Davao - Active Boating Watersports

Active 

ACTIVE WATERSPORTS DESTINATION: 

DAVAO 

MARCH 2011 VOL. II. ISSUE 1 

BOATING AND WATERSPORTS 

All the Water Sports lifestyle you can handle 

KUDOS HILIGAYNONS!!! - 

Iloilo Paraw Regatta 

A Preponderance Of Holes - 

SUBIC BORACAY 2011 

Php 80

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK 

Into the new year we have stepped and the groundswell 

of interest and developments in boating and water 

sports is exhilarating. 

The first, national jetski championship took place last 

month in Iloilo, coincident with the Iloilo Paraw Regatta, 

attracting at least one world jetski champion to an action 

packed race series. New yacht clubs & marinas are 

planned for Dapitan and Davao in 2011, to add to the new 

yacht club in Busuanga and new marina in Samal Island, 

opened in 2010. 

Competitive sailing is at the forefront in Subic Bay with 

the launch, this month, of the Platu challenge one-design 

racing series; the Philippine Superyacht Association has 

just opened for business in Subic Bay, intent on attracting 

more of the World’s rich and famous to our beautiful 

beaches and bays. In June, a new wakeboard park will 

start pulling wakeboard enthusiasts around the purpose 

built cable-lake in Clark. 

A decade ago organized water sports in the Philippines 

were largely restricted to scuba diving and a bit of sailing. 

Today, there is so much new happening across such a 

broad spectrum that it is sometimes a challenge to keep 

up. 

Last week I had the opportunity to address 

undergraduates of the Polytechnic University of the 

Philippines, College of Business, Department of 

Marketing, and discovered that the across the nation 

there is generally a dearth of information about what 

is happening in water sports and how to get involved. 

Learning to promote the opportunities is the objective 

of these young students but there are few with detailed 

knowledge of how to do it successfully, and most of 

them see too many (mostly financial) barriers to getting 

involved themselves. 

If the Philippines can embrace the current momentum 

for water borne fun and competition then it will surely 

move rapidly ahead of other Asia nations to become 

the premier water sports tourism destination in the 

Region. Mother nature gave us the resource, we have 

the enthusiasm. What is required now is investment 

in qualified promotion: first, to the nation’s youth; and, 

second, to the World of international thrill seekers who 

want to explore and experience that which lies beyond. 

Action speaks louder than words so herein we introduce 

some highlights of one of the lesser known water sports 

destination in the Philippines: the Davao Gulf. Come, 

enjoy the journey! 

Sincerely, 

Martyn Willes 

Consulting Editor 

Copyright © 2011 Active Boating And Watersports 

What’s 

INSIDE? 

A Preponderance of Holes - Subic 

Boracay 2011 

Kudos Hiligaynons!... Iloilo Paraw 

Regatta 

11th Philippine Hobie Challenge - 

Race Report 

Active Watersports Destination 

Davao 

Cruising in Another Century 

Looking for Lobster 

Photo courtesy of Davao Wildwater 

Adventure: exhilarating white water 

rafting the catergory 2-4 Davao River 

rapids 


BOATING AND WATER SPORTS 

PUBLICATION TEAM 

MARTYN WILLES 

Consulting Editor 

ROMAN AZANZA 

GIRLIE CERVANTES 

BRUCE CURRAN 

CARLOS MUNDA 

Regular Contributors 

BARRY DAWSON 

Production Manager 

MBC Concept Planner & Organizer 

Design & Lay-out 

www.activeboatingwatersports.com 

e-mail:info@activeboatingwatersports.com 

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22 

38 

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Photograph by: Martyn Willes 



Sailing is mostly about wind - the more wind you have 

the faster you can sail. 

The weather forecast for the start of the 205-mile 

Subic Boracay Race foretold a very light breeze of 

only four to seven knots (until reaching Batangas) 

so everyone was jubilant that as much as twelve 

knots was actually available in Subic Bay on the day. 

Seventeen sailing yachts, ranging in size from 35 to 

more than 76 feet, mustered off Subic Bay’s premier 

venue, the Lighthouse Marina Resort Hotel, and at 

the stroke of midday streamed out towards Grande 

Island, spinnakers ripe with excellent pressure. 

Just a mile out past Grande Island the wind started to 

fluke. By the time Anvaya Cove was breasted, in the 

shadow of Mount Silanganan National Park, the first 

4 

A Preponderance Of Holes - Subic Boracay 2011 

words by: Martyn Willes 

T he 2011 Subic Boracay Race was a first-class off-shore sailing event, with all of the 

predictable and unpredictable winds available in a race that passes near mountains. If 

you caught the wind right then it was a run and a reach, a beat followed by another reach 

and finally a sleigh ride to the finish; as Frank Pong has oft said, “it is the best race in Asia”. 

Approaching Grande Island 

Photograph by: Lothar Riedel 

expected “hole” in the breeze impeded progress. The 

breeze evaporated from a spot on the surface that 

rapidly expanded to embrace four yachts for almost 

two hours, while others in front continued purposefully 

south and those behind maneuvered around. 

Those in the hole suffered the agony & frustration of 

attempting to capture tiny puffs of wind, teasing like 

nymphs momentarily from any direction and without 

visible warning ripples, only the lazy smoke from 

cigarettes giving a clue of their presence. Mournful 

whistles drift across the space between the quartet 

as crew apply age old folklore remedies to conjure 

the breeze. On top of this there is extreme torture of 

watching the others’ sails disappear over the horizon. 

Four hours into the race and the seventeen 

are now in three basic groups – five 

fastest unimpeded out in front, the bulk 

of the fleet heading towards Mariveles 

and the quartet, stranded off Morong. 

The weather forecast for the entire 

race was basically easterly breezes of 

various degrees of strength. So it was 

considered a momentary aberration 

when a northwesterly thankfully drifted 

towards the Morong quartet. As the 

breeze reached each yacht in turn, and 

their wake began to hiss, they all took 

advantage of the wind direction and 

headed out, away from shore and away 

from the next known hole in the lee of 

Mount Mariveles (locally: “Luzon Point”). 

The quartet soon reveled in the freshening 

breeze as, one by one, the pack that had 

deserted them came slowly into view through the 

Manila Bay smog and haze at Mariveles far off the 

port beam. It was the quartet’s turn to be jubilant as it

Still struggling for wind... 

became clear that the northeasterly was holding and 

their former torture was now to be passed to their 

quarry. As the sun prepared to rest for the day all except 

for the fastest five were now in sight of each other. 

Along the Batangas coast, south of the entrance to 

Manila Bay, the forecast easterly breeze finally arrived 

and all the yachts now headed into the gathering 

gloom, south towards Mindoro Island and the choice to 

take the Verde Island Passage route, to the East or, to 

take the Cape Calavite option, around the West side. 

The middle fleet were now spread out by the alternating 

soft and breezy patched that are a feature of sailing 

the Batangas coast while the distance between each 

of the quartet, on a route that would take them West 

of Fortune Island, also increased: Sorcerer ahead 

with China Rose, Danny II and Slalom Glade trailing. 

Light easterly filling-in... 




In the dark of the night, before the moon rose, the 

quartet lost sight of the middle fleet and had no 

way of knowing if their progress was bettered, 

but they were fairly certain all were heading for 

Cape Santiago and the Verde Island Passage. 

In the Passage the breeze quickened. Twenty 

plus knots whistled through the funnel between 

the Mindoro and Batangas coasts. The waves 

pounded and splashed across the decks as crews 

huddled in wet-weather gear with safety harnesses. 

Despite its light, the moon gives no actual warmth 

and before sunrise all are holding out for the dawn. 

