A whirlwind of la-ags almost ended up to my death.
One day we were in Mantalongon, Dalaguete climbing the highest peak in Cebu; the next day we found ourselves heading for Badian crossing the mountainous part of Cebu from east to west.
Doi, Dong Ho, Ed, and I caught up with Jerome who was in Badian already. We went to Kawasan falls and found that the 1st falls had many people. We decided to climb up to the second one which was more peaceful.
I was so happy to have finally seen Kawasan with my own eyes. Before, I never liked the idea coming here. They told me it’s a long walk from the highway, and the place is just so-so. Such discouragement was proven misguided.
After settling down in a cottage, me and Dong Ho decided to swim. We slowly dipped into the water so as to make the our bodies adjust to the chilly temperature of pool, but this precaution didn’t prevent what was about to happen to me.
we were standing on these rocks about 20 meters from the falls
After lounging and swimming around those big rocks, we got bored. We decided to go near the falls and swim the 20 meters. We both admitted we’re not strong swimmers so we better be careful.I wore goggles so I could see what’s below the surface and spot some shallow parts to stand on just in case.
I free-dive at least 15 feet, I’ve spent thousands of hours swimming without accidents, now this. As we were nearing the falls, my right leg stiffened, and I felt I couldn’t stay afloat. I immediately submerged and looked for the small log I saw earlier where we could plant our foot on – my emergency plan. However, it looked like it rolled off to deeper parts of the water. I told Dong Ho, “I’m drowning! *gasp* Please help!”
Dong Ho near where I almost drowned
He told me to stay calm and then looked for the small log too, not knowing that it was my emergency plan and now it’s gone, causing me to panic. He held my arm, but we were bobbing up and down adding to my hysteria of getting drowned. He tried to prop me up but he doesn’t have a foothold too, he’d sink along with me.
He shouted at Ed for help, but Ed thought we were just kidding, he said later on. I was desperate for help but when I looked around, people didn’t seem to understand my troubled situation. Perhaps because I was still floating and didn’t look like drowning, or perhaps I wasn’t really drowning, it was just my mind playing tricks on me.
sinking, seeing the light
The reality of me unable to kick my right leg, the constant gasps for air, and the volume of water I involuntarily drank made me think the unthinkable: death. I am dying here! I silently screamed in my head.
Finally, Ed heeded Dong Ho’s repeated calls for help and he came to our rescue. I could still replay those moments when Ed realized we were serious and he dove into the water. Help, finally!
Ed dragged me to the rocks, and there was one swimmer there who just went on his way, unmindful that somebody just almost died.
When we got to the rocks safely, I could barely talk. I had a mild shock, and I was fumbling for words. I finally found my voice and said, “Sayang, I should have brought my cam with me and have it all captured on video!”
I think I’m bad at drowning.
Anyhow, that doesn’t deter me from traveling around the Philippines, much more that there are crazy cheap flights from different domestic airlines.
I’m grateful for Dong Ho and Edcel. If they weren’t there, I would have drowned.
haha yun agad naisip ko, baka d sila maniwala sayo na nalulunod ka, knowing you! haha buti sinagip ka agad ni Dom at naniwala sayo, oh well, kase 1st eet nyo plng d nya alam siguro kung gano ka kapilyo. haha kala ko pa naman super batang pier ka at d ka nalulunod, mahirap tlga pagnapulikat, kahet gano kagaleng no. woi, ingat ka nxt time. likot likot mu kase bata. haha
P.S buti pa si Dom sinamahan nyo mag Osmena peaks. ako hindi. haha *bitter* joke lang
thepinaysolobackpacker´s last [type] ..Apo Reef Lighthouse: Beyond First Impressions
@gael: uy pilyo di si dongho kaya naintindihan nya ako hahaha! sad nga eh, wala talagang maniwala sa aken. nung nahulog ako sa cliff, about 15 foot drop, my friends just laughed at me; didn’t help me at all! nyahaha.
samahan kita osmeña peak tapos traverse to kawasan kahit limang beses! promise!
eto di ko malilimutan. buti talaga hindi ka masyadong gumalaw at naka-ahon sa tulong ni Ed.
nawala nga yung kahoy na pinapatungan ko. yon ang misteryo.
dong ho´s last [type] ..salacsac pine forest
at may gana ka pang i replay yung nagyari diba? para lang mavideohan? lol
doi´s last [type] ..Surviving Sagada: Ghost Stories on a Lightless Night Trail
usbon natoh dwin. dapat naay video. hehe.
ataka abi nako joke joke para makaligo dayun ko. hehe
Ed´s last [type] ..Sagada Trip: Trekking Aguid Rice Terraces
scary… pero natawa ako sa part na baka hindi kagad maniwala sayo na nalunod kna tlga.
Stay safe always
tina´s last [type] ..I’m going to change my name….
