June 2020
PKA SEASON 7 OFF TO A ROARING START CRUISING WITH CORONA THE FOILING REVOLUTION WINGING IT MAGIC OF CRUISE VINCENT LECOLLEY PHOTOS CONTROLLING BOAT SPEED WATERSPORTS AFTER A PANDEMIC Destination MINDORO OCCIDENTAL JUL 2020 Vol. IX Issue 2 ACTIVE BOATING & WATERSPORTS PhP200 SUNREEF 80
- Page 6 and 7: 2
- Page 8 and 9: FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Wee it has
- Page 10 and 11: PKA Season 7 Off to a Roa Cut short
- Page 12: inception. In fact, we’ve already
- Page 15 and 16: 11
- Page 17 and 18: H ere is where the plot thickens; w
- Page 20 and 21: sitting I figured I had best go for
- Page 22 and 23: 18
- Page 24 and 25: A foiling windsurf 20
- Page 26 and 27: An International Moth ProVela the d
- Page 28 and 29: Marc Weiler Foiling Windsurfers rac
- Page 30 and 31: WINGING IT Words by ROY ESPIRITU Ph
- Page 32 and 33: allow the rider to control the wing
- Page 34 and 35: A Kitewing used on a frozen lake 30
- Page 36 and 37: Winging on a mountainboard Surfing
- Page 38 and 39: Magic El Nido OF Words by BRUCE CUR
- Page 40 and 41: Malaysia Mount Kota Kinabalu There
- Page 42 and 43: Onuk Ulugan Bay The Calamian Island
- Page 44 and 45: Vincent Lecolley Discovers the Real
- Page 46 and 47: 42
- Page 50 and 51: 46 46
PKA SEASON 7 OFF TO A ROARING START<br />
CRUISING WITH CORONA<br />
THE FOILING REVOLUTION<br />
WINGING IT<br />
MAGIC OF CRUISE<br />
VINCENT LECOLLEY PHOTOS<br />
CONTROLLING BOAT SPEED<br />
WATERSPORTS AFTER A PANDEMIC<br />
Destination<br />
MINDORO<br />
OCCIDENTAL<br />
JUL <strong>2020</strong> Vol. IX Issue 2<br />
ACTIVE BOATING & WATERSPORTS<br />
PhP200<br />
SUNREEF 80
2
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3
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK<br />
Wee it has been a traumatic time for everyone over these past few<br />
months. With the COVID-19 putting everyone at risk, and to see so<br />
many businesses struggling to survive. But let’s all hope the worst<br />
is behind us and we can all strive to improve everything from the<br />
lessons learned.<br />
The Magazine like everyone else suffered setbacks, like because<br />
of the lockdown our printers were unable to affect delivery for two<br />
months and only now is it on the street. As well as the previous<br />
issue being late this edition is being released one month late.<br />
We needed to keep going for our readers but because of the<br />
lockdowns we were unable to complete in time to release on time.<br />
Our apologies but we will keep your favorite magazine going, albeit<br />
a month late.<br />
In this issue we are exposing Mindoro Occidental and know the<br />
resilience of these people will soon be back on top as well because<br />
this is a wonderful place to visit.<br />
WHAT’S INSIDE?<br />
PKA Season 7 Off to a Roaring Start 6<br />
Cruising With Corona 12<br />
The Foiling Revolution 20<br />
Winging It 26<br />
Magic of Cruise - Kota Kinabalu 34<br />
to Puerto Galera<br />
Vincent Lecolley Discovers the 40<br />
Real Philippines<br />
Destination - OCCIDENTAL MINDORO 50<br />
Lifesaving Progress During Covid-19 72<br />
Sailing Tips - Controlling Boat Speed 76<br />
Watersports After a Pandemic 78<br />
Let us all stay safe while striving to show the fortitude of the<br />
Filipino people, in making a strong comeback.<br />
Barry Dawson Editor<br />
SUNREEF 80<br />
Cover photo courtesy of RAYOMARINE<br />
Joyce Ann L. Rocamora<br />
4<br />
Destination - OCCIDENTAL MINDORO<br />
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Publisher: ROSALIE M. BAIRD<br />
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Associate Editor: ROY ESPIRITU<br />
Layout & Design: MAR SUBA<br />
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Contributing Photographers: TERRY DUCKHAM & JOHNNY MARTINEZ<br />
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ABW Publishing does not accept any liability whatsoever for errors or omissions.
5
PKA Season 7<br />
Off to a Roa<br />
Cut short because of COVID-19<br />
The tour this year<br />
welcomed international<br />
entries from riders<br />
hailing as far as Germany,<br />
Ireland, Morocco, Japan,<br />
Thailand and Australia.<br />
Words by ROY ESPIRITU<br />
Photographs by ZANDER SERVANDO<br />
6
The start of the Philippine Kiteboarding<br />
Association’s (PKA) season 7 tour had an<br />
awesome start in Bulalacao, Mindoro and a<br />
great follow-up leg in Sibaltan, El Nido Palawan.<br />
However, the scheduled four leg PKA tour had to be cut<br />
short because of concerns from local government units<br />
the tour this year welcomed international entries from<br />
riders hailing as far as Germany, Ireland, Morocco, Japan,<br />
Thailand and Australia competing against the top national<br />
riders. Four (4) different disciplines were completed over<br />
at each leg with blistering fast racing and crowd bluffing<br />
freestyle and hangtime performances.<br />
aring Start<br />
(LGU) of the looming health crisis brought about by the<br />
COVID-19 outbreak in China.<br />
Nonetheless, PKA regulars and visiting kiteboarders from<br />
around the world had a great time at two amazing legs of<br />
the PKA season 7 tour, which also signalled the start of<br />
the Philippine kiteboarding season. The PKA tour serves<br />
as the open national championship for kiteboarding and<br />
The foil board race was added to this season’s events,<br />
adding to the Hang Time Challenge (Men and Women),<br />
Twin Tip Racing for (Novice, Men, Women, Masters,<br />
Grandmaster and Elite) and Freestyle (Men and Women).<br />
According to Jay Ortiz, PKA President, “The Philippine<br />
Kiteboarding Association has already mounted more<br />
than 25 kiteboarding events in the past 6 years since our<br />
7
inception. In fact, we’ve already produced a Silver medal<br />
in Kiteboard Twin Tip Race in the last youth Olympics in<br />
2018 where the young Christian Tio from Boracay bagged<br />
the medal and bested other top rank athletes in the globe.<br />
Now that the Olympics format has changed to foil board<br />
racing, we’re introducing this new class in our competition<br />
this year, and hopefully will give rise to other young<br />
aspiring Filipino athletes to level up their game and<br />
compete in foil board racing. Who knows, we may soon<br />
get the chance to win for gold in the future in other<br />
international kitesurfing events, most especially in the<br />
Olympics, now that we’re exposing our athletes in this<br />
field” Mr. Ortiz said.<br />
In the Bulalacao leg of this year’s PKA tour, The women’s<br />
freestyle event was won by Germany’s Kathrin Bogwardt,<br />
a long time participant of the PKA tour who put on a<br />
display of her large variety of tricks and heat strategy,<br />
Kathrin also went on to win the Women’s hangtime<br />
division. Men’s freestyle went to returning PKA competitor<br />
Abdoul Moutaouakil from Morocco displaying a huge<br />
improvement in skill since his last appearance in the tour<br />
two years ago.<br />
In the men’s hangtime division, Ken Nacor blew the<br />
competition<br />
In fact, we’ve already<br />
produced a Silver medal in<br />
Kiteboard Twin Tip Race<br />
in the last youth Olympics<br />
in 2018 where the young<br />
Christian Tio from Boracay<br />
bagged the medal.<br />
away, sending<br />
one huge jump<br />
after another one,<br />
often soaring<br />
more than 150m<br />
through the air<br />
before landing.<br />
The foil board<br />
8
and twin tip races were dominated by Stefan Vance from<br />
Ireland who has shown steady improvement year after<br />
year. The last day of Bulalacao leg had to be cancelled<br />
because of typhoon Kammuri (Tisoy).<br />
The second leg of the tour was in Sibaltan, El Nido,<br />
Palawan. For the Foil Board race,<br />
it was a tough battle between<br />
Watcharpong “Boss” Juntham<br />
from Thailand, Stefan Vance and<br />
Philippines top seeds Ken Nacor and<br />
Bong Fernando as these top athletes<br />
took turns in out-maneuvering one<br />
another, swiftly going more than<br />
50kph on their foil boards. Boss<br />
bested all and took the top spot<br />
while Bong Fernando from Boracay<br />
dominated in the twin tip elite division. Other winners<br />
in the twin tip race divisions were Greg Dimarucut in the<br />
Novice Mens’ division, Ryan Cahilig in the mens’ division<br />
and Ali Dudfield in the womens’ division. Ali also won in<br />
the women’s freestyle division.<br />
The subsequent leg of<br />
the tour was supposed to<br />
happen at the kitecenter<br />
on Cagbalete Island in<br />
Quezon province but had<br />
to be cancelled because of<br />
COVID-19.<br />
The Freestyle competition went<br />
underway on the last and final<br />
day of the second leg, with<br />
competitors were blessed to have<br />
winds blowing over 12 knots on<br />
the last day. Although wind was<br />
moving up and down during the<br />
entire heat, that didn’t stop both<br />
local and international athletes<br />
from bringing their A-game on<br />
and showcased heart-stopping freestyle tricks and action,<br />
much to the delight of tourists and locals watching the<br />
tournament. Ken Nakor from the Philippines and Abdul<br />
Moutatakil from Morocco, were tied at the top spot while<br />
Boracay local Reynard Gajisan bagged the prize for 2nd.<br />
10<br />
The subsequent leg of the tour was supposed to happen<br />
at the kite center on Cagbalete Island in Quezon province<br />
but had to be cancelled because of COVID-19 related<br />
advisories from the Department of Health advising<br />
LGUs to avoid conducting events with a large number of<br />
participants. Having a significant number of the PKA tour’s<br />
participants coming from abroad did raise a few concerned<br />
eyebrows. Similarly, an ocean yacht race heading for China<br />
was diverted to Subic Bay for similar reasons.
