After 2 years off, Pinoy Aquaman returns and crosses Sibugay Bay

Environmental lawyer and long-distance swimmer Ingemar “Pinoy Aquaman” Macarine (standing, 4th from left) together with the swimmers who accompanied him in crossing the Sibugay Bay in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on Monday. |Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – After more than two years of hiatus, the Pinoy Aquaman is back.

Despite a shortened distance, environmental lawyer and long-distance swimmer Ingemar Macarine dubbed as the “Pinoy Aquaman” still considered crossing Sibugay Bay as an achievement worthy to be added to his list of open water conquests.

“Yes, very challenging because we swam as a group. No one gets left behind so we had to wait for the slow swimmers. The only problem was that the current was really strong,” said Macarine.

Last Monday, February 25, 2020, Macarine and 12 other swimmers, who had just started swimming in the open waters, crossed from Buluan Island to the Buluan Port in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay for a total of 2.7 kilometers.

They were supposed to cover 3.5 kilometers from Buluan Island to Serendipity Isle but had to cut it short because of the strong currents.

Nevertheless, Macarine said it was still a record because no one else had swum across Sibugay Bay.

It was his 35th open water, long-distance swim. It was Macarine’s comeback to open water swimming and his advocacy of marine protection and conservation.

The last time he swam was on November 13, 2017 from Pamilacan Island to Baclayon town in Bohol province for a total of 18 kilometers that took him eight hours to finish.

It took him two years and two months to return to open water, long-distance swimming because he had to recover from a medical condition.

“I had high blood last 2017. I was 96 kilos. I was taking medication. I’m now 76 kilos. No more high blood and lesser asthma attacks. I also had an injury on my left shoulder rotator cuff, another reason why I took time off,” said Macarine.

The 43-year-old lawyer proudly said that he is now a vegetarian and has a zero-alcohol lifestyle.

Because the distance was only short, Macarine said he didn’t have to do much preparation and training for his comeback. After all, of his 35 swims, 17 were marathons. Up next for the Pinoy Aquaman would be crossing 10 kilometers from Ticao Island to Masbate City this May. /rcg