LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte (MindaNews / 18 March) — Triathlete and environmental lawyer Ingemar “Pinoy Aquaman” Macarine will endure a record-setting 13-kilometer open water swim across Canigao Channel, between Southern Leyte and the historic island of Limasawa, on Sunday, March 19.
Macarine will kick off from Triana Port on Lamawasa Island to Padre Burgos town in Southern Leyte.
He is gunning for his 25th successful open water swim since December 31, 2013 in Surigao City.
Macarine, who hails from Placer, Surigao del Norte, finished only five open water swims last year as he was preparing for the English Channel swim which he eventually cancelled last August due to bad weather. He usually completes at least 10 marathon swims a year.
“This swim from Limasawa to Padre Burgos is a one-way crossing with a total distance of 13 kilometers distance. I’m expecting to complete the swim in four to five hours,” Macarine said.
On January 8, Macarine canceled his supposed record-setting 24-kilometer two-way crossing of the Macalajar Bay between Misamis Oriental and Camiguin Island due to tropical depression ‘Auring.’
Macarine went into open water swimming as part of his lifetime advocacy for clean seas, marine resource protection, environmental tourism and climate change awareness.
Limasawa is referred to as the site of the first Catholic mass in the Philippines officiated on Easter Sunday of March 31, 1521 by Father Pedro de Valderrama under the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan. This claim, however, is being contested as the first mass was reportedly held in Mazaua (Masao), Butuan.
Limasawa Mayor Nilo Petracorta told MindaNews that no one has succeeded in getting across by swimming.
“People here are excited for the historic swim tomorrow and we wish nothing but the best for open-water marathon swimming legend Ingemar Macarine,” he said.
Sunday’s record-setting swim is sponsored by the provincial government of Southern Leyte. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)