PKA SEASON 7 OFF TO A ROARING START

CRUISING WITH CORONA

THE FOILING REVOLUTION

WINGING IT

MAGIC OF CRUISE

VINCENT LECOLLEY PHOTOS

CONTROLLING BOAT SPEED

WATERSPORTS AFTER A PANDEMIC

Destination

MINDORO

OCCIDENTAL

JUL 2020 Vol. IX Issue 2

ACTIVE BOATING & WATERSPORTS

PhP200

SUNREEF 80

2

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DESIGN + PERFORMANCE TM

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3

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Wee it has been a traumatic time for everyone over these past few

months. With the COVID-19 putting everyone at risk, and to see so

many businesses struggling to survive. But let’s all hope the worst

is behind us and we can all strive to improve everything from the

lessons learned.

The Magazine like everyone else suffered setbacks, like because

of the lockdown our printers were unable to affect delivery for two

months and only now is it on the street. As well as the previous

issue being late this edition is being released one month late.

We needed to keep going for our readers but because of the

lockdowns we were unable to complete in time to release on time.

Our apologies but we will keep your favorite magazine going, albeit

a month late.

In this issue we are exposing Mindoro Occidental and know the

resilience of these people will soon be back on top as well because

this is a wonderful place to visit.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

PKA Season 7 Off to a Roaring Start 6

Cruising With Corona 12

The Foiling Revolution 20

Winging It 26

Magic of Cruise - Kota Kinabalu 34

to Puerto Galera

Vincent Lecolley Discovers the 40

Real Philippines

Destination - OCCIDENTAL MINDORO 50

Lifesaving Progress During Covid-19 72

Sailing Tips - Controlling Boat Speed 76

Watersports After a Pandemic 78

Let us all stay safe while striving to show the fortitude of the

Filipino people, in making a strong comeback.

Barry Dawson Editor

SUNREEF 80

Cover photo courtesy of RAYOMARINE

Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

4

Destination - OCCIDENTAL MINDORO

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: [email protected]

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.

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

PKA Season 7

Off to a Roa

Cut short because of COVID-19

The tour this year

welcomed international

entries from riders

hailing as far as Germany,

Ireland, Morocco, Japan,

Thailand and Australia.

Words by ROY ESPIRITU

Photographs by ZANDER SERVANDO

6

The start of the Philippine Kiteboarding

Association’s (PKA) season 7 tour had an

awesome start in Bulalacao, Mindoro and a

great follow-up leg in Sibaltan, El Nido Palawan.

However, the scheduled four leg PKA tour had to be cut

short because of concerns from local government units

the tour this year welcomed international entries from

riders hailing as far as Germany, Ireland, Morocco, Japan,

Thailand and Australia competing against the top national

riders. Four (4) different disciplines were completed over

at each leg with blistering fast racing and crowd bluffing

freestyle and hangtime performances.

aring Start

(LGU) of the looming health crisis brought about by jaguar f type v8 outbreak in China.

Nonetheless, PKA regulars and visiting kiteboarders from

around the world had a great time at two amazing legs of

the PKA season 7 tour, which also signalled the start of

the Philippine kiteboarding season. The PKA tour serves

as the open national championship for kiteboarding and

The foil board race was added to this season’s events,

adding to the Hang Time Challenge (Men and Women),

Twin Tip Racing for (Novice, Men, Women, Masters,

Grandmaster and Elite) and Freestyle (Men and Women).

According to Jay Ortiz, PKA President, “The Philippine

Kiteboarding Association has already mounted more

than 25 kiteboarding events in the past 6 years since our

7

inception. In fact, we’ve already produced a Silver medal

in Kiteboard Twin Tip Race in the last youth Olympics in

2018 where the young Christian Tio from Boracay bagged

the medal and bested other top rank athletes in the globe.

