ABW March 2024

1948 to 2020
COMBING THE
CORAL CARPET
Revised
Edition
A Tribute to Bruce Curran, a Sailing and Biking Mate.
“Combing the Coral Carpet- Revised Edition”
Sailing tales and the Cruising Guide to the Philippine Islands.
A comprehensive coffee table book with over one hundred spectacular photos of the
Philippines that includes maritime history, seafaring tales, anchorages and facts & facilities
available along the water ways of the fantastic tropical islands of the Philippines with their
wealth of friendly people.
The new “Revised Edition” that updates the previous edition with new pages of updated and
extra information is intended to be available for delivery October 2020.
All proceeds from the book sales will go to Bruce’s three children; Edward Swayn, Shauna Indra
Salina and Edward Bali.
Bruce Malcolm Curran was born in Edinburgh Scotland on the 26 th of November 1948 and sadly
passed due to cancer related complications on the 17 th of April 2020 at the age of 71. Bruce will
be missed by many, but his memory, legend and legacy to everyone he’s shared the magic of
his time with, especially his children, will live on through his many books and writings.
Pre-purchase your copy of
“COMBING THE CORAL
CARPET-REVISED EDITION” via:
WEBSITE:
authortravel.com
EMAIL ADDRESS:
combingthecoralcarpet2020@gmail.com
PAYMENTS CAN BE
MADE THROUGH
MONEY TRANSFERS
OR PAYPAL.
Bruce had three main phases in his life’s Grand Journey:
‘Land Journeys’ that have taken him to 16 countries from England to Pakistan, Europe, the
Middle East and Africa on his Norton Commando 750cc motorcycle he named “Demeter”, the
Greek “Goddess of Life” which he first purchased brand new in the United Kingdom in 1971.
‘Water Journeys’ by sailing some 35,000 miles on a 40 year old - 37 foot wooden ketch which
was rebuilt in Sydney, Australia. Bruce sailed in this ketch for two and a half years starting from
Sydney sailing up to Darwin, then six and a half weeks non-stop to Mauritius Island, on to South
Africa, then to St Helena Island in the South Atlantic, and finally to Brazil.
This amazing adventure continued on into the Philippines when he first arrived in 1988. It was
love at first sight. Bruce often set sail from Hong Kong, where he was based for 10 years, to
explore the Philippines by water. He finally decided to move to Manila in 1997.
Bruce quickly realised that the only real way to experience the Philippines was by boat, and
he did so by sailing some 8,000 miles around his much treasured Philippines Islands. His
unquenchable thirst for adventure and learning never stopped as he was driven by the beauty,
diversity and people of the Islands of the Philippines which inspired him to write the best seller
“Combing the Coral Carpet” and the 2020 sequel “Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition”
He then progressed to what he called his ‘Head Journeys’ writing about his travels, adventures
and experiences of this magnificent thing called life.
“I like to see myself as having developed a keen ‘third’ eye that embroils me in life at all its
vibrant levels. My passion is writing about what I see and how I see. I aim to leave a legacy of
books, and one way or another see this as stamping my mark on the world as a legend!”
-Bruce Curran
Active Boating and Watersports, courtesy of Mr. Barry Dawson, are generously supporting
“Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition” through this article and advertisement free-ofcharge
in memory of Bruce.
The first publication of Active Boating and Watersports was in September 2010. One of the
most amazing characters involved was Bruce Curran who they’ve known as an author, a sailor,
biker, adventurer and philanthropist.
ORDER YOUR COPY
NOW FOR ONLY
$100 (P5,000)
As an avid supporter of Active Boating and Watersports, he was a regular contributor of
stories about the many amazing water adventures around the beautiful Islands and places of
the Philippines.
Thank you for your support to keep Bruce’s memory alive.
We trust you will enjoy exploring the exotic waters of the Philippines whilst being guided by
your copy of “Combing the Coral Carpet-Revised Edition”.
Bruce's Ad layout.indd 39
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6/15/2020 12:20:05 PM