Hubby and Wifey's Blog

🏊‍♂️ FROM BREASTSTROKE TO FREESTYLE

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:13:25 +0800

🏊‍♂️ FROM BREASTSTROKE TO FREESTYLE

I started doing triathlon around 2015, and honestly, I only had one weapon in the water — breaststroke.

That was my comfort zone. My safety net. I finished my triathlons with it.

Until one day, during a 5150, I got cut off because of a strong current.

That experience almost made me quit triathlon.

But I kept going.

About two years ago, my freestyle started to unlock. But even then, my breaststroke was still faster. Every time I got tired, I wanted to go back to what I knew.

Instead, I pushed myself.

🏊‍♂️ Open-water training twice a month
🏊‍♂️ Swim classes
🏊‍♂️ Pool training
🏊‍♂️ Sacrifice and countless hours of practice

Month after month, I kept showing up.

Then finally, I completed my longest open-water swim ever. 🌊

And the best part?

I DID THE ENTIRE SWIM USING FREESTYLE.

No breaststroke.
No going back to my comfort zone.

Just freestyle from start to finish.

When I finished, I realized this wasn’t just about swimming.

It was about proving to myself that the thing I once struggled with could eventually become something I could conquer.

From a triathlete whose only weapon was breaststroke…

to swimming my longest open-water distance entirely freestyle.

The journey continues. 🏊‍♂️💪

Never give up on yourself.

#theseamanvlogger

#trimaccoaching

#swimjunkie

#BLSSpowerswim

🌊 SWIM JUNKIE CARAMOAN 5KM OPEN WATER CHALLENGE 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:09:03 +0800

🌊 SWIM JUNKIE CARAMOAN 5KM OPEN WATER CHALLENGE
I joined this challenge to test my progress after training with BLSS Power Swim and Swim Junkie, and to see if my current pace could meet the IRONMAN swim cutoffs.
🏊 1.9km IRONMAN 70.3 — 58 mins (90-min cutoff) 🏊 3.8km Full IRONMAN — 1 hr 54 mins (2 hr 20-min cutoff)
But 500 meters before reaching the second island, the challenge became more than just swimming for a PR.
Something felt wrong on my right side. I stopped and looked. There he was—a fellow swimmer, resting on his tow buoy. I asked if everything was okay. His buoy had deflated.
Without hesitation, I told him to hold on to my tow buoy while we checked his. A small boat approached, followed by the race marshal's speedboat. The swimmer was afraid that touching the boat would mean disqualification. I explained the emergency to the marshal, and we were allowed to check the buoy.
It had a hole. It couldn't be repaired.
He was ready to call it a DNF.
I told him, "No, don't give up. We're only 500 meters away. Swim at your own pace. I'll stay beside you until we reach the island."
He worried that helping him would cost me my finish time. I told him, "It's okay. I can register again next year. Your safety matters more."
So we swam together until we reached the second island safely. No rush. No PR to chase. Just two swimmers making it to shore. ❤️🌊
As a seafarer, I know what it means to be alone at sea and need a helping hand. That day, I came to test my limits, but I left with something more meaningful than a personal record.
Sometimes, the real victory isn't how fast you reach the finish line—it's making sure nobody gets left behind. 🤝
#SwimJunkieCaramoan #openwaterswimming #blsspowerswim #theseamanvlogger #trimaccoaching

Trip to Bolinao Pangasinan.

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Wed, 3 May 2017 05:38:00 +0800

During my race in Tigasin tri in Bolinao Pangasinan. We’ve already planned to roam around in the area. According my researched there are many places (tourist spot) that you can visit in the area.

How to get there?

From my location in manila I drive along SLEX, NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX and exit to Ramos Panique.

ATM/Bank

Better to bring along some enough cash. There is only 1 bank and 1 ATM in the area of Bolinao near bus terminal and its always offline. So what we do is we go to Bani Pangasinan just to use ATM. Approximately about 20km away form bolinao. They don’t accept credit card in the area even in gasoline station if you want to gas up.