@dong ho: may mga nilalang yata na laging basa ang kumuha ng kahoy na yun.
@doi: hehehe. gago talaga ako. di makapagserioso kahit muntikan na.
@ed: di ko uy! traumatic baya to. usahay kung wa kuy huna-huna-on kay mo flashback xa’g kalit. atay.
@tina: scary indeed. thanks!
So it was the pesteng pulikat that almost done you in. Hirap talaga yan lalo pag gitna ng dagat. One trick I learned is to try to float on your back until the pulikat is gone or until you get yourself back to a safe place
Drew´s last [type] ..Dumaguete, thank you for keeping it real
buti po nakaligtas ka at buti na lang may kasama ka po. mahirap kasi talaga pag napulikat na, kahit gano kagaling wala din..
OMG, i can imagine your panic, esp with the “sinking, seeing the light pic. pero mas lingaw ang “cheap flights” na hirit sa end part. pag SEO pa, hehehe
rain´s last [type] ..Perhaps Love
Jeez Dwin that’s scary. Death by drowning takes so long you know? I’d rather go under a guillotine. So.. did you have that flash back of your life in those moments you were seeing bubbles? Haha. Bet you were the boy who cried wolf a couple of times that’s why Ed didn’t believe you at first
Kidding! Stay safe Dwin!!
Christina´s last [type] ..Osmena Peak – Kawasan Falls Traverse
Mahirap talaga pag napulikat…ingat na lang next time…
Ding | Explored!´s last [type] ..A short immersion at Pula’s Iraya village
@drew: yeah
can’t think of anything else but the pain, so floating on my back is the last thing on my mind.
thanks for the concern! touched me.
pero yung cheap flights, hahaha. secret na yun lolz.
@joan: honga.
@rain: one of the worst moments of my life.
@christina: agonizing diay nang drowning? haizzz… i didn’t have the flashbacks of my life so i was still confident i’d be alive, somehow. hahaha. nah, i don’t cry wolf, it’s just that perhaps i’ve built a reputation of being invincible. hahaha. thanks!
@ding: salamat po!
Glad u did not drown, otherwise I couldn’t meet u up on Tuesday
That was a close call. Just last week, I was with my boyfriend’s family in Batangas. Someone almost drowned too. We thought she was just playing around. Hindi pala! *gasp*
Corrine´s last [type] ..DIY: Newsprint Nails
waaah. kakatakot. buti nakaligtas ko.. pag ako nas cebu hindi ko iwawaglit sa sarili ko ang lifevest. nyahah.
Batang Lakwatsero´s last [type] ..Viaje Baguio | Exploring Tam-awan Village
that’s also my problem eh, ambilis ko pulikatin, kaya sigurista na talaga ako, i bring my own lifevest everytime may tubig hehe
Christian | Lakad Pilipinas´s last [type] ..Makati City | The 2011 Philippine Blog Awards
Oh my! I’m so glad you’re okay. You know, the same thing happened to me years ago. I had a cramp and I panicked. It’s the reason why I have a fear of the open water
gayE @ pinaytraveljunkie´s last [type] ..Snapshot Saturday: Postcard #9 Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
@alexandra: i’m glad too. that i met you.
@corrine: honga, it’s a curious phenomenon why we don’t believe in tragedy right away… hmm…
@ivan: o isuot mo na yan sa eroplano palang ha? hahaha…
@christian: congrats!
@gaye: basta’t may lifevest, wala yang problema! hehehe.
Holy… it’s a good thing you traveled with friends then? I don’t go swimming so I don’t know how people in general react to this type of situation. I wonder if you were alone, if somebody (stranger) would come to your rescue.
partida, you know how to swim pano nalang kung hindi …glad you were safe at nakasama ka pa namin sa cebu hhaha
juanderfulpinoy´s last [type] ..PRETENDING LIES BY MARLON MAGBANUA
That was pretty close! Glad you hd your friends around. Take care next time.
@jie: goodluck jud if i was alone.
@chino: honga!
@missy s: thanks!
[...] the needed amount of Potassium to avoid this). I quickly remembered the experience of my friend Edwin when he almost drowned swimming in Kawasan falls in Cebu. Good thing I had experienced this many [...]
A diver told me not to go closer to the one drowning immediately if you don’t want to die in vain too. He will eventually panic and will take you down as well. take time. If you feel you’re ready to save him, position yourself sa likod niya chaka mo siya hilahin.
Buti na lang na-save ka nila. makapigil hininga yung moment na yun.
accidents do happen and there were already a number who died in kawasan falls. most of them were visitors. someone drowned and only after 3 days her body was found floating in the area despite of the search made by the diver. i happen to have cousins there and spent my summer before. Some said mysterious things would likely to appear/happened if you’re loud or being disrespectful. wearing of life vest was always recommended even if you know how to swim…visiting kawasan falls is always fun though.