The Aquamarine Escapade # 2

            Our biology class school year 2007-2008 conducted a fieldtrip  in Ozamis City. I was still a second  year highschool that time when I’ve gone to the Aquamarine Park in Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental that is now part of Ozamis City. The objectives of the educational tour was to give us a chance to see life beyond the four walls of our classrooms. Not just by looking out the marine aquatic animals on pictures and getting information about them on textbooks, but seeing them in real world makes the learning unforgettable.

            The trip was not that difficult to prepare. The teachers where the one who arranged the necessary arrangements for the tour while we only paid an amount that are needed to pay. We also have an extra money for possible things that we needed to buy and snacks if ever we'll get hungry during the tour.

            As planned, we rode on a bus from school to our destination. It was exactly 6:30 in the morning when I arrived at school. There were eight buses lined up in the road outside. Finding my designated bus was easy for me because my classmates where waving their hands as I was about to step out at the jeepney. The bus was very noisy as I went in. My classmates where taking pictures, talking about how excited there were in the trip and some are discussing where they should be seated.

            It was already 7:30 when the bus started to move. After an hour of driving from Iligan City, our bus lined up at Mukas Port together with the long line of trucks and vehicles to board a ferry boat. We were very busy talking and it took us an hour until it was our bus’ turn to went inside the lower deck of the boat. When the bus stopped, the boat started to move, all of us rushed out on the upper deck enjoying the scenery of the sea. As the wind blows, I felt like I’m connected with the nature. I could never forget the time when we were all invited on the Captain’s Cabin. It was really wonderful! The view was different up there. When I first handled the captain’s wheel, I could feel my hands shaking. That was one of the most memorable experience that ever happened in my life. After 20 minutes we already arrived at Ozamis City. We all rushed down the lower deck. As we went in the bus, we all seated back and relaxed.

            We’ve make it at the Aquamarine Park or also known as MOAP that stands for Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park after 25 minutes. The buses parked near the open drive. Our teachers instructed us that before we get down the bus we should eat our lunch first.

                        There were mangroves surrounding MOAP. Before we arrived at the restaurant we needed to pass through a half kilometer wooden planks supported by bamboo poles with water directly below it. There were many starfish floating and I even wondered if they were alive because they were not moving.  As we get in the restaurant there were many delicious food to eat like shrimps, lobsters and bangus.We really wanted to go to the Dolphin Island so we headed further from the restaurant to ride a boat.

            As the boat starts to move, I was very speechless because it was a very different experience for me. The water was very blue and there were also fishes jumping in the sea. I could even view the Island from there. After 12 minutes of sightseeing we already arrived. I’ve learned, that the dolphins were kept in that island because they were rescued. The sand was plainly white and the area has a huge square holding. As I walked up at the trailing, the sight was really fantastic! There were 5 dolphins swimming. I’ve noticed that if you clapped your hands preceedingly they would jump. And it was a good feeling seeing these beautiful creatures. When we all get bored, we decided to rush down and went into the white sand. I really sat in their and felt the sand my hands. It was my first time to see a real white beach. We were busy taking pictures and running out in the beach under the hot sun that we didn’t noticed that it was already two o’clock in the afternoon. So our team decided to go back to MOAP. Farewell Dolphin Island!

            We were walking slowly exiting the park as we stopped in our next destination which we passed by in the morning, its the zoo! It was really fascinating watching birds flying, snakes hissing and monkeys going wild as we passed through them. We went through from the mangroves and when we went out we were on the Tilapia fisheries.

            I almost left by the bus because I was very drowned about the things I’ve seen from the MOAP. Until then Aquamarine Park!

            We just dropped by in the Oroquieta Mall to buy “pasalubong” to be brought back in Iligan. We were awesome tired when we went in the bus as we travelled home. It was really a very incredible experience for me that I would never forget in my entire life.

♥melle♥