Baltazar Island teems with marine species. Why?

Baltazar Island is right in the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor and is home to new Sawshark species and underwater caves.

Diving at Baltazar Island

Being in the periphery of the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor that teems with concentrations of marine biodiversity, there are a lot of unexplored sections of coral reefs, steep walls and underwater caves and canyons, Marinduque is among the top scuba dive destinations in the country. Here lies Baltazar Island, one of the famous Tres Reyes Islands.

 The entire Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, a busy sea lane, covers portions of the coastal waters of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon. This site has been dubbed by the scientists as "the world’s blue water version of the Amazon River basin."

A published Conservation International (CI) report stressed its importance to marine conservation because habitat threats in the Philippines could result in mass extinctions of species similar to what is occurring in the Amazon River Basin. "The Philippines can therefore be considered as the marine counterpart of this famous terrestrial center of biodiversity", the report stated.

CI said the Passage “has arguably the highest concentration of marine species of any region in the world’s oceans, including whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and giant clams (Tridacna gigas).”

Specimen of Sawshark, Pristophorus lanae caught northwest of Baltazar Island

Baltazar Island: New species of Sawshark found here, too

                           A new species of Sawshark from the Philippines.

Specimen of Pristophorus lanae caught northwest of Baltazar Island in the Philippines on 10 December 1966. Ebert & Wilms (2013).

Sawsharks (Pristiophoridae) are highly specialized Sharks related to Skates and Rays (Batoids). They have flattened bodies and highly elongate snouts, with rows of lateral teeth, which are used to sideswipe prey Fish, stunning them prior to consumption. Sawsharks are a small group, with seven species currently recognised in two genera. The earliest known fossil Sawsharks date to the Late Cretaceous, although their sister-group relationship with the Batoids suggests the group may be somewhat older.

In a paper published in the journal Zootaxa on 24 December 2013, David Ebert of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, the Department of Ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences and the South African Institute for Aquatice Biodiversity, and Hana Wilms of the Marine Biology Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, describe a new species of Sawshark from four specimens caught in the waters off the Philippines in 1966 (these specimens have been preserved in the ichthyological collection of the California Academy of Sciences since their capture, and have previously been referred to as members of an undescribed species in several publications, but have not been formally described until now), and two further specimens caught in 2008.

The new species is placed in the genus Pristiophorus, and given the specific name lanae, in honour of Lana Ebert, a Shark enthusiast (and presumably a relative of David Ebert), in honour of her graduation from the University of San Francisco. Pristophorus lanae is a slender bodied five-gilled Sawshark with a narrow, relatively long rostrum (snout). Colouration is a uniform dark brown above, lighter below, with no bars, blotches or other distinctive markings. The largest specimen is 830 mm in length, and the smallest 396 mm. The specimens were caught at depths of between 229 m and 593 m.

- Joe Bauwens, Sciency Thoughts

The Intriguing Keeper's Dwelling and Geodetic Azimuth Mark in Baltazar Island: Potential sites for tourism development

Baltazar Keeper's Dwelling and Lighthouse, 2008.
Photo: Lakwatserong Sulit

Earlier photo of Baltazar Keeper's Dwelling.
Baltazar is one of the Tres Reyes Islands

Historical significance:

1.  Baltasar Lighthouse was built during the American occupation between 1901-1903, when Howard Taft, a future US president and Marinduque visitor during those days, was the Governor-General. The director of the Bureau of Coastal Surveys was the famed George R. Putnam at that time.

It was eventually ravaged by time and typhoons, but in 1954 RA 1144 was passed appropriating funds for lighthouse stations including the repair of the said Baltasar Lighthouse keeper's dwelling.

The lighthouse was eventually rehabilitated through a 1991 deal with Japan's ODA Loan executed by MARINA. The keeper's dwelling apparently remained untouched. Latest picture taken in 2008, shows the structure damaged by typhoons/elements but later stronger typhoons finally brought it down.  Until then it was the oldest American-built standing structure in Marinduque but now it’s gone.

