Wakeboarding at Republ1c Wakepark

 

My first wakeboarding experience happened last March 2014 at Republic 1 Sta. Rosa. Maybe because I’m not an athletic person I really had a hard time learning this sport. Jun was already able to stand up in his fourth try. And he is a fat guy hehehe 🙂 I’m not slim myself but I really thought I would do better than him. Apparently, weight is not the contributing factor for the 2 of us hehehe. When we did it the 2nd time in CWC Camarines Sur, I was only able to squat in the board once. I just don’t know how Jun can stand in the board over and over again.

Anyway, it was an awesome experience, something new for me. I am not a very adventurous person, I seldom try something new. But I thought what the heck, I’m 30, I’m nearing my mid-life crisis (if I’m not there yet, or maybe I am, I just haven’t realized it yet hehe) maybe it’s time to do something different. Well, I can’t go diving (I don’t know how to swim) or do bungee jumping or zip lining (I got a super bad case of phobia sa heights as in mega talaga I can die)  or even ride a rollercoaster (oh yeah, amusement rides and I don’t really go together, I hate the feeling in the stomach, it’s like the lower half of your body gets separated from the upper half super scary!!!) So as I was looking out for an activity we can enjoy, I chanced upon a blog about wakeboarding. I remembered that Aga Muhlach is an enthusiast of this sport. I thought “hmmnnn, why not?!” I immediately researched about this and learned that one can still enjoy it even if one doesn’t know how to swim. It’s just perfect for me. But I also heard before that the celebrities who are into wakeboarding go to Bicol just for this. Kalayo naman! At ang gastos pa sa gasolina or pamasahe (kung commute publicly). It’s not practical sa layo at gastos especially since I’m just trying this sport out. So I researched further and found out that meron na rin pala nito sa Nuvali. Again, it’s just perfect! It’s not so far naman, we visit Nuvali and once or every other month.

As I said, I’m not a good swimmer, but I thought since we are going to wear a life vest, what could go wrong. So finally, one Saturday morning last March, we decided to just go for it! Okay, for first timers, agahan nyo ang punta dun. The registration can be long. We were there at 9am pero there are about 5-7 people already lined up at marami na rin ang nasa loob na ng wakeboarding area especially sa Pro area. Btw, there are 2 places na pwede kang magwakeboard. One is for the advanced wakeboarders. You know, the ones who can easily stand on the board and do some stunts (drooling already, I’m so naiinggit because they’re soooo good!). They usually have their own gears or would rent professional gears, maybe they’re not satisfied sa performance ng mga free gears). The other area is for first-timers and yung mga di pa ganun kagaling. Compared to the Pro, the lake is shorter and hindi paikot. It’s really just a place for starting up and for practice ng mga Novice. Naturally, this is where we stayed. Hehe feeling naman namin kung nagpunta kami sa mga Pro. Pagtatawanan lang kami dun hahaha.

Anyway, again a reminder, the process can be a little slow so if you can start on the road at 6:30am, you’ll arrive at around 7:30-8:00 am, you can line up agad for the registration. This the best time to go here not only because of the registration line being shorter, there are only few who’s wakeboarding na kaya you don’t have too much competition sa use ng cable. You’ll get more chances of wakeboarding. At around 10:00 am, expect a crowd lalo na ung mga barkada types. By then, you will have less chance of wakeboarding kasi andami nyo ng nakapila. For novice, there are 2 cables lang and you can’t use both ng sabay because the lake is too small and since beginners pa ang nandun, not many can control their boards thus, higher ang chances of hitting each other kaya di pinagsasabay. Unlike sa Pro, since they have more space hindi magbabangga ung mga nagwawakeboard plus they know how to control their board na. So if you’re a beginner, don’t waste time! Agahan at ng may matutunan 😉

It can be intimidating for first timers. When we went at Republic 1, I did not see a poster or tarp or any instruction outside informing the newbies what to do. The guards just told us to line up for the registration. We didn’t know how much or if we needed to rent gears or if there’s a code sa suot. Lumapit lang ako sa registration, there I saw the prices sa may bandang taas and then ask for more info and joined the line. I’m not sure but I seem to remember the rates for wakeboarding in an hour back then is P250/hd. Now it’s P350.00 na and P250.00 for wakeskate. Now, I haven’t tried wake skating yet. I don’t even know what that is. Sabi lang sa internet, the difference between the 2 is that wakeskating has no bindings. So for beginners, go for wakeboarding muna siguro. For more about the rates, accommodations (yes they offer these), or promos, just check their website: Http://republ1cwakepark.com

