National
Lawin Dinghy
Championship
2006
National
Lawin Dinghy
Championship
2006
Sailing in Volcanoes
Sailing in Volcanoes
©The Cruising Yacht Club
of the Philippines
ALL SOULS
REGATTA 2006
ALL SOULS
REGATTA 2006
December 2006
Commodore’s Letter
PGYC Board of Directors
Commodore: Jurgen Langemeier
Vice Com: Peter Stevens, Mike Tucker
Treasurer: Geoffrey Cannell
Directors: Carl Broqvist,
Malcolm Morrison, Vincent Ruais,
Nick Spence, Martyn Willes
-----------------
Secretary: Carlos Garcia
Philippine Copyright © 2003 - 06 by The
Puerto Galera Yacht Club, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Contents
Commodore’s Letter 3
PG Nature:
Corvids and Other Black Birds 5
Sailability Philippines 7
National Lwin Dinghy
Championship 2006 9
All Souls Regatta 2006 12
Sailing in Volcanoes 21
Bali to Perth Part 2 24
The Lighthouse Marina Resort 31
Yacht Friendly Moorings
Blue Rock Resort, Subic Bay 32
Production
Sales & Distribution:
DeBe Enterprise & Service
Design: Terry Duckham/Asiapix Studios
Layout: Aira Fernando/Asiapix Studios
Front Cover : Bernadette Willes
Special Thanks: Martyn Willes
Cruiser News is published by
Puerto Galera Yacht Club Inc.,
P.O.Box 30450 Sto Niño,
Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Philippines
Tel / Fax : 63 (043) 442-0136
Email: info@pgyc.org
www.pgyc.org
As I write this, our esteemed leader, Jurgen, is stuck in Manila as Typhoon
Durian batters its way towards us. As soon as I finish writing I am heading down to
the moorings to check my boat, double-up the lines, maybe shackle the anchor chain
to the top of the float. I’ll then buy a few provisions, dig out the oilies, towels, VHF
radios, warm the engines and get ready to spend the night aboard.
Since the September edition life at the club has been busy. First there was
the DHL HEAVYLIFT ALL SOULS REGATTA during the last weekend of
October. This was a great success, despite a little confusion generated by the racing
committee. We had eighteen keelboats and multi-hulls competing, plus seven
Hobies from the Taal Lake Yacht Club. Three days of racing, followed by three
nights of partying, were enjoyed by all. The final results were a glorious success for
the sport of sailing (see story inside for detailed placings).
On the Saturday and Sunday of the regatta, we held the first National
LAWIN Dignhy Championship, with visitors from Philippine Sailing Association
(PSA), Subic Bay, Puerto Princessa and our local students. We were also delighted
to entertain four disabled sailors from Sailability Philippines, who came down to
practice for the upcoming FESPIC games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Two days of varying conditions resulted in a sailing lesson for all from the PSA
teenagers, who took all honours except for a third place in the Open division, which
was justly claimed by the youngsters from Puerto Princessa. They sailed extremely
well and were a pleasure to watch on the water. We are looking forward to them
helping us bring our promising young boys and girls up to their standard.
Four of our students are off to compete again in a regatta in Puerto Princessa
over the weekend of the 16/17 December. This will be a great adventure for them
as none has ever flown before. This has been made possible by very generous
sponsorship from our new Life Member Judes Echauz of Standard Insurance, who is
funding travel and accommodation. A fantastic offer. Many thanks to you Sir.
The Wet Wednesday season is in full swing, with around six boats out on the
water every Wednesday afternoon. It’s a great way to bring new sailors into the club
and is a fun and sociable afternoon. If you are in town just pop over to the club at
1.30pm; cost Php200.
On the F&B front we are getting ready for the Christmas season and have a
full range of traditional events planned, including our Christmas Regatta. We are
kicking off with the first of our monthly SUNDAY ROAST LUNCHES, which are
scheduled for the first weekend of every month. We are starting with turkey and
ham but have beef and lamb on the horizon, with full trimmings, spuds, squash etc.
