Pundaquit Beach & Capones Island ~ 1997

I've been there several times, seen changes, development, growth & progress of the town.. good for the people who live there, but not for the environment..

..way back then, i heard of this place from my mom's best friend, they live in
San antonio, Zambales. they actually visited the place sometime on 1995 after the Pinatubo eruption on 1991 they want to see the extent of damages on their hometown, then they went to pundaquit beach afterwards..



summer of 1997, a friend organized an out of town trip to his client, to be held at Subic Zambales, i thought since we are already at zambales, might as well check the place my mom told me. and so we went there, no idea where it is, asking people for directions..



going to Pundaquit beach proper is not comfortable then, road are bumpy and dusty-some are from the ashes of Pinatubo. dense foliage and vegetation, wooden bridge to cross the river~fresh and cool air with a smell of cut grass, very provincial.


halfway of the drive, passing the heavy foliage, a delightful view will welcome you.. mountain on your left, several nipa houses, lots of fruit bearing trees, crops on the side street, farm animals are everywhere and further ahead.. a beautiful beach, overlooking three islands. gray sand and with several low land pine trees planted at the backyard of some residential houses.. there were few resorts then.


after fixing our things inside our rented room, i asked a boatman to deliver us on the island, we want to eat our lunch there, and he suggest to take the biggest of the three named Capones, and we agreed on time and price (Php50.00/head) back and forth.


going out on shore, i took a picture of the beach, it still mesmerize me.. i can live there forever..
it's less than an hour trip. the waves are big at some part of the water, but considerably safe in general. we were wearing life vest just in case.


the island was amazing.. it has huge white sand beach and clear blue water, i brought my goggles then and saw lots of marine life down there, it was also a favorite spot of some foreigners who do scuba diving on the island. we spent 3 hours swimming and snorkeling, until the boatman came back to fetch us back, the waves will be bigger later in the afternoon and it will be more risky.



as i compare the place now.. it is disappointing, resorts sprung everywhere, heavily populated and human structures are taking off the beauty of nature..



i am lucky that i have seen the place, when it was simple and beautiful. my only regret is, i should have seen Anawangin that time-it might be then a real paradise!