ABW Dec 2019 -1

CHAIRMAN’S ALL SOUL’S REGATTA CUP REGATTA 2019 2019
SUBIC 2019 SIARGAO TO VERDE CLOUD ISLAND 9 SURFING CUP
HOBIE SHARK NATIONALS FOR FOOD IN CHAMPIONSHIP
THE PHILIPPINES
EASTER ROUND TAAL REGATTA VOLCANO REGATTA 2019
TOP HOBIE OF CHALLENGE THE GULF REGATTA 2019
PARAW LOBSTER REGATTA FARMING IN THE PHILIPPINES
EVOLUTION 2019 INTERNATIONAL OF FISH DIVE SHOW
AQUA ZAMBALES PLANET SURF WATERPARK LIFESAVING
PHILIPPINES HOSTS SEA GAMES 2019
CRANCHI page 8
Destination
SIARGAO
DEC 2019 Vol. VIII Issue 4
SEABOB
ACTIVE BOATING & WATERSPORTS
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3

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
2019 is coming to an end and it has been an amazing year for watersports in
the country, it’s amazing to see Filipinos enjoying the water that’s all around
them, whether on boats or on boards, everyone is having a great time.
With the Philippines hosting the 30th Southeast Asian Games, various
watersports organizations are in competition mode; there’s surfing,
paddling, sailing, aquatics and even wakeboarding, However, due to the
competition dates for these events all happening after we go to press,
they won’t be featured in this edition.
In this edition, our featured destination is arguably the watersports Mecca
of the country, the island of Siargao. Known best for it’s more than a
dozen surf breaks all around its eastern coast, it is considered the surfing
capital of the Philippines, drawing foreigners and locals alike to enjoy the
surf and experience island life first hand.
Like in most parts of the Philippines, the hospitality of the people of
Siargao is amazing and the residents are incredibly friendly. Sports’ fishing
is another great attraction for Siargao and anglers from all over visit
Siargao and battle it out with game fish in the area.
WHAT’S INSIDE?
All Souls’ Regatta 2019 6
Sustainable Charters Inc. 8
2019 SEA Games 16
Local Legend Victorious at... 22
2019 Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup
Shark for Food in the Philippines 28
Get Set for the 20th Hobie Challenge 34
A Boost for Sail Training
Europa Sailing School Opens in Subic
40
Christmas at SBYC 44
Drowning Prevention, Lifeguard 48
Training and Lifesaving Sport
Bruce Curran A Legend in His Own Time 54
Destination - SIARGAO 60
Taytay, Palawan 78
A Laser Sailor Set Loose on a Goose 80
Round Taal Volcano Regatta 84
Sailing Tips - Steering the Boat 88
The 2019 International Dive Show 90
Lobster Farming in the Philippines 94
In the next edition we will be featuring Zamboanga del Norte, another
amazing destination in Mindanao, we will also be featuring watersports
highlights from the Southeast Asian Games. We hope you enjoy reading
this issue as much as we had putting it together, and Happy Holidays
from all of us here at Active Boating and Watersports Magazine.
Barry Dawson Editor
Happy
New
Year!
TO ALL OUR VALUED READERS & SUBSCRIBERS
Destination - SIARGAO
Dream Yacht Charter Ph
Cover photo courtesy of Sustainable Charters, Inc.
Published quarterly by: ABW PUBLISHING
House 16, Madrigal Compound, 2550 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Publisher: ROSALIE M. BAIRD
Managing Editor & Production: BARRY DAWSON
Associate Editor: ROY ESPIRITU
Layout & Design: MAR SUBA
Contributing Writers: BRUCE CURRAN & JAMES WEBSTER
Contributing Photographers: TERRY DUCKHAM & JOHNNY MARTINEZ
Advertising: (046) 489-2087/ 0919-070-3751/ 0917-871-8547
Email: info@activeboatingwatersports.com
Website: www.activeboatingwatersports.com
Printed by: House Printers, Taytay, Rizal, Philippines
Active Boating and Watersports is a copyright© production
No part can be copied or reproduced without the express
permission of the publishers.
4
The views expressed and advertisements published in Active Boating & Watersports
are those of the authors and advertisers, and not ABW Publishing.
ABW Publishing does not accept any liability whatsoever for errors or omissions.

5

All Souls ‘
Regatta
2019
O
ne of the year’s most popular regattas, the Royal
Cargo All Souls Regatta, was held at the Puerto
Galera Yacht Club at the beginning of November.
The All Souls Regatta is also one of the largest
yachting event in the Philippines. It was held from November
1st to November 3rd to coincide with All Souls Day which,
because of the non-working holiday, usually results in a
three-day weekend. The regatta also marks the unofficial
launch of the tourist season in Puerto Galera. A further
benefit of holding the regatta at this time of the year is the
Halloween party hosted by the yacht club on the Saturday
evening when grown men and women relive their childhood
in an atmosphere of fun, frivolity and good natured banter
after an exciting day of racing.
Yachts competing in the All Souls Regatta are divided into
classes depending on the number of boats of a specific type
entered in the event. For keelboats this means that there are
classes for IRC, Racing Cruising and Multi-Hulls, while the
multihulls compete in either the Cruising Multihull or One
Design/Beach Catamaran class. International racing teams
compete alongside novice crews and visiting cruising yachts.
Everyone is encouraged to enter into the spirit of sailing and
to share their yachts with as many visitors who front up for
the Skipper’s Briefing.
The Royal Cargo All Souls Regatta is organized under the
Racing Rules of Sailing using the Puerto Galera Yardstick
(PGY) handicap system, which rates actual performance
above the sometimes arcane theoretical dimensional criteria
which is more commonly used in yachting. This regatta is
based on the ‘pursuit race format’, which means that each
yacht has a different starting time based upon its PGY
(Story continues on page 12)

This regatta is based on the
‘pursuit race format’, which
means that each yacht has a
different starting time based
upon its PGY handicap.
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs by TERRY DUCKHAM
& BARRY DAWSON

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All Soul’s Regatta 2019(...from page 6)
handicap. If the handicapper got his sums right, and each
boat performs well, the boats should cross the finish line
together. Such an outcome is unlikely, however, although
bow to bow competition is often evident within the last half
mile to traditional finish of Haligi Beach. Skippers and crews
know who won each race so there is no waiting for the results
before the party starts. The (usually) free kegs of beer are
opened and everyone is encouraged
to return to the club-house to rib the
suitably thick-skinned handicapper for
their variable performance on the day.
The weekend started
well with ideal
weather and 28 boats
across three divisions
competing for honors.
This event gets bigger and better every
year and 2019 saw more sponsors
becoming involved. The Principal
Sponsors were Royal Cargo and the
Philippine Retirement Authority, with supporting sponsors,
Chetz Marine, San Miguel, Als Marine and Asia Yachting,
and mainstay sponsor Broadwater Marine who unfailingly
support this regatta every year. The atmosphere throughout
the three days was excellent: exciting races on the water with
a unique race course, constant winds and a perfect job done
by the Race Committee.
Puerto Galera Yacht Club strives to increase the number of
boats competing in the regatta and with the efforts put in by
the club this will continue to increase.
The weekend started well with ideal weather and 28 boats
across three divisions competing for honors; the winds were
constant and favorable and the yachts got away to a good
start on the Friday.
Competing this year in the Cruiser Class
were Aragorn skippered by Gundolf
Ahrens, Papaya 1 – Ador Abrogena,
Papaya 2 – Renie Ticzon, Karis – Colin
McLean, Columbus – John Quirk, Cape
North – Heinz Bueschler, Princes Arieta –
Dale Godkin, Amihan – Sie Adam, Danny
II – Mel Smit, Emocean - Chris Pooley,
Forever Young – Frank Radstake, Stargazer 50 – Joe Musial.
And Talang Gala with Jeremy Ockelford at the helm.
In the Multi Hull Division there were four competing yachts
this year, Lakota – Benoit Lesaffre, Kerida – Gary Kingshott,
Magayon II – Martin Gummert, and Soniya skippered by
Kareem Magill.
Competing this year in the Racing Class Division was Anthea
with Darius at the helm, Bellatrix – Jun Villanueva, Emocean
I – Phillip Schlohsnagel, Esprit – Ross Lyons, Irresistible IV -
Kevin Moylan, Niki – Vincent Fougnies, Rags – Klaas Huisjes,
Sandoway – Matt McLellan, Vineta – Thomas Pickering, Wild
Honey, James Villareal and Selma Star with Jun Avecilla.
A day of fierce competition saw newcomer Stargazer take out
First place in the cruiser class, with Papaya 1 in Second and
Talang Gala securing Third spot. In the Multi Hull Division
Benoit Lesaffre on Lakota took Line Honors while Soniya
came in Second and Magayon II was placed third. In the
Racing Class, Anthea outshone the rest of the fleet closely
contested by Esprit in Second while Vineta came in Third.
Saturday was again off to a flying start with good winds and
with the invaluable assistance of Terry Duckham Regatta
Photographer, and Brian Calvert and Active Boating and
12

Watersports were on the scene to record the event. The day’s
events were well contested with some quick times recorded.
At the end of the day’s racing everyone began preparing
for the Halloween party and the presentation to the
winners. Most of the ladies spent the afternoon at hotels
like Elizabeth’s Hideaway at the Sandbar diligently putting
on makeup to complement their frocks and outfits, not
forgetting to dab a bit of makeup on their partner. With
the ladies looking suitably ravishing and the men a bit nonplussed
at all the fuss, everyone was ready for a night of fun
and festivity.
The evening got underway at 6:00pm with the presentation
of trophies to the winners of the day: Aragon took the Honors
in the Cruising Class, with Talang Gala coming Second and
Third place secured by Papaya 1. In the Multi Hull Division
we had Magayon II coming in First, Kerida Second and Soniya
holding Third place. In the Racing Class the speedy Vineta
secured First place with Esprit Second and Bellatrix Third.
After the awards it was down to partying with a mouthwatering
buffet menu, free flowing beer and fun galore where the
girls’ make up skills were well and truly showcased. As the
passing hours drew on into the late night, participants retired
to their hotels happy and looking forward to the final day of
racing in yet another memorable regatta.
The Sunday again saw good winds prevail, which further
increased the competitive spirit of the sailors. By now each
boat and crew had formed a greater understanding of the
course and the waters off Puerto Galera and knew the best
approach to the various marks. The final race ended shortly
14

after 2:00 pm, in time for a late luncheon at the yacht club
and the presentation to the day’s winners. The winners of the
Sunday races were announced first and then presentations
were made to the overall winners of the regatta.
The winners of the day in the Cruising Class were Stargazer
in First place for the second time in the regatta with Talang
Gala again securing second and Princess Aragon claiming
Third spot. In the Multi Hulls it was Kerida first with Soniya
coming in Second and Magayon II Third. In the racing class
Esprit came First with
The Sunday again saw
good winds prevail,
which further increased
the competitive spirit of
the sailors.
a convincing win
over Emocean I in
Second and Bellatrix
in Third place.
Trophies were
presented to the
overall winners with
Stargazer taking
the top spot and declared Overall Champion, while Kerida
secured Second and Vineta took out Third place.
After an excellent weekend of sailing, camaraderie and a
splendid Halloween party, crews, spectators and officials
began their sometimes lengthy journey home looking
forward to a bigger and better Royal Cargo All Souls Regatta
in 2020.
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Puerto Galera at
www.pgyc.org and on the Events Calendar of Active Boating
and Watersports.
15