2.  Azimuth Station Baltasar:

Station Balanacan (more popularly known as Luzon Datum), in Brgy. Hinanggayon had for its geodetic azimuth mark the Station BALTASAR (azimuth: 90 12' 37".00) located in Baltazar Island, one of the Tres Reyes Islands.  O.W. Ferguson established both stations with H.D. King as Chief Of Party. The historical document on the triangulation of the Philippine Islands gives the establishment of this Azimuth Station as 1906.

In view of this, there exists AN AZIMUTH MARKER in Station Baltasar (such a marker's actual existence is, however, not mentioned in any currently available literature).  But with GPS coordinates specified it, it is right there for the curious adventurers to trace, where might be found even more intriguing relics.

Background:

The Philippines has a long history of diverse settlers. Chinese traders were here in the 10^th century AD (Don’t forget that the Marinduque Celadon Jar has turned out to be the oldest jar of foreign origin found in the Philippines). The Muslims settled in the southern part of the islands in the 15^th century. Then the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan rediscovered these islands in 1521, the first European settlement was made here by Spain under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565. In fact the national government is advising those interested to join the quincentennial anniversary of Magellan’s discoveries which has begun.

What about the Americans? They were here in the country later of course at the turn of the 20th century. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) executed the earliest topographic work of significance from 1901-1942. Numerous local datums were established at “Astro stations” in various parts of the Philippines. But as the triangulation was extended to the central and southern part of the islands it was found necessary to establish a new datum, the Luzon Datum of 1911. It is defined by its origin near San Andres Point on Marinduque Island. Making this island the geographical center of the Philippines.

That point is at station Balanacan (name of the port) where: Fo = 13° 33’ 41.000” North, Do = 121° 52’ 03.000” East of Greenwich, and the geoid/spheroid separation Ho  - ho = 0.34 meters.

But it cannot exist without an azimuth. The defining geodetic azimuth (from south) to station Baltasar is: ao = 009° 12’ 37.000”, the ellipsoid of reference is the Clarke 1866 where: a = 6,378,206.4 meters, and 1/f  = 294.9786982. *

It was well controlled by 98 measured base lines, 52 observed azimuths, and 49 latitude and telegraphic longitude stations. The supplementary triangulation extended along the shores of bays and harbors and up rivers and creeks.

CONCLUSION:

The defining geodetic azimuth (from south) to station Baltazar is  ao = 009° 12’ 37.000”, the ellipsoid of reference is the Clarke 1866 where: a = 6,378,206.4 meters, and 1/f  = 294.9786982. Baltazar Island is one of the Tres Reyes Islands.

The historical documentation on the triangulation of the Philippine Islands provides the establishment of this Station in 1906.

It isn't wishful thinking to make a claim that there still exists an AZIMUTH MARKER in Station Baltasar (such a marker is, however, not mentioned in any of currently available literature, but only waiting to be discovered). This, however, may be a challenge to other historical researchers and investigators. But it brings to mind how the stone marker with a hole (6cm deep and 1.5 cm in diameter) was found at the summit of Mataas na Bundok in Brgy. Hinanggayon.

As far as the lighthouse keeper’s dwelling ravaged by typhoons is concerned, the possibility of the structure’s rehabilitation should continuously be explored as the place, alongside other tourist curiosities (underwater caves, rare marine species discovered), is another tourist spot just waiting there to be explored, for protection and further development.

*Used as a source for this blog is PE&RS Grids and Datums, August 1999 Issue - Philippines, by Clifford J. Mugnier

Sample of Azimuth Mark.  Geodetic Survey Benchmark - Image Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce

Another Azimuth Marker sample for the curious.