11
Cruising With<br />
CORONA<br />
They even refused to<br />
allow us dinghy access,<br />
an armed guard slammed<br />
the gate in our faces and<br />
snapped the lock shut.<br />
Words & Photographs by<br />
BRIAN CALVERT
H<br />
ere is where the plot thickens; we were ordered<br />
out of Camotes Island, so we contacted the Lapu<br />
Lapu Coast Guard and got clearance to return,<br />
no problem. Ah, but when we contacted the<br />
Cebu Yacht Club they refused to allow us back in. They<br />
even refused to allow us dinghy access, an armed guard<br />
slammed the gate in our faces and snapped the lock shut.<br />
This cut off our dinghy access to the shore, stores, and<br />
such. Although the staff was quite apologetic, all these<br />
edicts were made by a new owner who is anonymously<br />
hidden in a remote location.<br />
We found other, closer access soon and all was well.<br />
Onshore life was near normal albeit quiet. I got a haircut,<br />
lunch, motor oil, and Donna did our shopping.<br />
We have a large wonderful water maker, so water is rarely<br />
a problem but the water in the channel is quite murky, too<br />
much so for making water. I sent an email to the Yacht Club<br />
asking if we could simply pull up to the outer breakwater<br />
and fill our water tanks, we would gladly pay for the water,<br />
not be in contact with anybody and be off in a jiffy. This<br />
too was refused, again by the absent, anonymous owner.<br />
We are thrilled that Cebu Yacht Club has new ownership,<br />
but I think they need a bit of a lesson in humanity or at<br />
least understand cruisers better.<br />
So here we sit, anchored just off the shipping lane and a<br />
small squatter village. We have quite, easy access to stores<br />
which remain well-stocked and open, we will take a harbor<br />
cruise once a week to go out of the bay and make water. The
anchorage is rolly amplified by the current that puts us beam<br />
to the swell twice a day. Life seemed bearable, stores handy,<br />
a few restaurants offering take out.<br />
Then the full throttle of the lockdown was announced to take<br />
place in a couple of days. The easy access to stores turned<br />
into 3-hour lines, everything else closed up tight, only a few<br />
taxis remained in service where there once were hundreds.<br />
The usually congested streets were<br />
empty. I started to see that we needed<br />
another plan, fast. We visited some<br />
friends on a yacht that had just been<br />
splashed at Colorado Shipyard, they were<br />
tied to an old barge, power, and water.<br />
We can do this! So I contacted the yard.<br />
First a no, then a maybe, then an urgent call, can you get<br />
here in ten minutes to sign papers before the office closes for<br />
good. I dashed over in the dinghy, all power to the office was<br />
out, one nice lady waited for me. I hand-copied their release<br />
form, gave a cash deposit, we were set.<br />
So, we are now residents of “Isolation Island” along with two<br />
guys on the barge, one crew on the other yacht with his new<br />
The usually congested<br />
streets were empty.<br />
I started to see that<br />
we needed another<br />
plan, fast.<br />
puppy, Priam named Corona. We were only allowed one<br />
pass to leave the yard, and as the stores were not allowing<br />
anyone over 65 to enter, Donna gets the pass. There is a<br />
small market, pharmacy, and store within walking distance,<br />
a water filling station very close. The SM mall with a larger<br />
supermarket is out of our Barangay, but we get to shop there<br />
Thursdays and Sundays. One of the guards has been going<br />
out for our larger shopping on his motorbike.<br />
A few days into this I realized this was it<br />
for quite a while, best make the best of<br />
it. I have found my purpose in all this,<br />
and a fun one; keep my family happy<br />
and kid entertained.<br />
Priam is a marvel at self-entertaining, can<br />
play for hours with imaginary swords and<br />
airplanes. Donna has jumped headfirst into making sure we<br />
have a variety of great meals.<br />
This is a challenge; we are<br />
realizing how much we eat<br />
out! A LPG tank that usually<br />
lasts 6 weeks was empty in<br />
3, lots of cooking going on.<br />
With all that cooking and<br />
14
sitting I figured I had best go for a jog, now I jog two laps of<br />
the shipyard or kayak once a day, then eat.<br />
Our newest event is our daily poker games, loser does the<br />
dishes. Priam took to poker fast, quite good at it so I am getting<br />
dishpan hands ha ha. It is fun being brought to Kindergarten<br />
levels of imagination and fun, making handmade decorations<br />
for our holidays. Easter was celebrated with dying eggs, then<br />
Easter Egg hunts on the boat. The grand finale was our<br />
Easter Parade, Priam made Donna an Easter Bonnet, with<br />
All the Flowers on it, as we paraded around the boat, that<br />
wonderful song blaring, in gala style.<br />
The next holiday was a snap, one of my favorites, the Thai<br />
celebration of Songkran. A long water gunfight was just the<br />
16
thing on a hot afternoon. We tried to include our neighbors,<br />
but I think they hid from us.<br />
I know when the challenges surmount that we cling<br />
to the little bits of joy, losing them can be the most<br />
devastating. We started<br />
I know when the<br />
challenges surmount<br />
that we cling to the<br />
little bits of joy, losing<br />
them can be the most<br />
devastating.<br />
our “monthaversary”<br />
tradition of eating in a<br />
new place on the 18th<br />
of every month, our<br />
wedding day. I did not<br />
want this to fall victim<br />
to the virus, not at all.<br />
Providence has placed<br />
us next to a larger yacht<br />
with a full time, excellent<br />
Chef, who was glad to help. So, a plan began to take shape.<br />
Priam was thrilled to be our maître de and server. He and I<br />
strung some colored lights around the upper bridge table<br />
and “lit” the electric candles. I broke out the last of my<br />
Selene cutlery and crystal wine glasses, menus printed for<br />
the Further Cafe, and all set.<br />
All this activity was done in James Bond-like secrecy, Donna<br />
had no idea. Ok, some idea ha ha. I told her to dress up, a<br />
limo will pick us up at six pm. Priam drew us nice limonene<br />
which drove up to the candlelit deck. Our fine water told<br />
us he and a nice Pinoy 2016 (gift from the Chef) and an<br />
excellent Sprite, <strong>2020</strong>, I ordered both. The meal was<br />
sublime, incredible salad, steaks and fried rice, plus desert.<br />
Sitting under the Christmas lights, in the shipyard, we had<br />
the most memorable of our “monthaversary” meals ever, all<br />
on our very own “Isolation Island”.<br />
I hope this creates memories Priam will tell his kids/grandkids;<br />
How we came together as a family, had wonderful albeit<br />
unique holidays, and how we learned to be grateful for what<br />
we have. So for now, 45 days on the barge, making every<br />
day a new adventure; we are Living Large on the Barge!<br />
17
18
19
A foiling windsurf<br />
20
The Foiling<br />
Revolution<br />
Words by ROY ESPIRITU<br />
Photographs as Credited<br />
The science of watercraft is being pushed to the<br />
limits, allowing sailboats to sail more than twice<br />
the speed of true wind, and all sorts of watercraft<br />
getting sustained higher speeds more than ever<br />
before. All of this is because of foiling, the revolution in<br />
water propulsion that started in the early 21st century and<br />
is now gaining popularity and used<br />
on all kinds of water craft, from surf<br />
boards to 75 foot America’s Cup racing<br />
yachts.<br />
In Fluid Dynamics, a foil is a solid object<br />
with a shape such that when placed<br />
in a moving fluid at a suitable angle<br />
of attack, the lift (force generated<br />
perpendicular to the fluid flow) is<br />
substantially larger than the drag (force<br />
generated parallel to the fluid flow). If<br />
the fluid is a gas, the foil is called an airfoil or aerofoil, and<br />
if the fluid is water the foil is called a hydrofoil.<br />
Hydrofoils are all about reducing drag, reducing the vessel’s<br />
wetted surface allowing it to go faster. The International<br />
moth, a developmental class of singlehanded sailing dinghy,<br />
has seen the most widespread use of lifting foils in sailboats<br />
and was instrumental in technological development as well<br />
as popularizing foiling watercraft. Being a developmental<br />
class and not a one design class meant that innovations<br />
came quickly and were adopted widely. Without the<br />
innovations that came from the moth class, foiling on<br />
sailboats probably would have progressed much slower.<br />
Hydrofoils are all<br />
about reducing drag,<br />
reducing the vessel’s<br />
wetted surface<br />
allowing it to go<br />
faster.<br />
Lift using foils have been the basis of flight for airplanes<br />
since the Wright brothers, a wing after all is an aerofoil.<br />
While for sailboats the principle of lift usually applies to its<br />
sails creating lateral lift and allowing it to sail at a tighter<br />
angle into the wind. While underwater foils like center<br />
boards and rudders provide a similar lateral lifting force.<br />
Hydrofoils lift boats out of the<br />
water, thereby reducing drag, less<br />
surface friction means more speed.<br />
Traditional sailboats like the Laser<br />
and the Optimist have been fitted<br />
with foils with varying degrees of<br />
success. Flying above the water on<br />
foils is simple in principle but not<br />
that easy to implement, there are so<br />
many variables, it can be a challenge<br />
to keep track of them all on complex<br />
boats like the International Moth<br />
The Moth has two centerline T-foils, the forward foil is<br />
located where the centerboard is, while the aft foil is on<br />
the rudder. Ride height is controlled by flaps on the leading<br />
foil that is connected to a surface sensor wand. The moth is<br />
Hydrofoils as we used to know them,<br />
the Aldebaran a fast passenger ferry<br />
Marc Weiler<br />
Hydrofoils have been around since the early 20th century,<br />
in 1909 a hydrofoil called the Miranda IV was able to reach<br />
a speed of 65 km/h with a 60hp engine. Commercial<br />
applications started appearing in the 1950’s being used as<br />
fast passenger ferries as well as military attack craft such as<br />
torpedo boats and fast patrol boats.<br />
21
An International Moth ProVela<br />
the dark line at the bow of the<br />
