From Limasawa to Mainland; Pinoy Aquaman swims 10.3-km sea in Southern

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, Philippines — It was another feat for lawyer Ingemar Patiño Macarine, dubbed as “Pinoy Aquaman,” after he conquered through solo swim the 10.3-kilometer sea between mainland Southern Leyte and historic Limasawa island.

He finished the swim in four hours and 34 minutes on Sunday, in time for the 496th anniversary celebration of the first Christian Mass in Limasawa.

Macarine started non-stop swimming unassisted from Barangay San Bernardo, Limasawa and reached Barangay Tangkaan, Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, he said in a Facebook post. He did this to promote clean seas.

Limasawa is Southern Leyte’s smallest municipality in terms of population and area. Located at an island of the same name, it lies south of Leyte in the Mindanao or Bohol Sea. It also goes by the name Sarangani island and spans about 10 kilometers long from north to south.

Limasawa is most famous for the first Mass in the Philippines officiated on Easter Sunday of March 31, 1521 by Father Pedro de Valderrama under the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan.

After his successful crossing on Sunday, Macarine expressed gratitude to Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado, Board Member Lee Uy, Mayor Nilo Petracorta, Vice-Mayor Melchor Petracorta, Mayor Hermenegildo Culpa, Vice Mayor Freiche Poblete, the Philippine Coast Guard, Bantay Dagat and his navigator Roel Catto for the support.

Last year, Macarine succeeded in crossing the 17.1-km Canigao channel between this island town and Maasin City, capital of Southern Leyte, in six hours and 37 minutes.

Macarine was one of last year's nominees for the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year which honors the men who best embody the spirit of open water swimming, possess the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for.

Macarine earlier splashed into a solo swim of the treacherous sea between Pamilacan island and Baclayon, Bohol and Balicasag island to mainland Panglao town, and unlocked other feats in swimming in Cebu and his hometown in Surigao province.

Last year, he was supposed to cross the 23-km sea between Camiguin island and Balingoan, Misamis Oriental and the turbulent English channel separating France and England but these were postponed indefinitely due to unfavorable weather conditions. Leyte  Ric V. Obedencio(FREEMAN)