Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Ingemar Macarine completed another unprecedented swim in crossing the Cebu Strait in the Philippines.
In April 2015, the Pinoy Aquaman first pioneered the Cebu Channel with a 17 km channel swim in the Visayas, from Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island to San Remegio town in northern Cebu in 7 hours 45 minutes.
Last week, he swam 16.83 km in 5 hours 49 minutes from LightHouse Brgy. Cabacungan on Cabilao Island, Municipality of Loon, Province of Bohol to Brgy. Bulasa, Municipality of Argao in Cebu.
He explained, “I intentionally did not broadcast this pioneering swim because I was doubtful at first of reaching Cebu as I’m still recovering from a severe asthma attack last month. The swim was to promote clean seas and beaches and to celebrate the 118th Philippine Independence Day despite the bad weather. Swim was witnessed by my navigator/pilot Edwin Dela Cruz and Boat Operator Felix Mape and son Jay Mark.
I encountered thousands of stinging jellyfishes along a 7 km stretch approaching the mainland in Cebu. It was much worst than the swarms that I encountered when I swam the Tañon Strait. I was also swimming against the current. The currents would have been favorable if I had swum the other direction, from Cebu to Bohol instead of Bohol to Cebu. I also encountered choppy waters as correctly predicted. The weather was fine first few kilometers, but then the wind and rain came.”
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