boat is the sensor wand<br />
International Moths racing at the Moth World Championships<br />
Foil Surfing at the Easter Surf Foil Contest<br />
a complex boat that takes a bit of time to get right even if<br />
you’re a good dinghy sailor. “Mothies” (what Moth sailors<br />
call themselves) can tack and jibe while foiling, the hull<br />
touching the water only when the skipper is also in the<br />
water, once up in the air they can stay up as long as there’s<br />
enough wind (at least<br />
The angle of<br />
attack is controlled<br />
by the rider by<br />
maneuvering the<br />
board.<br />
6 knots). The crashes<br />
though can be epic as<br />
well as expensive.<br />
Foiling in board sports<br />
has seen a surge in the<br />
last decade, there are<br />
foiling surfboards, kite<br />
boards, windsurf boards<br />
as well as buoyant boards similar to SUPs that are propelled<br />
with handheld wing sails or even a paddle. The angle of<br />
attack is controlled by the rider by maneuvering the board.<br />
The learning curve in foiling can be rather steep, you<br />
usually have to be an accomplished rider before moving on<br />
to foiling sports, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you<br />
won’t go back to that plain old board.<br />
22<br />
A foiling laser dinghy
A Foiling Kite Surf<br />
23
Marc Weiler<br />
Foiling Windsurfers racing at the IFCA Foil Windsurfing Worlds<br />
Sailing fast has its own appeal, for much of the years from<br />
1986 to 2008 the world sailing speed record was held mostly<br />
by riders on boards; a windsurfer, or a kite surfer, in fact the<br />
long standing 50 knot barrier was broken by French kite<br />
surfer Sebastien Cattelan in 2008 sailing at 50.26 knot for<br />
at least 500 meters. This record didn’t last long though, as<br />
the next year the experimental foiling trimaran l’Hydroptère<br />
set the new record of 51.57 knots, The current speed<br />
sailing record is held by another foiling boat, the Vestas Sail<br />
Rocket, a purpose built boat made to set sailing records,<br />
the record now stands at 65.45 knots, that’s faster than the<br />
land speed limit of<br />
most countries..<br />
On the other end<br />
of the spectrum,<br />
a few companies<br />
are making foiling<br />
available for<br />
everyone.<br />
The technological<br />
and material<br />
innovations invested<br />
in foiling is more<br />
evident in yacht<br />
racing. Foiling first<br />
appeared in the<br />
America’s Cup in<br />
2013 in the AC72 class, a 72 foot wingsail catamaran with<br />
“L” shaped daggerboard foils on each hull and a T-foils on<br />
the rudders. The foils paired with its wingsail allowed boats<br />
in the 2013 America’s cup to have sustained speeds above<br />
40 knots of boat speed, the fastest recorded speed by an<br />
AC75 was from team New Zealand, clocking in at 47.57<br />
knots in 21.8 knots of wind.<br />
In the 2017 America’s Cup this was replaced with the smaller<br />
AC50 wingsail catamaran. This design evolved into the F50;<br />
24<br />
The International F50 fleet of SailGP<br />
An AC75 America’s Cup<br />
boat of Team USA<br />
showing off its canting<br />
T-Foil<br />
Lloyd Images
The foiling UFO’s main foil tucks safely between the hulls to allow for beaching<br />
The Foiling UFO, the orange rod at the bow is the height sensor wand<br />
wingsails is reminiscent of old America’s Cup classes and<br />
seaworthy traditions, but the rule includes hydrofoils to<br />
attract high performance crews and larger TV audiences.<br />
The Flyak<br />
a one-design, high performance, foiling wingsail catamaran<br />
that is the weapon of choice for the SailGP series, an<br />
exciting race, pitting seven international teams against<br />
each other in five iconic venues around the world. The<br />
boats are so bleeding edge, they’re more like spaceships<br />
than sailboats. Each team in SailGP has one crew member<br />
called a flight controller. Their job is keeping the boat<br />
flying at just the right height, controlling all hydrofoiling<br />
surfaces of the boat.<br />
In the upcoming America’s Cup in 2021 foiling will once<br />
again take center stage, with the AC75, a 75 foot monohull<br />
with canting ballasted T-foils and soft sails, they’re<br />
amazing boats to watch. The return to monohulls with<br />
soft sails after three America’s Cups on multihulls with<br />
Foiling on sailboats generally equates to high-performance<br />
and is usually reserved for more experienced sailors. On<br />
the other end of the spectrum, a few companies are<br />
making foiling available for everyone. One such company<br />
is Fulcrum Speedworks, designers of the Foiling UFO<br />
sailing catamaran. Its foiling appendages are similar to<br />
that of the Moth but on a beach cat hull form, the foils<br />
can safely tuck between the hulls allowing one to sail up to<br />
the beach. New learners can start sailing in displacement<br />
mode first then gradually move to foiling when they are<br />
confident enough. The ride height can be adjusted with<br />
the surface sensor wand similar to that on Moths. Learners<br />
as young as 12 years old are learning to foil with the UFO,<br />
It’s okay for older sailors too. in a promotional video of the<br />
UFO, a 65 year old is shown having a great time on one.<br />
Human powered craft are not exempt from the foiling<br />
revolution, the flyak is one such craft. You can probably<br />
guess that it’s a foiling kayak. You start in displacement<br />
mode but as soon as you get enough speed, the hull will<br />
start to rise above the water allowing you to go much<br />
faster. To demonstrate its speed, the designers pitted the<br />
flyak against a four man racing kayak team and the flyak<br />
won. Foiling is definitely here to stay, but with extra speed<br />
always remember to practice safety first. Sailboats used<br />
to just be an expensive way of going slow, but with foils,<br />
not anymore, yeah it’s still expensive but at least now it’s<br />
faster.<br />
25
WINGING IT<br />
Words by ROY ESPIRITU<br />
Photographs as Credited<br />
Wings and flight had always captured man’s<br />
imagination, the tale of Icarus from Greek<br />
mythology is one of earliest anecdotal iterations<br />
of the concept. These days, man-made wings<br />
have resurfaced, it hasn’t enabled “real” flight but it’s just<br />
as fun.<br />
The Kitewing is another popular version that was developed<br />
primarily for low friction surfaces like ice and snow, they<br />
use a monofilm material over a rigid carbon fiber frame. The<br />
fact that the rig sinks in water means that it’s not meant to<br />
be used on liquid surfaces, but that hasn’t stopped people<br />
from doing so.<br />
Wing Surfer, Surf Wing, Wing Foil,<br />
Hand Kite, Handheld Wing Sailing,<br />
Wing sailing and Wing boarding,these<br />
are some of the terms used to refer to<br />
the latest terrestrial and watersports<br />
activity gaining popularity. It is so<br />
new, there’s not even an official name<br />
for it. Many water sports equipment<br />
manufacturers have seen the potential<br />
of this new sport and are making their<br />
own modifications as the sport evolves.<br />
One of the earlier versions of this was from the mid 80’s, a<br />
windsurf modification called the wind weapon, invented by<br />
wind surfer and hang glider Tom Magruder. His wing was<br />
physically attached to the board like a windsurf sail but his<br />
wing can pivot from vertical to horizontal allowing the rider<br />
to launch himself and glide down like a hang-glider.<br />
The simplicity of the<br />
set up is the most<br />
amazing thing about<br />
it. No lines, no mast,<br />
no harness and in<br />
most models,<br />
no booms.<br />
For this purpose of this article, I’ll<br />
be referring to this new sport as<br />
Wingboarding, as it seems to be the<br />
most relevant and generally acceptable<br />
term for it, for watersports at least. The<br />
wing looks like a smaller version of a<br />
kite that kite boarders use but with a<br />
dihedral shape instead of a “C” shape.<br />
You can think of it as the love child of a<br />
kite board and a windsurf. The simplicity<br />
of the set up is the most amazing thing<br />
about it. No lines, no mast, no harness and in most models,<br />
no booms.<br />
Wings that are primarily used on the water usually have<br />
inflatable leading edge similar to kiteboarding kites but<br />
much larger, most versions have an inflatable central strut<br />
that provides rigidity, the central strut also has handles that<br />
26
Foiling Wingboarder on a beam reach<br />
27
allow the rider to control the wing. Some versions have solid<br />
boom that connect the leading edge and the trailing edge,<br />
windsurfers sometimes prefer the rigid boom because it is<br />
similar to what they are used to. Battens and windows like<br />
those on sailboat sails are also available on some models.<br />
Wingboarding is probably one of the simplest forms of<br />
sailing, it’s just the rider, a handheld sail and something to<br />
reduce surface friction, like a board on water, wheels on<br />
land, or skis and skates on snow and ice. The rider is the key<br />
element to enable motion and harness the wind, the rider<br />
serves as the mast<br />
The rider serves<br />
as the mast and<br />
control lines of the<br />
wing sail.<br />
and control lines<br />
of the wing sail.<br />
The<br />
component<br />
wing<br />
is<br />
Beginners usually start<br />
on their knees<br />
28
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29
A Kitewing used on a frozen lake<br />
30<br />
nothing more than a handheld sail made of dacron or monofilm<br />
or a combination of both that can propel a person on the water<br />
on a buoyant board like a surfboard, stand up paddle board<br />
or better yet, a foiling board. When used on land, riders just<br />
need to be careful when crashing or accidentally snagging<br />
an inflatable wing on something that can compromise<br />
The wing component<br />
is nothing more than a<br />
handheld sail made of<br />
dacron or monofilm or a<br />
combination of both.<br />
its airtightness.<br />
People have used<br />
wings to propel<br />
skateboards,<br />
mountain boards,<br />
ice skates, roller<br />
skates, even<br />
snowboards, skis<br />
and roller blades,<br />
but on the water is where it excels, a wing paired with a<br />
foiling board is a sight to behold. Experienced foiling<br />
wingboarders can tack and jibe while maintaining foiling<br />
flight; some can even launch themselves off swells for some<br />
air time.
