The Surprise Wetland!

Our goal is the edge near the horizon!

One hour up, still a long way to go!

In our trip to Ilocos, we had lunch at Saud Beach in famous Pagudpud. I knew that the 'kids' (students) will surely try to 'enjoy' the beach to the fullest. So I eyed the beach line at the other end of the cove, It apeared to almost reach the horizon.  I asked Prof. Vic Dul-loog if it would take forever to reach it.  He estimated 30 minutes by foot. I asked friend Pinky if she wanted to try our luck in walking up to the beach's edge.  She affirmed and we started walking after the hefty lunch, around 1:30 PM.

The way back!

Pinky on the beach with faint Bangui at the background

The students were already in their swimsuits when we passed the part were they planned to swim. We steadily made our way, making steps at the edge of the water but the wet sand's weight was becoming too much for my slippers and my ankles to handle.  We decided to shift walking at midpoint, between the wooded edge and the waterline, but at this point our feet sank deep into the sand. It was proving to be such an ordeal. One hour later we have not reached the halfway mark. 

The Bangui windmills at the other end of the horizon

Kangkong?

Typha!

We decided to turn around to make it back by 330 pm, which was the time given for us by our guide, the deadline to go back to our hotel.  A hundred meters from the farthest point, we again decided to enjoy the view, which included a panorama of the faraway Bangui windmills lining the opposite beach. We sat on the hot sand admiring the Pagudpud sun and the wind on our hair.

While Pinky tried to take snaps of the faint hint of the windmills, something caught my eye in the oposite direction.  Beyond the coconut trees, which was way behind our backs while looking into the water, was another body of water...a lagoon.  And unlike the expected flora of the coastal landscape we were immersed in, this one had aquatic plants...coastal wetland! It had cattail (Typha angustifolia) populations which I see mostly  in inland freshwater ponds. Quite a surprise for me.  It seems Ilocos never runs out of things to discover!

Saud Beach's coastal wetland