The Mysterious Lake Duminagat at Mt. Malindang

Lake Duminagat is a crater-lake located at Mt. Malindang Natural Park in the Municipality of Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental. It is a place full of wonders and beauty that I could just sit beside the lake for the whole day doing nothing but admiring its deep clear waters, the mountains surrounding it, and the whole landscape itself. But why did I say unexplained things happen in this lake? Stay tuned because I will share something today.

While growing up, I always hear something about the mysteries of Lake Duminagat. It is said that many people have had lost while exploring this place, while rowing a boat around the lake. Oh, I am shivering while writing this part. They also said that no matter how many is the number of trees surrounding the lake, it is impossible for you to see even one leaf floating above the waters of this lake.

We travelled for hours riding a two-wheeler vehicle just to reach Lake Duminagat because I have been wondering if the rumors were true. We conquered great heights and even the vehicle we brought almost surrendered while we were on our way to this lake. Upon reaching the dead-end of the road, we hiked for minutes, I think, maybe it was a fifteen-minute hike, because the vehicle could not get further and the road we took next was not intended for vehicles, they just started constructing it so that the lake would be accessible to tourists and visitors, but in that state, it is just for human feet to take it.

The rocks were sharp, the soil was cracked and almost apart from each other, and there was a water spring beside the road where I drank because I was dying of thirstiness. At first, I thought it was dirty because it is on the side of the road, making its way to flow through the canals made for the road, but I found the source and it was so amazing that water still springs and found its way even on the mountain top.

We hiked for minutes until we caught a glimpse of this beauty and it was secretly calling me. Upon our arrival, we were instructed to write our names at the Army Camp near it, after having our names written on the Army's logbook, they then instructed us to go to the local's house and still write our names on the local's logbook. We, then, paid a very small amount for an environmental fee, which will serve as our help to develop the place and to help the locals living near it.

After every legal actions we took as a visitor to Lake Duminagat, they allowed us to go near the lake with few reminders; do not throw garbage anywhere, do not make loud sounds, do not take a bath on the lake, and if you want to experience the floating bamboo raft, just ask one of the locals for fifteen-pesos, you'll be able to experience it, lastly hold your camera if you ride the raft because once it drops on the water, there will be a zero percent chance that you will retrieve what you dropped.

Surely, we tried riding the bamboo raft, and as a person who have a thalassophobia, I was so afraid of deep waters. I just tried it because I was successfully convinced that the distance and time we travelled will be just useless if I will not experience riding the bamboo raft floating on the lake. I took photos and videos while holding my phone tightly because I was really afraid I might drop it.

We had a talk with one of the locals who guided us in riding the bamboo raft and he said that I should hold my phone tightly if I would be taking photos. We just followed a straight rope, tied from end to end on one side of the lake. He told us that to roam around the whole lake is prohibited, and only that one side is allowed for the visitors, even for the locals to visit. Because, once, there were boats in the lake and it was allowed to ride boats and tour around the lake, but one day, some people suddenly disappeared while riding boats touring around the lake. How they disappeared is still a mystery until today. One thing for sure, roaming around the whole lake is now prohibited since that accident happened, or maybe it wasn't an accident? Maybe someone or something really got them. Ohhh, shivers on my spine again.

The locals also said that few divers have tried to swim the deepest point of Lake Duminagat but nobody got successful of reaching its bottom. They said, those divers started six in the morning and surfaced the water nearly the setting of the sun but still they did not successfully reach the deepest point of the lake. Until now, nobody knows how deep is it, or how the mysteries in this lake happened. It is just what it is.

**One thing for sure, Lake Duminagat is a gem of Mt. Malindang, its wonders and mystery just prove how awesome nature is that no human mind could ever comprehend. **

I hope you enjoy reading our blog today. See you next time!

P.S. The lead photo is edited using Canva.