2019
SEA
GAMES
A
total of 10,000 athletes from 11 countries are
set to battle for glory and gold as the Philippines
hosts the 2019 Southeast Asian Games from
November 30 to December 11.
Boasting home court advantages from venues ranging
from La Union to Subic Bay and Clark, the Philippines will
stage the largest events schedule in the history of the Sea
Games with 56 sports and 530 events across 4 main Areas –
Clark, Subic, Metro Manila and Southern Luzon.
Malaysia is looking to defend its crown as the 2017 host
amassed 323 medals with 145 golds in the last Sea Games.
While the Philippines, with the advantages of home
courts, will be aiming to leapfrog from its sixth place of
121 medals including 24 gold two years ago, with over
1,100 athletes competing in the 2019 Sea Games.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2019 Southeast Asian
Games, the first SEA Games opening ceremony held in
an indoor venue took place on the evening of Saturday
30 November 2019 at the Philippine Arena, in Bocaue,
Bulacan. The event commenced at 7pm and ended at 20:35
local time. Floy Quintos was the creative director of the
ceremony. The ceremony featured LED strips and panels,
which represent a bamboo forest. Filipino gymnast Carlos
Yulo was designated as the torch bearer and lighter of the
cauldron for the opening ceremony, but was replaced by
boxing legend Sen. Manny Pacquiao
One of the performers featured in the opening ceremony
was Filipino-American Artist Apl de ap of the Black Eyed
Peas and in conjunction with Ryan Cayabyab he performed
a remix of his troupe’s song performed with traditional
Filipino instruments.
16
Words by ROY ESPIRITU
Photographs as credited
2019 30th SEA
Games opening
Filipino delegation
entrance

The Philippines will
stage the largest
events schedule in
the history of the
SEA Games.
17

30th SEA Games logo
The flag of the Southeast Asian Games Federation being
carried by eight Filipino sporting legends
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
waving to the crowd beside
Sultan of Brunei
18
“The Roots of Our Strength” (Ugat ng Ating Lakas),
featured a dance production by Ramon Obusan Folkloric
Group and dance troupes from different colleges and
universities, starting with Sarimanok dance and traditional
dances including the Ginum of the Bagobo from the
Mindanao highlands, the Pattong of the Kalinga people
The parade is inspired
by the Flores de Mayo
festival and Filipina
beauty titleholders served
as muses for each of the
11 participating countries.
of Northern
Luzon, a dance
inspired by the
pre-Hispanic
self-defense
art of Arnis, the
Sagayan from
Maguindanao,
and the Singkil
of the Maranao
people from
Lanao, The soundtrack of the performance is based from
Ryan Cayabyab’s Kyrie Eleison from the musical “Misa.
“The Honor of Competition” (Dangal), featured the La Jota
Manileña dance, a blend of both Hispanic and pre-Hispanic
style. Then, the parade of athletes commenced. As per
tradition, the participating nations entered in alphabetical
order, and finally by the host nation Philippines entering
to Hotdog’s hit song “Manila”. The parade is inspired by
the Flores de Mayo festival and Filipina beauty titleholders

served as muses for each of the 11 participating countries.
Robert Seña performed a welcoming song to the tune of
“Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika.”
After speeches from the Organizing Committee chairman
Alan Peter Cayetano and President Abraham Tolentino of
the Philippine Olympic Committee,
President Rodrigo Duterte officially
declared the games open.
The final segment of the ceremony
entitled “We Win As One”
(Pagkakaisa) began with a dance that
featured capiz lanterns. After which,
all of the performers and dancers came
to the stage to sing the official theme
song, “We Win As One”. In between
the song, a video was shown featuring Filipino boxing icon
Manny Pacquiao and 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing
Championships gold medalist Nesthy Petecio, lighting the
cauldron at the New Clark City Sports Complex. After the
rendition of the song, the ceremony came to a close.
ABW was there and the
activity and excitement at
Subic Bay Yacht Club was
in top gear as sailors from
all 11 countries set out
to show their sailing and
windsurfing skills.
In Subic bay for the water-sports
events commencing on November
30th ABW was there and the activity
and excitement at Subic Bay Yacht
Club was in top gear as sailors from
all 11 countries set out to show
their sailing and windsurfing skills.
We could only cover the first two
days before going to press but
the full story will be in the March
edition.
Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan
venue of the opening ceremonies
20

21

Local Legend Vic
John-Mark Tokong
2019
Siargao
Cloud 9
Surfing
John-Mark Tokong
Cup
22

ctorious at at
Words &
Photographs by
TIM HAIN
John-Mark Tokong
F
The 23-year-old posted
a total of nine excellent
scores in three heats on
Finals Day.
ilipino superstar John Mark Tokong has taken
out the 25th annual Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup
Qualifying Series (QS) 1,500 event. Tokong won
the thrilling final against Hawaiian prodigy Noah
Beschen in pumping four-to-six foot
surf at Cloud 9.
In his third Final at his home
event, John-Mark Tokong looked
destined to take his second victory
at Cloud 9, posting near-perfect
totals in his Quarterfinal and Semifinal
appearances (18.75 and 19.05 out of a possible 20
respectively). Tokong’s knowledge of his home break
never looked more on-song than today with the electric
young natural footer getting deeper in the tube than what
seemed humanly possible, then coming out and launching
flawless air-reverses. The 23-year-old posted a total of nine
excellent scores in three heats on Finals Day.
“I’m so stoked right now I can’t even believe it,” Tokong
said. “Last year I got second here and I’ve spent the last
year working so hard to make sure I would win - that just
makes this feel so sweet. I want to say a special thanks to
the late Mayor of General Luna, Jaime Rusillon. We would
not be here today if it wasn’t for all of the work he has done
for surfing in the Philippines. I’ll always be thankful for his
work and have so much respect for him.”
In the Final, as the wind began to turn slightly onshore,
Tokong and his opponent Noah Beschen began to look
more to the air for scores as the classic Cloud 9 tubes
became harder and harder to find. The two went blow for
blow with Tokong holding the upper hand for the majority
of the 40-minute matchup. With only two minutes left,
Beschen took off on a set and lined up for a tube that never
eventuated which forced him to launch a massive straight
air slob grab. Beschen landed the air smoothly and posted
an 8.60 to take the lead and what looked to be his first QS
victory. That was until Tokong swung on a set wave with 45
seconds and pulled into a deep tube, come out and bashed
the lip, posting a 7.80 and taking the final by just 0.05 of
a point.
“In the end, I almost gave up because there was no time
left and then when that wave came I knew exactly what I
had to do,” Tokong continued. “Noah is such a crazy surfer
-- he does so many airs and is so good in these kinds of
waves so it was sick to have a final with him. Being from
Hawaii he’s so good in the barrel and at hitting big sections
so I loved surfing with him at Cloud 9. I hope that he is back
here next year and we can go again in the final.”
23

Callum Robson
Bronson Meydi
Cooper Davies
Although his clutch rebuttal air was pipped at the post by a
rampaging Tokong, Hawaiian wonder kid Noah Beschen was
stoked to share such a special final with a local legend and
will still leave the Philippines with the best result of his career.
“I am super psyched right now,” Beschen
said. “The whole final day was amazing.
I scored an 8 and took the lead, there
wasn’t much more I could have done so
I am super happy. This is by far my best
result on the QS event so I feel really good
and like I have a newfound confidence. I
just want to keep surfing heats and having
fun. Hopefully, I’ll win the next one.”
“When the waves
are this size and
the wind is like it is
today, this wave is
so perfect for airs.”
After a couple of down days due to small surf, competition
has resumed at the 25th annual Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing
Cup WSL Qualifying Series (QS) 1,500 event. The field
has been narrowed to just 8 surfers as the quarterfinalists
were decided in clean two-to-three feet surf at Cloud 9
24
with the competitors utilizing the light on-shore breeze
to launch huge airs over the shallow reef. 15-year-old
Indonesian representative Bronson Meydi fired a warning
shot across the bow of his opponents today, posting the
second-highest two-wave combination of
the event so far. Meydi’s scores came from
an awesome display of tube-riding, rail
surfing, and massive aerials. His diverse
approach will be hard to overcome as
Bronson treated the Cloud 9 waves similar
to the ones at his home of Lakey Peak on
the island of Sumbawa.
“I was so stoked to get that one wave,”
Bronson said. “To get barrelled and come out and do an alleyoop
is the perfect wave so I was so happy. When the waves
are this size and the wind is like it is today, this wave is so
perfect for airs. It’s a lot like my local wave in Sumbawa with
a barrel at the start then a big air section on the inside so I’m
comfortable here -- I can’t wait to surf the Quarterfinals.”

Thomas Cervi
Elliot Paerata-Reid
25
Noah Beschen
The iconic Cloud 9 tower was shaking on its foundations
when former event winner and local hero John-Mark
Tokong hit the water in Heat 3 of Round 3. Tokong found
the best waves for the majority of the heat and launched
huge airs much to the excitement of the massive crowds
who came to cheer him on. In the final minutes of the heat,
Aussie Thomas Cervi found two back-to-back medium
sets and got to work, smashing huge backhand re-entries
to move from third to first. Cervi and Tokong will both
progress into the Quarterfinals while reigning event winner
Skip McCullough was eliminated.
“That was pretty heavy having the last two winners of the
event in my heat,” Cervi said. “I’m so stoked to have made
it through that one. I came here thinking I would be getting
barrelled in all of my heats but because of the wind and
tides during my heats, I’ve been getting all of my scores on
turns. It doesn’t matter how you get there its just good to
get the win. I hope it’s pumping for the final day tomorrow.”
25

Oney Anwar
Siargao Cup 19 Podium
Another Lakey Peak local who progressed into the
Quarterfinals was Oney Anwar who is fresh off a runnerup
finish at the recent So Sri Lanka Pro. Anwar will join
the likes of Tomas King, Callum Robson, Noah Beschen and
Elliot Paerata-Reid in the Quarterfinals at Cloud 9.
The iconic Cloud 9
tower was shaking on its
foundations when former
event winner and local
hero John-Mark Tokong
hit the water in Heat 3 of
Round 3.
Be sure to tune
in tomorrow as a
typhoon swell is
expected to fill in
and we crown the
2019 winner of
the Siargao Cloud
9 Surfing Cup in
pumping surf. Final
scores were Filipino
John Mark Tokong
16.80 besting the Hawaiian Champion Noah Beschen by
the narrowest of margins with final score of 16.75. Claiming
the coveted trophy and the $6000 USD (306,000 Pesos)
prize money, while runner up Noah took home a purse of
$3,000 USD.
Each year the Siargao gets bigger and better so we can’t
wait to see the abundance of spectacular surfing the 2020
season will be sure to offer.
26
John-Mark Tokong