Hopefully it will be the venue for our new members to bring their families
and get to know us all. We welcome new Members: Austen Chamberlain and Keith
Elliot; and, new Life Members Michael Raeuber, Ernesto “Judes” Echaus and Dirk
Van Straalen.
On behalf of the Commodore, Directors and staff of the Yacht Club I wish
you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Peter Stevens
Vice Commodore
November 30th 2006
The views expressed in Cruiser News are those of the
authors and not PGYC. No responsibility for any loss is
accepted by the authors or by PGYC
The family
CORVIDAE includes
Jays, Magpies and
Crows, of which
there are 100 species
worldwide and 22
in Southeast Asia.
It seems that the
Philippines has only
two representatives
of this group – both
crows – the Slender-
billed and Large-billed
varieties. The former is not a bird of towns
and open country but prefers forests up
to 1000m. So not many of them around
Puerto Galera. The latter, the Large-billed
Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos – ‘macro’
being large, ‘rhynchos’ being something
to do with noses), is the common large,
black bird seen around the town and over
the bay, sometimes singly
but more often in small
groups. It is known locally
as UWAK, or perhaps
KAKWAK, which is
presumably onomatopoeic
and refers to its call,
which is described as
weerrk, weerrk, weerk.
Cool.
Its flight is typically
buoyant and direct and
it eats almost anything,
from carrion to live
prey, nestlings of other
birds included. As to
be expected of such an
unfussy eater, it thrives
across a large swathe
of the Asian region,
from Iran to NE Asia,
including the whole of
SE Asia, down through
the Philippines and into
Sumatra and Java. Locally
it is found on every large
island in the Philippines.
Another, although
much smaller and visually
inconspicuous black
bird is the ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN. I say ‘black’
but actually it has a white belly and flash on its wing.
Although not particularly common, you are more likely
to hear it before you see it. It’ll be perched fairly low
down or in the middle of a scrubby bush from which a
beautiful clear, melodic song will be floating on the wind.
If you take a few minutes to listen quietly and carefully
you will soon notice that the song contains a mixture of
repeated phrases. If you do get to see it, it’ll be perched
holding its long tail high, flicking it from time to time.
Be careful not to confuse
it with the similarly-sized
PIED FANTAIL, which
hangs out in the same
habitat but is much more
active, has a white throat, no
white in the wing, a smart
white eye-brow and a much
longer tail, tipped white.
Three down, one
CORVIDS and other Black Birds.
Words by Peter Stevens
Photos by Romy Ocon
PG NATURE:
CORVIDS and other Black Birds.
PG NATURE:
Large-billed Crow
Asian Glossy Starling
Oriental Magpie Robin
PGYC
December 2006
6
to go. The ASIAN GLOSSY
STARLING (previously
the PHILIPPINE GLOSSY
STARLING) is a common, noisy
and gregarious denizen of cities,
parks, coconut plantations, etc.
and is not to be found in true
forests. From a fleeting glance one
gets the impression of a plain black
bird, flying fast and direct in small
flocks. A closer look will reveal
a beautiful black/green glossy
plumage and a beady red-eye.
Immature birds are dull brown
with dark streaks on a white
breast. It’s particularly partial to
fruit and insects and likes to roost
in flocks. You will know that, of course, if you hang out on the
pier at the Muelle in the evenings. You cannot help but notice
the bird traffic zipping past into the biggest palm tree, just
past the Rock ‘n Roll. Starlings into the top, sparrows into the
bottom - ornithological apartheid. For about an hour before
dark the birds start to target the
tree, flying in fast and true and
chattering amongst themselves
about the day’s events. This
cacophony continues until
just on dark, when they all
settle down, starlings and
sparrows, to sleep. As far as I
can remember this has been
happening for years in the
same tree, maybe a couple of
hundred birds each night and
you know what? Not a trace of
bird poo anywhere. Not one
white speck either in, on or
below the tree. I guess its not the
done thing in the bird world to foul the space in which you
live. Judging by the state of our world, this is an example from
which we humans could learn much.