Now that the Olympics format has changed to foil board

racing, we’re introducing this new class in our competition

this year, and hopefully will give rise to other young

aspiring Filipino athletes to level up their game and

compete in foil board racing. Who knows, we may soon

get the chance to win for gold in the future in other

international kitesurfing events, most especially in the

Olympics, now that we’re exposing our athletes in this

field” Mr. Ortiz said.

In the Bulalacao leg of this year’s PKA tour, The women’s

freestyle event was won by Germany’s Kathrin Bogwardt,

a long time participant of the PKA tour who put on a

display of her large variety of tricks and heat strategy,

Kathrin also went on to win the Women’s hangtime

division. Men’s freestyle went to returning PKA competitor

Abdoul Moutaouakil from Morocco displaying a huge

improvement in skill since his last appearance in the tour

two years ago.

In the men’s hangtime division, Ken Nacor blew the

competition

In fact, we’ve already

produced a Silver medal in

Kiteboard Twin Tip Race

in the last youth Olympics

in 2018 where the young

Christian Tio from Boracay

bagged the medal.

away, sending

one huge jump

after another one,

often soaring

more than 150m

through the air

before landing.

The foil board

8

and twin tip races were dominated by Stefan Vance from

Ireland who has shown steady improvement year after

year. The last day of Bulalacao leg had to be cancelled

because of typhoon Kammuri (Tisoy).

The second leg of the tour was in Sibaltan, El Nido,

Palawan. For the Foil Board race,

it was a tough battle between

Watcharpong “Boss” Juntham

from Thailand, Stefan Vance and

Philippines top seeds Ken Nacor and

Bong Fernando as these top athletes

took turns in out-maneuvering one

another, swiftly going more than

50kph on their foil boards. Boss

bested all and took the top spot

while Bong Fernando from Boracay

dominated in the twin tip elite division. Other winners

in the twin tip race divisions were Greg Dimarucut in the

Novice Mens’ division, Ryan Cahilig in the mens’ division

and Ali Dudfield in the womens’ division. Ali also won in

the women’s freestyle division.

The subsequent leg of

the tour was supposed to

happen at the kitecenter

on Cagbalete Island in

Quezon province but had

to be cancelled because of

COVID-19.

The Freestyle competition went

underway on the last and final

day of the second leg, with

competitors were blessed to have

winds blowing over 12 knots on

the last day. Although wind was

moving up and down during the

entire heat, that didn’t stop both

local and international athletes

from bringing their A-game on

and showcased heart-stopping freestyle tricks and action,

much to the delight of tourists and locals watching the

tournament. Ken Nakor from the Philippines and Abdul

Moutatakil from Morocco, were tied at the top spot while

Boracay local Reynard Gajisan bagged the prize for 2nd.

10

The subsequent leg of the tour was supposed to happen

at the kite center on Cagbalete Island in Quezon province

but had to be cancelled because of COVID-19 related

advisories from the Department of Health advising

LGUs to avoid conducting events with a large number of

participants. Having a significant number of the PKA tour’s

participants coming from abroad did raise a few concerned

eyebrows. Similarly, an ocean yacht race heading for China

was diverted to Subic Bay for similar reasons.

11

Cruising With

CORONA

They even refused to

allow us dinghy access,

an armed guard slammed

the gate in our faces and

snapped the lock shut.

Words & Photographs by

BRIAN CALVERT

H

ere is where the plot thickens; we were ordered

out of Camotes Island, so we contacted the Lapu

Lapu Coast Guard and got clearance to return,

no problem. Ah, but when we contacted the

Cebu Yacht Club they refused to allow us back in. They

even refused to allow us dinghy access, an armed guard

slammed the gate in our faces and snapped the lock shut.

This cut off our dinghy access to the shore, stores, and

such. Although the staff was quite apologetic, all these

edicts were made by a new owner who is anonymously

hidden in a remote location.

We found other, closer access soon and all was well.

Onshore life was near normal albeit quiet. I got a haircut,

lunch, motor oil, and Donna did our shopping.

