Jet Ski: More than a ride ~ Fact is Not Truth

It was not my idea, but it was my long-time dream. I have been salivating over it ever since I set foot on the island. Never tried it. Always wanted it. Thanks to GnA's passion, I only paid a small percentage of its already discounted price.

We were supposed to check out at 12, but the other room extended to 3 pm so we had three more hours to do anything. The idea was that GnA, Ch and I were to share the allotted time, with GnA taking 10 minutes alone. He paid for 3/4 of everything anyway so it was logical and fair.

Ch, Cra, Nki, GnA

We paid at their office the full amount. It was a few yards from our hotel. GnA and I went upstairs and chatted with one kuya there, while waiting for the next guide to pick us up. I asked kuya about kite surfing. I told him I want to learn and try it. Then GnA and I thought about surfing. I told him about Rsh' adventure in Ilocos but the waves are only good ‘til May. Then the conversation shifted back to kite surfing. All of our questions were answered by the casual kuya. He was good natured and was kind enough to tell us about the instructor who died last year because of an accident, which made GnA and I shrug and thought twice about trying any other water sport. Then we asked about the safety of the Jet Ski thing. OK, corny. It was just a Jet Ski, but we had to at least ask. We were assured by kuya. GnA has ridden a Jet Ski before and asked if the controls were the same. No they're not anymore.

"The former controls make things worse. In a case of a crash, the driver would accelerate instead of stopping right before the moment of impact. So they changed it." Good. At least we don't have to undergo their old ways. It’s easier to break before colliding against another Jet Ski. Perfect.

Speed boat to the floating dock

We had to take a multi-cab to Station 1 to meet-up with the speed boat that would take us to the Jet Ski area. Cra and Rx went with us to take pictures from the floating dock. All five of us sped through the clear waters of Boracay at the height of the sun's heat. We got there in less than 2 minutes and alighted in the floating bamboo dock where we were greeted by the kuyas operating the whole thing. We sat on one of the benches and watched as the rest of the "drivers" played on top of the water. I saw one kuya holding a Sony HD camera. "Huwaw, sosyal!" I muttered to Ch as she noticed the same thing as well. He was filming for a couple (a foreign guy with a Filipina-looking girl holding on to him). We got our floaters and one kuya particularly enjoyed strapping them on to me. I slightly pushed him away and did it myself.

Still hesitating at first

That kuya invited us to test our floaters by jumping to the water. I first hesitated, fearing I might get too tired to climb up again since the crazy waves during the sail took most of my energy. I could barely walk. I just wanted to sit. But I still jumped in, following GnA who was already floating away all the stresses of the remaining few hours in the island.

The first to ride were GnA and I. Ch was still conditioning herself, in a continuous trance of hesitation to ride it. I think I just pressured her into coming with me. I felt bad, but I knew she'd enjoy. I was ecstatic. One kuya rode with us first. He taught us how to operate it, telling us the dangers and the areas that we were allowed to drive in. GnA was sitting directly behind him and understood everything. I couldn't hear much because of the waves and my distance from kuya. I think he said something about falling off the water or crashing on to other drivers. Something about it being our fault if we die or something. I was hesitant to hold on to GnA at first, but my grip kind of increased. I muttered a small prayer and recalled Peter on top of the water. If he could do it without floaters, why couldn’t I. So I started to let loose. A bit.

Kuya left after a semi-circle trip within the allowed area. Clockwise. We were not allowed to do otherwise. GnA, the moment kuya stepped off and felt I was secured enough behind him, accelerated crazily within seconds. I screamed at him. He couldn't hear me, of course. I held on to him harder. He might have forgotten I was there. A big wave hit us. I hit him hard on his nape.

Enjoying it with GnA

"Are you doing that on purpose?"

"Just hold on!"

He was insane. Then I remembered I was supposed to not fear anything. I mean, I paid for it. The thrill of it was the main ingredient of the ride.

"This is buoyant anyway right?"

"Yes."

Floating until the next free Jet Ski was back

I thought hard at this.

"O well. Go on. Do as you wish."

He was slow on some parts but each time we passed by the floating dock, he would increase speed to "show them." I held on as he increased speed. Then as he was enjoying it, and I was relaxing a bit, he stopped and told me it was time to switch.

"Now?"

"Yes."

He stood up and sat behind me. I was kind of nervous at first. He taught me the accelerator and the break. The only two things I needed to know. I rest could be forgotten.

Kuya teaching us first

"OK. Here we go."

I think I spent 30 seconds trying to feel the thing until I felt what GnA felt when he was trying to fly me off earlier. I increased speed. Increased all the more and felt the liberating feeling of driving without speed limits and other vehicles on your way. The only thing that bothered us was the size of the waves. It was mid noon already and the large waves that hit us during our morning sail were nothing compared to the new ones coming in.

We almost overturned as I never took into account the waves when accelerating.

"Nice! Nice!" I heard GnA calling from behind me and it was a license to go faster. I finished a couple of rounds and thought of Ch.

"Don't be too fast on her please."

"Yes."

GnA showing off (haha)

Parking the Jet Ski was harder than I thought. I couldn't do it to the point that the kuyas were frantic at getting at us, and I slightly crashed into the speed boat nearby. A small whole was bored into our Jet SKi and everyone was furious. I got off and calmly sat down.

Ch replaced me and GnA repeated the process. I was scared for her first, but from what I saw, GnA was true to his word. They weren't challenging the waves that much.

My turn to try to kick GnA off the Jet Ski

When it was time for Ch to drive, we saw them switch. Then the kuyas with us became agitated and two of them jumped into the nearby speed boat. One Jet Ski seemed to have overturned. If we didn't see Ch and GnA switching places, we would have thought it was them. It was a Korean couple, I think. I wasn't thinking anymore. I lay down the bamboo floor and just relaxed. I knew Ch and GnA were safe.

After a couple of rounds, GnA brought Ch to the dock and had the vehicle on his own. He looked like he was enjoying and the kuyas signaled him that the time was up. We couldn't believe it. It felt too soon to be 30 minutes. But GnA was parking the Jet Ski already so I suppose he accepted the fact it was over.

Ch and I jumped to the water again. The water felt nice because it was cool to the body.

Notice the hole at the bottom left (hihi)

One kuya kept on bothering me. He said he saw me before. Clueless, I said maybe. I shouldn't have said that. I thought he really knew me since I lived in Kalibo for a couple of summers and have been to Boracay a couple of times. I asked him where he lived. He said in the island itself. False assumption. He wasn't from Kalibo. I shut up. He jumped into the speed boat with us and bothered me along the way. GnA teased me. I wanted to punch him in the face (kuya not GnA).