2nd LIFE (The Baler Capsized Boat Experience Part II)

It was probably one of the longest ten minutes of our lives as our boat captain tried unsuccessfully to revive the motor of our boat. Our boat stopped at the middle of Aniao Islets and the relentless waves keep pushing us forward to the sharp and deadly rocks of the bigger Aniao Islets. My first actual realization that we are going to be in deep trouble was when our boat was merely arms-length away from the sharp rocks and the only thing that kept our boat from crashing was a piece of bamboo pole that we used to push our boat away from the deadly rocks.

We were literally fighting it out with the elements until the first glimpse of hope arrived – a small outrigger fishing boat that can fit four people at the most. This boat passed us just few minutes ago when our boat was still running. One of the two passengers of the boat said that they had a gut feel that our boat will be in trouble because of the strong waves so they decided not to proceed to their destination and return to warn us instead. And oh so right they were, we were indeed in deep trouble when they arrived.

The first thing they have to do is to pull our boat away from the sharp rocks. They threw a rope at us and asked us to tie it to our boat. Our boat crew tied it in the boat’s bow but as they pull our boat, the rope somewhat got tangled in bamboo strake and coupled with the force of big waves, the unthinkable happened – our boat capsized.

Call it a black-out or a case of things happening to soon and too fast but we all find ourselves holding on to the capsized boat. Each of us has our own account on how we managed to hold on and find the boat after it capsized and as for me, since I was on the front part of the boat, I managed to jump just before the boat completely overturned and the boat’s bamboo strake was just in front of me as I emerged from the waters. A quick inventory of everyone showed that no one is missing – thank GOD, but the situation we where into was far from over. We have no lifevests, the water was so cold, and we were still just few feet away from the rocks. The waves offer no help as we constantly slip and slide as it pounds on us. But little by little, and literally inches by inches, the small outrigger boat somehow managed to pull our capsized boat, with us hanging on, away from the rocks.

We were on the water for almost three quarter of an hour when another fishing boat arrived. They threw another rope and we tied it in our boat and they pull our boat away from the deadly rocks for good. Then they asked us to swim to their boat and they managed to rescue four of us, the most that their boat can accommodate. Then, the first small boat accommodated two more us and off they go leaving only three crews and one of us in the capsized boat which was unfortunately – me.

Then after that, help started coming in. A large fishing boat, a speed boat and two jetski from Bantay dagat arrived at the scene. The large fishing boat threw a very large styrofoam floating device at us and I swam into it and they pull me and the other kid crew into their boat. Then, with the help of a speed boat, our capsized boat was turned-over again and that was when our bags with our cameras and phones emerged from the waters.

Since we were separated by different boats, we all got reunited a couple of hours later and we really just can’t believe that we survived that.

The Aftermath:

Victims

Drying Area

Survivor Seven

December 29, 2007 - April 17, 2010

Our heartfelt thanks to the fisherfolks of Baler and to the Bantay Dagat for helping us get through this ordeal. And thank you to our families and friends for their concerns. GOD is good.