We have a large wonderful water maker, so water is rarely

a problem but the water in the channel is quite murky, too

much so for making water. I sent an email to the Yacht Club

asking if we could simply pull up to the outer breakwater

and fill our water tanks, we would gladly pay for the water,

not be in contact with anybody and be off in a jiffy. This

too was refused, again by the absent, anonymous owner.

We are thrilled that Cebu Yacht Club has new ownership,

but I think they need a bit of a lesson in humanity or at

least understand cruisers better.

So here we sit, anchored just off the shipping lane and a

small squatter village. We have quite, easy access to stores

which remain well-stocked and open, we will take a harbor

cruise once a week to go out of the bay and make water. The

anchorage is rolly amplified by the current that puts us beam

to the swell twice a day. Life seemed bearable, stores handy,

a few restaurants offering take out.

Then the full throttle of the lockdown was announced to take

place in a couple of days. The easy access to stores turned

into 3-hour lines, everything else closed up tight, only a few

taxis remained in service where there once were hundreds.

The usually congested streets were

empty. I started to see that we needed

another plan, fast. We visited some

friends on a yacht that had just been

splashed at Colorado Shipyard, they were

tied to an old barge, power, and water.

We can do this! So I contacted the yard.

First a no, then a maybe, then an urgent call, can you get

here in ten minutes to sign papers before the office closes for

good. I dashed over in the dinghy, all power to the office was

out, one nice lady waited for me. I hand-copied their release

form, gave a cash deposit, we were set.

So, we are now residents of “Isolation Island” along with two

guys on the barge, one crew on the other yacht with his new

The usually congested

streets were empty.

I started to see that

we needed another

plan, fast.

puppy, Priam named Corona. We were only allowed one

pass to leave the yard, and as the stores were not allowing

anyone over 65 to enter, Donna gets the pass. There is a

small market, pharmacy, and store within walking distance,

a water filling station very close. The SM mall with a larger

supermarket is out of our Barangay, but we get to shop there

Thursdays and Sundays. One of the guards has been going

out for our larger shopping on his motorbike.

A few days into this I realized this was it

for quite a while, best make the best of

it. I have found my purpose in all this,

and a fun one; keep my family happy

and kid entertained.

Priam is a marvel at self-entertaining, can

play for hours with imaginary swords and

airplanes. Donna has jumped headfirst into making sure we

have a variety of great meals.

This is a challenge; we are

realizing how much we eat

out! A LPG tank that usually

lasts 6 weeks was empty in

3, lots of cooking going on.

With all that cooking and

14

sitting I figured I had best go for a jog, now I jog two laps of

the shipyard or kayak once a day, then eat.

Our newest event is our daily poker games, loser does the

dishes. Priam took to poker fast, quite good at it so I am getting

dishpan hands ha ha. It is fun being brought to Kindergarten

levels of imagination and fun, making handmade decorations

for our holidays. Easter was celebrated with dying eggs, then

Easter Egg hunts on the boat. The grand finale was our

Easter Parade, Priam made Donna an Easter Bonnet, with

All the Flowers on it, as we paraded around the boat, that

wonderful song blaring, in gala style.

The next holiday was a snap, one of my favorites, the Thai

celebration of Songkran. A long water gunfight was just the

16

thing on a hot afternoon. We tried to include our neighbors,

but I think they hid from us.

I know when the challenges surmount that we cling

to the little bits of joy, losing them can be the most

devastating. We started

I know when the

challenges surmount

that we cling to the

little bits of joy, losing

them can be the most

devastating.

our “monthaversary”

tradition of eating in a

new place on the 18th

of every month, our

wedding day. I did not

want this to fall victim

to the virus, not at all.

Providence has placed

us next to a larger yacht

with a full time, excellent

Chef, who was glad to help. So, a plan began to take shape.

