ABW Dec 2020-1

The Puerto Galera Yacht Club (PGYC) has been the
yacht club of choice for cruising yachts visiting
the Philippines, the natural sheltered harbor of
Muelle Bay and more than 20 visitor’s moorings
and the basic services PGYC provide visitors a serene
glimpse on what island life is like in the Philippines.
The availability of a myriad of activities on and off the
water also gives visitors reasons to stay longer. The dive
spots around Puerto Galera are an excellent showcase of
biodiversity that will enchant any diver, go snorkeling in
the bay or you can go spelunking in the caves or chase
waterfalls found in the vicinity, or just enjoy scenery and
hospitality of Puerto Galera, its people and Mindoro
province. Resorts abound for those looking to give their
sea legs a break, this range from the luxurious to the
classic bed and breakfast vibe.
The visitor moorings in Puerto Galera are usually fully
occupied once a year and mooring overflows are usually
accommodated in nearby sheltered anchorages, such as
nearby Varadero bay, this is for the PGYC Royal Cargo All
Souls Regatta.
The Puerto Galera Yacht Club (PGYC) Royal Cargo All
Souls Regatta has been a mainstay of the Philippine
Yachting scene for the past 15 years. It is one of the
most anticipated regattas for cruising and racing yachts.
Cruiser racers from various countries as well as locals
from other yacht clubs such as those in Manila, Subic,
Busuanga and Batangas sail in and enjoy the activities
and camaraderie that come with the regatta. A week
prior to this, PGYC holds its juniors regatta for locals who
benefit from the club’s year round sail training programs
on boats like Optimists and Lawin dinghies. Awards for
the Juniors regatta are presented during the All-Souls
regatta awarding ceremonies, allowing yachties to mingle
with potential future crew.
PGYC’s sail training program is headed by PGYC’s former
commodore Peter Stephens, it’s a great example of how
local yacht clubs can contribute their resources to benefit
the local community, think of it as a symbiotic relationship,
the locals appreciate and enjoy nature better keeping kids
off bad habits and developing skills and knowledge they
couldn’t have learned anywhere else,. Whilst the club
benefits in many ways, community relations and political
support are only some of them.
All Saints day and All Souls day on the first and second
day of November sometimes turn into long weekends,
allowing weekend sailors time off work and enjoy what
they love. Likewise, that time of the year is usually the
beginning of sailing season in Luzon coinciding with
the shift from the Southwest monsoon or Habagat to
Amihan or Northeast monsoon. Weather forecasts during
Amihan are generally accurate, providing weather ideal
for cruising as well as racing.
Yacht racing is a little more complicated than one-design
racing where all boats are the same. With no boats alike
Words by ROY ESPIRITU
Photographs as Credited
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