We settle in El pascador hotel in Bolinao Pangasinan because they are the sponsored hotels for the Triathlon. Lowest rate of the hotel is 1,500 a night (as of may 2016). It’s a big room with balcony and you can park your car in front of your room. Inside of the room you have a comfort room, shower with water heater, Television (not cable), huge bed, cabinet, and safe lock. They have different room rates as well. We check some of the hotel in the area especially along patar beach and El pascador is the most cleanliness hotel that we’ve seen.

Our first stop is St. James church. It’s a 400 year old church just a cross the bus terminal (5 star terminal). The church was built in the year of 1969. You can park your car inside the premises of the church for 20 pesos. There will be a parking ticket when you go inside the church. The area is secured because of the police station just beside the church. On the other side of the road you can buy some pasalubong like bagoong in the public market.

More photos in my flicker account:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/orlandespero/albums/72157673318857361

There are many restaurants in the area. There is one famous restaurant in the area and it was named Sungayan grill. The location is about 4km from bus station. Some of the residences are offering their area for parking. Parking fee for the residential area is 50 pesos. They will guard your car until you finish your meal. You will walk about 5 mins from parking area to Sungayan grill to get there. When you’re already there just, be caution to the children’s swimming in the area. They make peeping tom below the bridge. This is the one I hate most and the restaurant owner cannot control it. There are 2 options how to eat in there. 1 is the riverside and 2^nd is while you are eating you will be tow by the boats around the river. You’ll going to pay 500 pesos per persons for the 2^nd option. We choose to eat just along the lakeside the option 1. The food are great and it will cost about 1000 pesos for 1 bilao which consist of a Sungayan fish, seaweed, rice, some other fish, grill eggplant, 1 Picher of ice tea and many Filipino grilled cuisine. The menu was good for 2 to 3 persons. By the way just be minded for your food. It was happened to us that we already waited for 1 hour and our food was given to other table.

Enchanted cave

The cave was just the vicinity of patar beach. As of May 2016 the entrance fee when you’re going inside the cave are around 150 pesos per person. For the meal I prefer to bring your own food. There is a mini karinderia before the entrance of the cave. The meal is ordinary house meal but the price is just like a 5 star hotel meal. So in any case just bring your own meal instead on paying on a not worth it meal. Before you pay your entrance fee in the cave. Better to inspect the cave if overcrowded or not. Because of many tourists going there sometimes the cave is overcrowded. The sad part here is when you already pay the entrance fee and you cannot go inside the cave because it’s too crowded you cannot refund your money. That case was happen when we are there. Some of the tourists are arguing for their refund because they waited for a long time but still they can’t get inside the cave.

Bolinao falls

Its just 20 to 30 mins away form the town proper. There are 2 falls in the area. We visited Bolinao falls 1. Just me minded that the road going to falls are 10% concrete and 90% off road. When you get there the entrance fee for the falls is 20 pesos. Swimming, using restroom/shower, lifejacket are already included in 20 pesos. There is a store in the vicinity of the falls where you can buy some food but its better to bring your own food instead to prevent the over price items.

More photos on my Flicker account

https://www.flickr.com/photos/orlandespero/albums/72157674566125255

Bolinao Lighthouse.

Its along Patar beach and you can see the over looking of the area. Parking fee is around 50 pesos with official receipt by the locals. As of now the Bolinao lighthouse is already abandoned lighthouse. But still they maintain the lighthouse image for the tourist going to visit the area.

More photo on my flicker account https://www.flickr.com/photos/orlandespero/albums/72157671161796694

Rock view beach resort.

Actually this area is one of the photographer favorite spot because of the rock formation. The rock formation is best for prenuptial shoot. Entrance fee for the rock view is around 150 pesos per person and you can use one of their cottages. If you want to stay in the area the room rates is 1,500 pesos a night. Its already a air-condition room.

More photos on my flicker account

https://www.flickr.com/photos/orlandespero/albums/72157671272242604

Patar beach

Patar beach is a long beach, which composed of many hotels in the area. We go to the southern part of patar beach and the entrance fee there is 50 pesos per person including used of the Rest room and shower area. Patar beach is one of the famous beaches because of its white smooth sand just like Boracay beach.