Priam was thrilled to be our maître de and server. He and I

strung some colored lights around the upper bridge table

and “lit” the electric candles. I broke out the last of my

Selene cutlery and crystal wine glasses, menus printed for

the Further Cafe, and all set.

All this activity was done in James Bond-like secrecy, Donna

had no idea. Ok, some idea ha ha. I told her to dress up, a

limo will pick us up at six pm. Priam drew us nice limonene

which drove up to the candlelit deck. Our fine water told

us he and a nice Pinoy 2016 (gift from the Chef) and an

excellent Sprite, 2020, I ordered both. The meal was

sublime, incredible salad, steaks and fried rice, plus desert.

Sitting under the Christmas lights, in the shipyard, we had

the most memorable of our “monthaversary” meals ever, all

on our very own “Isolation Island”.

I hope this creates memories Priam will tell his kids/grandkids;

How we came together as a family, had wonderful albeit

unique holidays, and how we learned to be grateful for what

we have. So for now, 45 days on the barge, making every

day a new adventure; we are Living Large on the Barge!

17

18

19

A foiling windsurf

20

The Foiling

Revolution

Words by ROY ESPIRITU

Photographs as Credited

The science of watercraft is being pushed to the

limits, allowing sailboats to sail more than twice

the speed of true wind, and all sorts of watercraft

getting sustained higher speeds more than ever

before. All of this is because of foiling, the revolution in

water propulsion that started in the early 21st century and

is now gaining popularity and used

on all kinds of water craft, from surf

boards to 75 foot America’s Cup racing

yachts.

In Fluid Dynamics, a foil is a solid object

with a shape such that when placed

in a moving fluid at a suitable angle

of attack, the lift (force generated

perpendicular to the fluid flow) is

substantially larger than the drag (force

generated parallel to the fluid flow). If

the fluid is a gas, the foil is called an airfoil or aerofoil, and

if the fluid is water the foil is called a hydrofoil.

Hydrofoils are all about reducing drag, reducing the vessel’s

wetted surface allowing it to go faster. The International

moth, a developmental class of singlehanded sailing dinghy,

has seen the most widespread use of lifting foils in sailboats

and was instrumental in technological development as well

as popularizing foiling watercraft. Being a developmental

class and not a one design class meant that innovations

came quickly and were adopted widely. Without the

innovations that came from the moth class, foiling on

sailboats probably would have progressed much slower.

Hydrofoils are all

about reducing drag,

reducing the vessel’s

wetted surface

allowing it to go

faster.

Lift using foils have been the basis of flight for airplanes

since the Wright brothers, a wing after all is an aerofoil.

While for sailboats the principle of lift usually applies to its

sails creating lateral lift and allowing it to sail at a tighter

angle into the wind. While underwater foils like center

boards and rudders provide a similar lateral lifting force.

Hydrofoils lift boats out of the

water, thereby reducing drag, less

surface friction means more speed.

Traditional sailboats like the Laser

and the Optimist have been fitted

with foils with varying degrees of

success. Flying above the water on

foils is simple in principle but not

that easy to implement, there are so

many variables, it can be a challenge

to keep track of them all on complex

boats like the International Moth

The Moth has two centerline T-foils, the forward foil is

located where the centerboard is, while the aft foil is on

the rudder. Ride height is controlled by flaps on the leading

foil that is connected to a surface sensor wand. The moth is

Hydrofoils as we used to know them,

the Aldebaran a fast passenger ferry

Marc Weiler

Hydrofoils have been around since the early 20th century,

in 1909 a hydrofoil called the Miranda IV was able to reach

a speed of 65 km/h with a 60hp engine. Commercial

applications started appearing in the 1950’s being used as

fast passenger ferries as well as military attack craft such as

torpedo boats and fast patrol boats.

