PANGLAO, Bohol – Lawyer and environmental advocate Ingemar "Pinoy Aquaman" Macarine endured the strong current on Sunday (November 12) to complete his swim from Pamilacan Island to Panglao Island in this province.
A long distance swimmer in his early 40s, Macarine admitted almost giving up as he experienced shoulder pain after being in the water for almost two hours.
“All of a sudden I had a problem with my right shoulder,” Macarine told reporters who covered the swim.
Macarine, started the swim at 6:30 a.m. from Pamilacan Island, which is part of the municipality of Baclayon town. It took him six hours and 43 minutes to complete the swim, with a total distance of 17.83 kilometers.
Macarine got into open-water swims as part of his lifetime advocacy for marine resource protection, environmental tourism and climate change awareness.
“I hope the swim will encourage or inspire fellow Filipinos to take care of our marine environment,” he said.
The Pamilacan-Panglao swim was his 34th open water swim, the 17th marathon swim in his career, and the 7th marathon swim in the Bohol seas.
Macarine said that the swim was also a part of his preparation for his last and final attempt to conquer the English Channel, a swimming route considered as the “Mt. Everest” for open-water swimming in August 2018.
Last August, Macarine was stopped by unfavorable weather conditions in his bid to complete crossing the English Channel due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Dann Diez, an environmentalist who heads the "Let's Do It Philippines" campaign, said he was amazed by Macarine's endurance.
"Even if his right shoulder was aching he decided to go on and reached the shore of Panglao," said Diez, who watched the entire swim course. (PNA/Roel N. Catoto)