Gaspar 'Heritage Island': Kalanay Pottery Complex ang tawag sa mga sinaunang banga (bago pa maipanganak si Kristo)

Pag-usbong ng ideya ng Kalanay Pottery Complex

Ano kaya ang tawag sa mga sinaunang banga at mga palayok na natagpuan sa mga kuweba ng Gaspar Island sa Marinduque? Gaano katanda na kaya ang mga ito?

Kalanay pottery complex ang ideya na ipinangalan ni Wilhelm G. Solheim II* matapos niyang suriin ang mga pottery at earthenware sa Guthe Collection sa University of Michigan noong 1957. Nakolekta naman ang mga ito ni Dr. Carl Guthe sa Pilipinas sa pagitan ng 1922 at 1925.

Iminungkahi noon ni Beyer na ang mga koleksiyon mula sa Marinduque na nahukay ni Alfred Marche noong 1881 ay makikitang taglay ang mga katangian ng Kalanay complex pottery na natagpuan sa iba pang bahagi ng Pilipinas.

(Image) Kalanay pottery complex vessels from Gaspar, Tres Reyes, Marinduque

Naisulat din ni Beyer tungkol sa mga natagpuan sa Marinduque noong 1957, na ‘some specimens from which still remain in the Trocadero Museum in Paris, or in other French or Spanish museums’.

Discoveries mula noong 1956

Marami pang Kalanay complex pottery ang natagpuan sa tatlo pang lugar mula 1956: sa timog-silangan baybayin ng Luzon, sa Marinduque, at malapit sa Taal, Batangas sa timog-kanluran na nakaharap sa baybayin ng Luzon.

Ang mga paunang ulat tungkol dito sa mga unang lugar ay naisulat naman nina Fox at Evangelista, 1958.

Noong 1959 naman, si Arsenio Manuel, Pinuno ng Kagawaran ng Anthropology, University of the Philippines, ay naghukay sa maraming mga site sa Marinduque, na ang pinakamahalaga ayon sa panulat ni Solheim ay ang mga natagpuan sa Tres Reyes (Gaspar Island).

Aniya, “from partial stratigraphy and typology the contents of the Tres Reyes site have been divided into three groups. The middle strata (not well defined), nearly one and a half meters thick, contains a great variety of Kalanay complex pottery (Solheim 1959b: 103). Unfortunately, no report on this material has yet appeared. Part of the material is with Manuel, part with Beyer, and some pieces on display at the National Museum…”

Siyempre, sa kasalukuyan may kaunti pang maliliit na pirasong natitirang matatagpuan sa mga kuweba mismo.

“Decoration and form of the Tres Reyes pottery fits the Kalanay complex style very neatly. Several of the diagnostic designs are present plus several variations on these designs, and one previously unencountered element”. (Solheim)

(Image) Earthenware and rooster head from Tres Reyes, Marinduque

Naisulat din ni Solheim. At dito ay may nadagdag na isang interesanteng bagay – may ukit na ulo ng tandang na makikita sa larawan:

“Two less common uses of earthenware in the Kalanay pottery complex are also present at Tres Reyes. Found at only two or three other Kalanay complex sites, including the Kalanay Cave site (Solheim 1957: fig 3), are shallow bowls with cutouts in the ring foot. The pictured bowl from Tres Reyes (PI. IV e) is part of a twin vessel joined by the bridge, to the left in the picture.

“The other rare form is a rooster head (PI. V a) which was broken off some larger earthenware object. The idea is similar to that of the head from Kalanay Cave (Solheim 1957: pl. I A). Both heads have the beginning of an incised pattern at the base of the neck which extended onto the missing portion of the object.”

Gaano katanda ang mga ito? Late Neolithic period daw. Bago pa raw mag 500 B.C.!

Nanatiling ganito raw, ayon sa mga siyentipiko, ang mga banga at palayok sa mga lugar na kinakitaan hanggang nagsimulang dumating ang mga Chinese porcelain sa panahon ng T’ang o early Sung dynasty.

Part of the material is with Manuel, part with Beyer, some pieces on display at the National Museum. Some still lay scattered in the caves.

