In an interview with SunStar Cebu on Saturday, February 17, 2024, Mahinay shared encountering jellyfish while guiding a guest for a freediving activity on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
Mahinay also said that challenging weather conditions add to the difficulty of achieving stunning shots. However, one of his biggest challenges was guiding tourists during jellyfish season.
Mahinay grew up spearfishing with his father, which was their main source of living. Later, he worked at a nearby dive shop, where he further honed his diving skills.
“Mamanaay (doing spearfishing) rajud ko sauna sa wala pa koy trabaho, spearfishing rako sige magabie,” said Mahinay before entering as a snorkeling guide.
While working at the dive shop, he enrolled in a diving school with the ambition of becoming a dive master. However, the compensation was not sustainable since the salary was deducted from the diving license.
He paused his pursuit and explored being a snorkeling guide instead.