Approaching Cape Santiago from outside Fortune 

Island with an ebb tide through the Passage means 

an early arrival at the Mindoro coast, and at least 

two more tacks before Puerto Galera peninsula 

can be passed. Some yachts tack back across and 


5

Photographs by: Lothar Riedel 



pass Verde Island on the northern side to avoid the 

worst of the ebb tide while others hug the Mindoro 

coast to take advantage of the occasional back-eddy. 

By breakfast, Sorcerer is isolated near Puerto 

Galera, with not another yacht in sight, and the 

crew happily wave to dive boats, beach-goers and 

friends imagined to be watching their passing. 

The breeze eases again past Escarceo Point, 

towards Calapan, but maintains a meaningful eight 

knots all the way to the iconic Baco Islands. Then it 

eases further and four hours of almost nothing mean 

very slow progress towards the southerly objective. 

Two yachts are just visible ahead, floundering in 

the approaches to the famed hole at Dumali Point, 

so all is not lost. On the Western horizon, a line of 

small breaking waves apparently foretell a resurgent 

easterly breeze but alas turn out to be only a tide rip. 

Sorcerer satisfies herself chasing a few cats-paws 

before the easterly very softly returns to fill all horizons. 

6 

Jelik 2 

Lethal Weapon 

Jelik 5 

SelmaStar 

Challenge & Vivaldi 

Free Ffire


The two floundering yachts disappear around 

Dumali Point ahead while Slalom Glade makes slow 

progress in Sorcerer’s distant wake. By sundown 

the still gentle easterly has carried Sorcerer to 

Dumali and China Rose is now also visible astern, 

carrying a freshening breeze down to them. 

Gybing down the now moderate to strong breeze 

for the final 75 miles to Boracay, the time has 

come to raise the spinnaker. In the dark, with 

now very lumpy and confused seas, it is only safe 

to raise the smaller, heavyweight kite but upon 

hoisting it fouls on the rail and a two foot wide 

hole in the belly of the fabric forces an early drop. 

Struggling now to keep direction with speed towards 

the finish, Sorcerer is overtaken by China Rose and 

the final results can already be perceived. To add 

frustration, the normally consistent breeze along 

the Tablas Strait abates once more and the final few 

Simply Beautiful ... Boracay Beach 

The whole Sorcerer crew 



miles are very slow with the 

adverse tide further affecting 

the final performance. 

The crossing the finish line 

off the Boracay Shangrila 

Resort just after sunrise 

is ignominious relief for 

Sorcerer but at least nothing 

was broken and nobody 

was hurt bar a little sunburn. 

Frank Pong’s mighty 

Jelik 2 took line honors 

but was beaten into third 

place in the IRC Premier 

Racing class by the Sam 

Chan’s Ffreefire and Geoff 

Hill’s Strewth, both T 52s. 

Doni Altura’s veteran Vivaldi 

took the IRC Cruiser Racer 

class ahead of Martin Tanco’s 

Challenge and Jun Avecilla’s 

Selma Star. Sorcerer was fifth behind Bobby Benares’s 

Lethal Weapon and ahead of Sandoway. Harry Taylor’s 

Irresistible, after finding yet another large hole, near 

Fortune Island, brought up the rear of the Cruiser 

Racing class and was the last yacht to finish the race. 

In the PY Cruising class Michael Raeuber & Rainer 

Blum’s China Rose bested David McKenna’s 

Rapparee XXX, with the plucky Slalom Glade 

arriving third. Danny II dropped out of the race at 

Puerto Galera, choosing instead the famed warmth 

and hospitality of Puerto Galera Yacht Club in favor 

over the prospect of even more holes along the way. 

If you want to test your relationship with the 

wind gods and lady luck then you should not 

miss the 2012 Subic Boracay Race, if only for 

the pleasure of finally setting foot on possibly 

the most beautiful beach in the Philippines. 

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What used to be a half-day race for native outrigger boats in the Iloilo Strait, the Paraw Regatta 

Festival has evolved into a week-long multifaceted festival to promote Iloilo to the World. 

Pardon my ignorance, the fact is, I knew not what to expect in a race like this because my idea of 

traditional boats has been limited to the small motorized bancas that transport passengers from 

point A to point B. Nonetheless, my mind was set for me to learn about the culture, tradition, history 

and more importantly, to complete my task of writing this story that bespeaks of 39 years of history. 

Kudos Hiligaynons!... Iloilo Paraw Regatta 

Words and Photgraphs by: Girlie Cervantes 

In 1973 the Paraw Regatta was conceptualized to relive 

the historic escape of ten Bornean Datus from 

the tyrannic rule of Sultan Makatunaw. However, 

over lunch, another interesting facet came into 

focus concerning the rationale for the creation of the 

Paraw Regatta. According to the reliable local and 

international sources around the table, it was in the 

early 1970’s that former President Ferdinand Marcos 

issued a directive for the creation of events that would 

cost him almost nothing - meaning no use of fuel. In 

Iloilo they chose to organize what is now the Iloilo 

Paraw Regatta. 

In their escape from tyranny in the 13th century, the 

Datus used “balanghais” (sail boats) to bring their 

extended families to Panay. The balanghai were 

large wooden sailing boats, about 18 meters long, 

used extensively by Malay settlers of the Philippines 

in pre-hispanic times. During the Spanish era, the 

word balanghai (sometimes balangay), referred not 

only to the wooden boat but was also used to identify 

the smallest political unit in the new Philippines; 

today we are familiar with the “barangay”, which has 

the same meaning in governance. In the 21st century, 

these native sailboats are still used as a means 

of transportation and source of livelihood by the 

Hiligaynon tripolantes - those from Iloilo who make 

a living from the sea. It is easy to perceive that the 

modern “paraw” replicates the balanghai. 

As with the balanghai, a Paraw is a wooden boat 

adjoined by planks with pointed hulls at both ends. Its 

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bamboo mast is secured by lines attached to double 

outriggers and other parts of the boat. Hanging astern 

is the rudder, used to navigate the boat. 

It is amazing how fast these slim shaped hulls with 

colorful sails cut through the waves at 20 to 30 kph. 

The Paraws have almost equilateral triangular sails 

or “layag” (in the vernacular) made of woven mats, 

cloth or canvas, attached to a vertical and horizontal 

spar that catches the wind for power and velocity. 

They are also equipped with a foresail or jib, which 

aids in the general direction of the boat. For purposes 

of the regatta, the Paraws are classified according 

to their waterline length: Category A - sailboats with 

water length of 16 feet or less; and, Category B - 

sailboats with water length of 16.1 feet up to 25 feet. 

For the last 39 years, fisher folks from various towns 

of Iloilo, Guimaras and Negros Occidental come 

together to exhibit their seafaring prowess and 

craftsmanship in a 23.8-kilometer boat race, which 

takes-off at Tatoy’s Manokan & Seafood Grill on Villa 

Beach, Arevalo, across to Sto. Rosario, Buenavista, 

off Guimaras Island, and back to the point of origin. 

Since its inception, the paraws have been the main 

attraction of the Iloilo Paraw Regatta. However 

every year, new events are added to complement the 

overall festival that is managed by the Iloilo Paraw 

Regatta Foundation, Inc. (IPRFI) with the support of 

the City Government of Iloilo and the Department of 

Tourism Region VI. 

The second major race activity of the Festival is the 

Paraw Slalom Race, spearheaded by the Department 

of Tourism VI, through the leadership of Regional 

Director Edwin Trompeta. The Paraw Slalom Race is 

a short course race that covers a distance of about 3 

kilometers. This year, 37 entries for category A were 

divided into 3 heats while 23 entries for category B 

were divided into 2 heats. Winners of each category 

heat compete in the final slalom race. 

Using a Le Mans start from the beach at Tatoy’s, the 

paraws head out about 500 meters in front of the start 

to buoy No.1, then right of buoy No.2, which is about 

1 kilometer north, then left to buoy no. 3 left again to 

buoy No. 4 and finally left back to buoy No. 1, with 

the finish on the beach. Upon finishing, boat crews 

rush to line-up in front of the race committee for their 

finisher’s card and for announcement. 