I’m off to my pit………. q
Pied Fantail
Sailability Philippines is all about getting as many people
on the water as possible. No matter what your disability
(physical, mental, social or financial) Sailability is committed
to providing sailing tuition and competitive training to
everyone.
Founded in July of 2006 this not-for-profit group is
headed by sailing veteran Doni Altura (Sailing Committee
Chairman of PHILSPADA (Philippine Sports Association
for the Differently Abled)) and ably supported by Philippine
Sailing Association, plus individuals such as Jerry Rollin and
Judes Echauz. Sailability has its roots in the United Kingdom,
where it was launched in the 1980’s by the Royal Yachting
Association under their Seamanship Foundation, and now
encompasses groups in at least fourteen other countries.
Based in Manila, Sailability Philippines has come a long
way in a few short months. Their first competitive outing
was to Puerto Galera in October for the All Souls Regatta,
National Dinghy Championship, where their team placed
fourth in the Open Division. This was followed a few days
later by two of their number flying to Singapore to learn how
to sail a new class boat -- Access Liberty class – and then on to
the FESPIC games held this year at Port Dickson, Malaysia,
where they won the individual silver in the men’s division and
team bronze overall.
In international competition Sailability sailors use
various class boats specifically designed for the handicapped
– boats that are virtually indestructible and impossible to
capsize under normal conditions. There are single, dual
and triple seat class boats as well as a modified Hobie 16s,
which are sailed competitively by one disabled and one able-
bodied crew. In Manila the group possess two, (donated by
Sailability Singapore) Access 2.3 dinghies that can be seen
most weekends being launched from the Manila Yacht Club.
It is their immediate goal to find sponsors or donors for two
SAILABILITY
PHILIPPINES
Words by John Smart
Photographs by Martyn Willes and
Sailability Philippines
SAILABILITY
PHILIPPINES
Left: Cherrie and Louie in Access 2.3 happy pair tootling. Much
fun but not much wind. Top: A leisurely Saturday in Access 2.3
that, for example, a single leg amputee (rating of 1) needs a
blind sailor (rating of 7) as crew partner in order to meet the
required combined rating of 8. Not being able to swim is no
handicap -- most of the Sailability Philippines group can’t
swim but demonstrate water-confidence when equipped with
a suitable lifejacket. In fact, people suffering from autism
are perhaps the only disabled group who would find it too
challenging to sail competitively – the reflections from the sun
on the wave-tops cause too much distraction.
If you know someone who is disabled who wants to get
into sailing then ask them to attend a “Come’n Try Saturday”
at the Manila Yacht Club, from 9.00am to 1.00pm. If you or
your company want to get involved with sponsorship of boats
as part of a community development project then contact
Sailability Philippines through their temporary administrative
office in Manila: telephone +63 2 824 7677 (ask for Leila) or
email synergyms@zpdee.net q
PGYC
September 2006
8
Access Liberty dinghies so that they can
compete around Asia and at the Olympic
games in Beijing and then in London.
Cherrie Pinpin is perhaps the group’s
most delightful ambassador. An amputee since
childhood – she lost her right leg to bone
cancer at age 11 – Cherrie has motivation and
determination for a fleet of sailors. Formerly
on the national small–bore rifle team, after
winning individual and team gold for her
country (air-rifle .177) she found a new
challenge in
sailing. And
not only in
boats designed
for the
handicapped:
following
the dinghy
championship in Puerto Galera Cherrie crewed on Suzie
Burrell’s Sandoway (Sydney 36), where Martyn Willes gave
her a first lesson in keelboat mainsheet trimming; and, Cherrie
had her first open sea experience on a Hobie 16, sailing with
the Taal Lake Yacht Club team back across the Verde Passage
to Batangas following the regatta.
