The Ilokana

Chapter Eleven

Hundred Islands National Park, February 25, 20XX

"You have a waterproof camera?" Victoria eyed her cousin's small, blue device with envious eyes as she gripped the edge of the boat with one hand and removed her flippers underwater with the other.. "Since when?"

"Since the Galapagos," Richie said, sliding his left hand through the camera's bright yellow, floating wrist strap to remove it. "It works great in humidity, too, and can take a beating."

"Did you take pictures of us?"

"Yeah, a little. I was mostly looking at the fish and clams and stuff."

Victoria tossed her flippers into the boat and was helped back on by Adrian. He scooted to the side of the small fishing boat to give her a place to sit beside him.

"Towel off and then reapply," Adrian said to Richie as he tossed him a damp beach towel. He reached into his bag and pulled out a tube of sunblock.

"Where are we off to next?" Richie asked.

"It's almost sunset," Victoria said as she looked towards the horizon. "We should get to an island and set up camp."

"I still can't believe they'd let us just camp on any of the beaches," Adrian said. "Why couldn't we camp at one of the big islands?"

"Because we'd have to share the beach with a bunch of other people," Richie said. "I usually like to stay on the path everyone has access to and stay on one of the big islands or more popular small islands for camping, but since I'm not writing about this, I'll take seclusion."

Adrian sighed, rubbing the white cream on to his arms. Their precautions were paying off, as neither he nor Adrian looked to have been getting sunburn despite spending the entire day outside, by and in the water.

"I guess. So, where are we going next?" The small motor at the back end of the boat sputtered to life and their driver, a fisherman and distant relative to their Aunt, instructed them to put on their life vests.

"A small island on the northeast portion. It has a beach with actual sand," Victoria said, putting her arms through the yellow vest. They jerked forward and Victoria leaned into the wind, pushing her wet hair back. "Uncle said it's a good place to camp. Manong Ferd will drop us off and pick us up in the morning."

"We have food all packed and stuff to start a fire," Richie said, motioning to a large plastic basket and a blue cooler stuffed in the corner of the boat.

"And all your stuff." Victoria let out a little snort as she eyed the plastic bag wrapped backpack at Richie's feet. "I don't know why you brought all your stuff."

"It's not all my stuff." Richie defended himself and extended a hand for the tube of sunblock. "It's the small day bag."

"Did you have to bring your laptop?" Victoria asked. "What if it gets wet or broken?"

"It's fine and well padded," Richie said, confident. "I've brought that thing all over; it's more durable than you think."

"Do you plan to work while we're camping?"

"What if I get struck by inspiration? You don't know."

She sighed and shook her head, opting to relish the breeze as they sped across the waters, between rocky islands towering above the water.

It was a good day for beach going. They got up early and rode out to the islands on a fisherman's boat. Michael started the day with them, going to Children and Governors Island before ending the day at Quezon Island. From there, he was taken back to the shore on a passenger boat to spend the night in Lucap, the official launching point to the islands further from where her uncle's home was.