Sponsorship of the Paraw Slalom Race makes for a 

very generous event, leaving no entry unrewarded 

for their efforts - each finishing paraw is assured of 

a consolation prize. However, larger cash prices are 

given to the top five winners per category. Bagging 

ten thousand pesos and the first prize trophy in 

Category A was Jolina, owned by Orlando Tajanlangit 

of Tigbauan, while Category B first prize winner 

Cherelyn, owned by Rico Tantiado also of Tigbauan, 

took home twelve thousand pesos and a trophy. 

Dawn on Sunday and the day of reckoning has come 

for the main event - The Paraw Regatta Race. I 

was not sure how I was going to divide me, myself 

and I, to cover all the associated events going on 

simultaneously: there was Pinta Tawo (body painting); 

Pinta Layag (sail painting); the Sinamba de Regatta 

(samba dancing) and the preparation for the Race 

proper. But one had to make a choice so I focused on 

the main event with a splash of samba on the side. 

From first light along the beach, thousands of people 

from all walks of life and from all over the country 

eagerly awaited the sails to be unfurled. Too many 

things happening . . . so little time. 

I did have time to scrutinize each flamboyant sail along 

the beach. Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself 

empathizing with the evident pride of the tripolante 

as they exuded enthusiasm for their heritage in the 

unique sense of ownership of the vibrant and retained 

folkways of the Hiligaynons. And why not? After all, 

this year’s regatta theme strongly recognizes the 

maritime skills of tripolante and Ilonggos worldwide. 

It is an amazement to see a kilometer long line of

A kilometer line of paraws with beautifully painted sails 

paraws with beautifully painted sails, each telling its 

own tale of honor and pride. As Iloilo’s Honorable 

Mayor, Jed Patrick Mabilog, aptly put it, “the Paraw is 

a symbol of pride for every Ilonggo . . . it is a tradition, 

a culture and a craft”. 

After days painting sails and refining the boats, the 

final call for entries was announced: 61 traditional 

paraws registered as entries for the main event. All 

entries lined up according to categories at the starting 

mark at Tatoy’s, waiting to take their 23.8 kilometer 

sailing distance to Sto.Nino Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City 

to Fort San Pedro to Sto. Rosario Buenavista in 

Guimaras, to nagbaga Point Jordan, to Bundolan 

Poin and back to the point of origin Villa Beach. 

A blast of fireworks from the race committee and the 

crews of 38 of the smaller Category A boats run down 

the beach in true Le Mans style; the boats bob and 

A splash of 

Samba on the 

Side 



skip into action as the air tugs at the unleashed sails. 

Gliding effortlessly forward under the acceleration 

of wind to the first marker, the boats cutting through 

the water like knives and lining the horizon with 

their painted sails swinging backward and forward 

depending were the angle of the wind. 

Moments later is another call for action, Category 

B with 23 boats hear their blast. Boats sweeping 

through the waters as the bigger boats fill the beach 

and are suddenly gone with the wind. 

Kids started jumping into the water while spectators 

start to converge at the stage for the final competition 

of the Sinamba sa Regatta. I can see the colored 

sails popping up and down along the horizon but for 

now I follow the crowd. 

Having missed the street dancing competition the 

night prior, its time to photograph the spectacle of 

colors offered by the samba 

dancers’ dress, gracefully 

swaying like the sails but with 

fuller bodies. The Sinamba sa 

Regatta is a good diversion and 

entertainment for spectators 

waiting for the return of the 

paraws. 

I would have wanted to give 

meatier details of how the 

masters conquered the wind, 

which to my limited knowledge 

in sailing seemed favorable for 

sailors at that very moment, 

but I had no boat to be in the 

middle of all the excitement. 

At the finish line a technical 

team composed of judges, 

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About 500 meters to buoy no.1 

beachmasters, inspectors, recorders, timekeepers, 

commentators and chief marshall are positioned for 

the return of the boats. Getting the results correct is 

important: the grand prize winner of Category A will 

take home 15,000 pesos plus an additional 8,000 

pesos if the boat is using painted sails; Category 

B boats gets 20,000 pesos for winning and 10,000 

pesos bonus for using painted sails. 

Jolina followed her victory the day before in the slalom 

by bagging First Prize in the 2011 Paraw Race. This 

boat must be pretty sleek and crafted to perfection. 

Marjhonec, owned by Honorato Espinosa of Brgy. 

(Continued on page 13)

(Continued on page 16) 

Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City topped the ranks of 

Category B. 

Indeed the 39th Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival livedup 

to its billing as “The Best Sports Tourism Event.” 

I can boldly say that I had a wonderful weekend 

escapade in Iloilo. If only I had the time to enjoy all 

of the side events going on all at the same time - 

beach ball games, rowing and paddling competitions, 

jet ski competition, skim boarding, not to mention the 

hospitality and the sumptuous oysters and native 

chicken delights for lunch. To me, the Iloilo Paraw 

Regatta is not just the longest running water sports 

event or a mere exhibition of seafaring skills and 



craftsmanship but an embodiment of the Ilonggo 

hospitality, culture and tradition captured in one 

grandiose festival. 

Kudos Hiligaynons! 

To get to Iloilo is easy. Airphil Express, Cebu Pacific Air, 

Philippine Airlines and Zest Air all fly between Manila and 

Iloilo on a daily basis. You can also fly direct from Cebu 

and Davao daily with Cebu Pacific Air. 

Alternatively, you can take an air-conditioned bus from 

Manila via Boracay. Negros Navigation and Superferry 

both sail daily from Manila to Iloilo. 

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11 th Philippine Hobie Challenge - Race Report 

from the log of Roman Azanza 

The Philippine Hobie Challenge is one of the classic off-shore racing events in Asia. It is where sailing 

champions from around the World come to pit their skills against the local knowledge of Philippine sailors, 

and to imbibe the outstanding beauty of the Philippines from the perspective obtained from about six inches 

above the next crashing wave. 

In February 2011 the 11th Philippine Hobie 

Challenge took teams from Australia, Papua New 

Guinea, Switzerland, Germany Taiwan, New Zealand 

and the Philippines on perhaps the as yet most 

scenic Challenge route from Lucena (Quezon), to 

Marinduque, Romblon, Sibuyan and Tablas, and 

finally to Boracay. 

Along the way the teams were sometimes 

accommodated in tents on the beach and twice at 

five-star resorts. They engaged the community in 

school outreach programs at five of the race stops 

and, on Sibuyan Island, they learned why this one 

small island is known as the “Galapagos of Asia” - 

it supports possibly the most diverse ecosystem in 

Asia, certainly the most diverse for its size, packed 

full of indigenous species of flora and fauna. 

Of particular note was the inshore race series in 

Romblon town bay. Romblon Bay is a perfect venue 

for water sports as the arms of the bay, on which 

the town is built, form a natural amphitheater so that 

everyone has a chance to watch, even if they do not 

have a television. 

As for the racing itself, out of Lucena to Maniuaya 

Island, Marinduque, the breeze was quite soft 

and friendly but, as various legs of the Challenge 

advanced towards the Sibuyan Sea and Tablas 

Island, the wind and the waves soon offered a true 

test of seamanship and tactical sailing. By the time 


Bob Engwirda overall 

winner on the 11th 

Philippine Hobie 

Challenge with kids 

from Romblon 

(Continued from page 14) 

the fleet arrived at the Shangri-la in 

Boracay everyone knew they had 

risen to the challenge, on the water 

and in the hearts of the communities 

they touched along the way. 

