CEBU CITY, Philippines–They are not mermaids (or mermen) but
freedivers, the collective term used to describe individuals who swim
with no scuba gears, have definitely spent time with turtles and schools
of fish under the sea.
Freedivers practice an underwater sport called freediving, which does
not rely on any breathing apparatus. Instead, freedivers are master
breath-holders wearing only fins and snorkel masks to commune with
nature underwater.
Freediving is often described as “extreme” but the sport is not about throwing caution to the wind.
It requires ample amount of discipline, training, and patience.
Taking advantage of the long weekend from August 25 to 26, some
freedivers gathered at Nicco’s Place, an affordable accommodation which
serves as the home for many freedivers in the southern Cebu town of
Moalboal.
Moalboal is about 85 kilometers from Cebu City.
Nicco’s Place, which is located in Barangay Basdiot, was their base for a two-day adventure.
It is only 1.9 kilometers from Panagsama Beach. Right across
Panagsama Beach is Pescador Island, one of Moalboal’s main dive spots
known for its rich marine life which attracts divers from all over the
world.
Under
One of the freedivers
was Xyza Cortes, a practicing nurse.
“(As freedivers), we advocate for seeing or interacting with the
underwater creatures in their natural habitat,” says the 30-year-old
former swimmer.
Xyza was born in Cebu and raised in the town of Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur.
She came back to Cebu during her college years and finished her Nursing degree at the University of Cebu Banilad.
Xyza then worked in Abu Dhabi from 2015 to 2017.
In 2017, she left Abu Dhabi and then worked as a nurse in a private
hospital in Cebu. Currently, she works as a US registered nurse in a
private company in Cebu.
.
.
Nobody introduced Xyza to freediving.
“I worked overseas so basically, I am not a fan of any sport until I
‘met’ freediving,” says the resident of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.
But perhaps the ocean called her because she saw a freediver while she was snorkeling/scuba diving in Moalboal.
“I asked a few locals. I gave it a try. It was way beautiful and marvelous than I expected,” she shares.
Xyza then took an introductory course and the love affair with underwater creatures developed from then on.
Hendrix Gil Lato, an architect by profession, spent most of his
childhood years in Barangay Libas, Merida, Leyte where he learned how to
swim.
“I grew up in a provincial setting. Our house was in between the
mountain and the sea so I had that connection to nature as a child,” he
shares.
Hendrix, also a painter and illustrator, says he learned about
freediving from Lester Taboada, a fellow friend from an artist group
called Artkada.
It was Lester who introduced him to Sawum Freedivers in 2017.
Hendrix has been freediving for two years, a hobby that helped him
appreciate the ocean and opened his eyes to protect it even while having
fun.
“I joined clean-up drives and ocean conservation groups. The
freediving skills I learned came in handy when I was doing volunteer
works to protect the oceans,” says the 29-year-old artist and resident
of Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City.
Source - Cebu Daily News
