Siargao – Day 3: Free Immersion and Free Spirits
SIARGAO
Day 3: Free Immersion and Free Spirits
October 28, 2024
PART I
I woke up ready to roll. We’d be going on a short trip to a nearby beach where we’d have our first open-water freediving session, and I couldn’t wait for it.
As soon as we were all together at Ozen, we hopped on a tricycle and went straight to the beach. After swimming out to a spot that was deep enough, Jen set up the buoy, along with a line and a plate that marked the 12-metre depth, our requirement for the skill session. Here, we were given a dive watch to record our time and depth, with the official numbers being used to certify us later on.
As soon as everything was ready, Rotem realised she had left her fins behind. At this point, I was seriously getting frustrated. With Jen going back to Ozen to pick them up, we were kinda left to our own devices for almost half an hour – half an hour we could have used to practise.Â
The First Dive
Tired of wasting time, and making what I will freely admit was not the safest decision of my life, I kinda took things into my own hands. Going over everything we had learned the day before, I decided to attempt the dive. I strapped the lanyard to my wrist, attached it to the buoy line, did my two-minute body scan, another minute of controlled breathing, and then just went for it.
After the duck dive, I found myself upside down. Holding onto the line, I made my way down by alternating one hand with the other, equalising throughout. I have to say that, even though I was familiar with the Frenzel technique, it wasn’t successful all the way. By the time I reached ten metres, I could see the plate. So close, yet so far. But I knew I had it in me. It had only been half a minute or so, and knowing I had managed to spend more than two minutes underwater the previous day, I knew I could do it. When I finally reached the plate, all I could think about was how impressive the human body is. Proud and elated, I started making my way up.
By the time I was close to the surface, I felt my diaphragm contracting. Mind over matter. If I had gone down to 12 metres without suffocating, I could very well resist the urge to breathe for a few more seconds. In fact, at that point, I forgot all about my urge to breathe as I experienced this sudden rush of euphoria, a sense of inner peace, tranquillity, exhilaration and joy all at one go. When I knew I had reached my limit, I swam up the few metres that lay between me and the surface. One quick recovery breath, then another, and then the sweet, oxygen-rich air of being back above water. I felt friggin’ infinite.
Â
We hadn’t even begun, and I had already managed to fulfil one of the most demanding course requirements. When I told Ophir and Rotem I had reached the 12-metre mark, they were impressed. And honestly, so was I. I was so, so proud of myself. Â
Free Immersion and Constant Weight
Needless to say, Jen wasn’t as thrilled about my achievement as I was. She said it was reckless, and even though she was right, I couldn’t have given less of a crap at the time. I was done with waiting around.
In fact, when it came to our free immersion training, I continued to do the same thing over and over while the girls practised. Ophir managed to reach the checkpoint after a few attempts, but for some reason, Rotem kept panicking and surfacing back after just a couple of metres. I didn’t wanna be an arrogant prick, but I was tired of just waiting around. Also, cold.
The next part was a tricky one for me: the constant weight freedive. This involves duck diving parallel to the buoy line without actually holding onto it. My duck dive was not the best. In fact, it was so poor that Jen told me I wasn’t managing to get to 12 metres because I was using so much energy with my inefficient start, thus consuming more oxygen in the process. After a couple of tries, I made it to 12 metres, but I still wasn’t happy. While Ophir and Rotem had their turns, I kept repeating the skill ad infinitum to try and improve. By the end, Jen was happy with my performance. I, on the other hand, knew I had a long way to go.
With everyone feeling cold and Rotem almost throwing a hissy fit at Jen for pushing her to go on, we decided to call it a day. Ophir and I had one skill left, which we could have easily done there and then and thus finished the course, but that would have to wait.Â
PART II
Road Trip with Micah
With the rest of the day to ourselves, Micah and I decided to go on a mini road trip. When he picked me up from the hostel, I barely recognised him. He had ditched his cornrows and was now flaunting a full-on afro. Turns out, this was his trademark hair.
Riding behind him felt a bit like being back on the scooter with Amelia taking the lead on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. Only with Micah, I could hold onto him for dear life without any fear of sexual harassment claims. It felt so freeing being on a motorbike out on the open road. I swore I’d get my licence before my next big trip. I’d sworn this before, of course, though every single time I’m close to starting, a terrible motorbike trauma walks into the emergency department. Not the best incentive.
Knowing I’d have limited time on the island, Micah came up with an impromptu tour that would have me visit some of the highlights. First up, we were going to Bugak Cold Spring, a hidden natural pool tucked in the lush jungle near the town of Pilar. It’s a freshwater spring where cool, clear water bubbles up from underground, forming natural basins surrounded by ferns, coconut palms and volcanic rock.
Instead of going to the actual site, where we’d have to pay an entrance fee, Micah showed me another way in that might or might not have involved us trespassing onto private property. A short hike through the dense jungle led us to a small clearing, where there was a thatched hut next to a wooden pier jutting out over the green spring water, a bangka tied to it. The view was just like a postcard. Plus, we were all alone. Travelling with locals is just the best damn thing!
Surreal Sunsets
After we spent some time chilling on the pier, we then headed to Ocean 9 Beach, with fine white sand, clear turquoise water and coconut-fringed shores making it look like a picture-perfect tropical beach.Â
Being part of the same long stretch of coastline that includes the Cloud 9 surf area, this one tends to be quieter and less crowded, giving us the chance to have some different kind of fun. And, when that was over, we had the perfect sunset spot all to ourselves.
Â
We didn’t wait until it got dark, though. Micah had somewhere else in mind for that. In fact, we rushed towards the Catangnan-Cabitoonan Bridge, where locals and tourists alike gather to watch the sunset. Stretching across a channel between mangroves and coastal villages, the bridge connects Catangnan with Cabitoonan, offering wide, unobstructed views of the sky and water.Â
The bridge was full of people, with motorbikes parked along the railings and others just sitting on the edge, feet dangling over the water. We did the exact same thing and sat down to appreciate the spectacular view unfolding right in front of us. At dusk, the entire scene transformed into this surreal vista where the water below us glowed green and the surface mirrored the pink and orange hues of the setting sun. It was just like looking at the aurora borealis – or at least that’s how I’d always pictured it!
Till Next Time!
After this, we headed to General Luna again to meet up with Jasmine and Myriah. At Micah’s recommendation, we went to this open buffet-style restaurant where you take as much food as you want, take a picture of your plate, and then show it to the staff when it’s time to settle the bill. Showing them a picture of an empty plate didn’t quite charm the waiter as much as I thought it would.
With the girls going their own way the following day, it was time for yet another goodbye. We might not have hung out much back in Utila, or here for that matter, but the fact that the universe brought us together once again made our connection feel somewhat special. As cheesy and cloying as it might sound, it made me realise that some travel friendships are built on time, while others are built on timing.Â