31
Winging on a mountainboard<br />
Surfing with the wing depowered<br />
A foil board has another form of wing in the water called<br />
a hydrofoil, this underwater wing enables lift and allows<br />
the rider to “fly” above the water. Wing and foil board is<br />
probably the ideal combination for wingboarding, expect a<br />
sailing revolution<br />
Wingboarding has<br />
created a seamless<br />
marriage of wave sports<br />
and sailing, multiplying<br />
the fun factor<br />
as more of these<br />
hit the market, It<br />
doesn’t compete<br />
with kiteboarding<br />
or windsurfing<br />
but instead adds<br />
a whole new<br />
dimension to<br />
watersports. Wingboarding has created a seamless marriage<br />
of wave sports and sailing, multiplying the fun factor<br />
significantly.<br />
With adequate wind, a wingboarder surfing with foil board<br />
can start foiling even before he reaches the surf, and once<br />
he has caught a swell to surf, he can easily depower the<br />
wing by holding on to a handle on the wing’s leading edge.<br />
When the wave loses power can power up the wing and<br />
sail back to where the surf is, minimizing the paddling or<br />
board pumping required to go to where he wants to, this<br />
translates to more fun on the water.<br />
Cebu based sailmaker Hyde sails and Kite boarding supplier<br />
DSD manufacturing sell wings and foiling boards in the<br />
Philippines.<br />
32
33
Magic<br />
El Nido<br />
OF<br />
Words by BRUCE CURRAN<br />
Photographs as Credited<br />
CRUISE<br />
The fact of the matter is that the intrepid boater<br />
may, more or less, day-hop all the way from one<br />
end of the journey to the other.<br />
It is altogether a memorable and singular yachting journey<br />
from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Sabah to the old Chinese<br />
and Spanish port of Puerto Galera in Mindoro Island, set<br />
within the mid-drift of the Philippines Islands. However,<br />
along the route there are at least four phases within the<br />
overall journey of some 650 nautical miles.<br />
34<br />
The Balabac Islands<br />
Phase one is the run north along the coast of Sabah, passing<br />
the islands off the coast, and moving into the open waters<br />
of the Balabac Straits. Kota Kinabalu Mountain, is one of<br />
the 5 highest mountains in SE Asia (4095 metres), and is a<br />
spectacular sight lying inland along the Sabah coast, seen in<br />
all its glory at dawn or at dusk. The Balabac Islands are the<br />
introduction to the Philippine Islands, and the sailor has the<br />
choice of taking two ways, with a simple run up the west<br />
coast of the scenic mountain ridged main Palawan Island,
After all, the province<br />
of Palawan holds the<br />
treasure trove of one<br />
quarter of all the islands<br />
(1,780) in this archipelago<br />
of 7000+ islands.<br />
Kota Kinabalu to<br />
Puerto Galera<br />
In Memory of the Late BRUCE CURRAN<br />
or taking on the challenge of an adventure sail through<br />
the complex currents of the Balabac Islands with some of<br />
its coral reefs acting as gateways and gates into the open<br />
vastness of the Sulu Sea.<br />
East coast of Palawan Island<br />
The second route is an exciting challenge for those born to<br />
take on the x-rated coast of Palawan Island with its mass<br />
of littering by way of coral reefs and islands. After all, the<br />
province of Palawan holds the treasure trove of one quarter<br />
of all the islands (1,780) in this archipelago of 7000+ islands.<br />
It may be a complex area, but holds many riches of its own,<br />
for those able to tarry.<br />
The capital of Palawan province, Puerto Princesa is found<br />
about half way along this main island coastline, built facing<br />
the sea and within a large protected inland bay. The larger<br />
Dumaran Island is passed before a gaggle of smaller islands<br />
and coral reefs dot the seascapes found to the north of<br />
Puerto Princesa.<br />
35
Malaysia Mount Kota Kinabalu<br />
There is also the chance to tarry in the Balabac islands<br />
themselves. There is a snug anchorage in the cove near the<br />
SE tip of Balabac Island itself, with a steep climb up the path<br />
to the over 110 year old Spanish lighthouse at Cape Melville<br />
with its commanding view over an open ocean. Somewhere<br />
on the coral reef to the west lies the remains of the SS Melville<br />
herself. It is a poignant reminder that you are entering islands<br />
that have many wrecks some dating back<br />
1000 years ago when Chinese mainland<br />
Asian traders plied these waters in search<br />
of natural products, gold and pearls. They<br />
found an abundance of swift-spittle and<br />
sea-slugs that are delicacies built deep<br />
into the folk law of an ancient culture.<br />
West coast of Palawan Island<br />
The west coast is full of whales cruising<br />
in the deep waters of the Palawan Passage which lies some<br />
30 miles offshore for a safe passage all the way through<br />
to a preferred destination. The first 100 miles are perfectly<br />
explorable, but are guarded by semi-charted reefs that lie<br />
close and not-so-close offshore in the shallow waters of the<br />
continental shelf.<br />
Ulugan Bay is the first deep indent on the west coast, with<br />
road access to the capital city, Puerto Princesa, some 1 &<br />
1/2 hours away, which is an entry port for the Philippines.<br />
The Underground River<br />
A little north of here is one of the Natural Wonders of the<br />
36<br />
It is a poignant<br />
reminder that you are<br />
entering islands that<br />
have many wrecks<br />
some dating back<br />
1000 years ago...<br />
World, The St. Paul’s Underground River. This runs over<br />
8 kilometers into the mountain, and is a fascinating and<br />
awesome visit. Named originally by a British sea captain<br />
charting the area in the nineteenth century, because the<br />
main stalactite and stalagmite cavern reminded him of his<br />
beloved home country’s main cathedral in London town. A<br />
paddled local boat takes you into the dank coolness of the<br />
mountain for 3 kilometers.<br />
Port Barton<br />
The sail north passes a coastline with very<br />
British chart names, such as Queen’s head,<br />
before the pleasurable anchorage in Port<br />
Barton, where a ‘primitive’ developed resort<br />
scene thrives in a snug area cut off from<br />
the open sea by several islands and reefs.<br />
Waterfall swims, scuba dives, forest walks,<br />
and new friendship meetings add to the pleasures of the<br />
water journey that still lies ahead.<br />
The Malampaya Sound cuts inland for 30 miles, and is home<br />
to a unique pod of Irrawaddy dolphins that thrive in the<br />
brackish waters of the sound, and have become so isolated<br />
that they are the only recorded school of this type of<br />
dolphin in the whole of the Philippine Islands. Now guarded<br />
by a conservation project monitored by the local fisherfolk.<br />
El Nido<br />
Then there is the scenic majesty of the El Nido area, with<br />
its wealth of sheer limestone outcrops and several majestic
White Beach Port Barton<br />
Bagungan Waterfalls-tour-trekking<br />
Cabo Melville<br />
anchorage choices. A thriving coastal town with a fresh<br />
produce market as a boon for ongoing provisioning.<br />
Exploration possibilities are endless in this oasis. I am<br />
thankful for my 35,000 miles of cruising over the past 40<br />
years, and El Nido is a top favorite on the menu of places<br />
that need revisiting. Its magic is legendary.<br />
Weather Patterns<br />
North again lays an attractive coastline with many<br />
anchorages fir for a swim break or a quiet spot for reading<br />
that book that heeds finishing. The season from about mid-<br />
October to late May, brings in the NE (Amihan) winds, while<br />
the SW monsoon (Habagat) normally dominates the other<br />
months, with lighter winds and often mild weather on the<br />
cusp at the beginning and end of each season. The months<br />
from <strong>June</strong> through to December, the SW wind period, are<br />
known for their typhoons, with July and September both<br />
recording an average over 3 annually. Warnings are usually<br />
at least 3 to 4 days ahead, since most of them sweep in from<br />
the open Pacific Ocean. The NE winds, the ‘amihan’ winds,<br />
are the preferred ones for sailing clear of the northern tip of<br />
the main island of Palawan itself, and striking out to cross<br />
the open water country across the Linapacan Strait. Islands<br />
start to crop up all over the place either side of this exposed<br />
stretch of water. The Linapacan Strait is renowned for<br />
conjuring up strong to vicious winds blowing west through<br />
the Straits, but either side of this moody stretch of water lie<br />
umpteen anchorages.<br />
37
Onuk<br />
Ulugan Bay<br />
The Calamian Island Group<br />
The next necklace is ‘the Jewel in the Crown’ of coral<br />
island cruising. The 128 islands of the Calamian group are<br />
a cruising ground all of their own, and some cruising people<br />
have been there for years, and others still keep coming back<br />
and exploring the laced opportunities embedded throughout<br />
this paradise. Sand bars, palmed beaches, and rich turquoise<br />
reefs abound, while dugongs and kingfishers claim the area<br />
as the realm. In the sheltered waters to the south of the main<br />
island in the group, Busuanga, lie several resorts worthy of<br />
visits, with Sangat and Uson islands at the head of the list.<br />
Coron town itself, on Busuanga, has fresh market products<br />
as well as simple handicrafts on offer. Don’t expect a night<br />
out on the town, it is normally a very sleepy hollow!<br />
Calauit Island & The Apo Reef<br />
NW of Busuanga lays the game park on<br />
Calauit Island, with giraffe, springbok,<br />
waterbuck, zebra and local Calamian deer<br />
roaming free since the 1960s. Caged<br />
cat-bears that meow like their namesake<br />
prowl in their limited space, and penned<br />
Palawan crocodiles subsist in limbo,<br />
reminders that there are still formidable creatures out there<br />
that share our earth space. Inland, the endemic Palawanpeacock<br />
struts its way through the forests and the cry of the<br />
Palawan-hornbill sprays through the light breeze of a tropical<br />
dusk. This Philippine-African safari is a surreal trip through<br />
another dimension. On the north side of dominant Busuanga<br />
lies the boating anchorages at Rio y Mar, with a pleasant<br />
resort organized around water sports. A nearby island has a<br />
sister resort Club Paradise, that is a place as good as it gets<br />
on this journey deep into paradise. Finally, an open stretch of<br />
water carries cruisers to the protected reef system of the Apo<br />
Reef, splitting the Mindoro Straits in two. The number of coral<br />
species here rivals the entire number found throughout the<br />
whole of the Caribbean Sea. It is a divers’ haven, with coral<br />
fish and turtles amongst the rich tapestry in the underwater<br />
world.<br />
This Philippine-<br />
African safari is a<br />
surreal trip through<br />
another dimension.<br />
Mindoro Island<br />
Another stretch of open water ends at Pandan Island, where<br />
a true gem of a resort has spun its yarn for many years.<br />
The beach bar clock ticks timelessly as many tales are spun<br />
38<br />
between the international fraternity. Inland lies the open<br />
prison of Sablayan, which is worth a visit if only to buy a<br />
criminal built handicraft, or see how ‘crime pays’ for inmates<br />
to farm in idyllic surroundings.<br />
The west coast of Mindoro runs up to the Calavite Passage. This<br />
body of water is often host to serious winds screaming west<br />
down the passage and arching out like a fan for over 20 miles<br />
to seaward, way out into the Luzon Sea. The NE monsoons<br />
bring in the strong winds, and the sea is often rough.<br />
Puerto Galera<br />
This passage must be braved in order to reach the heart of<br />
paradise that lies around the corner at Puerto Galera. This<br />
perfect typhoon anchorage is enchanting,<br />
and wrapped lushly in great tropical beauty. It<br />
is a definitive home-from-home, and in one<br />
corner nestles the friendliness of the Puerto<br />
Galera Yacht Club. The Bar props up a lot of<br />
cruising experiences, and it is time to stretch<br />
out the legs, grab a glass of some local brew,<br />
and churn out the yarns of the cruising life.<br />
The PGYC fits in snugly like a piece of golden<br />
lining into this cloak of island cruising, reflected in the fact<br />
that they bill themselves as ‘The Cruising Yacht Club of the<br />
Philippines’.<br />
The overall boat trip has played out its four phases. The run<br />
up the Sabah coast is the ‘warm-up’ before the long stretch<br />
meandering through the Palawan islands, followed by the<br />
be-jewelled Calamian group offering up its magic. The final<br />
phase takes the boater through the soul of nature with the<br />
Apo Reef, Pandan Island, and the oft boisterous final stretch<br />
along the Calavite Passage, before reaching journey’s end in<br />
the tranquillity and awesome space that is Puerto Galera.<br />
The other point of the matter is that this immaculate harbour<br />
is the perfect place to base, then explore like an octopus<br />
reaching out in every direction to every nook and cranny,<br />
to find fresh delicacies scattered throughout a magic land.<br />
After all, if you stayed at every island in the Philippines for<br />
just 2 days it would take you 40 years to see this magical<br />
tropical archipelago laced with intrigue and mystery.