Ang buod ng panulat ni Solheim sa “Further Notes on the Kalanay Pottery Complex in the P.I.” kung saan hinango ang istoryang ito ay ganito ang nakasaad:

Summary:

Archaeological sites containing Kalanay complex pottery are found scattered throughout the Visayan Islands (Solheim n.d. b), in southern Luzon, and the southwest-facing coast of Luzon.

The pottery of this complex has great variety in form and several distinctive patterns of decoration. Incised designs are curvilinear scrolls, rectangular meandera, and many varieties of triangles. A scallop design on angles, flanges and rims, is made by cutting or modelling. Fine, wavy, impressed designs are made with the edge of an Arca shell. In rare cases, painting in red or black emphasizes an incised pattern.

The pottery is well made, probably on a slow wheel. Red slip is common. The vessels are well smoothed and sometimes polished.

Three C-14 dates are associated with Kalanay complex pottery. In all three of these sites the pottery is associated with stone tools of Late Neolithic type and no metal is present.

These dates are 754 + 100 B.C. for Cave Number 2 at Batungan Mountain and 91 B.C. and A.D. 179 for two of the Bato Cave sites. The great majority of the sites have associated iron and/or bronze, and some contain Chinese porcelain. The sites with porcelain do not contain the distinctive Kalanay pottery varieties of form and decoration whereas the sites with metal but no porcelain do (Solheim n.d.  b).

Therefore it can be said that the Kalanay pottery complex entered the Philippines during Late Neolithic times, probably previous to 500 B.C. and remained as a distinctive pottery complex until Chinese porcelain of late T’ang or early Sung started coming in.

Recent visit, this blogger crawling in one of the Gaspar caves with a small opening.

*Wilhelm G. Solheim II (1924—2014) was an American anthropologist recognized as the most senior practitioner of archaeology in Southeast Asia, and as a pioneer in the study of Philippine and Southeast Asian prehistoric archaeology.

Also read:

Rediscovery: Pagturing na sa sagradong pulo bilang 'Gaspar Heritage Island', Gasan

Dagdag na kaalaman tungkol sa Gaspar ‘Heritage Island’ sa Gasan

More on Marinduque's common ancestry with lost civilizations

Diving at Gaspar Is.

Ano ang mga laman ng ilang kuweba sa Marinduque at nakatago pa kaya?

Kagulat-gulat! Marinduque noong wala pang nakatalang kasaysayan o prehistory

Dagdag na kaalaman tungkol sa Gaspar ‘Heritage Island’ sa Gasan

Markado ang Marinduque sa kasaysayan ng archaeology sa Pilipinas. Dahil sa islang ito naisagawa at naitala ang kaunaunahang archaeological excavation sa ating bansa.

Isa sa mga naunang scientific excavation ay naganap noong Abril-July 1881 sa pagbisita ni Alfred-Antoine Marche, isang French explorer na kinomisyon ng French government sa gawaing ito.

Isang French postcard na nagpapakita ng isang karanasan ni Marche sa iba pang lugar

Bahagi ito ng kanyang naisulat tungkol sa Gaspar Island (Los Tres Reyes):

“Kabilang sa mga alahas na aking nakuha dito, ay isang pulseras na katulad ng nakolekta ko sa kuweba ng Los Tres Reyes. Ang isa ay isang spiral tulad ng isang pulseras na parang ahas, parehong disenyo ng  mga ginagamit pa rin ngayon ng mga eleganteng tao; ang iba ay tinusok, na tila ginagamit ng mga ito na nakalawit sa mga tainga o sa paligid ng leeg; isa sa mga ito ay tinunaw sa isang shell ng pagong…

Katulad ng pulseras na nahukay sa Gaspar Island (Tres Reyes Is.) ang nakuha rin sa Pamintaan Cave (Torrijos)

