⌛ Sibulan tidal flat

This small tidal flat in Sibulan attracts early morning visitors who comb the flats for "edibles". "Panginhas" is a relaxing activity for many Filipino families. It is destructive and unsustainable for the environment when many families focus on a tiny strip of tidal flat on a high frequency basis.
(I enjoyed this activity when growing up in Mindanao where there are vast areas of tidal flats and very few families in the neighborhood. We would collect seaweed (lato), sea cucumber (balat), shellfish, sea urchins, and shellfish... ample protein and minerals for a family of eight. We just had to look out for crocs. One villager showed us a baby croc).

 

Nice picture! Have to admit that is one of my favourite time-wasters too. I can do it for hours, looking around to see what's there, turning over the rocks (and putting them back). Never know what turns up, pretty shells, odd looking fish, small morays, etc. No crocs yet...although this is an activity I likely wouldn't bother with up in NT or far north WA. The Filipinos obviously do it improve their diet...always friendly when I've run into them, and my wife can't resist 'helping' them get more. Stuffs up my environmental credentials...