Clearly demonstrating that disabilities are no barrier
to having serious fun on the water, the Sailability group in
the Philippines currently comprises: two deaf sailors; two
triplegics; six wheelchair bound; two amputees and one polio
sufferer. In international competition, each disability is given
a rating and for the highest levels of competition a two person
boat must have a disability rating of at least 8. Which means
Left: Doni Altura:
PhilSPADA Sailing
Committee Chairman; Top: Cherrie Pinpin: most delightful ambassador,
lost her leg age 11; Right: Downs syndrome no obstacle
“. . . and no Ooching!!”, I
admonished in my most instructive
tone. 30 pairs of young eyes were
raised heavenward. “Ooching??” . . .
”Wazzat?” . . . “Oh no! not something
else to learn!” I was standing in front
of 30 young sailors each eager to
get out on the water and compete.
My task was to brief this lot - safety,
NATIONAL LAWIN
DINGHY CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
Words by Russ Hughes Photos by Peter Stevens
The first National Lawin Dinghy Championship was held as part of the DHL / Heavylift
Manila All Souls Regatta 2006 event and saw some of the stiffest competition of any sailing
event in the country. Ed.
courses, flags, times…the-whole-nine-
yards. They just wanted to get on with
it, and following the briefing that’s just
what they did.
A total of 15 different crews
from all over the Philippines were
competing, including teams from
the Abanico Yacht Club Puerto
Princessa, Subic Bay Yacht Club, our
Continued on page 11
Team PSA Perfect Start
Team Subic Heeling In Gusts
own PGYC team, a large contingent from Philippine
Sailing Association (PSA) Manila and from Sailability
Philippines -- the Philippine association for handicapped
sailors. This last group was to use our regatta to hone
skills in preparation for their upcoming visit to Malaysia
where they are to represent the Philippines.
Winds were light the first of the two days so
courses became ever shorter as the day progressed. It
quickly became apparent that the PSA teams were
going to dominate. Their superior boat handling clearly
illustrated their excellent training and discipline. Winds
on day two were a bit stronger, which suited the heavier
PSA teams who again took the day.
Results showed PSA with 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the
under 18s with PGYC taking 4th. PSA took 1st and
2nd in the over 18s with Abanico YC taking 3rd and
Sailability taking 4th.
Organizing was skillfully accomplished by Peter
Stevens and Donna Penman. The Lawin dinghies were
kept in great shape by ‘Sky’.
To the credit of all the young sailors there was only
one protest over the two days and that at the start of the
first race!
There were a few burnt noses a few “ouches!” but,
happily, “No Ooching!!” q
The technique of throwing oneself forward in a
dinghy to get the boat on the plane before it would
under normal sailing conditions. The penalty is
usually disqualification.
OOCHING
National Lawin... continued from page 9
PSA Demonstrate Faster Downwind Boat Handling
PGYC
December 2006
12
National Lawin Dinghy Championship
The Philippine Sailing Association (“PSA”) came to
Puerto Galera with one primary objective: to seek revenge for
their defeat by Puerto Galera’s junior sailors in Subic Bay during
the President’s Cup earlier in the year. They succeeded.
Taking the first three places in the Under 18 division and
the first two places in the Open division the PSA’s finest taught
ALL SOULS REGATTA 2006
ALL SOULS REGATTA 2006
Words by Martyn Willes Photographs by Terry Duckham and Bernadette Willes
The DHL/Heavylift Manila All Souls
Regatta 2006 was the third successive
regatta held during the All Souls
vacation period. This year it included,
for the first time, the National Lawin
Dinghy Championship. Representatives
from sailing clubs from all over the
country and visiting crews came from
overseas to enjoy the sailing fun in The
Most Beautiful Bay in the World.
everyone a thing or two about dinghy sailing. Third place in the
Open division went to the team from the Abanico Yacht Club
in Puerto Princesa, competing for the first time outside their
home port.