21

An International Moth ProVela

the dark line at the bow of the

boat is the sensor wand

International Moths racing at the Moth World Championships

Foil Surfing at the Easter Surf Foil Contest

a complex boat that takes a bit of time to get right even if

you’re a good dinghy sailor. “Mothies” (what Moth sailors

call themselves) can tack and jibe while foiling, the hull

touching the water only when the skipper is also in the

water, once up in the air they can stay up as long as there’s

enough wind (at least

The angle of

attack is controlled

by the rider by

maneuvering the

board.

6 knots). The crashes

though can be epic as

well as expensive.

Foiling in board sports

has seen a surge in the

last decade, there are

foiling surfboards, kite

boards, windsurf boards

as well as buoyant boards similar to SUPs that are propelled

with handheld wing sails or even a paddle. The angle of

attack is controlled by the rider by maneuvering the board.

The learning curve in foiling can be rather steep, you

usually have to be an accomplished rider before moving on

to foiling sports, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you

won’t go back to that plain old board.

22

A foiling laser dinghy

A Foiling Kite Surf

23

Marc Weiler

Foiling Windsurfers racing at the IFCA Foil Windsurfing Worlds

Sailing fast has its own appeal, for much of the years from

1986 to 2008 the world sailing speed record was held mostly

by riders on boards; a windsurfer, or a kite surfer, in fact the

long standing 50 knot barrier was broken by French kite

surfer Sebastien Cattelan in 2008 sailing at 50.26 knot for

at least 500 meters. This record didn’t last long though, as

the next year the experimental foiling trimaran l’Hydroptère

set the new record of 51.57 knots, The current speed

sailing record is held by another foiling boat, the Vestas Sail

Rocket, a purpose built boat made to set sailing records,

the record now stands at 65.45 knots, that’s faster than the

land speed limit of

most countries.

On the other end

of the spectrum,

a few companies

are making foiling

available for

everyone.

The technological

and material

innovations invested

in foiling is more

evident in yacht

racing. Foiling first

appeared in the

America’s Cup in

2013 in the AC72 class, a 72 foot wingsail catamaran with

“L” shaped daggerboard foils on each hull and a T-foils on

the rudders. The foils paired with its wingsail allowed boats

in the 2013 America’s cup to have sustained speeds above

40 knots of boat speed, the fastest recorded speed by an

AC75 was from team New Zealand, clocking in at 47.57

knots in 21.8 knots of wind.

In the 2017 America’s Cup this was replaced with the smaller

AC50 wingsail catamaran. This design evolved into the F50;

24

The International F50 fleet of SailGP

An AC75 America’s Cup

boat of Team USA

showing off its canting

T-Foil

Lloyd Images

The foiling UFO’s main foil tucks safely between the hulls to allow for beaching

The Foiling UFO, the orange rod at the bow is the height sensor wand

wingsails is reminiscent of old America’s Cup classes and

seaworthy traditions, but the rule includes hydrofoils to

attract high performance crews and larger TV audiences.

The Flyak

a one-design, high performance, foiling wingsail catamaran

that is the weapon of choice for the SailGP series, an

exciting race, pitting seven international teams against

each other in five iconic venues around the world. The

boats are so bleeding edge, they’re more like spaceships

than sailboats. Each team in SailGP has one crew member

called a flight controller. Their job is keeping the boat

flying at just the right height, controlling all hydrofoiling

surfaces of the boat.

In the upcoming America’s Cup in 2021 foiling will once

again take center stage, with the AC75, a 75 foot monohull

with canting ballasted T-foils and soft sails, they’re

amazing boats to watch. The return to monohulls with

soft sails after three America’s Cups on multihulls with

Foiling on sailboats generally equates to high-performance

and is usually reserved for more experienced sailors. On

the other end of the spectrum, a few companies are

making foiling available for everyone. One such company

is Fulcrum Speedworks, designers of the Foiling UFO

sailing catamaran. Its foiling appendages are similar to

that of the Moth but on a beach cat hull form, the foils

can safely tuck between the hulls allowing one to sail up to

the beach. New learners can start sailing in displacement

mode first then gradually move to foiling when they are

confident enough. The ride height can be adjusted with

the surface sensor wand similar to that on Moths. Learners

as young as 12 years old are learning to foil with the UFO,

It’s okay for older sailors too. in a promotional video of the

UFO, a 65 year old is shown having a great time on one.