Well, about wakeboarding itself, it’s a little frightening at first especially since I can’t swim. Good thing Jun was there in the middle of the lake waiting for me. I panicked the first time, really thought I was going to drown despite the life vest. Pano napakaintense naman talaga pag tumalsik in the water. The cable will pull you against the water and you need to focus on your balance para di ka tumalsik sa tubig. It’s really overwhelming for me the first time. But don’t fret OA lang ako kaya ganyan ang reaction ko hehe. There are instructors naman who will tell you what to do. In my first ride, the instructor made me float na sa water and wait for the cable to pull. Ang turo nya is to never go against the pull ng cable, do not extend your arms yet, just keep your arms near your chest and squat. Toes up and keep the pressure at the sole or heels of your feet. If you did not do well the first time, wag mag-alala at di ka nag iisa hahaha. I haven’t seen a beginner do good sa unang try. Laging plakda. If someone is good na sa first try pa lang, I doubt he or she is a first timer. Otherwise, maybe may hidden talent talaga sya or he /she might be a very athletic person.

I had about 4 chances sa wakeboarding while Jun had 5. That’s in an hour and a half (mabait naman ung mga instructors, if they see you already in the line at inabot ng oras,hindi naman nila ipapatigil. Actually I heard that sometimes when there are few wakeboarders, they let some people wakeboard for more than the hour/s they paid for). After this, we ate and then Jun and Kiara enjoyed the pool. Republ1c Wakepark is really a place that families will enjoy kasi aside from wakeboarding, there’s a pool and a playground for the kids. Hindi ka masyado mag aalala that the kids will get bored while you’re having fun wakeboarding. Just bring a yaya or someone who can take care of your kids, let them roam around. Then after you wakeboard, go and enjoy the pool naman with the kids.

Having discussed the fun side, let me mention ung mga negatives I experienced from this place. First of all, the comfort room near the pool/beginner’s lake. I remember there are only 2 or 3 showers and ung toilets have no water back then sa flush. Tabo system sya kaya kaloka. I mean, I can adjust but come on! Though it’s not the worst thing that happened to me in that place, I just find it unacceptable that this type of facility has no flush in their CR. I thought it’s kinda like a high-end place, I mean not everybody can spend hard-earned money for wakeboarding. Karamihan nga ng nakikita ko puro mga foreigners. Parang it’s just not appropriate and nakakahiya sya.

But as I said, it’snot the worst thing that happened to me. After taking a shower and when we were packing up, I noticed a red rash sa may upper right thigh ko. I did not mind it at first but it got redder and got a bit bigger and itchy. When we got home, I checked it. Parang nagka-rash ata ako. I kept thinking kung san nakuha. I just ate bbq, rice, chips and drank soda. Kaya I was weirded out. I showed it to Jun and he said meron din syang rash. I think it’s from the water sa lake. I know it’s not clean, wala naman akong arte naiintindihan ko naman na it’s part of the sport. But in comparison with the lake sa CWC Camsur, mas malinis dun ung pakiramdam. Sa Nuvali, naramdaman ko pa ung parang tarp or plastic sa may baba ng tubig, it’s just so slimy. Didn’t want to spoil the day kaya I just decided not to mind it na lang. Kaso yun nga nagkarash pa ako. And mind you, my skin is not sensitive naman kaya it must have been pretty dirty back then. I even asked the instructor, ang sabi naman nila, they treat water with chemicals to make it clean, maybe chlorine kaya mejo slimy na din. Well, I don’t really know. But I still plan to enjoy wakeboarding sa Nuvali so I have to suck it up hehehe. Sabagay, nawala naman ung rash in just a day so it’s ok na rin.

Another thing I noticed is that the staffs here are discriminating and seems to be more in favor of foreigners. I don’t know but I’m pretty sure it’s not just me. I heard someone complaining about their food and how tagal their orders come out when they ordered before a foreigner na nauna ng kumakain. Ewan ko lang ha.

Anyway, all in all, we had  a great time here despite the few minor negatives. If someone asks me if they should go here, I would saY 100% yes. If you haven’t tried wakeboarding yet, go and enjoy the new experience at Republ1c Wakepark. You get to meet new people pa, kaya new perspective din and you get to bond with them since most of the time, you’re going thru the same emotion, which is the thrill of experiencing this sport 🙂 So go ahead, have fun and remember, we only live once so make the most out of it. 😉