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Shark
28For For Food in in th th

Words by JAMES WEBSTER
Photographs as credited
While shark finning has become a multibillion
dollar business for the lucrative sale of shark fin
soup it has also become a huge threat to the
world’s shark population. Shark finning refers to
the removal of the shark’s fin, usually while it is alive with
the fish being thrown back into the ocean without its
fin. Unable to swim they sink to the bottom of the ocean
and die. In many countries the practice has been banned,
requiring sharks to be brought back to port, whole. In many
countries the sale of shark fins has been banned.
Alexander Vasenin commons.wikimedia.org
Shark finning refers to
the removal of the shark’s
fin, usually while it is alive
with the fish being thrown
back into the ocean
without its fin.
This aside, shark
flesh can be quite
delectable if
prepared properly.
In fact, shark has
been passed off
as more expensive
fish species in
restaurants and
fish shops worldwide for many years without, for the most
part, being detected. If your order a dish of Rock Salmon,
chances are you are eating shark.
The topical waters of the Philippines, lying along the
equator, bestrides shark migratory routes enabling it to play
host to more than 150 of the 400 shark species that roam
the world’s oceans with the Whitetip reef shark and tiger
shark being the most popular caught by anglers among the
Philippines Islands.
In the Philippines, most sharks are not protected. Only the
whale shark and manta are protected nationally. Sharks
are also a great sport to catch, so don’t throw them back
prepare them for the table.
e Philippines29

Oceanic Whitetip Shark Size
sharkfins illegal catch
Shark fin soup
As sharks urinate through their skin it is important to clean
the flesh thoroughly before cooking or the flesh becomes
inedible. If you intend using that shark you have just caught
for tonight’s meal you will need to immediately remove the
head, gut it, bleed it and skin it. Once that is done you will
find a dark or red strip that runs down both sides of the
flesh, use your fillet knife to slice just under the dark surface
and remove it. Now you can slice the meat into manageable
steaks ready for the freezer or the BBQ. A sniff of the
prepared flesh or even shark you have purchased will detect
any ammonia odor which is a sign that it hasn’t been cleaned
properly.
Crime blotter illegal
shark fin catch
30

31

Whitetip reef shark at Tubbataha
There are many, many recipes for preparing shark for the
table, but the most popular and my favorite is thick shark
steaks on the BBQ. Shark is a lean meat with very little fat,
so you might like to marinate the steak for a couple of hours
before throwing on the Barbie to help keep it moist and
tender.
To grill the perfect shark steak, place the meat on the hottest
part of the grill and sear each side for two minutes creating
nice grill marks and good color. Move the steaks to a cooler
part of the grill and cook for another four to five minutes
on each side. Keep seasonings simple by using citrus, fresh
herbs, minced garlic, or ginger.
Of course they can be pan-fried in the same fashion or
even skewering cubes of meat with whatever vegetable you
desire for shark kabobs.
Whichever way you prefer to cook your shark, it is a very
underrated seafood table fare.
TigerShark
32

33

Get Set T
for the
20th Hobie
Challenge
he Philippine Hobie Challenge is a long distance
race organized by the Philippine Inter-island Sailing
Foundation, Inc. (PHINSAF),using the Hobie 16 sailing
catamaran manufactured by the Hobie Cat Company.
Sometime late 1999, a small group of international Hobie
16 catamaran sailors envisioned an extreme sailing event
that will take them to different islands in the Philippines;
six days in the open seas and camping in rustic areas. Thus,
the Philippine Hobie Challenge had its relatively modest
start in March 2001 with five (5) regional teams making
the 190 nautical-mile passage from Lucena, Quezon down
to Boracay. Michael Scantlebury, who was in the group that
conceptualized the event, eventually took the honours of
winning the first Challenge.
Dreaming the Impossible
The highly successful inaugural event proved the concept of
long distance racing in Hobie 16 catamarans to be workable
and the Challenge had its repeat in March 2001. This time,
entries had more than doubled to twelve (12), including
teams flying in from HK, Australia and Europe. Using
experience gained during the first event, the organizers
scheduled a 5-race inshore series and the Challenge
series with 5 consecutive daily passages, taking the
teams 154 nautical miles from the Batangas resort
of Maya-Maya down to Maricaban Bay in Northern
Palawan. The team from Down Under, Andrew Keag
and Naomi Angwin, bested the rest of the fleet to
win the 2nd Philippine Hobie Challenge. In 2002, the
Challenge went northwest, taking fifteen (15) teams
from Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur down to Subic Bay, Zambales.
Blood Red, the team of Chris Steilberg, Dave Harris and
Krishan George took honors in this 230 nautical mile race.
Subsequent Challenges
In 2003 the offshore Challenge series started from the whale
shark capital of the Philippines, Donsol, and ended down in
Cebu. Peter Davies, with David Harris, finished first, and with
1 win at Donsol and 2 in Alegre, Haswell and Heider made up
34

35

for their relatively poor offshore performance by garnering
a first in the Inshore series. 2004 marked the 5th Hobie
Challenge one of the best challenges ever, taking the sailors
from the icing sugar sands of Boracay all the way across to
Palawan. This marked the largest fleet of Hobies yet - 27
teams from all over the globe. This trip included a visit to
Amanpulo and even an African style safari on Calauit Island.
Now the organisers are preparing for the milestone of the
20th Hobie Challenge in 2020 and are looking forward to it
being one of the most successful challenges yet.
An important part of the Challenge is the Outreach Program,
which provides an opportunity for sailors to give back to the
communities that the race will pass.
A great success
Now firmly cemented into the
Hobie Sailing schedules, organizers
of The Philippine Hobie Challenge
are pointing their sails towards
new and exciting routes. Set on
promoting sailing as a means to
see the eco and adventure tourism
destination that is the Philippines,
they can only promise another
superb event.
Indeed, the Philippine Hobie Challenge is fast growing to be one of
the most exciting and anticipated sailing events in Southeast Asia.
The 17th Hobie Challenge had a major setback when 21
Hobies were lost to depths in very bad rough weather. After
deciding the rough seas were far too dangerous the Hobies
were dismantled and loaded on a boat for the next leg but
were never seen again when the boat sank. But with the
help of Monchu Garcia and his company Rayomar new
hobies were delivered to the sailors at a special Christmas
regatta held at Lake Taal Yacht club. And everyone was back
as strong as ever for the 18th Challenge.
36
The Outreach Program
provides the following aid to
the beneficiaries: Renewable
Energy Enterprises Foundation
of Oakland, California (REEF)
provides SOLAR LAMPS- The
remote areas where the challenge
ventures rarely have electricity
and the outreach program
provides solar lamps that provide
up to 8 hours of lighting for
children to study by. Since it can eliminate the use kerosene
lamps, the solar lanterns improve family’s indoor air quality.
The result children are less often missing school; the lanterns
save family’s 30 % of their income, and provide evening light
for families. The solar lanterns are free to families and last five
years.
Indeed, the Philippine Hobie
Challenge is fast growing to
be one of the most exciting
and anticipated sailing
events in Southeast Asia.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES- Giving children these materials will
help them continue learning and reduce the cost to their parents.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES- These contributions will greatly help
community health centers to provide for basic health needs
and first aid treatments.

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37

38

39

A Boost for
Sail Training,
Europa Sailing
School Opens
Words & Photographs
by EUROPA SAILING
in Subic
Bénéteau First 14
flying a spinnaker
40

Aplace steeped in maritime history and presently a
bustling hub of commerce, industry, and leisure
and competitive boating, Subic Bay is the perfect
location to immerse oneself in the joys of sailing.
Soon, this sport will be a whole lot more accessible to
aspiring sailors in the Philippines, thanks to the upcoming
launch of the Europa Sailing School.
A collaborative effort between
the Subic Sailing Club and
Europa Yachts, the school will be
inaugurated before the end of 2019
and will be another major step in
the fulfilment of the club’s mission
to raise the quality of sailing
education in the Philippines.
“The Subic Sailing Club
believes that sailing is a
sport in which Filipinos
can excel and be among
the best in the world.”
According to Richard Sarinas, Europa Yachts’ Director of
Marketing and Business Development, their company is
proud to be partners in this endeavor with the Subic Sailing
Club, whose mission has always been to raise the level of
awareness and consciousness of every Filipino regarding
the Philippines’ maritime heritage.
“The Subic Sailing Club believes that sailing is a sport in
which Filipinos can excel and be among the best in the
world. We at Europa Yachts are thrilled to be of the same
mind with our friends at the Subic Sailing Club in their desire
to make this vision a reality.”
“Indeed, with the inauguration of the
Europa Sailing School, the club will be able
to share their expertise and love for sailing
while being able to repose confidence in
the thought that there will soon be a new
generation of sailors who will make the
country proud,” Sarinas said.
More details on the Europa Sailing School,
such as the exact course offerings, are
still forthcoming. But one important fact
about the sailing program is for certain: students will be
honing their craft aboard Bénéteau First 14 sailing dinghies,
courtesy of Europa Yachts.
The First 14, whose design was spearheaded by renowned
naval architect Sam Manuard, is a fourteen-foot sailing
41

dinghy with a planing hull built for speed and stability. Even
though she is a simple boat, her top-quality craftsmanship
is a nod to Bénéteau’s legendary racing heritage. This model
was also recently awarded in the “Class of 2019” in SAIL’s
Best Boats contest.
Bénéteau First 14 heading
for the water at the
Subic Sailing Club
The Bénéteau First 14 sports a double centerboard casing that
makes her easy to sail either solo or two-handed. Moreover,
even with her small size, she can comfortably balance and
This model was also
recently awarded in the
“Class of 2019” in SAIL’s
Best Boats contest.
accommodate 2 sailors
when they’re sailing in
tandem. The First 14 is
know to be fast, stable,
intuitive, and a highly
versatile boat that can
be maneuvered by
sailors of all abilities—and that means first-timers to sailing
won’t need to worry about a steep learning curve while on
her.
According to Sarinas, Europa Yachts hopes that by providing
boats for the school, they can do their share in helping the
Subic Sailing Club achieve its goal of elevating sailing in the
Philippines.
“We support the Subic Sailing Club’s mission to create and
sustain awareness for sailing in the Philippines through
instruction and education, as well as through community
building. Hopefully, these boats will go far in terms helping
sailors get a good start on their sailing education,” Sarinas
said.
Lighthouse Marina in
Subic where the Subic
Sailing Club is based
Bénéteau Fist 14
sailing dinghy
42