As you can imagine, with teams from Manila, Subic Bay,
Puerto Princesa and Puerto Galera there was much fun and
camaraderie both on the water and at the parties that followed.
See separate story on page 9 of this issue for a first hand
account from Russ Hughes.
The Race To Get here
The race from Manila Yacht Club to Puerto Galera
featured eight starters, most of whom slipped out of Manila
Bay and along the Batangas coast as far as Punta Fuego under
spinnaker. Light and shifting breezes along the remainder of the
Batangas coast to Cape Santiago interfered with an otherwise
beautiful night sail. The final run through the Verde Passage
to Puerto Galera offered a steady beat in light to moderate,
northeasterly breezes with most boats making the finish line off
the El Galleon Resort on a single tack.
Only one significant mishap was reported: Susie Burrell’s
Sandoway (Bashford 36) caught an unmarked fishing net off
Nasugbu for the second year running. Losing more than an
hour disentangling Sandoway from the net she also lost all
would-have-been competitors to refrain from attending the
event but it was still the largest gathering of sailing yachts the
country has seen for the past ten years.
Twenty five boats eventually competed on the water with
boats arriving from Hong Kong,
Subic Bay, Manila, Taal Lake,
Cebu, Guimaras, Negros and
Palawan.
Many people flew in from
overseas specifically to take part
in the event coming from as far
afield as Hong Kong, Singapore,
Australia and the United Kingdom
making this the most international
of regattas to ever take place in
Puerto Galera.
Day one saw overcast skies
with 12 to 18 knots of breeze and
a sprinkling of rain for the race
to the Verde Island mark, round
Chicken Feather and Bonito
islands towards a congested finish
line off Haligi Beach.
Our photographer had hoped to spend her
time traveling through the fleet and chose the
mark-laying boat as her steed. Unfortunately, the
mark-layer became the mark defacto at Verde
Island when the depth of water and brisk currents
prevented the marker buoy’s anchor finding
adequate purchase on the bottom. However,
despite the inclement weather and the turbulent
waters she did manage to get some fine shots
of most competitors as they approached at full
speed.
Day two saw westerly breezes dovetailed
with easterlies (up to 20 knots in the rain showers
chance of placing in the race. Next year skipper Alan Burrell
must choose to do one of two things: he must either sail further
from the shore or remodel Sandoway’s keel to remove the
forward protruding, net grabbing bulb.
All the boats arrived by lunchtime on Saturday, 28th
October, and all enjoyed the welcome of the PGYC.
The Tall Lake Yacht Club brought their Hobie 16s down
from their volcano lake home to Leah Beach on Batangas Bay
for a race across the Verde Passage to the finish line hosted by
the El Galleon Resort. They then mustered at the Lalguna
Beach Club where owner and Hobie enthusiast, Frank Doyle,
treated them to a cold beer or two.
The boats were then towed to Boquete Beach for the night
from where the crews were
transferred to the tranquil
Pirate Cove Resort. Too
tranquil for some, a jeepney
was ordered to bring many
of their number to the yacht
club where they enjoyed the
delights of the legendary
PGYC hospitality.
Big Boats & Hobies
The DHL / Heavylift
All Souls Regatta over
three days (29-31 October)
proved to be a race series
of changing fortunes as
typhoon Cimaron (22W)
blustered her way across the North of Luzon.
The event was challenged not only by the presence
of the typhoon but also by the late (and eventually nil)
announcement from Malacanyang Palace of additional
holidays surrounding the traditional All Souls holiday
on 1st November. These challenges caused a number of
Continued on page 16
PGYC
December 2006
14
Of special note at the 2006 National Lawin Dighy
Championship were the entrants from Sailability Philippines.
