Have you ever been to a place that didn’t bring you excitement on the journey but when you had to leave—you wished you didn’t have to? That was Baler for me. I could be biased because of the fantastic swell that week where the waves were the right kind of big for me—challenging but not suicidal, or it could have been the more than 12 kilometer stretch of shoreline that was far as my eyes could see and I have bad eyesight.
Baler was love at first sight. I know relationship built on this type of attraction don’t end up lasting long (in my opinion), but Baler captivated right from the moment I stepped out of the car and my foot touched the hot sand.
I can’t explain it in the way I hope to make you understand, but Baler had this rustic charm that happened to infect anybody who’d visit. From the friendly locals who’d smile back at you to the friendly tricycle drivers who’d be more than happy to carry your longboard all the way to the beach front without asking for extra pay—Baler enchanted me right from the start.
What I wouldn’t forget was how people were so accommodating. I met Harriet during the PSCT leg in La Union, and she runs the Go Surfari House in Baler. She helps out the local A-team composed of Philippine 2017 longboarding champion Mark Aguila and shortboard finalist Neil Sanchez—Baler’s most excellent surfers who are poised for exciting things as they continue their professional surfing career.
If it weren’t for my Instagram Story, she wouldn’t have messaged me to come to visit and surf with them and the champs. I didn’t know anybody there nor did I have my surfboard with me because the trip wasn’t planned. They let me rent amazing boards with great history and craftsmanship. The champs, Mark and Neil, accompanied me to surf at Lindy’s Point where I think the waves were much better at that time.
The waves were firing! They were around as high as my head, and at times, there were some higher. It was challenging and exciting! I wasn’t used to having this type of wave, and since it was my first time, I didn’t know what to expect.
It took me half an hour and a few missed wave opportunities before I got the best two rides of my life (as of this writing). I was so blown away by the quality of the waves in that spot in Baler. As a writer, I struggle to describe the exact feeling that I got riding those—it’s the feeling when you get excited to meet somebody you really like and not breathing the whole time you’re about to say your first hello but add more adrenaline rush to it! That’s how I’d describe surfing that wave! And I want to do it again and again!
I would have! If only my leash didn’t break and I didn’t start drowning after an hour and a half of killing it out as the new girl in town. I really thought that was the end for me. I asked that question on the third wave that pummeled me, and I was started sinking because I couldn’t get the water out of me. I was drinking and drinking the seawater.
The water seemed to be pulling me, and I couldn’t get my head to the surface to breathe. I lost the surfboard I was riding, and nothing was keeping me afloat. After seriously asking myself if this was the end, a split-second later my fighting spirit scolded whatever part of myself that asked that question.
Of course, I wasn’t going to die—not like this! If I die, I have to be beautiful and not afraid. Also, it was my first time to be here, and the rides I had were amazing! It can’t end, I still want to surf! I pushed back, and with everything left in me, I managed to get to the surface to ask for help.
Apparently, the other surfers didn’t seem to mind me. Talking with them after the whole ordeal, they didn’t think I was in trouble because I had a smile on my face. I was like “WHAT?! I was drowning!” I ended up borrowing a surfboard (instead took it abruptly) from JP (whom I also met last year during PSCT). That enabled me to get to shore without taking in any more seawater. When we were back on land, I profusely apologized to JP for just taking his board and leaving him in the water to ‘survive.’ Thank God he’s a sport and understood.
Long story short, this second life is also a reason why that made Baler extra special. It pushed me out of my comfort—may be a little too much but I like it. And for that, I’ll definitely be back.