43

CHRISTMAS at SBYC
Words & Photographs
by BRIAN CALVERT
Tis the season and the signs of Christmas are going
up all over town. There is no place that loves the
Holidays more than the Philippines, and Subic Bay
Yacht Club is leading the parade.
For the first time, boaters will join the merriment, the First
Annual Lighted Boat Parade will be on
December 13, at 1800 hrs. Brilliantly
lighted boats, sea-going carolers and
Santa himself will be seen in Subic
Bay. The boats will gather at SBYC,
make a pass through the club marina,
where dinners and visitors can get a
closeup view. The Parade will then go
around to the Subic Bay BoardWalk
and public beach area, making a Turn
at the Lighthouse and return to the
marina.
Spectators are encouraged to gather by the big SUBIC BAY
sign on the beach where the parade will pass by. Other
locations to view the parade are the restaurant at SBYC
and the Light House where you can enjoy a meal, toast the
parade and wave at Santa!
The staff at Subic Bay Yacht Club have gone over the top
decorating the club this year. This is the fifth year that
the staff have turned the Yacht Club in to a Christmas
wonderland. The staff are divided into five teams, each
getting a selection of the talent within the staff, welders to
44
Ho Ho Ho, Subic Bay
Yacht Club is all in for
the holidays, come join
the fun, take your whole
family to see the Carnival
and watch the Lighted
Boat Parade.
artists to designers. The competition is stiff this year with
reported prizes up to 100,000 pp, donated by club members.
The theme this year is Carnival! And a carnival it is. The street
in front of the club has transformed into a childhood dream.
Merry Go Rounds, Ferris Wheels, colorful Unicorns going
round and round, simply stunning, the
height limit for the structures was raised
to thirty feet this year, creating some
engineering challenges all well met.
Over two hundred people attended
the big opening and lighting of the
Carnival. SBMA Chairman, Wilma
“Amy” Elsma pulled the lever and
darkness miraculously was transformed
into a Christmas wonderland. SBYC
Commodore Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo
hosted a great dinner at the clubhouse after the festivities.
There we had a chance to talk about promoting the boating
aspect of the club, he was very supportive. The prizes will be
awarded at the annual staff Christmas Party where the teams
also do skits and other merriment
Ho Ho Ho, Subic Bay Yacht Club is all in for the holidays,
come join the fun, take your whole family to see the Carnival
and watch the Lighted Boat Parade, Tis the season!
(For information on the boat parade contact Capt. Brian
Calvert, brian@furthuradventures.com).

45

46

47

Drowning Preven
Training and Life
48

ntion,Lifeguard
fesaving Sports
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs as Credited
T
he vision of a “Drown-free” Zambales continue
with Zambales Lifesaving Inc. (ZLI) having a very
successful year which included expansion of their
Swim-safe program through the added support
of Ally Dot Com, Smile Concepts and
Sustainable Charters, allowing them to
support more children to join and educate
more parents, plans for 2020 include
being able to promote the program and
take reservations for the program, which is
free to the public, within one of the major
shopping malls in the Olongapo area,
once again Lighthouse Marina Resort in
SBFZ and Palmera Garden in Iba will, as in previous years,
be supporting the program with free use of their facilities.
This program is unique as it is not swimming lessons as such,
it is more on awareness and safety and consists of a short
lecture explaining not only the many dangers that can be
present is recreation areas, but also in and around the home,
in fact anywhere where water is a factor.
Very few people realize how many infants and children
drown in the home through water being left in pails and
especially plastic containers used for washing clothes, such
simple things can be deadly to children.
Another thing that is impressed upon is “reach or throw,
but do not go!” as an untrained person attempting to assist
another in trouble in the water can quickly become a second
victim, so it is impressed upon the children and their parents,
to think and act, rather than just react,
This program is unique
as it is not swimming
lessons as such, it is
more on awareness and
safety.
as to do so, most would jump into the
water to help, which can have deadly
consequences.
AS ZLI has been requested to join the
Zambales Provincial Government Heath
Board, it is hoped that will allow us to
show the reality of the high cases of
drowning amongst children and that more pressure can
be brought to understand that drowning prevention for
children should be a priority.
Lifeguard training, is continuing with an increase in the
number of participants and expanding to other areas also,
with the permission of Australian Life Saving Academy, New
South Wales, ZLI has remodeled the program so as to be
able to combine both Pool Lifeguard certificate course with
the Open Water Lifeguard certificate course, this making it
easier to meet the required minimum 10 participants, they
have now also converted all exams and the self assessment
manual into both Filipino as well as English, this making
it easier for participants, the power-point presentation
49

emains in English as many of the technical issues can only
be done in English, but the Instructors also fully explain all
in Filipino.
This has also resulted in the streamlining of the course
structure and in fact enhancing the final results, this allowing
ZLI to maintain a low cost structure thus making Lifeguard
training available at a very affordable price. The one item still
affecting the outcome of the pass rate is a number of those
who apply, or are sent
A number of those
who apply, or are sent
by their employers, do
not have the physical
and swimming skills
required.
by their employers, do
not have the physical
and swimming skills
required, despite all
being fully informed of
the requirements prior
to registering. ZLI has
a very strict policy on
passing the course as
they can and will not
pass any person who may be placing their own safety in
jeopardy, as well as that of the victim, due to their physical
inability to carry out a rescue. To try to overcome this ZLI
has introduced a system whereas a student who fails, has
50
30 days in which to practice and improve their skills and
be retested, thus allowing trainees a second chance should
they have problems during the initial exams or in water test
requirements.
For 2020 the following dates have been selected for training,
they are: January 27th., February 27th., March 23rd., June
22nd., September 28th. And November 23rd.
All will be combined Open Water, 5 days and Pool. 4 days,
Lifeguard certificate courses.
For 2020 also ZLI will be introducing a “Scholarship
Program” whereas unemployed youths, male and Female
will be able to train for almost free, why almost, as if no
investment, generally no commitment, in return they will
also be required to assist at Swim-safe and events in return.
Lifesaving Sports
It has been a sad year for lifesaving sports with the sudden
and untimely death of Prathaiyut Chuayuan (Affectionately
known to all as “Nat” ) head of Phuket Lifesaving Club
and the father of both lifesaving and Lifesaving sports in
Thailand, in respect to Nat, this year’s Phuket Lifesaving

51

Championships will not be run, Nat was the driving force
in lifesaving in Thailand and will be greatly missed, his wife
Tanya though has taken over the reins and we at Zambales
Lifesaving wish her great success in continuing Nat’s legacy.
This year’s Zambales
Lifeguard Challenge was
a huge success, as was
the second running of
the Nipper’s Carnival for
kids 5 years and above.
We are not sure why,
but this year Cebu
Lifesaving Inc. did
not run their annual
Cebu Lifeguard Rescue
Challenge so nothing
to report on that, so
unfortunately our
lifesaving sports teams
have not had a lot of
practice, hopefully more events will become available, as
lifesaving sports is a great way not only to maintain fitness,
but also to learn new techniques and make new friends.
This year’s Zambales Lifeguard Challenge was a huge success,
as was the second running of the Nipper’s Carnival for kids 5
years and above.
2020 will see the Nipper’s Carnival held on Saturday March
7th. Again sponsored by Broadwater Marine and RDH Marine
who are expanding their sponsorship to accommodate more
contestants as interest is growing in this event. Venue is yet
not confirmed, but most likely Palmera Garden in Iba who
have supported this since its inception.
The Zambales Lifeguard Challenge will be held on the
following day, Sunday March 8th. at the same venue, again
sponsored by the Standard Insurance Co. Inc. and Tees and
Prints , who joined the event last year as the supplier of the
competition and officials uniforms.
For further information of Zambales Surf Life Saving and the
Swim Safe Programs Contact Roger Bound at slszambales@
gmail.com or phone +63918-922-2863.
52

53

BRUCE CURRAN
A Legend
in His
Own
Time
August trip
54

Published book: Balangay
Since the first publication of Active Boating and
Watersports in September 2010, one of the most
amazing characters I have ever had the pleasure
of meeting is Bruce Curran, world famous author,
adventurer and philanthropist.
An avid supporter of the magazine, Bruce is a regular
contributor of stories outlining his amazing adventures in
some of the most beautiful provinces in the Philippines.
Bruce is one of those fascinating characters with an absolutely
amazing background. Scottish by birth, Bruce’s father served
in the Royal British Army Medical Corps for 35 years. This
meant the family would have been relocated every few years
and is probably what instilled the wanderlust and thirst for
adventure in Bruce.
Bruce’s incredible adventures on land started back in 1971
when he rode his newly acquired Norton Commando from
New England which he still has today and fondly named
Published book: Combing
the Coral Carpet
Bruce is one of those
fascinating characters
with an absolutely
amazing background.
Buri princess Palawan
Balangay
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs from the
collection of BRUCE CURRAN
55

Our banca SW of Mindoro
Dementer, after the Greek “Goddess of Life”, riding across 17
countries and a few continents which started in England to
Pakistan, Europe, and The Middle East culminating in Africa.
His Watery Adventures began - by sailing some 30,000
miles partly on a 40 year old 37 foot wooden ketch which
was rebuilt in Sydney, Australia and sailed for 2 1/2 years
from there up to Darwin, 6 1/2 weeks non-stop to Mauritius
Island, on to South Africa, on to St Helena island in the South
Atlantic then to Brazil. He also sailed along the south coast
of UK, around SE Asia, based in HK for 10 years then some
8000 miles around the Philippines This amazing adventure
continued on into the Philippines, first arriving here in 1988.
It was love at first sight, so set sail in his 43 foot yacht from
Hong Kong, moving here in 1997.
South Africa, 1972
His unquenchable thirst for adventure continued and with
7107 Islands to explore, Bruce quickly realised the only way to
experience these was by boat. So in 2006 he started a Banca
Safari Business so he could full-fill his dreams. He kept the
43 foot centre cockpit balsa cored fibreglass ketch designed
by Ted Brewer in HK and Philippines for over 10 years. He
could trip with up to 8 people safely on board and sailed over
10,0000 miles around these areas.
The amazing adventures experienced on these Safaris inspired
Bruce to write the best seller “Combing the Coral Carpet”
which is now in its 2nd print.
Bruce continued to write about these amazing adventures
and now has over 20 publications Including Blow ur Horn,
The Voyage of the Balangay, The Bakers Dozen and the Rule
of 72, Urban Stew and the Manila Menu, just to name a few
of this amazing writers best sellers.
Bruce is now contemplating a 48 day ride around the country
hopefully in March 2020 to celebrate here 48 years touring
the World!
Norton 2019 in Subic
56

From a magazine
Anilao
Time for a
beach brake
57

DESTINATION
SIARGAO
It’s not just about the Surf
Words & Photographs
by ROY ESPIRITU
60

