77-year-old windsurfer survives 8-hour sea ordeal

JORDAN, Guimaras - Last Monday, Eduardo Colmenares set out to surf at about 8 a.m. as he had done in the past several years. The wind was perfect at the time.

However, one hour later, Colmenares, 77, suffered cramps on his right hand, hampering his control of his 10-foot sail.

Clinging on to his surfboard, he drifted for about eight hours, with waves as high as five feet buffeting him.

Colmenares’ right arm was dislocated 10 years ago in a coconut plantation accident.

He said he has been surfing for the past 37 years despite his handicap and that Monday’s incident was the first time he suffered cramps on his right hand.

"It was my confidence in God and in myself that empowered me to hang on," he told The STAR.

The crew of an Iloilo-bound ferry rescued him at about 5 p.m. Upon reaching the Iloilo port, he was assisted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary which was earlier alerted by his family about his disappearance.

It is unusual for a man his age to be windsurfing, a sports identified closely with teenagers. On top of this, windsurfing is not a popular sport in Iloilo and Guimaras because it is an expensive hobby.

The sea current in the area where he surfs is strong. The area is referred to as "highway of the ships."

Colmenares started windsurfing when he turned 40, in Cebu. Along the way, he met and became friends with then President Ferdinand Marcos and Fidel Ramos, then the Armed Forces chief of staff.

"In water sports, life begins at 40," he said.

Two of his children manage resorts in Talisay City and Mactan, both in Cebu.

Despite his ordeal, he said he will not stop windsurfing until his body allows him to do so.