It was a bright sunny day when we set off for a river adventure. I have been eyeing this long river located in the neighboring town that is just 3 barangays away from my place. The river has stayed in my mind for so long by the time I took a glimpse of it. Though I only had less expectation of this river however I silently wished that somehow the river had hidden waterfalls or big lakes that would be revealed before my eyes.
Four years ago, I and my Grade 12 students embarked on a climb for our Mountaineering Subject in PE. When I reached the peak, my eyes were captivated of the glimpse of the water flowing below. It was a river! A long winding river!
So last Christmas Holidays ( after a very long timeeee) when I finally found a guide going to the river, together with my hiking buddies, we trekked on the rocky and winding river.
Let the trek begin!
From our drop-off area, we found ourselves in the middle of the greeneries. I see no houses but only the green vegetation. I only saw one local tending his farm, other than that the whole hike was so quiet that I could hear the leaves rustling. It was peaceful and refreshing.
We hiked briskly. Haha. I think we were racing silently as to who would see the river first.
Alas! There it was - the river! Our entry point to the river was the green and calm water of the river surrounded by rocks. Initially, we were having trouble as to where to go first. Should we follow the river? Or meet the course of the water?
I looked ahead, and I knew for sure that regardless of the direction we chose, it would lead us to a breathtaking view. I could feel it as if the river was telling me.
We started our trek, hopping from one rock to another. In some parts of the river the water was calm and still but if you look at it closely, you will notice a subtle movement and flow. I was curious about the main source of this water, could it be a waterfall or a spring from the side of the mountain, or these are it rainwater? I was hopeful to see the first possibility I had in mind.
It was not only me who was excited and enthusiastic but also my students and my hiking buddy, Ma’am Jo. Before long, I encountered a lush group of ferns which signals we were near to somewhere colder which could mean a body of water is near. I wasn’t mistaken because not too far, I heard a soft gushing of water. The sound of a waterfall! And guess what? A not-so-huge yet beautiful waterfall greeted our eyes with its charm!
The Waterfall!
Look, a delicate layer of water cascading down the rocks. The waterfall is not that towering, but this kind of view is truly special since it is very rare to find waterfalls in our countryside compared to the abundance of beaches that surround us! I was more than happy to discover it and felt the butterflies in my stomach. It was a seldom-seen gem!
The falls is perfectly situated as it is surrounded by lush greeneries and a small pool below it.
I tried my best to get near the waterfall despite the rock and the mud being very slippery. I miscalculated my step and indeed up my one foot sank into the mud. Haha.
More Trek!
After we filled our eyes with this wonderful view of nature. We decided to trek back and follow the gentle flow of the water this time.
I opt to trek on the river rather than hopping from one rock to another this time. I soaked my shoes in the water and felt the pleasant cold sensation of the water on my feet.
I was extra careful and vigilant in the steps I took to avoid accidents while I was enjoying following the direction of the water at the same time my eyes were looking forward to discovering another wonderful view of nature.
Is it a lake?
And yes! After some time, we were all surprised and left in awe when we stumbled upon a large river pool that looked like a lake!
The pool with its mesmerizing emerald green hue was so stunning to look at! I couldn’t believe that I just found another hidden gem in the river!
It looks so green that one can tell that the pool is considerably very deep. My student, Mat, wanted to take a plunge in the river but I warned him of the potential danger because we didn’t know the characteristics of the pool! It could be deceptively deep! And who knows, there must be snakes lurking beneath the pool! Safety first!
We tried throwing a rock to check how deep the pool was, and we were all surprised that it took more than 10 seconds for the rock to land at the bottom and the pool to become still and calm again! The revelation just confirmed our suspicions! It must be very deep!
Rather than risking a plunge, we enjoyed the breathtaking view and captured plenty of pictures with us! While there was so much more to explore in the winding river, we decided to conclude our river adventure and continue the adventure of climbing Mt. Verallo which was just beside the river! New heights awaited us!
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I wish you all safe and well always!
Don't forget to smile often!🤗😍😊