The PGYC ASR will be 12 years old this year and will be held over the All Souls weekend from Saturday, October 30, to Monday, November 1, 2010. This is by far our most popular race and we expect an even larger number of yachts this year. The three Day event takes places in and around the coastal waters of Puerto Galera and the Verde Island passage. The strong, steady North Easterlies of the seasonal ‘Amihan’ create ideal and exciting racing conditions with lots of serious spinnaker action.

Be there to enjoy it… there is always room for one more! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been two weeks since I sent the original message soliciting donations for the college scholarship for DJ and Gambi, so I thought it time to update you all on progress.

The good news is that the boys are already settled in at the AMA College in Manila, studying computer science. They have started their training with the PSA and have been assigned to the 420 fleet, both as helms, with experienced PSA crews. We have been asked to expedite getting them passports as the first regatta is likely to be in Hong Kong in October. Good news indeed Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a very busy year to date, and we have two exciting pieces of news to share. The first is that our friends from Round Table 10 in Hong Kong pledged around another US$20,000 for the program earlier this year. This is a tremendous boost and extremely generous of them. It’s also some recognition of the importance of the program to the local community and the PGYC. Read the rest of this entry »

The PUERTO GALERA YACHT CLUB is appealing to members, friends and corporations for donations to establish a scholarship fund. This is for members of our Small Boat Program who have graduated from high school locally and who are good enough sailors to continue sailing in Manila with the Philippine Sailing Association (PSA). To do so they have to live and study in Manila, an expense that few in the program can afford. Read the rest of this entry »

The 20th PGYC Easter Regatta last weekend was everything it promised to be in terms of wind and weather. Almost clear skies and between 8 and 18 knots of breeze (we actually saw a tad more the 18 knots in the gusty conditions along White Beach) filled three beautiful days of sailing along courses set across the Verde Island Passage. Read the rest of this entry »

(Left to Right) PGYC Commodore, Bill Moore, with the PGYC Easter Regatta 2010 winners: Gundolf Ahrens, Mike Tucker  and Michael Raeuber.  Mike Tucker’s Tayana Lady showed the fleet her newly scrubbed bottom over the three days of racing to take the overall victory in the PGYC’s 20th Easter Regatta. Gundolf Athrens, Aragorn was in second place overall with Michael Raeuber’s China Rose finishing a close third.

Photos by Terry Duckham/Asiapix Studios

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Friends, please find Sailing Instructions below for the PGYC Easter Regatta 2010 to be held this coming weekend, Friday, April 2 to Sunday, April 4.

Sailing conditions here have been excellent. PAGASA has declared that the Northeast Monsoon has ended but you wouldn’t know that being here. We continue to have steady Northeast to Easterly winds and we don’t see anything in the weather that should change that for this weekend.

Our moorings are full. If you are coming down you will need to be prepared to anchor in the Boquete anchorage.

It should be an excellent weekend for sailing and a party or two. We look forward to seeing you here. Read the rest of this entry »

The first quarter of 2010 has brought a number of new and returning arrivals to our moorings.

Estrellita sailed in from Palau with Bill and Amy Betts, who just dropped by for a bit of R and R before heading to Subic to put their Island Packet on the hard. Tropics, a Peterson 33, sailed in from Vladivostok in with its Russian father and son crew, Alex and Dmitry ,in Mid-February, and quickly made friends, even without much English between – did you know the PGYC boasted three Russian speakers among its resident members!. They are still with us, but will probably return to Russia and head back to Puerto Galera early next year.

Indra, with Kiwi husband and wife team Robert and Margie Jesson, arrived from Japan and Taiwan in February and have joined the club, deciding to make Puerto Galera their home for 2010 ( You can check out Rob’s Eggplant ratatouille recipe in “Cooks Corner”). Dany II, owned by John Risdel, and Argo, owned by Hugh Adams, have both settled in as permanent features here, with both John and Hugh becoming new members.

Lady Jennifer, a Sea Ray Powerboat, is another new arrival and owner Kelvin Bruce has  also applied for membership. David Craft from Southerly Change passed through with a group of Boracay residents and joined us for one of our quiz nights. Peter Sal and his catamaran Zosha have set sail after being with us for over a year. Fare Seas, Peter, we hope to see you again soon friend!

As at the date of writing the moorings are completely full and we are having to juggle like mad to accommodate all our seafarers!

by Rob and Maggie Jesson

Coastguard building and harbour entrance Houbihu

Security is tight – real tight. it is only in the last five years that cruising yachts have been allowed into Taiwan, since security fears have eased. We entered Houbihu harbour and berthed against the tyre-covered wall on the starboard side. You can’t miss the Taiwanese coastguard personnel as they wear Guantanemo-orange overalls and are heavily armed!

When asked how long we wanted to stay, the immigration officer was surprised when we said, 90 days – “90 days in Houbihu?” – they are used to people coming and going within a few weeks, but we knew that winter gales were starting in the Bashi Channel and our stay might be prolonged till March.We were given ninety days, but a Canadian couple who arrived two days later, were only given one month. Lucky we are travelling on our New Zealand passports and they don’t seem to have pissed off any foreign governments recently! Read the rest of this entry »