The overall winner on the 11th 

Philippine Hobie Challenge was 

the pair of Bob Engwirda & Bradley 

Wilson closely followed by World 

Grand Master Hobie 16 Champion, 

Bruce Tardrew & Eric Tomacruz. The 

same winners took the trophy in the 

Romblon Bay inshore series also. 

Next year the Philippine Hobie 

Challenge will test itself in the waters 

of Palawan.



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Cruising in another Century 

In 1755 a remarkable mariner and a man of 

many talents cruised through the southern 

Philippine Islands. Captain Thomas Forrest, 

a Scotsman, chose a Philippine sailboat for his 

voyages. He created hydrographic charts and 

drew meticulous illustrations along his routes. 

He had a 

talent for 

relating to and 

b e f r i e n d i n g 

local people 

on his travels. 

The Sultan 

of Acheh 

in northern 

S u m a t r a 

k n i g h t e d 

him with the 

Order of the 

Golden Sword 

in 1764. The 

Forrest Strait 

off the coast 

of Myanmar 

(Burma) is 

named after 

him. 

In 1755, in 

the southern 

P h i l i p p i n e s , 

the Sultan of 

Maguindanao 

ceded Forrest 

the island 

of Bunwoot, 

today’s Bongo 

island, west of 

Polloc Harbor 

in the Moro 

Gulf. 

He had set out in 1744 in a triple-masted Sulu 

prahu called the Tartar Galley from Balambangan, 

an island off the north-west coast of Borneo. 

He sailed via the Sulu Archipelago through the 

Moluccas and eventually to New Guinea. 

WORDS BY : BRUCE CURRAN 

On the return journey he passed the Moluccas 

again, with a prolonged stay in Mindanao, and then 

on to North Borneo, and Straits of Malacca and on to 

Acheh and Bengkulu in western Sumatra, finishing 

his epic journey in 1776. His Sulu prahu was 40 feet 

long, with a 20 foot long keel, a draft of 3.5 feet, and 

a weight of 10 tons. 

It carried four 

lantakas, or swivel 

guns, controlled by 

his English gunner. 

It was crewed 

by a multi-ethnic 

team of 22 people 

including Visayan, 

Hindustani, British, 

Maguindanaoan 

and Moluccan 

sailors - this 

motley crew 

boasted names 

like Rum Johnny, 

Strap, Ishmael 

J e r r y b a t t o o , 

Andrew, Marudo, 

Panjang and his 

pilot Tuan Hadjee. 

The boat was 

powered by sails 

on three masts 

but it could be 

rowed when winds 

were absent or 

contrary. The 

choice of a shallow 

draft vessel was 

deliberate for 

several reasons. 

First, the boat 

could skirt the 

shorelines in waters that could not be entered by 

the much deeper Dutch schooners that patrolled 

these waters. These were also coral waters where 

a shallow draft was a tremendous advantage. 


20 



(Continued From page 18) 

Charting and mapping could be made more accurate 

by passing close to shorelines. 

In Mindanao on the return journey, Forrest was 

the guest of Rajah Moodo, the heir apparent of 

the Sultanate of Maguindanao. He stayed from 

May 1775 until January 1776, overhauling his 

boat, which had been leaking badly. Among his 

illustrations of Maguindanao, Forrest compiled an 

elaborate genealogy of the sultanate from the time 

of its founding by Serif Ali, its first Muslim ruler, 

who had arrived from Mecca more than 300 years 

earlier. In all his endeavors Forrest was dependent 

on assistance from local people, and he invariably 

found it. He had an amazing rapport with people 

from all places and all outlooks, which must have 

played a major part in his successful journeys 

around the region. Eventually the Tartar Gallery 

sailed into Fort Marlborough (Bengkulu), the British 

trading post on the west coast of Sumatra. This was 

his home base with the East India Company, who 

funded his expeditions in search of trading goods. 

In his later years, Captain Forrest became a “Free 

Mariner”, unattached to the British India Company. 

It is a sign of those times that he traded in slaves, 

owning some himself including one Spaniard. He 

traded in opium and harbored stowaways on board. 

He was shipwrecked several times during his 

illustrious career, and even had to scuttle one of his 

vessels when confronted with the French invasions 

of Bengkulu in 1760. 

Altogether a remarkable man, Forrest was a lifetime 

and worthy of the title First Cruising Yachtsman in 

the Philippine Islands. If there is evidence of earlier 

boaters cruising these waters, I hope I find out about 

them (if you know of people more worthy, please let 

me know). But until then. Captain Thomas Forrest 

is the “main man”. But of course the first sailors 

in these waters had arrived long before a trading 

Scotsman arrived on the scene. 

Seafarers from many lands coursed through these 

islands, bringing a sparkling of culture and different 

peoples. Some must have stayed, but most returned 

to a far off land that was unknown to those whom 

they had visited. The beginnings of trade had begun, 

and from the Philippines went forest products, 

beeswax, rice, and sea cucumber favored by the 

Chinese palate, some gold in the form of ornaments 

and trinkets fashioned by the local people.

22 



The first seafarers here, the tripolante, were the 

indigenous coastal dwellers, passing between 

the islands: fishing, trading and raiding along the 

coastlines. 

The Butuan archaeological boat site, on the north 

coast of Mindanao, reveals a Filipino boat-making 

method* with side-by-side (carvel) planking secured 

with wooden plugs and curved cross ribs, which 

are evidence of the sophisticated methods used 

long before any European arrival. This construction 

method is still practiced by the Sama and the Ivatans 

in the Batanes islands today. 

These islands have long held an ancient seafaring 

people and since time immemorial the coastal waters 

have been churned by the movement of paddle and 

sailcloth. Three replicas of this type of boat, the 

Balangai, have recently been cruising far and wide 

in Philippine waters – there tale is a remarkable one 

in modern times.

24 



Photograph by: Girlie Cervantes 

Active Watersports Destination 

DAVAO 

Words by Martyn Willes 

Davao has long been known as the home of the King of Fruits: the durian 

– bulging, pungent bags of succulence hanging amongst the branches 

of plantation trees or almost hidden in the (sadly) dwindling, virgin rainforest; 

pollinated and propagated by the millionstrong, 

eco-air-force of fruit bats from Samal 

Island. 

I could include pomelo (‘suha’), pineapple 

and a widest variety of bananas to the list 

of ripened ovary excellence that emanates 

from this easily accessible corner of the 

Philippines. 

But then I would be compelled to add tuna 

and scallops and, surprisingly, some of the 

best Chinese cuisine to be found outside of 

Hong Kong . . . 

But never before has Davao been known as 

the home of water sports; until today. 

During the past couple of months we have 

trekked and trundled paths less trodden 

and discovered a feast of activities that, 

combined, make the Davao Gulf one of the 

most satisfying water sports destinations 

anywhere in Asia. Let us take you on our 

journey that starts with skim-boarding and 

surfing in the far East of the Davao Region

The Amihan Boys of Mati 

From the 1500km milestone (from Manila, 

presumably) on the highway, beside Davao 

International Airport, the air-conditioned bus takes 

around four hours to reach Mati. The last 25 

kilometers descend a visually spectacular, winding, 

forest-lined, concrete road that offers glimpses of 

secluded bays and beaches at every turn. 

Alighting the bus in Mati City and taking a jeep 

or multi-cab another 15 minutes, Dahican Bay 

is achieved. “Dahican”, in the local dialect, 

approximates to the action of dragging yourself 

along on your belly. That is exactly what four 

different species of sea turtle have done here since 

time immemorial. Olive Ridley, Leatherback, Green 

and Hawksbill sea turtles come to this relatively 

protected, horseshoe shaped bay and ‘dahican’ up 

the beaches to lay their eggs. 

The waves out at each point of the horseshoe offer 

excellent Pacific surfing, with the southern point 

notable for the “ABC break” - a multi-discipline 

break with A for novice, B for intermediate and C 

for experienced surfers – the signature break of 

Mati, that local surfers claim to be the best in the 

Philippines. 