1948 to <strong>2020</strong><br />
COMBING THE<br />
CORAL CARPET<br />
Revised<br />
Edition<br />
A Tribute to Bruce Curran, a Sailing and Biking Mate.<br />
“Combing the Coral Carpet- Revised Edition”<br />
Sailing tales and the Cruising Guide to the Philippine Islands.<br />
A comprehensive coffee table book with over one hundred spectacular photos of the<br />
Philippines that includes maritime history, seafaring tales, anchorages and facts & facilities<br />
available along the water ways of the fantastic tropical islands of the Philippines with their<br />
wealth of friendly people.<br />
The new “Revised Edition” that updates the previous edition with new pages of updated and<br />
extra information is intended to be available for delivery October <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
All proceeds from the book sales will go to Bruce’s three children; Edward Swayn, Shauna Indra<br />
Salina and Edward Bali.<br />
Bruce Malcolm Curran was born in Edinburgh Scotland on the 26 th of November 1948 and sadly<br />
passed due to cancer related complications on the 17 th of April <strong>2020</strong> at the age of 71. Bruce will<br />
be missed by many, but his memory, legend and legacy to everyone he’s shared the magic of<br />
his time with, especially his children, will live on through his many books and writings.<br />
Pre-purchase your copy of<br />
“COMBING THE CORAL<br />
CARPET-REVISED EDITION” via:<br />
WEBSITE:<br />
authortravel.com<br />
EMAIL ADDRESS:<br />
combingthecoralcarpet<strong>2020</strong>@gmail.com<br />
PAYMENTS CAN BE<br />
MADE THROUGH<br />
MONEY TRANSFERS<br />
OR PAYPAL.<br />
Bruce had three main phases in his life’s Grand Journey:<br />
‘Land Journeys’ that have taken him to 16 countries from England to Pakistan, Europe, the<br />
Middle East and Africa on his Norton Commando 750cc motorcycle he named “Demeter”, the<br />
Greek “Goddess of Life” which he first purchased brand new in the United Kingdom in 1971.<br />
‘Water Journeys’ by sailing some 35,000 miles on a 40 year old - 37 foot wooden ketch which<br />
was rebuilt in Sydney, Australia. Bruce sailed in this ketch for two and a half years starting from<br />
Sydney sailing up to Darwin, then six and a half weeks non-stop to Mauritius Island, on to South<br />
Africa, then to St Helena Island in the South Atlantic, and finally to Brazil.<br />
This amazing adventure continued on into the Philippines when he first arrived in 1988. It was<br />
love at first sight. Bruce often set sail from Hong Kong, where he was based for 10 years, to<br />
explore the Philippines by water. He finally decided to move to Manila in 1997.<br />
Bruce quickly realised that the only real way to experience the Philippines was by boat, and<br />
he did so by sailing some 8,000 miles around his much treasured Philippines Islands. His<br />
unquenchable thirst for adventure and learning never stopped as he was driven by the beauty,<br />
diversity and people of the Islands of the Philippines which inspired him to write the best seller<br />
“Combing the Coral Carpet” and the <strong>2020</strong> sequel “Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition”<br />
He then progressed to what he called his ‘Head Journeys’ writing about his travels, adventures<br />
and experiences of this magnificent thing called life.<br />
“I like to see myself as having developed a keen ‘third’ eye that embroils me in life at all its<br />
vibrant levels. My passion is writing about what I see and how I see. I aim to leave a legacy of<br />
books, and one way or another see this as stamping my mark on the world as a legend!”<br />
-Bruce Curran<br />
Active Boating and Watersports, courtesy of Mr. Barry Dawson, are generously supporting<br />
“Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition” through this article and advertisement free-ofcharge<br />
in memory of Bruce.<br />
The first publication of Active Boating and Watersports was in September 2010. One of the<br />
most amazing characters involved was Bruce Curran who they’ve known as an author, a sailor,<br />
biker, adventurer and philanthropist.<br />
ORDER YOUR COPY<br />
NOW FOR ONLY<br />
$100 (P5,000)<br />
As an avid supporter of Active Boating and Watersports, he was a regular contributor of<br />
stories about the many amazing water adventures around the beautiful Islands and places of<br />
the Philippines.<br />
Thank you for your support to keep Bruce’s memory alive.<br />
We trust you will enjoy exploring the exotic waters of the Philippines whilst being guided by<br />
your copy of “Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition”.<br />
Bruce's Ad layout.indd 39<br />
6/15/<strong>2020</strong> 12:20:05 P<br />
39
Vincent Lecolley<br />
Discovers the Real<br />
V<br />
incent Lecolley is a French photographer based<br />
in the Philippines. Along with his Fiancée he is<br />
roaming around to taking pictures of the true<br />
Philippine culture, photographing manual workers<br />
doing their daily tasks here in the Philippines, and at the<br />
moment he is concentrating on the local farmers in Negros<br />
Oriental.<br />
One glorious sunny day when he was doing<br />
a little road trip with his fiancée in the south<br />
of Negros, he passed by one of his favorite<br />
places, the rice fields in Siaton.<br />
Eyeing some farmers hard at work planting<br />
rice, he decided to stop and started<br />
photographing until one of the farmers saw<br />
him.<br />
So they waved at each other and the farmer<br />
came over to see him and find out what he was doing. They<br />
talked for a moment and then Vincent explained to him that<br />
one of his projects was to pay tribute to the manual workers<br />
in the Philippines by photographing them and telling a little<br />
bit of their stories to the world.<br />
Soon word got<br />
around and when<br />
some of his relatives<br />
saw the pictures of<br />
him and he became<br />
a “instant star” in<br />
his province.<br />
They relaxed and took time to talk again, and Vincent learnt<br />
that Dionisio was 68 years old and despite his age he is very<br />
hard working, and lives in the mountain nearby.<br />
He started to photograph while he was planting the rice. The<br />
farmer was engrossed in his work seemed to really like it. His<br />
co-workers too were very industrious and<br />
working hard, and they were pleased that<br />
they were being photographed as well.<br />
When the day was done they left him<br />
with the promise to see each other again<br />
soon.<br />
They became friends and are keeping in<br />
touch with each other.<br />
Soon word got around and when some<br />
of his relatives saw the pictures of him<br />
and he became a “instant star” in his province. He started<br />
to receive texts from people recognizing him even received<br />
text from adjoining islands. Vincent has received messages<br />
from his family telling him how happy and proud they all<br />
are.<br />
The farmer was intrigued and seemed to be very interested his<br />
idea and he told Vincent that his name was Dionisio and that<br />
the next day he will be planting a lot more rice with the help<br />
of some other workers and invited him to come take pictures.<br />
Jumping at this opportunity of course Vincent said “YES!<br />
The following day, to get an early start he returned to Siaton<br />
around 7 am to meet Dionisio (the farmer) who was wearing<br />
his most stylish work hat.<br />
Dionisio has sent Vincent a message to thanking him and<br />
has told him that “people are now noticing him”.<br />
It was now Vincent’s turn to be really touched by the<br />
hospitality of the true Filipino worker and will continue his<br />
travels exposing more of the true Philippine traditions and<br />
the backbone of this amazing country. Active Boating will<br />
be following his exploits closely.<br />
40
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41
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46
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49
B<br />
eyond the southwest coast of Batangas lies Occidental<br />
Mindoro, a province that glimmers with a natural<br />
lustre that even the jaded traveller cannot ignore.<br />
Occidental Mindoro is a province in the Philippines<br />
located in the MIMAROPA region. The province occupies<br />
the western half of the island of Mindoro. Its capital is<br />
Mamburao but the largest municipality is San Jose.<br />
The province is bordered on the east by the province of<br />
Oriental Mindoro, and on the<br />
south<br />
by the Mindoro Strait. The South China Sea is to the west of<br />
the province and Palawan is located to the southwest, across<br />
the Mindoro Strait. Batangas is to the north, separated by the<br />
Verde Island Passage, a protected marine area and the centre<br />
of the centre of the world’s marine biodiversity.<br />
General land surface features that characterize Occidental<br />
Mindoro are mountains, rivers, hills, valleys, wide plains and<br />
some small fresh water lakes. The taller mountains can be<br />
found in<br />
There is also a mountain<br />
known as bundok<br />
ng susong dalaga,<br />
the “Maiden’s breast<br />
mountain”, that looks<br />
like a reclined woman.<br />
OCCIDENTAL<br />
Inasakan, Ilin Island<br />
50
the interior that it shares with Oriental Mindoro. Mountain<br />
ranges converge on the two central peaks, Mount Halcon<br />
in the north, and Mount Baco in the south. There is also a<br />
mountain known as bundok ng susong dalaga, the “Maiden’s<br />
breast mountain”, that looks like a reclined woman.<br />
The northern part of the province has relatively fewer plains,<br />
while the southern parts have wider flatlands. Most of the<br />
plains are cultivated fields, with few remaining untouched<br />
forests.<br />
Significant hilly areas can be found rolling off in Santa Cruz<br />
in the north and in San Jose and Magsaysay in the south.<br />
These are grassed-over rather than forested.<br />
There are several major drainage or river systems flowing<br />
on a generally westerly course: Mamburao River, Pagbahan,<br />
Mompong, Biga, Lumintao, Busuanga and Caguray. Swamp<br />
areas are restricted to the south, specially, along the river mouths.<br />
The town of Mamburao is the provincial capital and the<br />
set of government. San Jose,<br />
considered<br />
Words by BARRY DAWSON<br />
Photographs as Credited<br />
DESTINATION<br />
L MINDORO<br />
51
mapio.net<br />
Mamburao river<br />
the main commercial port of the province, is the centre of<br />
commerce and entertainment. The bustling town is home<br />
to major banks, restaurants, cafes and<br />
schools. To the northwest of mainland<br />
Occidental Mindoro is Lubang Island,<br />
divided into two municipalities – Looc<br />
and Lubang – along with the surrounding<br />
islands of Ambil, Golo and Cabra. These<br />
islands have fine white sand beaches.<br />
Sablayan, located at the centre of the<br />
province is the largest municipality. The<br />
town has its own municipal fish port,<br />
where produce is traded and shipped to surrounding areas.<br />
Sablayan is surrounded by a haven of biodiversity: it is the<br />
jump-off point to Apo Reef Marine Park, the white sand<br />
Mamburao extends<br />
far beyond into<br />
interior at the foot<br />
of the mountains.<br />
beaches of Pandan Island, and the magnificent heights of<br />
Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park.<br />
Mamburao City<br />
Mamburao was designated as the capital<br />
of Occidental Mindoro when the island<br />
province of Mindoro was divided into<br />
two separate provinces in <strong>June</strong> 13, 1950:<br />
Oriental and Occidental Mindoro<br />
The Municipality of Mamburao lies on<br />
the level area of the coastal bank of Mamburao River<br />
and extends far beyond into interior at the foot of the<br />
mountains. The town is situated along Mamburao Bay,<br />
Tayamaan Beach, north-west of Mamburao<br />
mindorotravelguide.com<br />
52
53
Apo Reef Natural Park<br />
between Tubili Point and Mamburao Reef, and affords<br />
good anchorage. Mamburao River empties into the bay<br />
about 3¼ miles eastward of Tubili Point. The bay has a<br />
good anchorage for northerly and easterly winds, but it’s<br />
exposed to the southeast monsoon. The Mamburao Reef<br />
extends 3¼ miles southward from Caroisan Point.<br />
The Island of Mindoro used to be called Ma-i before<br />
the Spanish colonizers came, it was an island nation in<br />
itself consisting of seven ethnic groups with their own<br />
language, customs and systems of writing. Collectively, the<br />
indigenous people were called Mangyan by the colonizers<br />
and the Tagalog settlers.<br />
Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Malay traders have records<br />
of trade with the people of Ma-i , Chinese traders who<br />
came to the island to trade were amazed how peaceful and<br />
honest the island’s inhabitants were.<br />
54<br />
The indigenous Mangyan of Mindoro are some of the<br />
most peaceful in the archipelago, not a warrior race, but a<br />
peace loving people preferring to avoid conflict as much<br />
as possible. Originally living in the lowlands, the Mangyan<br />
were driven to the mountains by Tagalog settlers. Despite<br />
their history, Mangyan culture is preserved relatively well<br />
and continues to thrive, their way of writing, prose and<br />
song preserved by the current generation for the future<br />
Mangyans.