“…Tulad ng mga bungo na matatagpuan sa isla ng Los Tres Reyes ang mga ito ay deformed. Nagdala ako ng halos 40, karamihan sa kanila ay walang panga at isang dosenang kalansay o higit pa…” (Luzon and Palawan, AA Marche, English translation from the French by Pura Santillan-Castrence)

Dito nagmula ang Philippine Archaeology

Sa pag-aaral ng kung kailan nagsimula ang archaeology sa Pilipinas, nakatalang una itong naganap sa isla ng Marinduque base sa mga panulat ni Alfred-Antoine Marche, tulad ng nabanggit na.Nagsagawa siya ng paghahanap noong 1881. Sa Marinduque, napuntahan niya ang maraming kuweba kasama na ang ilan pang kuweba sa 'Los Tres Reyes' (Gaspar Island) at Pamintaan Cave na pawang ginamit ng mga sinaunang tao bilang libingan.

Ilang nagkalat na mga kalansay, basag na mga banga (ang ilanay glazed), mga bahagi ng bagang ng tao. Gaspar Island

Mga kalansay na magalang na pinagsama-sama na lamang ng mga taga isla.

Isang piraso ng banga. Hindi Ming kundi inukit ng katutubo.

Ang kanyang nahukay na mga artefacts dito ay naitala bilang "isang masaganang ani ng Chinese urns, vases, gintong ornaments, mga bungo at iba pang mga ornaments na pre-Spanish origin". (Archaeology in the Philippines, the National Museum and an Emergent Philippine Nation, CO Valdes)

Ang malaking koleksyon ng antiquities na nahukay ni Marche sa mga isla ng Marinduque ay nakatago sa Musee de l'Homme sa Paris at ilan pang mga museo sa France at U.S. (Smithsonian Institution)

Sa bahaging ito ay may isa pang kuweba.

 “Imagine these fragile jarlets traveling from China to the pre-colonial Philippines. Buried in a cave in Marinduque for centuries, they were excavated in the late 19th century, brought to Paris and eventually ended up in a museum bodega outside Washington, D.C. Part of our history lies in museums abroad and it will take sometime to analyze these artifacts to piece together our pre-colonial past” (Ambeth Ocampo, dating chair ng National Historical Institute)

Ngayon pa lamang sa ating panahon nagsisimulang mapagtagni-tagni ang mga kabanatang hindi naitala noong ang Pilipinas ay sakop pa ng Espanya.

Ang ilan sa mga bagay na natagpuan sa Gaspar Island ay napag-alamang panahon pa ng Ming. Ang iba naman ay mas maaga pa kaysa rito. Marapat lamang na ipagpatuloy ang pananaliksik sa tulong ng mga panulat tungkol sa panahong iyon na matatagpuan sa ibang bansa, lalo na sa China.

Bahagi ng Gaspar 'Heritage Island'

Subalit higit sa lahat, dapat ay mauna ang mga tubong Marinduque sa pagpapalaganap ng kahalagahan ng lugar na ito. Para sa pagpapayabong pa at pagmamalaki sa mga pamana sa atin ng ating mga ninuno.

Nahukay, nasisid, mga sinaunang yaman ng Marinduque

Isa lamang sa maraming pinagtaguan. Dito naman ay may sadyang ginawang dungeon gawa sa mga bato at maitim na semento. May maliit na lagusan papunta sa isang malaking kuwarto. Larawan: Eli Obligacion

Huwag ka nang magtaka kung bakit may ilan sa Marinduque na tila obsessed sa paghahanap at paghukay ng mga nakatagong yaman sa ilalim ng lupa. Maging ang lolo ng lolo mo marahil ay nagnais na rin na isang araw ay makatisod o makahukay sa bundok, burol, kaparangan o dalampasigan, ng ginto - sa tulong ng mga duwende o engkantong nakapaligid o ng dasal.

