The morning that Preston and I planned to paddle out to Dilumacad Island (also known as Helicopter Island because it sort of resembles a helicopter in profile) was stormy and threatening.

Over breakfast at the Shipwreck Restaurant we were debating about whether to put off the trip for the next day. If we were more superstitious we probably would have picked a place with a different name considering we were about to voyage out on the seas.

Later in the afternoon the skies cleared and the South China Sea was calm, so we decided to make a go for it.

We estimated the total distance from El Nido to Dilumacad Island is about 4 or five miles. After paddling pretty much non-stop for a little under an hour, we coasted Kris and Kristen's bangka boat on to the sandy beach. (click here for a close up view of this photo).

Preston tried skipping some washed up coral pieces in the afternoon surf.

The Schultz brothers.

After seeing the seaworthiness of Squidos pizza from our island hopping day trip, Preston and I decided to bring along a couple of them for our Dilumacad Island provisions. Aaargh matey!

Robinson Cruesoe didn't have it this good.

The sun set behind the island and cast dramatic shadows on the other small islands surrounding us.

Darkness fell quickly and Preston lit one of the small candles we brought from town.

I think this is one of my favorite shots from the trip.

After the sun set, the moon rose over the sea and lit everything with a ghostly light. I tried this photo on a very long exposure and sort of captured what it was like there.

To keep away the island boogey men and other such haints, Preston built a small fire on the beach. I think he may be a little superstitious. Later that night after we had been asleep for a few hours, a drenching downpour arrived to soak us to the skin. Luckily, Kris had lent us his economy sized poncho that we made into a makeshift lean-to under the outriggers of the bangka.

After a night of sleeping wet and cold on the beach, we were pretty excited to see the gathering glow of the sunrise the next morning.

The bangka actually did a pretty good job as a lean-to, and after it stopped raining we moved out from under the outriggers of the boat to sleep on the open sand. It was pretty cramped under there in our makeshift shelter while it was raining.

Here's a first thing in the morning self portrait.

Our bangka boat camp was at the edge of a brushy thicket of trees and a dramatic limestone cliff.

Once we were back in El Nido, we took another expedition photo for the record.

Later that night we were back at the Lonely Planet guidebook planning the next adventure of the trip on Palawan.