Lubang Island at low tide<br />
domcajayon.github.io<br />
The island is divided into two provinces: the eastern<br />
side called Oriental Mindoro and the Western side called<br />
Occidental Mindoro. Much of Mindoro is agricultural land<br />
with no major cities at all. The more popular side of the<br />
Island is Oriental Mindoro, a well-known eco-tourism<br />
destination where 60 percent of the island’s population<br />
live, Puerto Galera a<br />
Originally living in<br />
the lowlands, the<br />
Mangyan were driven<br />
to the mountains by<br />
Tagalog settlers.<br />
natural protected<br />
harbour on the<br />
northern side of the<br />
island is one the<br />
more popular tourist<br />
destinations on the<br />
island.<br />
But in this issue<br />
we’re going off the<br />
beaten track and<br />
highlighting Occidental Mindoro, the beaches are just<br />
as good with great dive sites including the world famous<br />
Apo Reef National Park. Other than the main island of<br />
Mindoro, this province also includes several islands making<br />
it an ideal destination for adventurous boaters. Among<br />
these islands are the islands of Lubang and Ambil which<br />
are popular destinations for anglers.<br />
Occidental Mindoro’s tourism office was nice enough to<br />
provide us a list of places to go while in the province here’s<br />
Mangyans<br />
waytogo.cebupacificair.com<br />
55
a list of some of the best places to go while in Occidental<br />
Mindoro:<br />
Parola Park Lumang Bayan, Sablayan<br />
The park’s foremost attraction is a historic watchtower.<br />
Located in Sablayan, it was erected<br />
in 1861 which allowed the natives to<br />
guard against pirate attacks. In 1896<br />
it was equipped with bells to warn<br />
residents of impending raids. Later,<br />
a church was built which withstood<br />
the elements for ten brief years, but<br />
is now in ruins. A cannon which was<br />
used to defend the town is all that<br />
stands at a promontory.<br />
Round the clock watchers and defenders stationed there<br />
at signal or warn the people to hide while launching volleys<br />
of cannon fires to defend the town. Today, a lighthouse<br />
and an old cannon could still be found there. The park<br />
offers the best sunset view in town.<br />
Round the clock<br />
watchers and defenders<br />
stationed there at signal<br />
or warn the people to<br />
hide while launching<br />
volleys of cannon fires<br />
to defend the town.<br />
Calawagan River Resort<br />
In recent years, the island of Mindoro<br />
has become one of the fastest<br />
growing tourist destinations in the<br />
Philippines, owing to its many natural<br />
wonders and attractions. The beauty<br />
of this island is evident in its many<br />
spectacular beaches, rivers, streams<br />
and mountains. In particular, the<br />
Parola, Cabra Island<br />
Presing Park ( Parola ), Lumang Bayan, Sablayan<br />
Named after the wife of former Mayor Loreto Urieta<br />
during his term. It is a five-hectare park frequented by<br />
promenaders who seek relaxation. Overlooking the sea,<br />
the park enjoys cool breezes blowing landwards. At the<br />
middle of the park, 15th century cannon, believed to have<br />
been used against the pirates, is on display. A grotto of<br />
Our Lady of Fatima is visible at the far end of the park.<br />
This Mountain Park was served as the setting of a historic<br />
watchtower and the cannon was built in 1861 against<br />
Muslim pirates and intruders who used to raid the area.<br />
56<br />
Calawagan Mountain Resort is such a place that exemplifies<br />
the many amazing sights this land has to offer. It is located<br />
in the vicinity of the town of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.<br />
As a testament to the dedication of its inhabitants towards<br />
living in harmony with nature and keeping their environment<br />
unspoiled by human activity, the Calawagan River that<br />
runs through the resort was awarded as the cleanest inland<br />
body of water under the Ramos administration. The water<br />
that flows through the river is sources from many natural<br />
springs from the mountain and is clean enough to be the<br />
source of the community’s drinking water.
57
Mamburao Beach Resort<br />
Mamburao Beach Resort<br />
The resort operated by the municipal government, it is<br />
a one and a half-hectare resort situated on a riverbank<br />
at Barangay Alipaoy, 1.5 kilometers<br />
from the town proper. Since 1976,<br />
a relaxing place servicing local<br />
residents and the visitors from<br />
neighboring towns. The Calawagan<br />
Mountain Resort features several<br />
waterfalls, pools, cottages, tourist<br />
facilities, forests and hiking trails.<br />
It is an ideal locale for anyone wishing for a truly unique<br />
outdoor adventure.<br />
discovermindoro.com<br />
Mamburao is renowned<br />
for its world-class beaches<br />
with all the accompanying<br />
images of pristine, powdery<br />
white sands...<br />
Mamburao is a municipality in Occidental Mindoro, and<br />
it is renowned for its world-class beaches with all the<br />
accompanying images of pristine, powdery white sands,<br />
endless blue seas and palm trees lining the coast. Its beach<br />
resorts are top-notch too, with great accommodations and<br />
facilities which allow for great swimming, diving, playing<br />
water sports, or just plain relaxing with cottages along the<br />
beach that can be rented at very affordable rates.<br />
For those looking for a place to stay, Mamburao has a<br />
wide selection of hotels and inns that cater to any guest’s<br />
needs. In the whole province, Mamburao has most hotels<br />
aside from San Jose in the Southern tip of the province.<br />
La Gensol Plaza Hotel, Traveller’s Hotel, New Mindoreño’s<br />
Hotel and Restaurant are just some of the places you can<br />
settle in for a good night’s sleep.<br />
Ambulong Island San Jose<br />
This 3,000-hectare island is one of<br />
the three beautiful islands found in<br />
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. It is<br />
characterized by white sand beaches,<br />
cliffs along pillars jutting out of the<br />
water and underwater caves.<br />
Virgin Beach, Ambulong Island<br />
58
Coral gardens and tropical fish are abundant in several<br />
coves. A fisherman’s village is located at the sheltered side<br />
of the island. Ambulong<br />
It is acclaimed as one<br />
of the best in Asia and<br />
as a diving mecca in<br />
the Philippines.<br />
island is also a jumpoff<br />
point to some of the<br />
dive spots in the area,<br />
such as the Ilin Point,<br />
Baniaga Reef, Apo Reef,<br />
Ambulong Bank and<br />
Manadi Island. This dive<br />
sites are about an hour away by pumpboat from the<br />
Caminawit Port.<br />
The Apo Reef Marine Park includes the fascinating birdpopulated<br />
island of Binangaan and Cajos del Bajo. The<br />
island has a variety of bird species that lures birdwatchers<br />
and nature lovers.<br />
The waters surrounding the island are abundant with<br />
marine fauna and luxuriant coral growth represented by<br />
approximately 400-500 kaleidoscopic coral species. Marine<br />
life includes varieties of sharks, sting rays and manta rays.<br />
There are over 500 species present in the Reef.<br />
Apo Island<br />
Apo Reef National Park Apo Island, Sablayan<br />
One of the dive sites frequented by most divers in the<br />
Philippines is Apo Reef. It is acclaimed as one of the best<br />
in Asia and as a diving mecca in the Philippines. It is a<br />
34-kilometer reef teeming with the bio-diversity of marine<br />
life is located 20 miles west of Mindoro proper, with a<br />
narrow channel running east to west, dividing this reef into<br />
two lagoon systems is the north and south. Underneath,<br />
the clean waters, fine white sand and numerous coral are<br />
visible.<br />
59
Ilin Island<br />
ANN ROXANNE DE VERA<br />
Ilin Island San Jose<br />
Ilin Island is the biggest among the group of islands located<br />
in San Jose. It lies between San Jose and Ambulong Island.<br />
Ilin island has five beaches, some of which are fringed with<br />
reef making passage impossible during low tide.<br />
Lubang Island<br />
Located Northwest of Occidental Mindoro and west of<br />
Batangas, it was on this island where a Japanese soldier<br />
named Hiroo Onoda, was found in 1974, who surrendered<br />
Lubang Island, Onoda Trail<br />
60<br />
(046) 489-2087
domcajayon.github.io<br />
Ambil Island<br />
after 30 years of hiding in the mountains. Onoda was<br />
once thought to be the last straggler from World War<br />
2. Until Another Captain of the Japanese Imperial Army,<br />
Fumio Nakahira, held out for another six years more, being<br />
discovered in April 1980 in Mount Halcon, on Mindoro<br />
Island.<br />
Parola, Cabra Island<br />
62<br />
On the western portion of Lubang is Tagbac which offers<br />
more than five kilometers of gradually sloping, hued,<br />
sandy beach lined with coconut trees. Tagbac is around<br />
20 minutes away from Lubang town proper by jeepney.<br />
Favorite swimming areas are Tilik Beach and Canu Beach.<br />
Ambil Island<br />
Northcoast of Lubang Island, an interesting spot of Ambil<br />
is the scenic Besay Falls, which is a 20-minute walk from<br />
the center of Barangay Tambo, passing through rice<br />
plantations and carabao pasture. The falls features a series<br />
of waterfalls, each<br />
It was on this island<br />
where a Japanese<br />
soldier named Hiroo<br />
Onoda, was found in<br />
1974, he surrendered<br />
after 30 years ...<br />
cascading into a clear<br />
basin of about five<br />
meters in diameter.<br />
Cabra Island<br />
Southwest of Lubang<br />
Island, the island is<br />
generally flat with<br />
golden sandy beaches on the southwestern part and<br />
magnificent rock formation along the east coast. Cabra<br />
used to be a popular pilgrimage site because of reported<br />
apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Like Ambil, Cabra is<br />
also a favorite fishing ground of local and foreign anglers.
