“See? Anything is possible!” iyan lamang ang tugon ng freediving coach na si Claire Chua ng Lantop Freediving school sa Matnog, Sorsogon para sa kaniyang mga estudyante.
Kasalukuyang dinarayo ng mga turista mula sa iba’t ibang parte ng Bicol ang nag-iisang freediving school na matatagpuan sa probinsya ng Sorsogon—ang Lantop Freediving school sa Calintaan Island, Subic, Matnog, Sorsogon.
Patok na patok ito sa mga gustong matuto kahit wala silang karanasan sa freediving. Upang makasiguradog ligtas ito sa mga first-time divers, nagbigay ng ilang safety measures si Chua.
“First, never dive alone, there’s always a safety buddy whenever you dive. This buddy is trained to provide immediate assistance if needed. Second, we teach our students the basics of swimming such as how to use the gears, troubleshooting, thread in the water; how to float, and how to send a signal when in need of help. Third, we make sure that the divers know about the risks of this activity and how to take action in case of emergency,” sambit ni Chua.
Samantala, mayroong swimming apparatus kagaya ng safety buoys na maaaring kapitan ng mga non-swimming divers.
Marami na ang naturuang first-time divers ni Chua. Kada session, umabot sa 10 ang bilang ng kaniyang mga naging estudyante sa freediving lessons nang magsimula ang tag-init ngayong taon. Mahigit 250 na rin ang sumubok ng freediving lessons sa Lantop Freediving magmula nang magbukas ito noong buwan ng Mayo noong nakaraang taon.
Sa kabila ng pakikipagsabayan ng mga freedivers sa mga marine species at underwater corrals ng Subic, Matnog, sinisigurado ng Lantop freedivers na maingat at walang nasisira na yamang dagat sa kanilang freediving activity.
“I always include this important rule while I give them lectures: Observe, don’t disturb. You don’t know which ones are poisonous or itchy, it could harm you, same as you could harm them. With just one tiny touch, you could kill them. They’re that sensitive,” sabi ni Chua.
Para sa kanilang promote, nagsisimula ang accommodation sa halagang P2,699 kung tent shared; P3,149 kung fan-shared at P3,499 naman kung air conditioned room. Samantala, lahat ng ito ay may inclusions na gear rental, safety buoy setup, 3-open water session, underwater video, shared accommodation, 4 full board meals, unlimited coffee at pagtuturo sa loob ng dalawang araw na diving.
“Don’t let [your] fear stop you from a chance to explore a truly magical world. A chance to have a deeper connection with nature and yourself. You will not only learn a new life skill but [you’ll] have a deeper understanding of how your body and mind works. It is an experience like no other. So, take that first step. [You’ll] never know what [you] can and cannot do unless [you] try,” saad ni Chua sa mga gustong sumubok ng freediving ngunit natatakot.
Mula sentro ng Matnog, matutunton ito sakay ng bangka papuntang Kuya Boy Beach Resort ng Subic Beach, Matnog. Maaari ding bisitahin ang kanilang Facebook page na “Lantop Freediving” upang makapag-book ng freediving lesson at iba pang katanungan. | Denisse Mae Laganzo
Photo courtesy: Lantop Freediving