S
iargao located in the province of Surigao del
Norte, is an archipelago in itself consisting of more
than 40 islands with Siargao being the largest.
The area consists of 9 municipalities, 8 of whom
are located on the main island, these are; Burgos, Dapa,
Del Carmen, General Luna, San Benito, Pilar, San Isidro
and Santa Monica. The 9th municipality of Socorro is the
second largest island in the group and is on the island of
the same name.
The name Siargao originates from the
Visayan word siargaw or saliargaw a
species of mangrove that is found on
the island, in fact one of the largest
mangrove forests in the Philippines
can be found on the western side of
the island in the municipality of Del
Carmen.
In the late 80’s an
American drug
trafficking, surf
explorer named Mike
Boyum lived in a small
hut by the beach in
General Luna.
Up until the 80’s Siargao was nothing more than a sleepy
island town in the Caraga region of Mindanao. The Lumad
island folks subsisted through fishing, harvesting coconuts
and not much else. In the late 80’s an American drug
trafficking, surf explorer named Mike Boyum lived in a
small hut by the beach in General Luna, this was after Mike
burned down his G-Land surf camp in Java, Indonesia
during a government crackdown and found Siargao as a
place to hide out as well as surf. The area
where his hut stood in Siargao fronted an
area that will eventually be called Cloud-9,
named after a locally made chocolate bar.
Other surf explorers came around the
same time including surf photographer
John Calllahan of Surfer Magazine and the
surf breaks of Siargao grew in renown. If
you want to know more about this story
you can look for a documentary film called
The iconic Cloud 9 Tower
61

it is now completely reliant on Tourism, coconuts are no
longer harvested for their copra and fishing in the town
has practically disappeared, fishermen have become trike
drivers and tour boat operators and coconut harvesters
have become surf instructors.
“Sea of Darkness” about surfers who sustained their
addiction to surfing with illicit activities.
Overall, the change that surf tourism has brought
about in Siargao has been a positive one. New business
establishments have been set up providing employment
for its residents and property values have skyrocketed,
allowing locals to invest more in the island’s development.
The local government has been involved in the development
of surfing on the island from the very beginning, in fact,
the former Mayor of General Luna, Jaime Russillon (now
deceased) is credited by many as the father of Philippine
surfing. The former Mayor helped set up the infrastructure
to support surf tourism in the area such as the iconic
Cloud 9 tower and Surfing events such as annual Siargao
International Surfing Cup, now on its 25th year. (read page 22)
More than any other watersport, surfing
is a lifestyle, it has changed communities
from Nicaragua to Bali. All one needs to
get started in surfing is a surfboard and
consistent waves called surf breaks, which
the eastern coast of Siargao has plenty of.
Other than open water swimming, very
few watersport activities requires so little
investment, this fact has allowed the sport
to take hold in a community in less than a
decade. Surfing has changed Siargao forever, so much so
that the municipality of General Luna or GL as locals call
Overall, the change
that surf tourism
has brought about
in Siargao has been
a positive one.
The natural features of Siargao has made
it the surfing capital of the Philippines,
with more than a dozen surfing spots
all around the side of the island facing
the Pacific Ocean. The depths of the
Philippine Trench helps ensure the tide
from the Pacific has sufficient power
when it hits the reefs near Siargao’s
eastern shore creating wave breaks that
surfers love. The most famous of these
spots is Cloud 9, known for its barreling waves preferred
by professional surfers, a short distance north from Cloud
Learning area near cloud 9 with smallers waves for newbies
62

63

Dako Island, General Luna
9 has more subdued waves near the shore which are ideal
for beginners, these are where many surf instructors are
and where newbies go to learn. To ensure your safety make
sure that your instructor is a licensed instructor of the
Siargao Island Surfers Association (SISA).
Filipinos wanting to try surfing for the first time need not
travel to Siargao to experience it, there are surf camps to
be found all over the country Zambales, La Union, Aurora,
SISA surf instructors
insructing students to
bend their knees when
riding board
64
Quezon and Daet are a few
provinces with great wave
breaks. There’s even a Surfing
school just on the outskirts
of Metro Manila operated
by the Philippine Surfing
Academy that uses a wave
pool in Taytay, Rizal to train
newbies with the essential skills one needs to enjoy surfing.
Hardcore surfers
are known to drop
everything in their
lives for the perfect
wave.
Hardcore surfers are known to drop everything in their
lives for the perfect wave. Many have changed residences
to be closer to the surf, this is true in Siargao where a
good percentage of the residents are of foreign origin.
For foreign and local tourists they might look like tourists
themselves but when they start speaking in Visayan to
the locals, it’s a giveaway that they’ve been on the Island
for some time. Resident foreign surfers have made sure
that the locals keep their priorities straight, the local
government knows this and is mindful that the Island
doesn’t make the same mistakes of Boracay that lead to
the island’s closure. Programs such as “Balik Bayod” helps
ensure that kids stay in school, Balik Bayod lends surfing
gear to children for free since 2008, provided that they
finish all their schoolwork and don’t skip classes.
Coastal cleanups are also regular activities in that town that
are participated in by both local and alien residents. Other

Tour boats in front of the GL Tourism Office
initiatives by the local government are also commendable
such as the plastic for rice program. Plastics are a major
polluter of the world’s oceans and we all should do our
part to reduce its use, and it’s always a good idea for
travellers to bring our own drink containers wherever we
go rather than purchasing
drinks in disposable plastic
bottles or cups.
Other watersports have
tried to get a foothold
in Siargao with limited
success, kite surfing is
gaining in popularity on
the island during Amihan
season but is only available
in selected resorts, wind
surfing is also available, as
well as kayaking, there’s
even a wakeboard park
on the island, however,
nothing quite beats the
economical appeal and
thrill that surfing has to
offer. Stand up paddle
(SUP) boarding which has
its roots in surfing has had
relatively good success, in
fact, one of the best organized SUP events in the country
the Philipppine Deep Paddle games (featured in the
September issue of ABW) is held in Barangay Santa Fe in
General Luna.
One watersport in Siargao that is gaining local and
international popularity is game fishing. Siargao is but a
stone’s throw away from the Philippine trench, a haven for
predatory game fish such as Barracuda, Sailfish, Trevally
and Dorado. The Municipality of Pilar an hour drive north
from General Luna is a popular venue for game fishing
tournaments. Port Pilar is a natural harbor with a deep
inlet, unlike GL, fishing is very much alive in this town.
Anglers from around the world come down to Pilar for
game fishing tournaments regularly held there, two of the
biggest ones being the Siargao International Game Fishing
Tournament, and the Pilar Sportfishing Cup.
How to get up from the board
65

Getting there
There is no international airport on Siargao as of yet, and
there is news that one might be built. The domestic airport
in Del Carmen is how most visitors to the island arrive, there
are regular domestic flights into Siargao from, Manila, Clark
and Cebu. The port in Dapa handles
ferries and small passenger boats
coming from Surigao City. If you’ve
booked accommodations in General
Luna in advance, vans at the airport
are readily available to take you to
where you’d be staying. You can hire
the van as an exclusive service or just
wait for other passengers who would
also be going to General Luna to get
The domestic airport in
Del Carmen is how most
visitors to the island
arrive, there are regular
domestic flights into
Siargao from, Manila,
Clark and Cebu.
self-drive rental cars available and is a practical way of
getting around especially if you’re travelling as a group.
Because you are on an island with no cities, most transport
you’ll see are motorcycles and maybe a few trikes, riders
in the area are courteous and well mannered, there are
no streetlights in the sparsely populated areas, so a little
extra care is needed when driving at
night. If you’re not comfortable riding
a scooter, trikes abound especially in
the GL area. There are also motorcycle
riders you can hitch a ride with called
“habal-habal” if you want a quick
way of getting around. It’s usually
always handy to have a riders’ number
in case you need to get somewhere
and don’t have a ride available.
Sport fishing in Pilar
Gaming fishing in Siargao
Siargao Sport Fishing Association
cheaper fare.
Getting Around
The best way for adventurous tourists to around Siargao
and truly experience island life is by rented scooter,
they are available for as little as 300 pesos per day and
depending on how adventurous you can be, they can really
get you all over the island to see the sights. There are also
66

67

Make sure to bring sunscreen
on your trip to Naked Island
Due to the popularity of the Island
as a tourist destination, there’s an
infrastructure building boom in
General Luna. The road network is
being paved and bridges spanning
several river deltas and estuaries
going to northern barangays of
General Luna are being constructed,
these can significantly reduce travel
Tourism Road in General Luna
68
The island is practically
its own archipelago
with more than 40
islands and islets in its
surroundings.
distance from Cloud 9 to the town of
Libertad from 19 kilometers to 4.
The area around Cloud 9 can get
really busy around summer vacation
and surfing season between July and
December and you will understand
why some locals call the place “Crowd
9” during that time. Nonetheless,
there are many other places to visit while in Siargao.
The island is generally unspoilt and the people are really
nice, and is a great example of simple island life in the
Philippines, with the exception of maybe the Cloud 9 area
which has its own nightlife. The island is practically its
own archipelago with more than 40 islands and islets in its
surroundings. Island hopping is one of the most popular
tourist attractions promoted by the local governments of
several municipalities in Siargao.
The municipal tourism office of GL runs island hopping
trips from its tourism office, the most popular one is
a three island hop to Naked island, Dako and Guyam
Islands, several resorts also offer package tours for groups
that include meals and boat use, make sure to ask about
it if you’re staying at a resort. Naked island is called
that because it’s exactly that, there’s nothing on but a
nice white sandy beach. bring ample sun screen though,

ecause other than the boat you came on there’s no shade
from the sun at all, folks usually stay for some pictures
and swim around the crystal clear waters but not much
else. Dako Island is the biggest island in the GL island hop.
This is where tourists’ usually stop for a sumptuous meal
served boodle-fight style on banana leaves or just laze on
the beach or even play beach volleyball, there are huts and
tables for rent if you brought your own food. After a quick
bake in the sun on Naked Island, Dako is a nice place to
get some fresh coconut juice.
Time your departure from Dako just right and you can
watch the sunset at your next stop the cute island of
Guyam, it’s slightly larger than naked island and is a nicely
palm fringed island with a white sand beach. They serve
refreshments there too and there are some rock pools
around the island where you can take a quick soak while
watching the sunset. Guyam is only 10 minutes away from
the GL pier and is usually the preferred last stop on the GL
island hop. Other than those three islands, the GL port can
also be your take off point by boat to other scenic islands
around Siargao, like the Sohoton Island Natural Park
on the neighboring island municipality of Soccorro with
its amazing lagoons with overhanging forest greenery,
stingless jellyfish can also be found in Sohoton. There’s
also Bucas grande island with its coves inland lakes, rivers,
waterfalls and caves.
Accessible by road In the municipality of Pilar known for
its game fishing, Pilar is about 70 kilometers north of GL.
One popular tourist destination in Pilar is Mapupungko,
Guyam Island is usually the last stop on the GL Island Hop tour
69

it features natural tidal rock pools with crystal clear water
great for taking a dip in and snapping some instagrammable
photos, The beach area around Mapupungko has several
small restaurants where you can get local seafood delicacies.
A little to the north of Mapupunko is the municipality of San
Isidro, where Pacifico is located, the area around Pacifico is
not as touristy as General Luna and is a quiet place to relax
and get away from busy surf spots like Cloud 9. Pacifico
another promising surf spot with similar breaks to that of
Cloud-9, the nice thing about Pacifico is that the breaks are
closer to shore with a nice sandy stretch of beach.
Mapupungko Rock Pools
Angela Dindee Relayo
The Municipal Port of Del Carmen and Tourism Office
is around 10 kilometers from the Airport, it is quite a
distance away from GL and can be one one of our first or
final stopover destination when on the Island. They have
their own island hopping trips there
too with Sugba lagoon being the most
popular destination. If you look at Del
Carmen from google maps, it looks it’s
surrounded by islands, but when you
switch from map view to satellite view it
looks like the place is one big contiguous
green land mass with a few rivers. This
is because Del Carmen is the site of
the biggest mangrove forest in Mindanao, approximately
4200 hectares where 44 out of 54 mangrove species in the
70
The nice thing about
Pacifico is that the
breaks are closer to
shore with a nice sandy
stretch of beach.
world can be found, it is also home to the largest type of
saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
Sugba Lagoon is located in Caob island around 9 kilometers
away from the Del Carmen port, to get there
by boat is about a 30 to 45 minute boat
ride around the scenic mangrove forest.
Sugba Lagoon is a peaceful place to paddle
around as well as swim around, it’s quite a
distance from the mangrove forest and you
don’t have to worry about crocodiles there.
If you’re a swimmer don’t forget to try out
their diving platform into the clear lagoon.
Various paddle craft are also for rent in the area, kayaks,
canoes, stand up paddle boards and even bamboo rafts.