Mt. Iglit<br />
Mt. Iglit in San Jose is one of Occidental Mindoro’s<br />
reservation areas, declared as a game sanctuary for<br />
Tamaraws, an endemic animal found in Mindoro. The<br />
tamaraw bears a close to the Philippine water buffalo,<br />
commonly known as carabao. However, it is smaller and<br />
has shorter horns growing straight upwards forming a V,<br />
instead of curving wide open set of horns of the carabao.<br />
Pandan Grande Island Sablayan<br />
The island is a 30-hectare islet surrounded by a white sand<br />
beach and is also the site of 20-room diver’s lodge made of<br />
native cottages. This beautiful coral islet is located within<br />
snorkeling distance from a submarine drop-off, inhabited<br />
by schools of marine life.<br />
Tamayanan Beach Barangay Tamayanan, Mamburao<br />
It is a one-hectare beach lined with coconut trees. The<br />
beach is ideal for swimming and is frequented by local<br />
residents. It has picnic cottages lined along the beach that<br />
can be rented to tourists.<br />
Pandan Island<br />
Mt. Iglit<br />
63
White Island<br />
White Island Manadi, Barangay Ilin, San Jose<br />
It has an almost mile-long beach with smooth and powdery<br />
white sand. The tranquil and peaceful island is an ideal<br />
place for swimming, scuba diving and fishing. Sea turtle<br />
eggs are occasionally found buried in the sand and the<br />
visitors are reminded not to disturb the nesting area<br />
Diving in Mindoro Occidental<br />
BON MARC MENDENILLA<br />
Oriental Mindoro offers excellent diving in Sabang Puerto<br />
Galera, also known as the Pearl of Mindoro. Known by<br />
divers world-wide for its splendid beaches, coral reefs,<br />
Mt. Iglit is one of<br />
Occidental Mindoro’s<br />
reservation areas, declared<br />
as a game sanctuary for<br />
Tamaraws, an endemic<br />
animal found in Mindoro.<br />
vast variety of marine<br />
life, and exquisite<br />
dive sites, that are<br />
available to both the<br />
seasoned experienced<br />
divers and new divers<br />
alike. Occidental<br />
Mindoro, although<br />
at the present time<br />
Diving paradise at Apo Reef<br />
64
Abundant marine life<br />
is not as well-known as Puerto Galera, it is gaining world<br />
recognition as another diving paradise with a variety<br />
of activities to choose from, such as the chance and<br />
opportunity to discover many unexplored shoals and atolls.<br />
The areas surrounding Ambulong Island, White Island, Ilin<br />
Island and Pandan Grande all offer a rich diving ground,<br />
surrounded by magnificent coral reefs, and a marine life full<br />
of color and ranging from exquisite sea shells to exotic fish,<br />
coral reefs, walls, caves, canyons, drop offs and shipwrecks<br />
to explore.<br />
Dive Sites<br />
Some of the better dive sites in the area include the Alma<br />
Jane Wreck that was Intentionally sunk in 30m of water in<br />
March 2003, the Alma-Jane is a Portuguese Steel Cargo Ship<br />
measuring over 30m (99ft) in length. She sits perfectly upright<br />
on the sandy bottom near La Laguna and provides easy access<br />
to her hold, making for a wonderful swim-through! Sweetlips<br />
and schools of Large Snapper, Lionfish and Batfish are just<br />
a few of the modern-day residents found on the Alma-Jane.<br />
The hole in the wall<br />
A tremendous rock and coral formation resembling a mini<br />
mountain is the home for a wide range of flora and fauna.<br />
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66<br />
Mimaropa Festival Queen
Snapper, oriental sweetlips, stonefish, frogfish, coral<br />
groupers, remoras, red bass, sea perch and red emperors<br />
are all here, And when a good current is present, shoals<br />
of tuna and jack, as well as, king jacks are found in midwater.<br />
At 18m/59ft there<br />
Occidental Mindoro,<br />
is gaining world<br />
recognition as another<br />
diving paradise.<br />
is a small cave with a<br />
white gorgonian fan that<br />
occasionally has a white<br />
frogfish clinging to it.<br />
Basket sponges grow<br />
on the rocky coral along<br />
with small fans. Tree<br />
ferns, soft pink tree corals, feather stars of many colours<br />
and tubeworm cover the formation. At 12m/40ft there is<br />
a hole that is large and safe enough for a diver with good<br />
buoyancy control to swim through. Divers drifting during<br />
Whitewater kayaking<br />
Calawagan Mountain Resort,<br />
Paluan, Occidental Mindoro<br />
Ambulong Island<br />
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PAROLA Historical Cannon Bgy. Poblacion, Sablayan<br />
Beach at Mambualong<br />
flood tide from Weat Escarceo ‘fly’ through this hole. This<br />
site can be dived over and over again as there is so much<br />
to experience and see. Best to dive it at slack high tide,<br />
and due to strong currents in this area it is advisable to<br />
take a knowledgeable dive guide with you. It can also be<br />
a very colorful night life. One of the country’s awesome<br />
secret hideaways is the Apo Reef, regarded as the second<br />
largest in the world and is also acclaimed as the best in<br />
Asia and is the diving mecca of the Philippines, with a reef<br />
some 34klm in length.<br />
There are also some scub locations nearby more suited<br />
to novice and trainee divers, while some areas should<br />
only be visited by experienced divers with their own<br />
equipment.<br />
Where to Stay?<br />
Below are the list to DOT-Accredited Hotels and Resorts<br />
in the province<br />
1. CALINTAAN<br />
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• REEFCLUB INC. / APO REEF CLUB<br />
Sitio Bulaong, Calintaan
2. SAN JOSE<br />
• G STAR HOTEL AND RESTAURANT<br />
Liboro St., Brgy. San Jose<br />
Tayamaan Beach<br />
3. MAGSAYSAY<br />
• JDS HOTEL<br />
Rizal St. Cor. Gomez St., Brgy. I, San Jose<br />
• LA SOPHIA HOSTEL AND SPA<br />
Brgy. Pag-Asa, San Jose<br />
• SEASONS HOTEL AND CONVENTION CTR<br />
Airport Road, Brgy. San Roque, San Jose<br />
• SIKATUNA BEACH HOTEL<br />
Brgy. San Roque, San Jose<br />
• SJ MANSION HOTEL<br />
2213 Bonifacio St., Brgy. III, San Jose<br />
• MAGSAYSAY HILLSIDE RESORT<br />
Brgy. Poblacion, Magsaysay<br />
Where To Eat?<br />
Below are the list of DOT-Accredited Restaurants in the<br />
province<br />
Infinity farm<br />
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PARADISE IN THE DUSK - WHITE ISLAND<br />
ANN ROXANNE DE VERA<br />
1. MAMBURAO<br />
2. SAN JOSE<br />
• ALCAIDE’S RESTAURANT<br />
San Nicolas St., Brgy. 7, Mamburao<br />
• HILL PALM HOUSE CATERING SERVICE<br />
AND RESTAURANT<br />
Capitol Road, Brgy. Payompon, Mamburao<br />
• LEONE’S KITCHEN AND BAR<br />
Capitol Drive, Pag-asa Kaliwa, Brgy. 9, Mamburao<br />
• NAPS-EMERALD RESTO BAR<br />
Capitol Drive, Brgy. Payompon, Mamburao<br />
• CASAVIANCA RISTORANTE<br />
Quirino Street, San Jose<br />
• GRANDIYA VENUE AND RESTAURANT<br />
Aroma Center, Gate 1, Bgy. San Roque, San Jose<br />
• KOKOBAP KOREAN BARBEQUE<br />
Liboro St., Brgy. Pag-Asa, San Jose<br />
• RENALLY COFFEE SHOP (BEANLEAF PRODS)<br />
Brgy. San Roque, San Jose<br />
• SOLID FOOD STATION & CATERING SERVICES<br />
Rizal Cor. Zamora St., Bgy. Poblacion VI, San Jose<br />
How to Get There<br />
There are 5 ways to get from Manila to San Jose, Occidental<br />
Mindoro by bus, ferry, bus and ferry, car, train or plane. Take<br />
the bus from Jam Liner Buendia Bus Terminal to Batangas<br />
Pier. Take the ferry from Batangas to Sabang. Take the Local<br />
Bus from Abra de Ilog to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.<br />
Whatever you decide Mindoro Occidental is one of those<br />
places in the Philippines that should not be missed. A place<br />
to relax, enjoy and have fun.<br />
Sablayan Zipline adventure<br />
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OCCIDENTAL MINDORO<br />
MAP of OCCIDENTAL MINDORO<br />
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Lifesaving<br />
Progress<br />
During<br />
COVID-19<br />
Zambales Lifesaving<br />
Inc. have spent much<br />
of the lockdown time<br />
developing ways in<br />
which to try to help<br />
kick-start water safety<br />
in Zambales, after<br />
restrictions are lifted,<br />
this has been a three<br />
pronged approach.<br />
72
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on everyone’s<br />
lives, the damage done to the economy alone is<br />
huge, especially in the Resort Industry and with<br />
travel restrictions that will continue for some time.<br />
Zambales Lifesaving Inc. have spent much of the lockdown<br />
time developing ways in which to try to help kick-start<br />
water safety in Zambales, after restrictions are lifted, this<br />
has been a three pronged approach. The first has been to<br />
develop a Scholarship Program for unemployed Zambales<br />
youths, both male and female, this will allow approved<br />
applicants to train as an open water lifeguard for as little<br />
as only P1000.00, only 20% of the regular fee, however<br />
they will be required to donate 10 days of their time to<br />
supporting free to community programs, such as the annual<br />
„Swim-safe program“. The second has been to develop a<br />
website to assist in promoting tourism in Zambales, as<br />
higher number of visitors to beach areas will also increase<br />
the need for additional lifeguards, this is a two headed<br />
approach, one is the website www.zambalesphilippines.<br />
com and the other is a Yumpu Flip book presentation that<br />
allows the book to be downloaded to your phone, tablet or<br />
computer for further reference, businesses will be able to<br />
advertise in these publications at very reasonable fees, with<br />
any profits going to increase and expand the free to the<br />
public drowning awareness and prevention programs and to<br />
further increase the kids.<br />
„Nipper’s“ junior lifesaving program. For information on<br />
how to advertise and support this program, you can e- mail<br />
slszambales@gmail.com.<br />
Lastly has been, with the kind assistance of CDR. Larry C.<br />
Cendña, commander PCG Subic Station, to seek the approval<br />
of the Philippine Coast Guard for us to extend the validity<br />
of lifeguard certificates we have issued, that expired, or will<br />
expire during the COVID-19 restrictions, until such time as<br />
re-assessments are permitted, so as to not jeopardize the<br />
