Salt & Sand

I went for a swim no less than five times this summer. It's funny thinking about it now because I was always afraid of big bodies of water, feeling like every dip gives it the liberty to swallow me whole. Drowning, is in fact on my list of scariest ways to die. I couldn't bring myself to the thought of my lungs burning, gasping for air. But apparently, my father grew up in a remote area deep in the heart of Sorsogon. From their home, you can go to several beaches on foot (which we always did) and each time I go there I see beauty exclusive for the naked eye. I started to appreciate big bodies of water more than I feared it. Aside from Bicol, we also go to this beach resort in a rather unpopular destination in Batangas. Each time, we rode a floating cottage that brought us to a certain distance from shore. You can see schools of fish in different colors and sizes, the water surprisingly clear sans moss and the warm feeling of human pee against your skin. Just cool, blue waters. God must love us so much for creating such beauty for us to admire. I had just enough courage that year to ask my dad to teach me how to swim without a life vest. About 10 years old, 4 foot something, 14 feet above the seafloor. He put me gently into the water but it felt more like he was getting me into a whirlpool. I was clinging onto a rope and he was making me let go to start paddling my limbs. I did so after a while until I went frantic as I began to sink. I did sink. The schools of fish swimming away from me as I get sucked by gravity towards the bottom. I honestly thought I was going to die. Well, until I felt someone lifting me from underneath pushing me back onto the surface. My dad, always my hero. I cried on the floating cottage for a short while but after a few minutes I went back into the water - plunging in, trying again, letting myself be at one with it.

Ever since then I can't seem to enjoy swimming where my feet can touch the sand because it seemed vapid. And then from swimming as a little girl who wanted to fear nothing, I started swimming when I'm feeling damaged, because I needed the water to comfort me. I simply want to bask in its barely compact molecular structure and all its glory. But although swimming pools are always available in the city, I will always always love salt and sand more than tap water and chlorine, which is how I earned these tan lines from two months of welcoming the sun's rays under only SPF 70 protection. It was worth it.

Beach #1: Aguila Beach, Mabini, Batangas

This beach is the one that we visit almost every year with my parents' staff and extended family. It's nothing special, really. It has decent rooms and cabanas but the beach is barely developed. My brother even stepped on a sea urchin and for fear of similar mishap, I had to swim with slippers on, trying so hard to clip the rubber between my toes. But the floating cottages always make the trip worthwhile. You can do a back flip and startle the fishes, nobody would care. However that time of the year, there were odd sea creatures that bite and sting in the deep. We went home feeling itchy but it was our first summer destination so no biggie.

Beach #2: Canyon Cove, Nasugbu, Batangas

Now this is one nifty resort. It has quality hotel rooms and swimming pools crafted with such passion for naturistic architecture. But I failed to enjoy it as I was so unlucky to have my monthly visit. Every first red day for me is a combination of nausea and help-me-I'm-dying-in-pain. It's too bad I didn't get to test the waters. This was a company outing (which explains the matching outfits).

Beach #3: Sabang Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

Sabang is a beautiful sight when you're several meters away from the island. But when you're in there, you'd easily find out why Sabang is the Red Light District of Oriental Mindoro. The place is swarming with old foreigners and locals trying to showcase themselves at sundown. But when you're staying at Sabang Oasis Resort, it's almost about relaxation inside the hotel alone. You can stroll the shoreline from coast to coast but there's not much to see. This beach is not advisable for swimming either, unless you're a diver. But each has a beauty of its own.

Beach #4: White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

On another side of the island lies White Beach. This is an undeniably lovely but crowded part of Puerto Galera. The sand was so powdery that you could lie there if only the sun was kind enough not to give you skin cancer on the first half hour of sun bathing. But it was a great summer destination, and it was the closest thing I had to LaBoracay. We ate a stack of giant pancakes for breakfast, scrumptious lunch at the grill with a breathtaking view of the shore, and went shopping. A day spent here wasn't enough to admire all its beauty.

Beach #5: Matabungkay Beach Resort, Lian, Batangas

You'll have a love-hate relationship with this beach if you ever get to see it. The sand was a cross of white and brown, the water was warm but when you dip, instead of stepping on sand, there was sea grass. But this, by far, has been the most exhilarating trip of all. My friends and I went on an adrenaline binge as we took advantage of the low tide and walked to a floating cottage nearby. We had a 2-hour free use of jetski, kayak, and pedal boat. So yes, after years of wanting to drive a jetski, I finally fulfilled the dream! I was enjoying the sun, the splashing of water, and the wind against my face until I asked the guide if there were sharks in there. He said proudly "ay meron ma'am". It made me drift involuntarily and the three of us almost went out of balance. I love the sea but more than drowning, I'm much more afraid of shark attacks. But anyway, we got back in one piece and it was all sorts of awesome! The beach just never fails.

Summer's almost over, but I'll be having one more beach trip this June. Everybody hates the heat, but if it's the beach we're talking about then I won't mind having an extended summer.