M ati occupies a promontory, on the East coast of Davao Oriental that challenges the 

mighty Pacific Ocean. Almost nothing lies between its coral-sand beaches and Hawaii, 

so when the easterlies are full blowing, the mountainous seas deliver pounding surf. 


However, Dahican Bay is also known for its superb 

skim-boarding. Within the bay each wave breaks 

perfectly parallel to the shore, rushes up the beach 

and leaves a beautifully smooth receding surface 

for the skim-board aficionado to skim down at great 

speed. The Mayor’s Cup is a national skim-boarding 

competition held here each April that draws skimmers 

from around the country and further afield. 

Dahican Bay is a Philippine Marine Protected Area 

and the guardians are the “Amihan Boys”; their 

“father” and mentor is George “Jun” Plaza. 

Jun started skim-boarding here after seeing someone 

on television doing it and recognized that “his” beach 

was very similar in many respects. As he tells the 

story: lacking any other suitable wood he took a door 

from his house and cut it to shape and just jumped 

aboard. That was almost a decade ago. 

The Amihan Boys are all orphans of the Davao 

Region. Taken in, trained and schooled with the 

financial support of the city mayor and local business 

interests. When not attending to scholastic pursuits 

the (currently) 20 Amihan Boys keep a watchful eye 

on Dahican Bay and all of its marine inhabitants: 

25

26 



reporting illegal fishing, preventing those aiming to 

steal the turtle eggs and educating locals & visitors 

as to the wonders of nature that have been bestowed 

on this perfectly peaceful corner of paradise. The 

resident dolphins, dugong, rays, sharks and the 

turtles are the beneficiaries, and so are the scuba 

divers who venture here to the Tagabakid Reef for a 

unique Davao Oriental scuba diving experience. 

The Amihan Boys have formed the “Amihan sa 

Dahican Skim and Surf Team” and pride themselves 

on their ability to speak English (mostly learned from 

Australian surfers, be warned) and beating almost 

all-comers in annual competitions (check out their 

Facebook page). If you want to learn how to skim or 

surf Mati then the Amihan Boys offer skim-boarding 

clinics and act as guides and coaches for surfers. You 

don’t need to lug your skim/surf board because you 

can rent them right here on the beach, for Php200 

per hour; if you want to recruit an Amihan Boy as 

trainer or guide then add Php400 per hour. The rental 

and training fees go directly to fund their education 

and related expenses. 

There are two resorts along the beach that offer airconditioned 

accommodations fully acceptable to local 

and foreign tourists (rooms at Php2-3,000 per night). 


Dahican Bay guardians - the “Amihan Boys” with 

their “father” and mentor George “Jun” Plaza (second from left)

Of these, the Botona Resort is the most established 

while the Kanaby Resort is the newest. If instead you 

want to bring a tent then the Amihan camp grounds – 

lawns beneath coconut palms – charge only Php100 

per night, and that includes free water and use of 

the open-air kitchen. Forgot your 

tent? Then rent a hammock above 

the Amihan restaurant for Php50 per 

night. 

One word to the wise: the afore 

mentioned resorts offer a broad 

cosmopolitan-inspired menu whereas 

the Amihan kitchen does not serve 

chicken or pork. According to Jun, 

consuming pork and chicken will not 

allow you to perform your best on 

the water – only fish and vegetables 

float so if you want to be at your peak 

you should only eat food that floats. If 

using the Amihan camp grounds you 

are also requested not to consume 

alcohol or smoke cigarettes in the 

vicinity. 

There are other marvels in Mati that 

we did not have time to investigate: 



a relatively new Philippine Eagle sanctuary; Luban 

Island and its fruit bats; and, the mysterious “hidden 

sea” - a lake, at an elevation of 2,500 feet, whose 

water level rises and falls in harmony with the ocean 

tides! We shall return. 


27

28 



The Deca Wakeboard 

Park Experience 


If you think you would like to skim but would like 

some mechanical assistance then the Deca 

Wakeboard Park is for you. For the princely 

sum of (currently) Php500 per day you can learn 

to wakeboard under the watchful eyes of the 

Philippines’ number-one wakeboard champion, 

who is also the Operations Manager of the Deca 

Wakeboard Park. 

The Deca Wakeboard Park is 25 minutes/ 

Php200 by taxi from downtown Davao or a little 

longer/cheaper by multi-cab. A little more than 

a year old, the trees and flowering shrubs that 

occupy Deca’s central island and surrounds are 

still establishing themselves so it has that shiny 

newness that says “have a go”, so we did. 

As stated virgins to wakeboarding, at Deca 

we were provided with almost new equipment, 

diligent instruction and expert advice about how 

not to fall off on the first time around the park. 

Knee-boards are where everyone starts: “so that 

you will get the feel of the pull of the (overhead) 

cable”. This “feel”, we discovered, is absolutely 

important as at each “corner” the overhead 

cable changes direction quite rapidly and the 

acceleration is quick, and addictive . . . if you 

are in the wrong place when the cable changes 

direction then you are jolted forward (and usually 

fall off) instead of embracing the rush. Control is 

simple: lean to the right to go right and lean to 

the left to go left. 

Addictive it surely is and only one of two things will 

probably cause you to get off. First, in order that 

the largest number of people get to have a go, 

Photographs by: Girlie Cervantes 

you are typically limited to three or four rounds of 

the park following each “launch”. Second, your 

upper body will tell you to rest for a while after 

about three rounds of the park anyway. 

After your third launch on a knee-board you 

are ready to try the actual wakeboard. This is 

where you tuck your toes into suitably positioned 

straps on the wakeboard and try the stand-up 

start. Most people don’t make it the first time and 

fall into the water within a few feet of the launch



platform. No problem – the water is soft and, 

unlike other water sports we usually engage in, 

is not salty; just line up again and take the next 

available rope . . . it takes about ten minutes for 

your turn to come around again. 

On a busy day at Deca you can complete about 

25 launches (on a quiet day you can have more 

launches than you can handle). And if you ride 

the park for most of these, you will have had an 

upper-body workout that equates to about four 

hours in the gym. In fact, many people we talked 

29

30 



to come to Deca instead of to the gym because 

the value-for-money is better - they feel they have 

achieved something by way of improving their skills as 

well as muscle tone . . . how many gyms have ramps 

to slide up and opportunities to turn somersaults at 

30 km per hour? 

Deca is different from other wakeboard parks in the 

Philippines insomuch as it is not a round or oval lake. 

The Deca wakeboard lake is more similar in shape to 

a running track, with two long straights between two 

graceful curves. For the beginner the longer straights 

give you more time to experiment with control of the 

board before the “corners” dictate your movement; 

for the experienced wakeboarder, it gives more 

chance to explore the big-air jumping off ramps and 

other “obstacles”, which provide height for practicing 

advanced maneuvers (and wipe-outs). 

The Deca Wakeboard Park is also different becauseit 

is the brainchild of property developer, JJ Atencio. 

JJ’s assertion is that all property developments need 

a reason to be where they are and a wakeboard 

park gives a unique reason to be that offers healthy 

exercise, waves of fun and an opportunity to enhance 

the resale value of adjacent property due to the 

popularity of the reason to be. 

Already underway is the Clark wakeboard park, as 

an integral part of his new property development on 

the former US Air Force base. Expected to open in 

June of 2011, the Clark wakeboard park will probably 

be even more popular than the Deca Wakeboard 

Park inasmuch as it will be the closest wakeboard 

park to Manila. On the other hand, Deca will prevail 

in popularity for those who love to wakeboard away 

from the madding crowd. 