holders’ employment, or the customer safety, and of course<br />
the regulations in the resorts in which they are employed.<br />
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Article excerpts reprinted from the book<br />
CRUISER HANDLING<br />
by BOB BOND & STEVE SLEIGHT<br />
Sailing Tips<br />
You’ve always been interested to sail, but you know little about boat parts, the confusing techno-babble, and what<br />
little you know is making your head spin in four different directions! Worry no more. This continuing series of articles<br />
is for you: it covers tips regarding hardware present on most boats, as well as common sailing techniques, terms and<br />
definitions, the names of the different pieces of hardware, and much more. This will keep you informed about most<br />
things you will need before you begin your own sailing excursion. Be sure to consult with an experienced sailor and someone<br />
knowledgeable about boats.<br />
Although most of your sailing time will be spent trying to<br />
make the boat go as fast as possible, there will be plenty of<br />
occasions when it will be vital to handle the boat competently<br />
at slow speeds. Being able to do so, particularly when under<br />
sail, and being able to stop under full control, are neglected<br />
arts, particularly now that many boats have an engine, and<br />
the usual recourse in difficult conditions is to take down the<br />
sails and switch it on. However, there will be many times<br />
when it may not be practical or convenient to use the engine,<br />
and it is reassuring to know that you can handle the boat<br />
efficiently without it.<br />
SLOWING THE BOAT<br />
Obviously the simplest way of reducing speed is to reduce<br />
the sail power. On upwind courses above a beam reach, you<br />
can ease the sheets so that the sails flap slightly. Speed can<br />
then be increased by sheeting in, and reducing by easing out,<br />
76<br />
the sails. For a more permanent slow speed, the sails can be<br />
reefed or lowered. On offwind courses, the mainsheet cannot<br />
be eased since the boom will be prevented by the shrouds<br />
from going out any further. The jib can be eased sufficiently<br />
to spill wind, but this may not be enough; again, the sails<br />
can be reefed, or if the course is not critical, the boat can be<br />
turned to a close reach and the mainsail eased. When sailing<br />
at slow speeds, the boat may handle quite differently. The<br />
steering may feel sluggish and the boat will tend to be more<br />
affected by crosswinds, drifting to leeward quite noticeably<br />
when slowing down on an upwind heading. Take care that the<br />
bow does not blow downwind or the sails will fill again and<br />
the boat will pick up speed.<br />
USING A LEADLINE<br />
There may be occasions when the skipper of the boat asks the<br />
crew to check on water depth using a leadline, the traditional
Controlling Boat<br />
Speed<br />
Heaving to<br />
method of measuring it, The boat should be sailed slowly<br />
forwards using the techniques above, and a crew member<br />
should be asked to go forward to the leeward shroud with the<br />
leadline, which is marked at regular intervals along its length<br />
with knots or marks representing fathoms or meters. The lead<br />
should be swung forward, and the line let<br />
out until the lead hits the seabed. When<br />
the leadline is vertical, the user should<br />
note the number of knots or the marking<br />
at the water’s surface, and inform the<br />
skipper.<br />
HEAVING-TO<br />
Heaving-to is one of the most important<br />
handling techniques, it allows you to stop<br />
or slow down the boat under full control.<br />
This can be useful when you want to<br />
change sail, reef or steady the boat for any reason, and for<br />
man overboard. Because of the effect of tidal streams and<br />
the boat’s windage, the boat will not lie completely stationary<br />
but will drift, and the navigator must take this into account.<br />
The way in which a boat will lie steadiest depends on the<br />
There will be many times<br />
when it may not be<br />
practical or convenient to<br />
use the engine, and it is<br />
reassuring to know that<br />
you can handle the boat<br />
efficiently without it.<br />
weather conditions and the boat’s drifting characteristics. No<br />
definite rules can be given about the method to use and the<br />
skipper must experiment to find what suits this boat in various<br />
conditions. For short stops let the sails out and lash the tiller<br />
to leeward. The boat will then drift slowly leeward and move<br />
ahead as the boat alternately luffs and<br />
bears away. However, this method should<br />
not be used for long stops, as the flogging<br />
of the sails puts a great<br />
deal of strain on them and the rigging.<br />
A method suitable for longer stops is to<br />
back the headsail, ease out the mainsail<br />
and lash the tiller to leeward; it works<br />
best in long-keeled craft: fin-keeled<br />
boats may not lie steadily and you will<br />
have to experiment with the sail and tiller<br />
positions. If you are heaving-to in order to ride out rough<br />
weather, you may find it necessary to lower one of the sails<br />
to reduce the sail area. Which sail you choose to lower will<br />
depend on the design of the boat and you will have to find<br />
out the best method by experimenting.<br />
Leadline<br />
Man overboard rescue<br />
Testing depth<br />
Reducing speed<br />
and stopping for<br />
man overboard<br />
rescue<br />
77
Afte<br />
Words by ROY ESPIRITU<br />
Photographs as credited<br />
78
Iwhen they can go back to the water<br />
again to enjoy their favorite activities.<br />
Many were hopeful to know that sun<br />
exposure kills the virus and a great<br />
source of vitamin D, allowing them to<br />
go back to the water sooner.<br />
n the lockdown and quarantine measures imposed during<br />
the COVID19 pandemic, access to the water for most<br />
people came from a tap, this has frustrated watersports<br />
enthusiasts, all of them wondering<br />
The health crisis has created a<br />
paradigm shift in the way we act and<br />
behave around others, from essential<br />
work to casual interaction. Sports in<br />
general is expected to take a big hit,<br />
large crowds that fill coliseums and sporting venues are a thing<br />
of the past unless a vaccine is developed and the population<br />
vaccinated.<br />
Nothing highlights this crisis in sports than the postponement<br />
of the <strong>2020</strong> Tokyo Olympics, athletes along with sailors have<br />
been in Japan for several months for training prior to the<br />
pandemic. One can only imagine<br />
Nothing highlights this<br />
crisis in sports than the<br />
postponement of the <strong>2020</strong><br />
Tokyo Olympics, athletes<br />
along with sailors have<br />
been in Japan for several<br />
months for training prior to<br />
the pandemic.<br />
their disappointment upon hearing<br />
the news that the fulfillment of<br />
their dreams will be put on hold.<br />
Watersports in general are noncontact<br />
sports, most of them are<br />
not even spectator sports, where<br />
large crowds gather to watch.<br />
Spectator sports like basketball and<br />
football are expected to decline,<br />
wearing personal protective gear<br />
to play these contact sports is out<br />
of the question and makes one wonder what is the future of<br />
contact sports after the pandemic.<br />
r r a a Pandemic<br />
79
Single handed watersports are expected to thrive, sports such as<br />
swimming, dinghy sailing, surfing and other board sports. While<br />
sports that need pairs can still go on as long as the duo come<br />
from the same household, skipper and crew sailing on Hobie<br />
16’s, 420’s and 470’s are some examples. Getting new people<br />
into sailing might take a dip since time on the water with an<br />
instructor is usually a requirement. As such, sailing instruction will<br />
have to look at other means of getting people on the water.<br />
Getting new people into<br />
sailing might take a dip<br />
since time on the water<br />
with an instructor is<br />
usually a requirement.<br />
Innovations in board<br />
watersports are<br />
expected to give the<br />
sport a resurgence,<br />
the portability of gear,<br />
along with foiling<br />
flight is expected to<br />
get people’s attention.<br />
Adamo Aono<br />
80
Surfing, Kiting, SUP’s along with wind surfing and wing<br />
boarding can expect to see a rise in new learners. Likewise,<br />
athletes that had to take a leave from contact respective<br />
contact sports are looking to get into something new and<br />
board sports can be key. It’s time for the industry to ramp up<br />
promotion of their watersports.<br />
Team watersports on the other hand might see a decline in<br />
participation, dragon boat paddling is one such sport that comes<br />
to mind; where 11 to 22 people are sitting less than an arm’s<br />
reach from each other, physically exerting themselves to make<br />
the boat go faster. Wearing a mask during strenuous activities is<br />
not advised as it increases one’s CO2 intake and can cause one<br />
to asphyxiate, while not wearing a mask is out of the question<br />
because of the heavy breathing each team member needs to do,<br />
breathing someone else’s breath is totally out of the question.<br />
Adamo Aono<br />
81
Yacht racing can still go on, maybe with smaller crews or crews<br />
from the same household, Likewise, regular crew can wear<br />
masks and PPE’s as physical strain is not as heavy or constant<br />
as dragon boat paddling, it might be a little uncomfortable<br />
wearing a PPE on board but most sailors are used to some<br />
discomfort. Physical distancing can be practiced on board a<br />
yacht with very little issues.<br />
All in all, watersports enthusiasts along with their providers and<br />
suppliers need to innovate in adapting to the new paradigm,<br />
fun on the water needs to go on. Being one with nature is<br />
what everybody needs in the post COVID19 world.<br />
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PHILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY<br />
84
85<br />
PHILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY
87
P H I L I P P I N E S<br />
YACHT PARTS, SALES and SERVICE<br />
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