EVENT
MYCInshoreRace
MYCInshoreRace
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EasterSunday
ChineseNewYear
LabourDay
IdulFitri
IndependenceDay
MYCInshoreRace
RoyalLangkawiYCRegata
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FarEast28Races
FarEast28Races
FarEast28Races
SubicBaytoVerdeIslandRace
RHKYCChinaSeaRace
IndependenceDayRegata
PKASeries2ndleg
PKASeries3rdleg
PKASeriesFinalleg
PuntaFuegotoBusuangaRace
ZambalesNippers&Lifesaving
MYCInshoreRace
MYCInshoreRace
NewYearRaceSubicSailing
PhilippineHobieChalenge
TaalSeries
TaalSeries
TaalSeries
TaalSeries
TaalSeries
TaalSeries
ASAFChampionships
EasterRegata
PhilmarineExpo
SMXMalofAsiaPasay
PuntaFuegoRegata
PuntaFuegoRegata
ChineseNewYearRegata
CoregidorRaly
OzGooseNationals
HobieNationals
Chairman’sCupRegata
CLASSES
Cruisers
Cruisers
Cruisers/FE28/keeboats
Cruisers
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FarEast28’s
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Hobie16/Cruisers
Hobie16/OzGoose
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OlympicDinghy
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Kiteboarding
Kiteboarding
Kiteboarding
Cruisers
LifesavingChalenge
Cruisers
Cruisers/keelboats
Cruisers/keelboats
Cruisers/keelboats
Cruisers/keelboats
Cruisers/Keelboats.
Hobie/Dinghies/OzGoose
LOCATION
ManilaBay
ManilaBay
ManilaBay
ManilaBay
ManilaBay
ManilaBay
Boracay
SubicBay
SubicBay
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SubicBay
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PuntaFuegoYachtClub
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APRIL2020
MAY2020
JUNE2020
EVENTORGANIZERS.
4
6
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16-18
14
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5
5
12
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25
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1 1-9
29 24
1
12
18-21
14-16
14-17
7-8
5-9
15-20
6-8
8
4
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1
7
21-22
22-23
15
21
5
8-12
12
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14-19
2
3
10
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Kids performing at the opening of the Siargao Surfing Cup
Warung’s Nasi Bungkus
For a little bit more, your trip to Sugba Lagoon could
include a trip to Kawhagan sandbar as well as meal stop at
Pamomoan Beach where we hear the seafood is very good.
Where to Eat
Because of its vibrant tourist industry there is a wide food
selection, all sorts of international cuisine is available,
there are probably a lot of Italian surfers on the island
because one of the more popular dishes I’ve seen around
is pizza. Don’t expect much seafood in GL though, expect
a lot of grilled meat. For the those of the vegetarian or
72
(046) 489-2087

Sugba Lagoon Visitors Center
vegan persuasion there are restaurants for them as well.
One popular restaurant I was able to try was Kermit known
for its Pizza and Pasta, the place looks to be sailor friendly
too, their rum-coke gets cheaper as more rum is added.
For those of the vegetarian
Another Popular
restaurant if you
or vegan persuasion there like spicy food like
are restaurants for them as I do is Warung,
operated by the
well.
Siargao Islands
Villas a popular
resort in GL, I got to try their Nasi Bungkus, which is a
rice platter comprised of the spicy beef rendang stewed
in coconut milk, chicken curry, hard boiled egg, and
vegetables, it was delectable. down the road from that
is Azuete an inasal place with great tasting grilled food
that makes me want to ask for more rice. Majority of the
restaurants and resorts are on the eastern side of the
tourism road loop, expect prices to be on the high side. If
looking for more affordable meals ask a local or if you don’t
mind a trip into town you can try Bebi’s barbecue in the
middle of GL town, their barbecues are served with their
own special sauce. Another affordable place I discovered
near the area of Cloud-9 that helped appease my hunger
pangs without breaking the bank was the Sidlakan Burger
house who served burgers fresh fruit shakes and halohalo.
73

Dving platform in Sugba Lagoon
Part of the massive magrove forest in Del Carmen
Pamomoan Beach
Places to Stay
Ocean 101
74
GL is backpacker
friendly and finding
places to stay even
during peak season
is fairly easy.
For the budget traveller
there are homestay
options, some places
can even prepare
meals along with your
accommodations, there are
bed and breakfast places
too around the island.
While we were in GL covering the Siargao Surfing Cup we
stayed at Ocean 101 resort owned by an Australian and his
Filipina surfer wife, Ocean 101 is 50 room hotel with nice
clean accommodations, it’s around a hundred meters from
Cloud 9, if you want something closer to cloud 9 there’s
also Point 303 which is also owned by the same couple.

75

Other popular resorts and hotels on Tourism road in GL
include Siargao Bleu, Siargao Island Villas, Bravo, Palaka,
Reef Beach Resort and Buddha. There are several more,
ranging from simple to the posh, it all depends on your
budget as well as your taste. GL is backpacker friendly and
finding places to stay even during peak season is fairly easy.
kayaking in Sugba Lagoon
Don’t limit your stay to GL though, there are other great
places to stay on the main island of Siargao and the
neighboring islands. For a relaxed island feel but still with
surfing options, check out Pacifico in the municipality of
San Isidro. Accommodations might be limited, and it’s a
good idea to make arrangements before arriving especially
if staying overnight.
Boards for rent at Cloud 9
Siargao Island
76
Map of Siargao

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Taytay
PALAWAN
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs Courtesy of
SUSTAINABLE CHARTERS INC.
& TAYTAY TOURISM OFFICE
Limestone Wall, Pabellon Piqueno, Taytay Bay
Table and Branching Corals at Dinot Marine Protected Area
78

Pabellon Grande, Taytay Bay
I
n our September issue we featured a hidden gem of
Palawan, namely Taytay. This beautiful place has so
much to offer the traveller that they might not want
to leave.
Inside Heart Lagoon, Pabellon
Grande Island, Taytay Bay
Active Boating and
Watersports would like
to recognize Sustainable
Charters Inc. and Taytay
Tourism office for the
awesome photos supplied
and used in the story.
One thing that
Active Boating
and Watersports
was remiss in its
publication of
the story was not
acknowledging where
the beautiful photos
came from
Although it was stated in the on line version the hard copy
missed this important information.
So to set things right Active Boating and Watersports
would like to recognise Sustainable Charters Inc. and Taytay
Tourism office for the awesome photos supplied and used
in the story.
To Whet your appetite for this beautiful place here are some
more photos for you to enjoy.
Waterfalls Kuyawyaw
Sunset off NE of Palawan main
island behind a Pearl Farm
79

A Laser Sailor
Isurvived seven years of boring Singapore, or ’Singabore’
as I sometimes call it because I could sail my Laser every
Saturday in a competitive field of 10-15 peer senior
Laser Standard sailors. My ’Sexy Lexy’, a light-green
Australian built boat, imported new into Thailand in 1999,
had followed me untouched to USA, France, Switzerland in a
crate and had come out to see daylight and sea waves again
only in 2012 on the Singapore
Strait. For seven years she kept
me sane.
This year I moved, a fresh
’retirado’ to the Philippines and
of course my loyal fiberglas
heartthrob followed me. I
looked at many locations to
resume my addictive Laser
racing but couldn’t find any -
not close enough or without
a racing fleet.
Words by THOM KLEISS
Photographs by ROY ESPIRITU
Thom hiking upwind on a Goose
After a visit I fell in love
(again, as I knew the place
since 1996) with the Taal Lake
Yacht Club (TLYC), an easily accessible
location, accommodating staff and a great
sailing venue - unfortunately, no Laser racing,
however a thriving and very active site for
a fleet of racing Oz Goose dinghies, a dinghy
I had never heard of before, with an unusual
spartan design (no BS, rather boxy, wood
only, straight
September, I joined
in a TLYC-organised
regular race in a
rented Oz Goose
and was immediately
hooked on the
incredible challenge.
lines, with a
classic lug rig with the
boom and yard staying
on one side of the
mast) but apparently
attractive enough to
have created quite an
active participation in
Lake Taal and in other
places in the Philippines.
September, I joined in a TLYC-organised regular race in
a rented Oz Goose and was immediately hooked on the
incredible challenge and fun it was to sail these basic
beautiful boats.
As a thirty-year-plus Laser aficionado it was of course
impossible not to compare the Oz Goose characteristics with
80

Set Loose On
A Goose
81

Thom on his Laser Sexy Lexy
Thom with Oz Goose designer
Michael Storer
Thom on a rented Oz Goose
on Taal Lake
the Laser features - aware of doing an apples to pears exercise;
not fair to both designs but interesting enough for dinghy lovers.
The Goose doesn’t sail attractively very close-hauled and
can’t be tuned during a race, but once you got it going in
good wind the close-hauled experience becomes thrilling -
sitting much further back than in a Laser and playing with
the ’heeling power’ of making the hard
chine as part of the anti-drift effect the
boat goes fairly well upwind. (Broad)
Reaching the speed encountered is not
much less of a Laser and the experience
of speeding over the water, easy
planing, is similar, if not better: one flies
a basic honest design over the waves as
good as an Olympic class! Running in
firm winds it is stable and without the
chance encounters with fatal capsizes the Laser guarantees.
Forced to make a race comparison between Laser and
Oz Goose - an unfair request but ’torn between now two
lovers’ I will still try:
The Laser is unforgiving when ignoring its many technical
sensitivities (especially running, hard wind, tacking, jibing)
but the Oz Goose will not let one get away with strategic
82
So, I am a formal Goose
convert now and will use
my old Laser for fun on
Lake Taal while taking the
’Goose challenge’ for the
near future in racing.
incompetence - eagerness to tack a lot near the mark
resulting in losing boat speed, close hauled - going too high
too early, impatience with velocity while on the port tack with
the yard leaning on the mast, sitting too far forward... funny
enough when you obey simple Oz Goose rules the boat will
perform great. She needs a bit of time to get going but then
when she goes... she goes!
So, I am a formal Goose convert now and
will use my old Laser for fun on Lake Taal
while taking the ’Goose challenge’ for
the near future in racing, with the ever
expanding fleet. Goose strategy is finer
and more comprehensive than Laser
racing as it requires far more longer term
tactics than the often on-the-spot Laser
approach - start is less critical, but clear
wind and lengthy good moving tacks are of the essence. It is a
better mind game hence!
A local Goose sailor with help from the designer of the boat
are now building a new boat for me and I can’t wait for the
full 2020 season.
Philippines will show, also for this reason, to be more
exciting than Singabore. Go Goose go!