JJ’s extended vision is for a “chain of wakeboad 

parks” throughout the Philippines. When pressed to 

suggest where the next link in the chain might be, the 

suggestion was Cebu. 

So why start the chain in Davao? “My vision is that 

every high school and college student in Davao 

should have the chance to wakeboard at least once in 

their lives”, says JJ, himself a confessed wakeboard 

junkie, “and I can’t afford to sponsor them all to go to 

Camsur or Batangas”.



Having spent the day at Deca 

Wakeboard Park we can attest that 

there are few other water sports that 

are so inexpensive, so healthy and 

so enjoyable and that also build selfconfidence 

and replace the need to 

be bound to the gym for a work-out. 

A word from the newly wise: the 

sooner you can relax on the board the 

sooner you can successfully complete 

your first somersault. 

31

Photograph couresy of : Davao Wild Water Adventure 

32 



White Water Rafting Davao Style 

words by Martyn Willes 

fifteen minute taxi ride and we all assembled at the Davao Crocodile Park at 9am 

A the following morning. Suitably briefed and photographed, we boarded the Davao 

Wild Water bus, already loaded with inflatable boats and all the gear you need for a day 

of fun along 13 kilometers of raging rapids. 

Our group consisted of a doctor, accountants, a freshgraduate 

lawyer, auditors, government employees 

and a brace of lovers. Pretty rowdy and ready for 

anything, we had each invested Php 2,000 for a wild 

ride down the upper reaches of the Davao River. 

An hour later we disgorged beside 

the boulder strewn cascading river 

in the barangay of Calinan; still in 

Davao City! 

Three boats were launched: fifteen 

crew and three guides strapped 

with floatation devices, craniums 

encased in helmets and paddles 

in hand, we hopped aboard for the 

adventure. 

Our fist experience, just to be 

sure we were totally in tune with 

our new environment, was to slide 

off the boat and be pulled back 

aboard. Important stuff, just is case 

of accidental de-boating along the 

way, and it was surprisingly easy 

to haul any size of water-logged “victim” back aboard 

once you knew the trick. 

Off we went towards our first obstacle completely 

oblivious of the consequences – a valentine’s day 

experience where you have to “kiss the wall”. You 

Photograph by : Martyn Willes Photo

don’t of course but your boat will kiss and with such 

force as to cause it to spin momentarily out of control. 

This initiation into the adrenalin of river rafting sets 

the scene for the next four hours. 

graph couresy of : Davao Wild Water Adventure 



The Davao River has cut a deep path through the 

limestone, sandstone and ash-fields evidential of 

Davao’s dramatic formation: of tectonic calamity and 

volcanic magnitude. 

Along the way ancient trees and new growth 

(where the ancient value has been stripped 

before the Nation’s youth could appreciate) fill 

the cliffs and flood plains. Small communities, 

otherwise cut off from the buoyancy of Davao 

City proper are happy to watch, with friendly 

amusement or curiosity, as our three, city-folkfilled 

air bags glide, stumble and swirl, with 

accompanying vocal merriment sufficient to 

presume Mother Nature has intoxicated us all 

to carousal, along the alternating rapids and 

passages of serenity. 

To the educated, the cliffs and flood plains are 

filled with durian, mango, citrus, Philippine 

mahogany, nara plus ghostly deciduous trees 

I must have never seen before in their naked 

state. The river too is full of life, and large carp 

are especially favored here for their sport and 

ability to satisfy a family with just one catch. 

33 

Photograph by : Martyn Willes

34 



The river splits around islands held firm by acacia as 

we tumble on toward the “washing machine”, “drop 

and suck”, “rodeo”, “double drop” and lunch beside a 

sandy bank on a river-bow. 

As we alight from our rubber boats and clamber over 

the boulder strewn sand, four village dogs appear out 

of the shrubs with looks of hesitant expectation - that 

they too may join in the feast of fish, pork and rice 

that is eagerly consumed. Sad to say, on this day, the 

dogs were not left with so much as a plastic lunchbox 

to lick – our exercise-derived hunger equaled the 

provisions supplied. 

Onward and downward we laughed, splashed and 

glided towards the end of the route, which came all 

too soon. We would all have gone twice as far had 

the water course allowed. 

By 3pm our band of bedraggled and very happy river 

rafting enthusiasts arrived back at the Crocodile Park 

from whence we came, determined we shall share 

our experience with the rest of the World. For surely, 

white water rafting in Davao is an introduction to a 

sport that entertains as much as it inspires. 

There are other rivers that can be rafted and kayaked 

Photograph courtesy of Davao Wild Water Adventure 

in Davao City and its surrounds, but these require 

more than just enthusiasm and a trained guide to 

keep you safe. 

If I was to speculate: within the decade, Davao will 

be host to white water kayak competitions that will 

attract international champions and enthusiasts. 

Accommodation is relatively inexpensive, good food 

is definitely inexpensive and the peoples of the area 

offer a unique charm and friendliness that is a little 

more reserved but also more sincere than the usual. 

Photograph by : Martyn Willes

Samal Island Diving 

Words and Phtographs by Carlos R. Munda, Jr. 

And just like those brightly colored wrappings that 

add mystery to those yuletide presents, diving in 

Samal also comes in various hues. Green for the 

lush island vegetation, vivid blue for the crystal clear 

waters, sun-bleached white for the pristine beaches 

and bright yellow for the sunshine that warms the 

shores all year round. 

And speaking of year-round sunshine, it is a fact 

that the Davao Gulf is one of the few places in 

the Philippines immune from the wild typhoons 

that routinely visit the archipelago. 

Whether it is a trick of geography or a 

blessing from the heavens is beyond 

me, all I know is it allows us to enjoy 

those warming rays even when the 

rest of the country is being whipped 

silly by wind and rain. 

Few places in the world support as 

much marine diversity as the Davao 

Gulf. With just 173 kilometers of 

coastline stretching from San Agustin 

in Davao Oriental to the north and 

Don Marcelino in Davao del Sur on 

the South, the Davao Gulf is home 

to numerous marine mammals, sea 



Diving in Samal is like opening gifts on Christmas eve - one delightful, colorful package at a time. 

With so many dive sites still to be explored, the Davao Gulf offers scubadivers of whatever 

persuasion – be it recreational, technical, or photography – unlimited possibilities. 

turtles, pelagic fishes, coral reefs and countless 

organisms. 

But even with this heavy concentration of marine life, 

it is quite surprising that the Davao Gulf has remained 

one of the best-kept secrets of scuba diving in the 

Philippines and the rest of he diving world. Instead 

of becoming a magnet for divers from many parts of 

the country, most have never gone beyond the more 

popular dive sites in Luzon and the Visayas. They 

don’t know what they’re missing like… 

35 

Photograph courtesy of Carlos Munda 

Photograph courtesy of Carlos Munda

36 



MACRO DIVING 

While many scuba diving traditionalists still insist on 

shark sightings, manta mantras and the presence of 

other blue water biggies before declaring a dive site 


worthy of world-class status, there is a growing clique 

of divers who are shunning the usual standards in 

favor of the small stuff – the strange, the weird, the 

creepy crawlies of the seabed.

These are the macro photography 

divers – a small but passionate group 

of underwater explorers whose 

diving revolves around spotting – 

and taking photos of – the smallest 

and strangest things on the bottom 

of the ocean. Unlike ‘normal’ divers, 

these macro maniacs prefer diving 

on barren sand over live, colorful 

corals. Instead of scanning the 

waters for those pelagics off in the 

distance, they spend most of their 

time peering into the tiniest nooks 

and crannies, shining their flashlights 

on every hole and expecting (hoping, 

dreaming) to discover the mythical 

ornate, hairy, pygmy, painted, warty 

ghost pipefish. 

