Icen wasn't kidding—he was an incredible diver. Hindi ko maiwasan na mamangha habang pinapanuod siya sa ginagawa. Every movement he made underwater was smooth and deliberate, like he was born to be there. Watching him glide effortlessly through the water was like watching a master at work. Hindi ko naman unang beses at marami na rin akong napanuod na professional divers pero iba ang galaw niya. Marunong rin naman ako, I had been diving a few times before, but compared to him? I was a beginner at best. Where I fumbled with my breathing and fought the occasional awkward kick, he moved with a quiet grace, as if the ocean bent to his will. Para bang hanggang ang pinakailalim ng karagatan ay kaharian niya.
The water off Moalboal's coast was as clear as glass, sobrang ganda. Habang lumalalim ang sisid namin ay mas gumaganda pa ang natatanaw ko. Schools of fish swirled around us, their iridescent bodies shimmering in the sunlight that filtered through the water. Tama nga marahil siya, pagsisisihan ko kung hindi ako nagpahikayat sa kaniya dito. Everything was breathtaking. Vibrant corals carpeted the seabed in all shapes and colors—brain corals, staghorns, and sea fans gently swaying with the current. Everywhere I turned, there was something beautiful to see—sea turtles gliding gracefully, clownfish darting in and out of anemones, and even a sleek reef shark in the distance, minding its own business.
Totoong maganda ang beach sa itaas pero walang wala iyong sinabi sa gandang natatabunan ng asul na karagatan.
We dove deeper, into the heart of the sardine run. It was like swimming through a living storm cloud—thousands upon thousands of sardines moving as one, their bodies flashing silver and black in perfect synchronization. The mass of fish seemed to pulse and shift, reacting to even the slightest movement. It was hypnotic, a dance of survival, and it felt like we were drifting in the middle of a miracle.
I glanced at Icen, who hovered calmly beside me, watching the sardines. Kahit sa simpleng ganoon ay hindi pa rin talaga nawawala ang ingat sa bawat galaw niya. And it wasn't as though he was forcing iit, tila ba natural nang ganoon siya. He gave me a quick signal—thumbs up, asking if I was okay. I responded with the same gesture, though it felt like I should give him a standing ovation instead. Kung hindi lang kami nasa tubig ay baka ginawa ko na nga talaga.
He gestured for me to follow, and I kicked toward him, marveling again at how effortlessly he moved through the water. Icen wasn't just a good diver—he was a professional through and through. Every movement was calculated but smooth, as if he was more at home down here than on land.
After a while, we ascended slowly, following the safety protocols to avoid decompression sickness. When we broke through the surface, the sun was starting to dip toward the horizon. Hindi ko alam kung gaano kami katagal sa ilalim pero nasisiguro kong hindi lang iyon isang oras. And I didn't care. I would've willingly stayed there kung hindi nga lang kinakailangan nang umahon.
I pulled my regulator out and gasped in a lungful of fresh air, my heart still racing with the thrill of what we'd just seen. Isa na marahil iyon sa mga pinakamagagandang bagay na maaari kong masaksihan sa tanang buhay ko.
"Not bad, right?" Icen asked as he tugged off his mask, flashing me that familiar grin.
"Not bad?" Hingal ko siyang kinunutan ng noo. Wala ba siyang ideya na sobrang ganda ng experience na iyon para sa akin? "That was... amazing. Unbelievable."
He chuckled, pulling himself onto the small boat that was waiting for us. "Told you you'd thank me."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress my smile. Hindi ako makapalag dahil tama na naman siya. Kung tumanggi ako kanina ay tiyak na malaking kawalan pa iyon sa akin.
"Okay, fine. You win this one."
He helped me out of the water and handed me a towel. Mabilis niya lang akong nakuha at maingat na naalalayan. Pinigilan pa ang ibang nakasampa na tutulong rin sana sa akin.