In my observation some of the hotels around the Patar beach are around 2500 and up. So we just stay in El pascador beach resort, which are around 1,500 a night. We experience one beach resort in the area that according to a blog. The fee for the room is around 1000 a night but when we get there its around 2,500 pesos a night. We tell the receptionist that according to blog it’s around 1000 pesos a night only. Then the receptionists just told us ok just don’t tell to anybody I can give 1,500 a night. We check the room and it’s rubbish. I prefer to sleep in a doghouse than to sleep in that room.

More photos on my fllicker account

https://www.flickr.com/photos/orlandespero/albums/72157673462370961

Please be guided that prices are subjected to increase or decrease according to the seasons or local rates. All prices are based in May 2016,

TORM Helene

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 02:41:00 +0800

Hundred Islands Alaminos Pangasinan Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 05:55:00 +0800

Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Wed, 8 Jul 2015 20:26:00 +0800

Singapore is the one of the busiest port in the world. As a Mariner we arrived in Singapore by means of ship. Worst to worst cases there are many or I mean a lot of traffic in Singapore straight before you reach Singapore. Crossing vessels, disembarking vessels, fishing boats, tug and tow. Singapore is my most or lets just say one of my favorite to disembark and embark my vessel assignment.

Gibraltar

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Thu, 2 Jul 2015 14:21:00 +0800

As a seafarer i visited many places like Gibraltar. I will be joining my vessel assignment in this country and this is my chance to capture some photos.

Mass Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Thu, 2 Jul 2015 12:52:00 +0800

Photos of mass wedding composed by Nikon club Philippine members. Its a wedding event held in Paranaque Lemelif central church. All photos in this blog are my shots.

Daesan South korea

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 18:57:00 +0800

Onboard a tanker vessel. we discharge gasoline in this port for 2 days.

Penitensya

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 19:37:00 +0800

Penetensiya or Penance is an act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing. It is a promise “PANATA” to one’s self and traditionally done for seven consecutive years.

It is a yearly event held on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday.

This photo was taken in Limay, Bataan wherein a lot of men did the Penetensiya. Despite repetitive warnings from the Catholic leadership, many Filipinos continue to practice the tradition of lashing themselves to answer their prayers.

Digital Photography Philippines 9th anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 18:42:00 +0800

Digital Photography Philippines 9th anniversary held in Bonifacio global city taguig. This is a yearly Photo exhibit of DPP. Most all of the Photography club members and photo enthusiast are gathering here. Every booth have different lecture on photography like How to operate a drone, how to create a good landscape photography, portrait photography, etc.

Bahay na bato Luna La union

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 15:32:00 +0800

Bahay na Bato, found in the province of La Union ,is not the typical historical house known for stone foundations and wooden second floor rather it's like a rest house with lots of stone sculptures in different sizes. There's also a tiny swimming pool where kids can dip in and have fun. Stones in the pathways has flower carvings and there's another pathway where wood carvings with faces are displayed. As of April 2015 the entrance fee to the site is 20 pesos with free parking.

Bacnotan La union Photoshoot

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sun, 7 Jun 2015 12:21:00 +0800

Toys photography

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 20:49:00 +0800

Sari Sari

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 18:54:00 +0800

Luneta Photowalk with Nikon Club Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 07:52:00 +0800

Club Scoopy Philippines Ride to Nasugbo Batangas

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 24 May 2014 18:03:00 +0800

Colors

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 17 May 2014 18:45:00 +0800

Nathan Smith Photo shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Fri, 16 May 2014 19:14:00 +0800

DPP8 @ BGC photo shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 10 May 2014 19:19:00 +0800

New Orleans 2nd Anniversary @ mall of asia

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Fri, 9 May 2014 19:33:00 +0800

New Orleans Restaurant 2nd Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Fri, 9 May 2014 11:24:00 +0800

Toy Soldier Photoshoot

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Mon, 5 May 2014 18:43:00 +0800

Aliwan Festival 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 10:16:00 +0800

POP Photowalk @ intramuros Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Andoy) — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 10:04:00 +0800