83

For competitive sailors based in Taal Lake, the third
weekend of November is one of the most anticipated
events of the year, as this is always the date when
the annual Round Taal Volcano (RTV) Regatta is held
and organized by the Taal Lake Yacht Club (TLYC). Now on its
20th year since it was first conceptualized by avid Hobie 16
sailor Noel Lim. Hobie 16 races have always been a regular
feature at TLYC, but local Hobie sailors wanted more than
just going around the cans, in 2000 the Round Taal Volcano
Regatta was born and a little later a weeklong inter-island
regatta called the Hobie Challenge was conceptualized .
The RTV is open to all types of sailing boats, however, for
safety purposes, only the faster Hobie 16s do the volcano
island circumnavigation. Over the years, the RTV has seen
all kinds of sailboats, there were Toppers, Hobie Bravos,
Streaker dinghies, Optimists and a wide assortment of
homebuilt sailboats. This year, there were just Hobie 16s and
Oz Goose Dinghies, both regulars of TLYC’s monthly races.
The north-east monsoon or Amihan is usually in full swing
by the third weekend of November and provides great sailing
regatta weather, with consistent amihan breezes from 8 to
20 knots. This year, however, with tropical storm Kalmaegi
(Ramon) battering northern Luzon the weather forecasts
were far from usual. Forecasts showed very light habagat
(south west) winds from 2 to 4 knots on the first day of the
regatta with a possibility of better weather on the second
day but still coming from the south west.
At the pre-race briefing, TLYC Commodore Peter Capotosto
discussed the planned courses and races for the day, he
mentioned that the first race will be the Noel Lim Memorial
race, wherein all boats will be racing the same course
and winners will be determined by a handicap rating. The
second race will be the RTV race, however, because of the
light weather, it was determined that instead of doing a
circumnavigation of volcano Island the Hobies will instead
go around Bubuin island twice, while the Oz Geese will be
rounding Bubuin once. Peter, also announced that the “15
minute rule” will also apply to Hobies, the 15 minute rule
allows for races to be started without having to wait for
the last boat to finish. The 15 minute rule states that the
race will finish 15 minutes after the first boat crosses the
line, boats that don’t finish within that time will get a did
not finish (DNF) score, which is the number of participants
plus one. Racers that think they cannot finish within 15
minutes after the first finisher can opt to retire, by crossing
despite not finishing the course and announcing to the race
committee that they will retire that race, these racers will get
a score of the last finisher plus one, which is usually better
than a DNF score.
A light Habagat wind came at around noon and the racers
headed out, a simple windward - leeward course was set
up for the Noel Lim memorial race. The Hobies started
first, then the Geese. As the race progressed the wind
was getting lighter and lighter and even the faster Hobies
were having a difficult time finishing the course, Jose
Gonzales crossed the finish line first for the Hobies. The
wind eventually died down to almost nothing and the race
committee had to shorten the course for the Geese. Out of
the 12 Geese that raced only half finished the race while
the rest chose to retire, Pralympic sailor Cherrie Pinpin won
Forecasts showed very light
habagat (south west) winds
from 2 to 4 knots on the first
day of the regatta with a
possibility of better weather
on the second day but still
coming from the south west.
84Round Taal Vol

the first race for the Geese. The fleet then headed back to
the club to have lunch.
A little after two pm the weather started picking up and it
looked like there was enough weather to do the RTV race or
in this case the Round Bubuin race. It was a light Habagat
once again and the racers were off. After a great start by
the Hobies, race leaders Maria Vidoeira with Tomas Camelo
and Glenn Everret with Jana Everrett found themselves less
than one boat length apart for more than 40 minutes the
entire upwind leg towards Bubuin, every little adjustment to
improve speed was matched by the other to do the same. It
was challenging and technical sailing by both pairs. Because
of the lightening weather conditions the race committee
decided to shorten the Hobie RTV race, instead of going
around twice they only had to round it once. After the long
RTV race the Hobies still had time and enough weather to
complete another in-shore race.
It was a different story for the Geese, sailors with light wind
experience and have sailed around Bubuin during Habagat
clearly had an edge over those with experience in mostly in
moderate weather and have never rounded Bubuin. Michael
Storer lead the race all the way. There was still a good amount
of daylight when the leaders rounded the island, however at
around 5pm the wind was starting to disappear, as the sun
set, the Oz Goose fleet commander called TLYC for rescue
boats to start towing the stragglers while there was still some
daylight left. At around 5:15pm Michael crossed the finish
line and 15 Minutes later the race committee ended the race.
Ashley Best who was second, didn’t make it within the 15
minute cut of period and the race committee decided to just
determine the rankings based on where the boats were as they
ended the race, that way DNFs won’t be across the board. All
Geese eventually found themselves back at the club at around
19:30 with the last four being towed by the committee boat.
The shortened course for the Geese during first race meant
that the first race couldn’t be counted as the Noel Lim race.
Before the RTV race started the race committee decided that
the Noel Lim race and the RTV race will be the same race
since both fleets will go around the same course, this meant
taking finish times of all boats as they crossed finish.
Awards for the Governor’s cup or RTV race and the Noel Lim
memorial trophy were awarded in the evening of the first
day. Maria Vidoeira with Tomas Camelo won the Governor’s
Cup for the Hobie 16 Class and Michael Storer won it for
the Oz Goose Class, The Noel Lim Memorial Cup was a big
surprise and was won by Michael Storer beating Maria and
Tomas by more than 17 minutes in corrected time.
The wind forecast for the second day of the RTV regatta
showed better weather than the day before, however, for
most of the morning all the racers and visitors had was
paddling weather and for some reason it was fortuitous.
Broadwater Marine, one of the major sponsors of the
reggatta scheduled a stand up paddle board race with Red
Paddle inflatable SUP boards for the racers and the race
committee for the morning of the second day. Great prizes
were up for grabs for the winners, there were Barz Optics
sunglasses, Broadwater Marine caps and Dry bags. And
since the sailors and race committee had nothing better to
do, most participated in the SUP race and had a great time.
Words by ROY ESPIRITU
Photographs by BARRY DAWSON
lcano Regatta85

At around 11 pm there was a hint of Salatan (Southerly)
wind coming up and a Salatan windward leeward course
was set up by the race committee to take advantage of it.
At around noon it was off to the races. The Hobies started
first, followed by the Geese, the Hobies were to take course
2 or twice around the windward mark while the Geese were
to take course 1 or once around the same. The Hobies
started well with a good 7 - 8 knot breeze, however when
it was time for the geese to start it dropped to less than
5 knots and eventually went down to nothing before both
fleets finished. Four Hobie 16s out of 10 had to retire from
their race and only two out of the fleet of 13 racing Geese
finished the race, with seven of the racers did not even reach
the windward mark and chose to retire.
Marks were set up near shore well in view by the rest of the
club and the audience cheered them on as they went around
the Red Paddle buoys. All competitors had timed runs and the
ones with the best time to complete the course wins. There
was the men’s division, women’s division and a race committee
division. The participants paddled the course to beat last best
time. The best time
overall was set by Hobie
Tropical Storm
Kalmaegi (Ramon)
didn’t dump rain
on the racers but
wreaked havoc on
the racing weather in
Talisay.
sailor Glenn Everret who
won the Men’s division
and was the only one
to finish the course in
under Four minutes,
completing the course
in 3:59, The Women’s
division was won by
Goose sailor Jen Doctora
who managed to still get
the best time despite
going around two marks
instead of just one, while the race committee division was
won by Ronnie Valencia. A special honorable mention was
paralympic sailor Cytie Bernardo who came in third in the
women’s division despite her limited hand dexterity.
Overall, this year’s RTV was nothing at all like past RTV’s
when racers were blessed with great racing weather. Tropical
Storm Kalmaegi (Ramon) didn’t dump rain on the racers but
wreaked havoc on the racing weather in Talisay the seven
races scheduled for the series were not completed and the
Hobie class had to settle with four races and the Goose class
three. Despite this, the sailors and guests had a great time
partying instead. Booze was never in short supply thanks to
sponsors San MIguel Beer and Very Old Captain Rum. Great
meals were available to keep the sailors full from sponsors
Batangas Lakelands and Broadwater Marine.
Maria Vidoeira with Tomas Camelo came in first in the Hobie
Class in the 2019 RTV regatta, while Glenn with Jana Everret
and Jose Gonzales with John Bendole came in 2nd and 3rd
respectively. For the Oz Goose Class Michael Storer came in
1st, followed by Thom Kleiss and Ashley Best for 2nd and
3rd. A “B” fleet was started for the Oz Goose fleet this year
for beginning sailors, while a B fleet has been around for the
Hobies for quite some time, Butch Gemora with Jen Doctora
won in the B fleet of the RTV Regatta in the Oz Goose
Class, while Itong Torres with Eric Tomacruz won in the B
fleet of the Hobie Class.
Leper Clinic
86