In recent years the Davao Gulf has gained a 

reputation for fine macro diving. Places like Babu 

Santa on Talikud Island, Critter Cove in Tagbaobo 




and Kaputian Beach in Samal are among the most 

popular. But for beginning macro photographers, 

almost every dive offers an opportunity to take a shot 

at a frogfish, a pygmy seahorse or at any one of the 

many critters that abound in the waters of the gulf. 

37



Bugsay Dabaw Continues to Paddle this Summer 

By Lito Delos Reyes 

K ayaking in Davao City 

became more popular 

with the creation of the 

group of paddlers known as 

“Bugsay Dabaw”, on April 8, 

2003. 

Bugsay Dabaw was formed with the assistance of Wind 

and Wave Davao, a PADI Dive shop at Sta. Ana Wharf, 

which also caters to different water sports including 

kayaking, windsurfing, sport fishing and scuba diving. 

Despite lacking the experience, Bugsay Dabaw led by 

its president Danilo “Jhun” Bacus made their presence 

felt by winning 12 medals in the first Cebu Pacific Kayak 

competition held on May 14-16, 2004, at the Vista 

Marina Resort in Lapu-Lapu City. 

The impressive performance earned Bugsay Dabaw a 

plaque of recognition on that same year in the annual 

So Kim Cheng Sports Awards, held at the Grand Regal 

Hotel in Davao. 

Philippine national coach Lyn-Lyn Isolante, was so 

impressed on the Bugsay Dabaw paddlers that she 

came to Davao to personally invite them to join the 

national training pool in Manila, in preparation for the 

coming Southeast Asian Games. 

Isolante also conducted a free kayak clinic for Bugsay 

Dabaw at Wind and Wave Davao. 

In 2005, Bugsay Dabaw conducted the “WOW 

Mindanao Kayak Race” at the Ana Marina Resort on 

Oct. 16, and later the “WOW Kayak Adventure Race” 

at the Crocodile Park in Ma-a. 

Bugsay Dabaw also 

participates in helping 

preserve the environment 

by joining the annual 

coastal clean-ups held 

every May and September 

in celebration of the 

International Coastal 

Clean-up at the Malipano 

Island of the Pearl Farm 

Beach Resort in Samal. 

Bugsay Dabaw also 

promoted kayaking in 

the nearby Sarangani 

Province by conducting a 

two-day kayak event with 

a free clinic in the first 

Sarangani Bay Festival, 

in Gumasa, on May 19- 

20, 2006. 

Bugsay Dabaw and 

Wind and Wave Davao 

most recently had a 

kayak competition in the 

summer of 2010, at the 

Paradise Island Beach 

Resort in Samal. 

Bugsay Dabaw’s 

pcoming event is the 

first “Davao Summerfest 

Kayak Challenge” set on 

May 21 and 22, 2011, at 

the Queensland Resort 

in Times Beach. 

The event will be part 

of the first Davao Summertime Sports Festival of the 

City Tourism Office and the Davao Association of 

Tour Operators. 

The categories are the Novice Men’s Singles, Novice 

Women’s Singles and Mixed Open Tandem. Cash 

prizes, trophies and medals will be up for grabs. 

For inquiries, please contact: 0939-5177408 (Jhun) 

or 0929-1734748 (Lito). 

39

40 



Looking For Lobster 

The exciting discovery of valuable Ming Dynasty pottery on the sea bed off Mindoro 

It Is every child’s dream to come upon a lost hoard of buried treasure, but few manage to do it with the 

spectacular success of Brian Homan - an Australian who went for a short holiday to Puerto Galera, 

Philippines, in the 1979. He’s still in the Philippines, running a resort hotel, restaurant and diving business, 

but this tale is about the day of his first discovery of the buried wreck of an old trading boat stuffed full with 

Chinese goods. Since that day he has immersed himself in books on local culture, anthropology, seamanship, 

medieval trading patterns and Asian History, as well as in the crystal waters off Mindoro and farther afield. 

It was just another perfect day in paradise. I had 

finished what passes for my day’s toil at my restaurant 

and diving club on Sabang Beach, on the Philippine 

Island of Mindoro, and decided to go for a swim. 

Although I have worked in the area for almost four 

years, and go diving about every day, the underwater 

wonders in the crystal waters never weary me. If 

the beaches, drowsing beneath the palm trees, are 

beautiful then the underwater scenery with its corals 

heads and startling variety of tropical fish are even 

more spectacular. 

Although, today, I drill into all my students the basic 

safety principle of underwater adventure: never dive 

alone. On this day I was looking for treasure. Truth 

be known I was always looking for treasure, and I did 

it alone. 

As always the wonders of the underwater world 

encompassed me as soon as the waves were a few 

feet above my head. I cruised slowly, casually, through 

the warm water, about halfway between the surface 

and the sandy seabed twenty-two meters below the 

gentle swells. I spotted a circle in the golden sand of 

the sea bed. 

There are two things that mother Nature seldom 

constructs – a perfect circle and a dead straight 

line—and as I got closer to what looked like a round 

hole protruding from the sand, it was obvious that this 

was not crafted in the art of nature. 

At the depth of twenty-two meters, visibility was still 

clear. I flicked some of the sand away and the object, 

whatever it was, seemed to be a clay circle. I grasped 

and tugged. It didn’t move. I dug deeper. From the 

open circle, the sand parted to reveal secrets that 

had been buried for centuries. With a couple of 

centimeters more sand removed, snarling temple

dogs glared up at me. My heart began to race. I didn’t 

know how much, then, about archeology, but I knew 

it wasn’t Filipino native art. The sand flew away as 

I scraped down, down, down, to expose the sides 

of what was becoming more and more obviously a 

sizable jar. 

There was something embossed on the surface of 

the long-buried glazing. I scooped away more sand 

and rubbed my hand over the side of the jar. 

Currents slowly cleared the water and there, shining 

golden a few centimeters in front of my face, was the 

curling, clawing, befanged emblem of the Dragon 

Throne of Imperial China. 

How had this come to be here in the passage to a 

harbor on the northern coast of Mindoro? What was a 

Chinese jar of some obvious antiquity doing resting in 

the sands of the Philippine sea. I prodded, I probed, 

I dug. 

One by one, the secrets of the sands were grudgingly 

revealed. Here was another jar! And what is this? A 

piece of the familiar white and blue Chinese porcelain, 

shining in the subterranean sunlight with gloss that 

looks as the day it was fired. I surveyed the area 

frantically, fascinated by my accidental discovery. But 

my air was running out, so I memorized the spot and 

headed for the surface and the shore, mesmerized 

by the treasures left behind me. 

I trudged up the beach towards my home and my 

wife, Alina. What should I do? How can I best ensure 

that the ancient artifacts be preserved? Of one thing 

I was certain; I had to keep quiet about my discovery. 

It was common knowledge that, all around the 

world, priceless sunken cargoes had been looted by 

unscrupulous treasure hunters and curious seekers. 

I talked it over with Alina, and, next day, we were on 

the ferry to Batangas and then, in my old pick-up 

truck, overland to Manila. 

What I sought in Manila was the name of the 

Philippine Government official in charge of buried 



underwater treasure. The two men I found were both 

at the National Museum, in the heart of old Manila: 

Intramuros. 

The men I met that day, in September 1983, were 

both impressive scholars whose high academic 

qualifications were tempered with common sense. I 

explained to them what I had discovered and both 

the assistant director, Alfredo Evangelista, and the 

curator, Jesus Peralta, were immediately excited but 

cautioned me that if I was treasure hunting, that was 

against the law. “I was looking for lobster”, I said. 

“Then that's ok” they replied, relieved. 

Formalities sorted, the excitement mounted as I 

reached into the bag and withdrew one of the items I 

had brought ashore. It was a pale. Almost translucent 

green dish, about 60 centimeters across and with 

raised sides about eighty millimeters high. “A celadon 

incense burner”, Alfredo breathed. Then I drew out 

the other artifact, a curiously shaped flask with a 

pouring spout, rather like an elongated teapot, in 

white and blue patterned porcelain, Jesus identified it 

straightaway as a wine flask. 

