TROY, Michigan (MindaNews/08 June) — Triathlete-lawyer Ingemar P. Macarine will attempt another first in swimming history on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 (Wednesday in the Philippines) when he crosses a 4.4-mile (7 kilometers) channel in Chesapeake Bay in Maryland in the US.
The “Pinoy Aquaman” said he will swim from the shore of Sandy Point State Park, about 5 miles northeast of Annapolis. The course extends eastward between the two spans of the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (U.S. Highway 50) and he expects to finish at a small sandy beach on Kent Island south of the Bridge eastern-shore causeway adjacent to Hemingway’s Restaurant.
Macarine, 38, said the swim poses a great challenge as only 15-19 percent of the swimmers could make it in the bay based on the statistics of an annual open water swim event dubbed “The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim”, which takes place this month.
But like in his previous swims, Macarine, president of Surigao Runners Club, stressed that he will do it alone on Wednesday.
The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is one of America’s premier open water swim challenges, he said.
“There are lots of great challenges considering the current speed which could take up to two knots and the water temperature,” he said.
Macarine’s swim on Wednesday would be his 13th in open water swim and the second in the US.
Macarine is the first Filipino to swim the 2.8-km channel from Alcatraz Island Penitentiary to San Francisco City in the US in April last year.
“This would be the first time that a true-blooded Filipino will cross the channel,” he claimed.
The Surigao-born and raised former varsity swimmer of Silliman University said he prepared the swim today.
Like his previous feats, Macarine’s swim on Wednesday is part of his lifetime advocacy for clean seas, environmental tourism, and climate change awareness.
An environmental lawyer by profession, Macarine is the first person to swim nonstop the 12.8-km Surigao Channel from Hikdop Island to Surigao City, the 7-km Babuyan Channel in Cagayan Valley in Northern Luzon, and the 10.5-km Hinatuan Passage in Claver, Surigao del Norte.
He is also the first person to cross the 13.4-km stretch from Balicasag Island to Panglao Island in Bohol.
He attempted to swim from San Ricardo, Southern Leyte to Surigao City in May last year but had to stop after 23 km due to strong currents that made it difficult for him to stay on course.
On April 12 last Month, he conquered the 20-kilometer Tañon Strait from Bantayan Island to San Remegio town in northern Cebu.
Last Month, he completed the 12.95-kilometer Sarangani Bay, from Maasim town to Glan town in Sarangani Province.
Macarine cancelled his plan to swim the 10-kilometer span from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay in California last May 22 due to water temperature condition which, he said, was extremely cold. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)