Follow along with Diane as she explores the northern end of the south island of New Zealand for adventures along the back roads…

Part 1 – From jet lag to stunt pilot:
First day in New Zealand and I become a stunt pilot—even with jet lag! Read on and catch the two videos for more fun. Photos too. Enjoy!

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a stunt pilot, soaring high among the clouds and doing rolls and loops, this is your chance!

Want to be a stunt pilot—at least for a day? Well now you can. New Zealand is living up to its reputation of the “land of wild and crazy adventures” and this one leaves bunjee jumping in the dust, literally.

In the little town of Motueka , at the north end of New Zealand’s south island, near Nelson and Golden Bay, there’s a small grassy airstrip where a very brave pilot lets you pay him to take you up in his open air bi-plane, and not only fly it, but do turns, rolls and loops.

You’re soaring through the air, snoopy style, goggles, hair flying, looking down on the green hills and valleys of New Zealand, the ocean sparkling below, farms with sheep and cows grazing. In the distance, there’s Farewell Spit, the narrow peninsula that extends out like a fish hook at the top of the island, then the curving shore and white sands of Golden Bay and the wilderness of Abel Tasman National Park.

You take the plane up to 7,000 feet, feeling the air temperature cool as you climb higher and the wind rushes by. The pilot, Vince, sitting right behind you, gives you instructions—‘nose up, nose down, now move the stick to the left, that’s good…’
When it’s time to roll, he says simply ‘hard left, hard left, hard left’ and over you roll!

It was terrifyingly wonderful and that was with jet-lag—I’d just gotten off the plane from California a few hours before. Don’t miss this chance to be a stunt pilot. Vince is an amazing coach and you can do it!

———-

Diane Convington 2010

The sunlight dims behind our narrow red, white and blue paddle banca as the looming darkness ahead draws nearer.  The smell of wet seaweed washes ashore from the ocean and the sounds of water dripping from amongst the cave ceiling surrounds us. The ambiance fills with curiosity as our group submerges into the unknown environment of the intertwining rocky tunnels within. At 8.2 kilometers, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in the Philippines is the longest navigable underground river in the world.  Nominated as one of the World’s Seven Wonders, this river flows underneath a magnificent limestone mountain landscape that exits directly into the South China Sea. However, this cave system only allow boat tours access to the first 4 km before turning back due to low rock ceilings. According to the guide, it was in 1971 that Americans first explored this cave.

As our banca with outriggers crawls further in, the only light available comes from one large flashlight held by the person sitting in front – in this case, me. I hold the flashlight and my camera with my foot resting on the boat’s edge. Perhaps having control of the light and my camera for evidence (just in case) would keep my restlessness down. Tour boats resemble that of narrow canoes but the side edges are close to the water’s surface level. How easy it looks for the boats to submerge in water. Our guide navigates from the back of the boat as other tour boats glide past going the opposite direction. Its a good sign to see them coming back with smiles.

The low light conditions makes photography difficult. However, limited light sources also prevent large mosquitos (larger than I’ve ever before seen) from becoming too much of a nuisance. The brownish green waters’ depth lies between 10 to 29 feet deep, depending on the tides. In fact, the lower portions of the river is subject to tidal influences. During high tide periods, parts of the cave is actually underwater. The highest point in the entire cave is a 65 ft tall domed amphitheater above ground level which is never underwater. Our guide recommends against swimming in the area as it is too dark and potentially hazardous – a suggestion I will definitely not test.

Above us parts of the rock ceilings boast hundreds of bats, too dark and too far up to see in detail. A few fly near the top but threaten no harm. The bats also do not react to the sound of loud voices. I discover this fact when I excitedly point out “ Look! Those are bats up there!” Their glowing eyes can be seen if you watch carefully. It can be a mesmerizing yet anxious and eerie moment to see creatures not common in city-life. As far as the guides are concerned, there are no crocodiles or sharks dwelling in the cave area. If there are other life forms living here, it probably would not be visible to visitors.

As the boat glices smoothly in the water, our guide describes the major rock formations passing by: “Just ahead to the right is a whitish smooth rock that resembles a woman.” Unique rock formations and boulders such as stalactites, stalagmites and large chambers align the cave walls. Sharp rock pillars also hang from overhead. The cave wall where rock meets water also exhibit marble-like material while others display a smooth lumpy texture. The flashlight holder must be quick at following the guides’ instructions of where to point in order for the shapes to be seen. Luckily, I heard no complaints from the back of our boat about my flashlight operations.

Smaller tunnel pathways and black hallow recesses lead deeper into the cave where visitors would have to duck should they choose to continue. It is at this point where our tour guide slows the canoe to turn around due to low ceilings, sharp twists and turns. To further proceed to the inner depths of the niches and tunnels before flowing out into the sea may require more skilled scuba divers. Although curiosity of the mystical environment beyond our turning point irk the group, the point of sunlight upon return bring about some relief.

Visitors can be assured lifejackets and hard hats are provided. Professional tour guides are very knowledgeable of the cave area and know exactly what and where everything is without the need for flashlights. Using mosquito repellent is recommended. The general registration fee to enter the park is 30 PHP (approx. $0.65 US). Visitors will need to obtain entry permits from the Park Information and Booking Office or Visitors Center at the Park itself. Cave entrance fees are 200 PHP (approx $4.25 US dollars) for individuals ages 21-60, 100 PHP for those ages 17-21, 75 PHP (approx. $2.13 US) for 13-16 year olds, and 50 PHP  for 6-12 year olds. For those that want commercial videos, 3000 PHP (approx $63.00 US) is the fee. Hours of operation begin at 8:30 am with 4:30 accomodating the last tour due to tide influences.

Photo credits: Bev Isla and iStockPhoto

Information:

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the most unspoiled natural beauty of the Philippines. It boasts a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation as it contains some of the most important forests in Asia. Considered a National Geological Monument, the global significance of the park is also inscribed in the World Heritage list.

For more details, go to www.puerto-undergroundriver.com
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park Office
No. 11 National Highway, Junction 1
Brgy. San Miguel, Puerto Princesa City 5300, Palawan, Philippines
Tel: (048) 433-2409
Email: reservation [at] puerto-undergroundriver.com

Getting there:

Bahile is 81 KM (2 hours) from Puerto Princesa. Jeepneys or aircon shuttle vans can be taken. After registering at the park entrance, a 15 min pumpboat ride or 1 and a half hour hike then leads you to the underground river.

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