Pangunahing kokontra naman ang ilang 'taong-Simbahan' dahil "sa demonyo" raw 'yun, bagamat may mga naitala na sa kasaysayan na para sa ilan sa kanila, dala ng kanilang 'banal' na posisyon ay sila dapat daw ang mauna nang makinabang sa mga ganoong uri ng kayamanan "para sa Diyos". 

Ang iba naman ay may kakayahang magsagawa ng paghuhukay o akuin ang mga ano mang nahukay ng iba na na walang makakapiyok. Iyun ang kwento. 

Hindi sila lahat masisisi. Ang pinakamaagang naitalang archaeological expeditions ng Pilipinas ay nasimulan sa Marinduque. Bago pa nga dumating dito si Antoine-Alfree Marche, isang French naturalist at explorer noong 1881 ay may nauna pa nga sa kanya, si Fedor Jagor isang German-Russian explorer ding naparito noong 1860s. 

Sa isang kuweba nakuha ang mga ito ni Marche.

Hindi naman gold bars ang nakuha nila. Kung may ginto man ay mga pira-pirasong aksesorya lamang ang kanilang nakuha at mas marami ang iba pang artifacts tulad ng mga banga, urns, plato, bungo at iba pa na ang totoong kahalagahan ay nasa kalumaan ng mga ito. Di tulad ng mga nakuha sa Surigao.

Ayon sa panulat ni Marche iang islang-lalawigan ng Marinduque ay kilala noon bilang isang 'Isla ng mga Kuweba". Hindi mabilang na mga yungib at kuweba ang narito at malamang na hindi lahat dito ay napasok na.

Sa modernong kasaysayan

Sa modernong kasaysayan naman, may mga archaeological exploration projects na isinagawa sa Bathala Cave (Sept. 9 - Oct. 12, 1983), at marine archaeology sa may baybayin ng Pinggan (1981 at April-June 1982), muli itong binalikan ilang taon pagkatapos. Mga panahon ito ng Martial Law. Panahong kung may gustong ilihim na mga nasa kapangyarihan ay di hamak na kanilang nagagawa.

Napunta ang ilan sa National Museum Branch sa Marinduque. Ang iba ay sa mga pribadong collection.

Sa excavation na naganap sa may Tres Reyes, magkatuwang ang National Museum, at ang Marine Archaeology Unlimited, Inc. (MAUI), ng magsagawa ng sistematikong dokumentasyon, retrieval, at chemical treatment ng mga artefacts na nakuha sa ilalim ng dagat. Pakay din nila noon na pag-aralan ang naging bahagi ng lumubog na barko sa sinaunang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Makaraan ang maraming taon, tila wala namang konklusibong resulta ang naging pag-aaral.

Ayon kay Eduardo Conete ng National Museum na naging kasama sa underwater excavations noong 1982, ay may 1,186 na pirasong artifacts ang na-retrieve sa wreck site.

Ming dynasty plate

Ang ilan sa mga na-retrieve na artifacts ay 170 stoneware jars and jar covers, porcelain bowls in various sizes, jarlets, saucers, ballast stone, restorable artifacts (78), shards and fragments (679 pcs). Ayon sa huling impormasyon ay dating inilagak sa Chemistry and Conservation Lab ng National Museum at ngayon ay nasa Underwater Archaeology Storage Room ng Museo.

Paano ito naduskubre?

Matatandaang naging daan ang isang mangingisda na taga Brgy. Pinggan sa pagdiskubre ng shipwreck na ito na pinaniniwalaan ngayong isa diumanong Ming Dynasty* Chinese vessel. (Walang ano mang bahagi ng wreckage ng barko ang na-retrieve).

Nagawang sumisid ng maningisda sa wrecksite ng paulit-ulit para manguha ng mga 'antiques', bagamat wala siyang maayos na diving equipment. Nang panahong iyon ay may kamalayan na sa islang-lalawigan tungkol sa kahalagahan ng mga ganitong uri ng 'antiques'.