The fact that these two knowledgeable men were so 

enthusiastic thrilled me. The long trip up to Manila 

had not been waste. We talked for hours about my 

discovery; I outlined what I had found , described 

the best I could the items still on the sea floor and, 

together, we had laid out preliminary plans on how to 

go about making a scientific recovery of the site. 

There were three main considerations. First, we were 

concerned to protect the sanctity of the site so that 

any items of historical interest would not be removed 

or destroyed by pilferers. Then to plan a scientific 

and systematic recovery program, so anything of 

archaeological and anthropological interest would be 

preserved. Finally, there was the question on how to 

finance the project. 

We solved the last first, with the signing of a contract 

between myself and the Museum: I would raise 

whatever on the sea bed; the Philippine authorities 

would have first claim on every type of 

item reclaimed; and, we would divide 

the remainder of the find. Both sides 

considered this fair. 

To ensure the work was done in 

a scientific manner, the Museum 

provided divers who were expert in 

excavating archaeological sites. They 

also arranged a Coast Guard team to 

provide security. 

41

42 



By the time we were ready to begin operations, I had 

spent many further hours prowling the sea bed, in 

ever-increasing circles around the spot where I had 

made the original discovery. The more I looked, the 

more I found. As the Museum divers, underwater 

workers and I took 

relic after relic to 

the surface, the 

experts began to 

piece together 

a fascinating 

historical jigsaw 

puzzle. 

The 7,107 island 

that make up the 

modern Republic of 

the Philippines lay 

sprawled across 

the trade routes of 

Asia. The Chinese 

traders came early 

to these protected 

channels and bays, 

sailing down from 

the delta of the 

Pearl River on the 

northeast winter monsoon, pushing their big junks 

before the swells, The Arabs came too, on a surge 

of exploration and to spread the word of Islam. Later 

came the Portuguese and Spanish in search of the 

legendary Spice Islands and, to harry them, Dutch 

freebooters and English privateers. The Spanish 

stayed for more than three centuries before the tides 

of history cut loose their political grasp on the country. 

Nature had taken its toll on all these sailors over the 

centuries; the sea beds of the Philippines, mostly 

unexplored, are littered with the wrecks of ships sunk 

by typhoon winds, uncharted reefs, warfare or piracy. 

Jesus Peralta, Alfredo Evangelista and other experts 

patiently compiled the evidence brought to the 

surface. As they pondered above, workmates and 

I toiled below, scouring with powerful suction pipes 

that wiped away the layers of sand laid down over six 

centuries. 

As we literally swept the sea bed, more and more 

exciting pieces of evidence came to light, helping fill 

in blanks in the puzzle. 

Scraps of burnt wood, charred planks preserved in 

the sand, scraps of broken clay. Everything went 

under the scientists’ microscopes and the machine

that pinpointed the age of the objects using radiation 

techniques. 

What emerged was a picture of a sophisticated and 

complex international trading pattern that flourished 

between China and the islands. The forty-five foot 

vessel, had been built was Southeast Asian teak and 

was far more heavily laden than I had first assumed 

- some of the round glaze vases had been rolled 

hundreds of yards by the currents before being 

buried . 

Suppositions by the experts, reinforced by what 

historians already knew, was that Chinese traders 

had regular contacts with the Mindorans, before the 

early days of the Ching Dynasty. They surmised the 

Mindorans would place orders one year, to be filled 

when the monsoons brought the junks back twelve 

months later. The junks would rendezvous with the 

local trading vessels and unload silk, metal goods and 

other prize products. In return, into the commodious 

holds of the now empty junks would go rare birds, 

spices and herbs, beeswax, coral, deer, rattan and of 

course gold, so richly sought after in China. 

This rare metal gives the island its name. In Spanish, 

“Mindoro” means the Isle of Gold and “Puerto Galera”, 

simply the Port of Galleons. The Spanish trading 

pattern was thus similar to that of the Chinese. 



So how did this vessel, this inter island trader that 

served the villages and towns scattered along the 

coast, come to sink in a sheltered cove. Does the 

charred wood gave a clue? Perhaps a cooking fire 

overturned or perhaps pirates struck. We’ll never 

know for sure. 

Alfredo Evangelista tells me my find is one of the most 

significant underwater archaeological discoveries 

ever made in this country. Jesus Peralta says there 

are countless more wrecks lying under the crystal 

waters awaiting discovery. Villagers on Mindoro tell 

tales, handed down through generations, of ships 

with huge wings – white sails? Which went past but 

never to be seen again. Spanish? Portuguese? 

Dutch? English? Arab? Japanese? Who knows. 

But out there, somewhere, amid the twisting channels 

and countless waterways, through the passages and 

lagoons that separate the Philippine islands, I believe 

there is a lot more to discover that can bring us closer 

to unrecorded past. 

One thing is for sure, I’ll be looking for lobster for a 

long time to come. 

Editor’s note: the original of this article was 

authored by the late Kevin Sinclair and first 

appeared in the Discovery magazine in September 

1984, it is edited and reproduced here with the 

permission of Brian Homan. 

43

44 



Next To Number-one In Davao 


Sitting at the edge of the lake, enjoying 

the still largely virginal surroundings of 

the Deca Wakeboard Park in Mintal, Davao, 

I noticed that one spectator was intent on 

vocally acknowledging the more extreme 

performance of the boarders. Even when 

someone wiped-out, so long as they did it while 

trying something a little extraordinary, he would 

shout words of encouragement and praise. 

Curious; I walked over and introduced myself. 

The “spectator”, that I had assumed, is actually 

the Operations Manager of the Park: Albert 

Lehman. Youthful in physique and attitude, 

Albert is a modern Davaoeño with a passion for 

wakeboarding. His passion has already taken 

him to top spot in the Philippines, where he is 

rightfully acclaimed as the number one Philippine 

wakeboarder in his class, and he has aspirations 

of doing the same in the Asian rankings. 

Albert admits that getting to the top in the World 

rankings will be much more of a challenge 

because he started late – already a college 

graduate – while the Europeans, in particular, 

start learning almost as soon as they can 

walk because there is so much opportunity 

to learn. In Germany, for example, there are 

more than 60 wakeboard parks whereas in the 

Philippines there are currently only three, and 

these have only opened over the last six years. 

Youth is not a vital ingredient for wakeboarding 

and people of all ages frequently take up the 

sport instead of going to the gym – it is a lot more 

fun. But if you want to be the top wakeboarder 

in town then you had better be flexible in body 

and fearless in spirit, so youth has its benefits. 

It was while working as protege to his civil 

engineer father, on a project in Camarines Sur, 

that Albert first felt the rush. At the Camarines 

Watersports Complex he discovered that his 

natural exuberance lent itself to experimenting 

with airborne twists and turns and, most 

important, if he failed to achieve some acrobatic 

feat then he quickly learned that the water 

made for a very soft and safe landing. 

Although an engineering graduate himself, 

Albert has no immediate plans to change 

his wakeboarding career, especially as he 

has at least another decade of opportunity 

to get to the top in the World rankings. 

What impresses is that Albert is also so 

enthusiastic to help others excel in the sport 

that is currently his road to fame. You could 

Philippines’ No. 1 Wakeboarder 

easily perceive that he will grow to become 

the godfather of Philippine wakeboarding, in 

much the same way that Efren Reyes has 

become a global sports icon and yet is as 

much loved for his friendliness and generosity. 

If you are starting out want to be cheered on 

and supported by the number one in Philippine 

wakeboarding then take the time out to wakeboard 

at the Deca Wakeboard Park in Davao.

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