This Manila based, national group is dedicated to
encouraging the sport of sailing amongst all athletes, whether
able-bodied or otherwise. This was the first event where the
disabled athletes from Sailability Philippines had competed
against able-bodied sailors, with one of their teams completing
the regatta in a very respectable fourth place in the Open
division. Cherrie Pinpin and Alson “Rolly” Tumbagahan,
both amputees, departed Puerto Galera en route to Singapore
where they will train for a week on a new boat before going
to Malaysia to compete in the 9th Far East and South Pacific
Games for the Disabled (FESPIC) Games starting on 25th
November where they won team bronze.
Want to know more about Sailability Philippines?
Telephone +63 2 824 7677 or email: synergyms@zpdee.net
PGYC
December 2006
14
PGYC
December 2006
16
during the middle of the race)
around Chicken Feather and
Bonito, and thence to Talipanan.
Although the sun never actually
showed its face the sailing was
excellent for the front half of the
fleet. Unfortunately, the
breeze all but evaporated
from Talipanan to the
Haligi Beach finish for
the back half of the fleet
and many DNFed as the
light faded and the lure
of the cocktail hour at the
clubhouse overcame the
tail-enders.
Day three was
glorious, if a little light. Seven to nine knots of breeze
under an almost cloudless sky saw the fleet tacking up
to the rounding mark off Sabang Beach sponsored by
the newly renovated Floating Bar and then on around
Escarceo Point for the dog-leg off Encenada Bay. The
return trip did not require the boats to pass the Floating
Bar mark a second time and a spinnaker run brought
them onto a close reach to the
finish off Haligi Beach.
All of the big-boat
racing in Puerto Galera
follows a pursuit race format,
i.e. the boats start at different
times that are calculated
to bring them together
for a simultaneous finish.
This racing is rewarding
for all competitors and has
the added advantage that
everyone arrives back at the
bar at about the same time.
Because everyone can see
All Souls...continued from page 13
exactly where they are placed at any moment of the
race and the entire fleet is motivated to sail faster to
catch or avoid being caught. Your reporter was riding
on Alan Burrell’s Sandoway (Bashford/Sydney 36),
which started almost last and therefore had to catch
almost all of the other boats ahead to win. We passed
most but try as we might we just
couldn’t catch Karakoa (Andrews/Excel
53) and the eventual winner Selma Star
(Beneteau 36.7).
In the overall Puerto Galera
Yardstick (PGY) Championship Luigi
Manzi took first place aboard his
Hobie 16, closely followed by Ray
Ordoveza’s Karakoa and Jun Avecilla’s
Selma Star.
In the PGY class the honours
went to Lukas Marquardt’s Kalayaan
II, Austen Chamberlain’s Sorcerer and Vincent Ruais’s, Rosie;
followed by Goran Rudelius’s Slalom Glade, Michael Reuber/
Rainier Blum’s China Rose, John Campbell’s Bright Star and Ton
van Hierden’s Cocobolo.
In the IRC
Racing class the
honours went to
Ray Ordoveza’s
Karakoa, Susie
Burrell’s Sandoway
(skippered by Alan
Burrell), Dirk van
Straalen’s The Judge;
followed by Jun
Avecilla’s Selma Star, Harry Taylor’s Irresistible and Alan
Burrell’s Rags (skippered by Russ Hughes); others who did
not finish one or more races were Doni Altura’s Vivaldi,
Dick Morris’s Salina, and Judes Echauz’s Standard Insurance
Centennial.
The multihull fleet was somewhat diminished this
year leaving only two competitors. The class was won by
Andrew Johnson’s Farrier trimaran Taytay 2 on her first
outing since launch, with Chris Boddington’s trimaran
Windjammer bring up the rear (in almost every race).
Sincere and heartfelt thanks to this year’s main sponsors
DHL and Heavylift Manila; supporting sponsors in the form of
PGYC
December 2006
18
San Miguel Beer and the Big Apple Dive Resort; and, Cruiser
News magazine, Petron fuel and lubricants, and The Floating
Bar Sabang.
