- Siargao Island
Siargao is a tear-drop shaped
island in thePhilippine Sea situated 800 kilometers southeast ofManila in the province ofSurigao del Norte . It has a land area of approximately 437 square kilometers. The east coast is relatively straight with one deepinlet , Port Pilar. The coastline is marked by a succession ofreefs , small points and white, sandybeach es. The neighboring islands and islets have similar landforms.Geography
Siargao Island contains the largest
mangrove forest reserves inMindanao , atDel Carmen . Long stretches ofwetlands indicate a potential for commercialseaweed propagation. Siargao Island is greatly influenced by the winds and currents coming uninterrupted from thePacific Ocean , intensified by the Mindanao current running westward through the Siargao Strait.Siargao Island is situated at a coordinate of coord|9|52|N|126|03|E|region:PH_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki. It composed of municipalities of Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, San Benito, San Isidro, and Santa Monica.Offshore, a classic tropical island lies protected within its surrounding
coral reef with dozens ofcoconut palms dressed in the center circle of the island. Off to the right, well within the massive coastal reef, lies a shining whitesand bar , (Pansukian, or Naked island) some 200 meters long. Thetide of Siargao isdiurnal with tidal curves typically present, especially on the east coast of the island.The Island's Pacific-facing reefs are situated on the edge of the
Philippine Trench , and the extremely deep offshore waters assure the ocean swells have undiluted power when they encounter the many coral and rock reefs. Siargao has excellentsurfing conditions, particularly during the southwest "habagat"monsoon from August to November, when theprevailing wind is offshore.Cloud 9
One of the best known surfing waves on Siargao and the
Philippines , with a worldwide reputation for thick, hollowtubes is "Cloud 9". This right-breaking reef wave is the site of the annualSiargao Cup , a domestic and international surfing competition sponsored by the provincial government ofSurigao del Norte .The wave was discovered by travelling surfers in the late 1980s. It was named and made famous by American photographer John S. Callahan, who published the first major feature on Siargao Island in the United States- based "
Surfer " magazine in March 1993, and hundreds of his photos in many other books and magazines since his first visit in 1992. Callahan has put the island on the international map and has drawn thousands of surfers and tourists to Siargao. Cloud 9 also has a reputation for being a relatively cheap destination for surfers with many cheap accommodations and restaurants and bars to choose from.There are several other quality waves on Siargao and nearby islands, but Cloud 9 has received more publicity than any other, indeed in the Philippines as a whole. It is the only wave easily accessible without a boat, leading to overcrowding and the nickname of "Crowd 9" among surfers. Eager foreign and locally owned accommodation and tourist facilities have profited from the magazine publicity and the influx of visitors drawn by the annual Siargao Cup competition in September.
Siargao is well known as "The Surfing Capital of the Philippines" with a reputation among surfers within the
Philippines and the International scene.Eddie Florano has also written a song called Surfin' in Siargao from 'Ukulele World: Acoustic & Power Ukulele' album (2006).
ee also
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Surfing External links
* [http://www.coconutstudio.com/GENERALLUNAfinX.htm Siargao Island & General Luna - The best guide on the Net]
* [http://www.globalsurfers.com/spot.cfm?land=Philippines&surfing=1566&travel=Cloud%209 Global Surfers Siargao "Cloud 9" Profile and information.]
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