After our latest summer adventure at Burias
Island, there were a number of parents in ASD communities asking us about how
our special one managed to handle long boat trips so we thought about writing
another stickies for boat trips.
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| Outrigger boats are common in the Philippines so it's good to help the kids get accustomed |
Just like any other new stuff we introduce
to our special needs children, we believe the key is to be gradual. Before we went on our first boat trip, our
kids were already used to long trips by land so even our special one could
already sleep in the car whenever we travel.
To help prepare our autistic son, we let him
watch kiddie shows about boats and sailing.
One of his favorite was the “Big Red Boat” by The Wiggles. Watching the show with him also proved to be
helpful as we acted out the songs or danced with him to keep him engaged. Another technique to help him prepare was to
play boat toys with him and let him see those toys float around in a pond or
pool. The objective was to get him
curious enough and excited enough. One
more thing to try is the kiddie boat rides in theme parks. These boat rides are close enough to the real
thing but relatively safer. The kiddie
design of these rides will also help a lot.
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| A smaller boat took us to the island when the water was already too shallow for the outrigger (Cagbalete Island in Quezon) |
Our first boat trip was by a big ferry boat of 2GO Travel from
Batangas to Caticlan port. We were on
our way to a company outing at Boracay.
The ferry was built to feel a little like a cruise ship so it even
though it was 10-hour sailing, it was comfortable on board. There were comfy double decker beds for the
economy class. Full set meals, shower
rooms, and other amenities are also available on board so we didn’t have any
problems with the kids. The crew were
also friendly and very accommodating.
Besides, we sailed overnight so a big bulk of the time on board was
spent sleeping. Before boarding the
boat, we sang the familiar Wiggles song “Big Red Boat” to him so imagine his
smile and excitement when we were about to board. It is important to talk to your special ones
just before you go on your first boat ride.
You have to make them feel that you are going to do something fun and
exciting.
Our second boat ride immediately followed
after the first one. It was the
20-minute boat ride from Caticlan Port to Boracay Island. It was a small outrigger boat and it was our
kids’ first time to ride that kind of boat.
Our special one especially loved how the sea water sprayed onto his face
occasionally during the ride.
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| The short outrigger boat ride from Caticlan to Boracay Island |
After that trip, we knew that he was
already comfortable with boat rides and he already knew what to expect. Our next boat ride was the following summer
when we went to the Hundred Islands for the first time. It was an hour sailing on board a small
outrigger boat from Tobuan, Labrador, Pangasinan. We felt reluctant at first but we were
surprised at how he sat still during the whole trip, savoring every
minute. But of course, I was holding onto
him the whole time to make sure he was safe.
We had several other outrigger boat rides the following years so the
2-1/2 hour sailing from Pasacao Port to Burias Island no longer worried us.
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| Outrigger boat from Tobuan, Labrador, Pangasinan to Hundred Islands |
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| At one of the islands at Hundred Islands in Pangasinan |
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| Enjoying the boat ride! |
Like any other activity, safety should be
of utmost importance. Remember to wear
life vests when riding outrigger boats.
It is worth the investment to buy your kids their own life vests that
will fit them snuggly and comfortably because the ones available in outrigger
boats are usually very loose for the kids and they will most likely come loose
in emergency situations. These are the
life vests we have for our kids:
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| We recommend buying your own life vests that fit comfortably and snuggly |
Also, if you yourself do not know how to
swim, it is a good idea to purchase your own life vest as well that will fit
you snuggly and comfortably. The life vest pictured above has straps that go between the legs so the wearer will be more secure.
This may sound morbid, but whenever I ride
boats, especially with my family, I scan the vessel and make an emergency plan
in my head. I look for the location of
life saving devices and also look for structures that will less likely sink in
case of a catastrophe. One item you can
include in your mental list is the bamboo outrigger.
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| Outrigger boat going to Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon |
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| On board and ready to go! |
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| Almost there! |
Lastly, heed the warnings. If it is not safe to travel by boat, then
don’t. Check the advisories of the coast
guard and also the weather. Aside from
the news, my personal choice for checking the weather online is
Weathergaines. Here you will have visual
information on the weather situation as the site has tons of real time
satellite images and analysis. Also, it
is important to listen to your boatman when he says that the waves might be too
high to travel. Nothing is worth
compromising your safety, most especially that of your family. Always keep safety the no.1 priority so
you’ll be able to enjoy more with your family!
Share with us your travel experiences with your
special ones!
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