Party, Party
The PGYC is legendary as
a venue for parties and so it was
this year that the numbers of
partygoers increased in number
yet again and the lawns were
covered with tables and chairs
to accommodate the throngs of
groups bubbling with excitement
for one reason or another.
This year the club again
imported the famous smoke-
house specialist, Mason Ring,
to manage the catering for the
duration and the results were
sumptuously appreciated by all. From delicate Italian salads to
mean’n spicy Cajun sausages Mason’s selections and preparation
were superb.
On the second race evening, with the prospect of a
downpour or two from the typhoon passing to the North,
the club decided to switch from the traditional beach Bar-
B-Q event and opted instead for a Pier Party along the town
pier. The restaurants and bars that line the waterfront were
encouraged to open their doors and put tables and chairs along
the sidewalk and do something a little different to tempt the
yachtsmen. The event was a great success with pizza and pasta
competing with adobo and tapa to sate the appetite while a
band filled the air with folk songs and some diva pop. It may be
that the pier party will become a regular feature of the All Souls
Regatta in future. q
Four massive eruptions, some 140,000 to
5,000 years ago, blasted away sufficient rock and
ash to create the 32 kilometer diameter collapsed
caldera and crater lake that is Taal Lake.
In this crucible, created within what was once
one of the world’s largest volcanoes, competitors
from across the nation (and a few other places
further afield) boarded Hobie 16s, Toppers, Bravos,
trimarans and all manner of home built sailing vessels for
the annual “Round Taal Volcano Race”, held Saturday, 18th
November and organized by the Taal Lake Yacht Club.
Set against the alternately towering and lowly rim of
this massive caldera, now somewhat weathered by time and
residential development, the fleet of colourful sailing vessels
appear miniscule and frail as they set out to circumnavigate
the 23 sq. km volcanic island slowly rising in the lake’s
center.
Undaunted by the volcano’s violent history (it is still a
very active geological area with the last significant eruption
in 1977) and the 47 active vents, the skippers and crews of
the two fleets of boats set off for a beach side rendezvous on
the southeast tip of the island for lunch and celebration of
the camaraderie of this annual event. The Hobie 16s run and
reach anti-clockwise around the West of island, traversing the
ever narrowing “highway”, which snakes through a maze of
fish-pens, so dense that it appears one could walk from one
to the other unimpeded from the volcano island to the outer
rim, ending with a beat up to the beach. The remaining boats,
competing in the PY (Portsmouth Yardstick) division, reach
and run clockwise around to the same beach along the less
cluttered East coast of the
island.
Line honours went to
the trimaran, Taytay 2 (Farrier
F82). Despite suffering a
significant delay at the race
start Taytay 2 made up
ground with her screacher as
a breeze of ten knots gusted
fourteen, enabling her to
reach an impressive, spray-full
seventeen knots recorded on the GPS.
The beach became a blaze of colour as the boats
continued to arrive, finishing with the last Hobie 16 neatly
squeezing onto the black volcanic sand.
Anyone who has visited the Taal Lake Yacht Club will
understand its ethos of people blending with nature and
wherever possible leaving the Earth exactly as they found
it; so too with their packed lunches. In place of ubiquitous
Styrofoam packs and containers participants were served meals
in banana leaf packages and when all had departed there was
Words by John Smart
Photographs by Bernadette Willes
The Taal Lake Yacht Club fleet
of Hobie 16s came to Puerto Galera
to participate in the 2006 All Souls
Regatta and to exchange burgees with the
Puerto Galera Yacht Club. We thought
it appropriate for us to reciprocate by
attending their next event.
SAILING IN VOLCANOES
Top: Close Competition; Left: A Squall Cometh; Below: Warming Up To
The Volcano
nothing save a few footprints to mark
their passing through.
The return race start had the
PY division boats leaving five minutes
ahead of the Hobie 16s. On the
race back to the club