Sa ilalim ng dagat sa pagitan ng Gaspar at Brgy. Pinggan sinisid ang mga kayamanan.
Larawan: Jun Villegas

Hindi nahirapan ang mangingisda sa paghanap ng mga gustong bumili ng kanyang mga nadiskubre - sa murang halaga lamang at natatawaran pa! Subalit sa kasamaang-palad, sa huli ay nabawian siya ng buhay dahil sa pagkalunod rin sa kawalan nga ng maayos na diving equipment.

(*Ming Dynasty - 1368-1644)

Basahin din:

A day in the bushes to back up their hidden treasure stories

Treasure object magically surfaced!

Kagulat-gulat! Marinduque noong wala pang nakatalang kasaysayan o prehistory

Notes on underwater archaeological finds

She sells seashells...

Yes she does, this girl from Gaspar Island, but big ones like these are getting harder to find.

Normally washed up on the Marinduque shores are the small ones that children collect, play with or turn into garden or house decors.

Hidden beach with a past, Gaspar Island

On a small strip of white sand beach mantled with crushed corals hidden along the southern part of Gaspar Island (one of Tres Reyes (Three Kings) Islands off Gasan), one feels completely isolated from the rest of the world.

This island figured prominently in the journal by a French naturalist who explored Marinduque in 1881, Alfred Marche. He may have referred to the crevice from where the above photo was taken: "About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the sea being calm, on another exploration of the coast, we visited a few crevices and discovered a grotto, the entrance of which was hidden by debris produced by a volcanic convulsion... I entered and, having the ground dug, I found out that the bottom was carpeted with a bed of skulls slightly covered by madreporic debris and sand." (Marche)

OF MALINDIG, TRES REYES ... AND DONA PAZ

View of the steep Malindig Volcano between Melchor and Baltazar Islands off the coast of Gasan.

The sea between Mindoro and Marinduque is often choppy. The worst peacetime maritime disaster in the world occured here (Dec. 20, 1987), when the ferry "Dona Paz" carrying more than 4,000 passengers disembarked from Tacloban City to Manila and collided with MT Vector, an oil tanker en route from Bataan to Masbate.

"Dona Paz" was situated at Dumali point, east of Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro along Tablas Strait near these small islands. The Vector's cargo ignited upon collision as it carried 8,800 barrels of gasoline, the fire spreading rapidly into the Dona Paz and the sea itself, a nightmarish sight visible from Marinduque's western coasts.

Time Magazine called it the "worst peace-time maritime disaster of the 20th century". The 2008 World Almanac recorded the death toll at 4,341.

The shark-infested area of Tres Reyes (Three Kings)Islands. For the brave and adventurous.

DIVING AT BALTAZAR ISLAND, GASAN

Baltazar Island in Gasan, Marinduque, Philippines is one of the 'Tres Reyes Islands' that boasts of an excellent divesite with an underwater cave. Team Marinduque promotes adventure sports here including scuba diving. Baltazar is only one of many known divesites around this island-province.

Also view other marinduquegov videos HERE.

MALINDIG VOLCANO & TRES REYES ISLANDS

Local myths and legends have been told and retold about these two places in Marinduque. Malindig originated from an archaic Visayan word "malindug" meaning 'steep' or 'elegant'. The volcano is nestled in Buenavista. The volcano's peak is the last bastion of biodiversity on the island of Marinduque. The view of Malindig from Elefante Island (to reopen soon as "Buenavista Island", an exclusive resort), has graced many travel magazines.

Tres Reyes islands (after the 'Three Kings', Melchor, Gaspar & Baltazar are their individual names are located off the coast of Pinggan, Gasan. On the biggest island, Gaspar, exist caves that have been used as burial sites of pre-colonial Filipinos, and where various artifacts including pre-colonial gold ornaments have ben found. Gaspar island is a marine reserve. Marine archaeological excavations have also ben conducted off the coast of the island that produced collections from the Ming dynasty period.