark of the island.
Life Beneath the Gravestones
Together with Lois, Ferdz, Lloyd, Hudson, and Mitch, we trudged into a small boat. It was low tide, so we could easily see the corals below from the surface. I wondered about the sea creatures I would encounter underwater. Somehow, my consciousness opened up to the small possibility of seeing a ghoulish figure down there.
A few moments later, I found myself in the water. With the slowly blackening sky in the background, the remaining light penetrating the ocean bed illuminated a vast and healthy coral system. It was surprisingly full of life, completely contrary to its reputation as a setting fit for a horror movie.
An Eerie Underwater Encounter
Half an hour later, the sky was reduced to the glow of a flickering candle. I could sense total darkness creeping in at any minute, and the notion of some strange and harrowing activity swimming underneath me scared me for a brief moment. I settled down and dismissed the knocking suspense. But just when I was starting to feel at ease, I saw it.
It was around two feet long, its skin adorned with a striped pattern of blue and yellow. "A frigging sea snake," I muttered to myself, swallowing seawater in the process. I kicked my feet harder and frantically adjusted my snorkeling mask. I looked down again, and it was gone. I remembered the old saying about how you shouldn't fear seeing a giant spider until you lose sight of it. The same applied to the sea snake; I grew significantly more worried once I could no longer spot it.
Around the exact same time, I felt something brush against my legs and tickle its way up the inside of my shorts. I panicked, reached out for it, half expecting to get bitten or end up pulling out the body of the venomous sea snake.
I almost wished it was the snake I pulled out from underneath me; it would have been a great story to survive and blog about. However, it was nothing but a loose piece of seaweed. I climbed back aboard our boat just as the dark skies took over, dropping completely like a curtain call.
Cebu Pacific Air: Juan for Fun
The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, is the only airline offering direct flights to Camiguin. It operates flights from Cebu to Camiguin every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, for as low as P588. For the latest seat sales and promos, visit cebupacificair.com, call (02) 7020-888, or check their official Facebook and Twitter pages.
Cebu Pacific Air is also looking for five teams of three university students who are raring to go on the 2013 Juan for Fun Backpacker Challenge. Video entries may be sent from June 14 to July 29, 2013, and the top five teams will get to go on a week-long all-expenses-paid trip to six Philippine destinations.