Savanah
87

Article excerpts reprinted from the book
CRUISER HANDLING
by BOB BOND & STEVE SLEIGHT
Sailing Tips
You’ve always been interested to sail, but you know little about boat parts, the confusing techno-babble, and what
little you know is making your head spin in four different directions! Worry no more. This continuing series of articles
is for you: it covers tips regarding hardware present on most boats, as well as common sailing techniques, terms and
definitions, the names of the different pieces of hardware, and much more. This will keep you informed about most
things you will need before you begin your own sailing excursion. Be sure to consult with an experienced sailor and someone
knowledgeable about boats.
Apparent wind
If the navigator draws the
speed and direction of the
apparent wind and the created
wind to scale, joining the points
A to C will give the direction
and speed of the true wind.
With the boat on a close reach,
the true wind is weaker than
the apparent wind, and comes
from further aft. On a broad
reach, left, the true wind is still
from further aft but is stronger
than the apparent wind.
Steering with a tiller
The helmsman’s role on a sailing boat is a vital one since he is
directly in control of the boat’s course and performance. On
every cruising boat there should be more than one person
capable of steering proficiently on all points of sailing, in both
open and congested waters.
On any point of sailing, except close-hauled, the boat’s
course is determined by the passage plan or chosen heading.
Normally, the boat is pointed towards the destination, or a
land or sea mark en route, or it is steered on an appropriate
compass course worked out by the navigator. The helmsman
must be able to steer a more or less accurate course (to a
tolerance with 5° of the required heading) so that the navigator
can then plot the course correctly. Beginners often use too
much helm and the boat weaves a rather unsteady course as
a result - all helm movements should be kept to a minimum.
Steering to a visible mark is easier than steering a compass
course. When sailing to a windward destination the boat will
often have to tack several times and in these circumstances
the helmsman should aim to get the best performance out of
the boat, rather than steer to a predetermined heading, but
he must make a note of the average compass heading he is
steering and inform the navigator what it is, and if it changes.
88
Taking a transit
Whenever you are sailing in tidal waters, the movement of
the water in relation to the seabed will always affect the
course you sail or your boat speed, or both. Most of the time
it is the navigator’s job to calculate the effect of a tidal stream
or current and to plot a course which will allow for it. However
there are times, when sailing in sight of land, when you need
to be able to adjust your course by eye to allow for a stream
setting across your course. You can do this by taking a transit
either ahead or astern of the boat. It consists of lining up two
fixed points - land or sea marks - and steering the boat to
keep them constantly in line. In a cross-stream you will have
to point the boat uptide of your objective to keep the objects
in line. If you do so, your boat will actually move crab-wise
across the seabed, but you will achieve the most direct and
the quickest course to your chosen destination.
Steering a compass course
Every boat should have at least one large compass fixed
to the cabin bulkhead or some other point where it can be
clearly seen by the helmsman, from either side of the boat.
Most ocmpasses show the course on a card which is marked
in degrees from 0° to 359°, clockwise around its face. To steer

Steering the Boat
a particular course the lubber line in front of the compass
must be lined up with the appropriate degree number on the
card. If the helmsman is told to steer a particular compass
course, he should try to find a land or seamark more or less
in line with this course, and then use the mark occasionally
as a heading, rather than the compass, so
he doesn’t strain his eyes from watching
the compass continually. Beginners often
forget which way to push or pull the tiller
to bring the boat back on course if they
wander off it. To correct an error, if you
want a course higher than the one you
are on (say from 110° to 180°) turn the
bow of the boat to the right (starboard)
by pulling the tiller to the left (port). To
decrease the course (say from 180° to
110°) turn the bow of the boat to the
left (port) by pushing the tiller to the right (starboard), until
the required number lines up with the lubber line.
The effects of leeway
Whenever the boat is sailing on or above a beam reach
the effect of leeway has to be considered, as under these
conditions there will be a certain amount of side slip as well
as forward movement. The result will be that the boat is
pushed to leeward of the point at which it is pointing, and
this amount of side slip has to be calculated, and taken into
consideration in the course steered. When steering for an
objective on a course when leeway is present you should aim
the boat slightly to windward of your objective to counter
the effect of leeway. When sailing out of sight of land, the
navigator will have to estimate its likely effect. In most welldesigned
cruisers you would normally expect leeway of 5°
or less when sailing upwind in moderate conditions, possibly
increasing to 10° or more in strong winds.
than before the wind shift as the no go zone will have moved
further away from you.
Apparent Wind
The sails always have to be set at the correct angle to the
wind, but It may surprise you to know
that there is more than one wind. the
true or natural wind, and the „apparent
wind’ a combination of the true wind
and the wind created by the movement
of the boat. When the boat is sailing
with the true wind forward of the beam,
the apparent wind will be stronger and
angled further ahead than the true wind.
When the boat is sailing with the true
wind aft of the beam, the apparent wind
IS weaker than the true wind, but still
comes from further ahead except when on a dead run when
there is no difference In direction. In practice, the only wind
you feel when sailing is the apparent one. However, It can be
useful for the navigator to be able to calculate the strength
and direction of the true wind, as shown below.
Beginners often use
too much helm and
the boat weaves a
rather unsteady course
as a result - all helm
movements should be
kept to a minimum.
25 regulator center
console boat helm
compass
Wind shifts
Although it may appear to be so, the direction and strength
of the wind is never constant. Being aware of shifts in the
wind and knowing how to use them is vital when sailing close
to the wind. Any minor alteration in wind direction will be to
your advantage or disadvantage depending on whether it is
a “freer” or a “header”. A header is a wind shift in which the
direction of the wind changes so that it points more from in
front of you. On a close-hauled course, it will prevent you
from reaching your objective on one tack. If it is ignored,
the boat will slow down and stall, and you will have to bear
away to get the sails to fill again. Your course then alters away
from your destination and you will have to put in another
tack. A freer is a wind shift which has the opposite effect to
a header. As you sail along close-hauled, constantly luffing
up and bearing away to find the edge of the no go zone, you
will find that you will be able to sail closer to your objective
Boat compass yacht
Compass
The white printed lines on the face of this compass are the main and 45 lubber
lines. The centre one should be used to read off the heading if the viewer is
directly in front of it. The two lubber lines are used If the is seated to one side but
the degree number used will be different to the actual heading.
89

The
International
Dive Show
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs as credited
90

The 5th annual Dive Resort Travel (DRT) Show, the
largest international diving was again a huge success.
Held on the 6th to 8th of September at SM Mega
Mall, and is now considered to be the biggest and
best gathering for diving enthusiasts, marine conservationists,
dive tour providers and anyone with a passion for the brilliance
of an underwater experience. The DRT Show again has been
met with an overwhelming response
by service providers and divers
alike as an important regional and
international event.
The DRT Show Philippines is a
‘must visit’ diving destination
event as it featured all the toplevel
exhibitors such as leading dive
equipment manufacturers, water
sport equipment manufacturers,
dive resorts, national tourism
organizations (NTOs), as well as marine conservation and diving
organizations, providing the latest information, happenings
with diving in the Philippines. The expo also included travel
trade activities such as a by-invitation-only business-tobusiness
meetings between foreign buyers and sellers.
The DRT Show promotes to the fullest extent trading and
export business, and is now the most important event in the
Philippines for diving equipment and diving destination events
in Asia Pacific, with all the top-level exhibitors and leading
dive equipment manufacturers,
water sport equipment
manufacturers, dive resorts, tourism
boards, marine conservation and
diving organizations. The DRT
Show’s arrival to the country was
a much anticipated expo, and it
did not disappoint, as it brought
together diving enthusiasts, marine
conservationists, dive industry
stakeholders, international dive
media as well as national tourism
organization NTOs; which can only help to heighten global
awareness about the Philippines as one of Asia’s best diving
destinations.
DRT Shows are being met
with an overwhelming
response and enthusiasm,
and are now considered
highly important regional
events in promoting trading
and export business.
91

Now right across the Asia Pacific, DRT Shows are being met
with an overwhelming response and enthusiasm, and are now
considered highly important regional events in promoting
trading and export business. Each year, LX Development Group
organizes 4 diving and resort exhibitions, generating a total
of 600 exhibitors from 48 countries, and more than 50,000
registered visitors from 56 countries. This can only boost
the diving industry
With the growth
of diving in the
Philippines, diving can
only get bigger and
better.
in the Philippines,
considered to be one
of the world’s diving
meccas.
With the growth of
the diving in the
Philippines , and the
knowledge that the
Philippines is the home of some of the best dive sites in the
world spread far and wide across the Philippine archipelago,
diving in the Philippines can only get bigger and better.
This year seen the visit of mermaids, as well entertaining
and posing for photos with the many thousands of visitors
to the expo. Active Boating and Watersports were in the
92

prime position as the Mermaid was situated near. The ABW
information Booth.
If you missed the opportunity to visit and see this exclusive
2019 dive and resort travel event, held each year at Mega
Mall, be sure to be put this event on your bucket list for the
2020 DRT Show.
The DRT Show is the only professional dive exhibition in the
Asian region supported the by General Administration of
Sport of China (HR Resources Development Center), China
Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Guangdong
Vocational Institute of Sport, Hong Kong Trade Development
Council (HKTDC), Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT),
Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPBP), Tourism
Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA),
Okinawa Prefecture Government, Okinawa Convention &
Visitor Bureau (OCVB), Japan Recreational Diving Association
(JRDA), Japan Wetsuits Manufacturers Association (JWMA),
and Japan Scuba Association (JSA).
For more information, please check out the website – http://
www.divingandresorttravelexpo.com/
Watch out in up and coming editions of Active Boating and
Watersports for the 2019 dates.
93

Lobster Farming in I
Although they will feed on
a large range of animal food
lobsters prefer shellfish.
94

n The the PHILIPPINES
Words by JAMES WEBSTER
Photographs as credited
Most individuals salivate at the thought of
sitting down to the unique flavor of a boiled
or steamed lobster meal with their favorite
side dishes. Whereas it can be very expensive
to eat lobster in a restaurant, even here in the Philippines,
cooking it yourself is considerably more economic.
Catching them yourself, however, can be a little dangerous
unless you are well versed in the strict regulations on
catching lobster imposed by the Philippines government.
These regulations include minimum mesh size if netting,
quota and size limits, closed seasons with heavy penalties
for catching “berried females (females carrying eggs). It is
much safer proposition to purchase your lobster from a local
farmer where you can pay as little as 800peso per kilo.
Lobster farming has become a lucrative business in the
Philippines and you can find lobster farms in most coastal
areas of the country, from small farms catering for just family
and friends to large scale farms such as those in Surigao
where lobsters have become a profitable export business.
Generally, regardless of size or purpose, farms are built
in similar fashions. They are constructed close to farmer’s
residence and in some cases below their abodes from native
materials with cages of bamboo covered with netting in
shallow waters close to a deep channel with a steady flow
of current through the cages.
While wild caught seed lobsters (juveniles) are widely
used throughout the Philippines to seed farms making the
harvesting more seasonal, some purchase their seeds at
around 250 peso per 100 fingerlings which will fetch about
1100 peso each on maturity.
Although they will feed on a large range of animal food
lobsters prefer shellfish. Farmers generally feed their
seedlings on seafood refuse purchased cheaply from seafood
markets while others feed them on food caught locally
around their farms. Depending on the size of fingerlings, it
can take 5-10 months for them to grow to harvest size.
So you have decided not to risk catching lobster yourself,
but, why not build your own farm? That would be cheaper
than buying them. Think again because it is not just a
matter of building cages, shoving your seeds in, feed them
for a few months, catch them and eat them. The farm site
is vital to good results and its size has to be in ratio to
number of fingerlings you are raising. Then how much
you feed them has to be proportionate to their weight.
Lobsters shed their shell at different stages of growth and
become very sick during that time, so you have to know
how to deal with that.
Let the people who know what they are doing do they hard
work, pay them a little for it and just enjoy the proceeds.
hiveminer.com
95

PHILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY
96

97
PHILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY

Reliance Products - 100% manufactured in North America
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99

P H I L I P P I N E S
YACHT PARTS, SALES and SERVICE
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