Human powered craft are not exempt from the foiling

revolution, the flyak is one such craft. You can probably

guess that it’s a foiling kayak. You start in displacement

mode but as soon as you get enough speed, the hull will

start to rise above the water allowing you to go much

faster. To demonstrate its speed, the designers pitted the

flyak against a four man racing kayak team and the flyak

won. Foiling is definitely here to stay, but with extra speed

always remember to practice safety first. Sailboats used

to just be an expensive way of going slow, but with foils,

not anymore, yeah it’s still expensive but at least now it’s

faster.

25

WINGING IT

Words by ROY ESPIRITU

Photographs as Credited

Wings and flight had always captured man’s

imagination, the tale of Icarus from Greek

mythology is one of earliest anecdotal iterations

of the concept. These days, man-made wings

have resurfaced, it hasn’t enabled “real” flight but it’s just

as fun.

The Kitewing is another popular version that was developed

primarily for low friction surfaces like ice and snow, they

use a monofilm material over a rigid carbon fiber frame. The

fact that the rig sinks in water means that it’s not meant to

be used on liquid surfaces, but that hasn’t stopped people

from doing so.

Wing Surfer, Surf Wing, Wing Foil,

Hand Kite, Handheld Wing Sailing,

Wing sailing and Wing boarding,these

are some of the terms used to refer to

the latest terrestrial and watersports

activity gaining popularity. It is so

new, there’s not even an official name

for it. Many water sports equipment

manufacturers have seen the potential

of this new sport and are making their

own modifications as the sport evolves.

One of the earlier versions of this was from the mid 80’s, a

windsurf modification called the wind weapon, invented by

wind surfer and hang glider Tom Magruder. His wing was

physically attached to the board like a windsurf sail but his

wing can pivot from vertical to horizontal allowing the rider

to launch himself and glide down like a hang-glider.

The simplicity of the

set up is the most

amazing thing about

it. No lines, no mast,

no harness and in

most models,

no booms.

For this purpose of this article, I’ll

be referring to this new sport as

Wingboarding, as it seems to be the

most relevant and generally acceptable

term for it, for watersports at least. The

wing looks like a smaller version of a

kite that kite boarders use but with a

dihedral shape instead of a “C” shape.

You can think of it as the love child of a

kite board and a windsurf. The simplicity

of the set up is the most amazing thing

about it. No lines, no mast, no harness and in most models,

no booms.

Wings that are primarily used on the water usually have

inflatable leading edge similar to kiteboarding kites but

much larger, most versions have an inflatable central strut

that provides rigidity, the central strut also has handles that

26

Foiling Wingboarder on a beam reach

27

allow the rider to control the wing. Some versions have solid

boom that connect the leading edge and the trailing edge,

windsurfers 160 celsius to f prefer the rigid boom because it is

similar to what they are used to. Battens and windows like

those on sailboat sails are also available on some models.

Wingboarding is probably one of the simplest forms of

sailing, it’s just the rider, a handheld sail and something to

reduce surface friction, like a board on water, wheels on

land, or skis and skates on snow and ice. The rider is the key

element to enable motion and harness the wind, the rider

serves as the mast

The rider serves

as the mast and

control lines of the

wing sail.

and control lines

of the wing sail.

The

component

wing

is

Beginners usually start

on their knees

28

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GET YOUR BOAT BACK TO HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE!

[email protected]

www.broadwatermarine.com

29

A Kitewing used on a frozen lake

30

nothing more than a handheld sail made of dacron or monofilm

or a combination of both that can propel a person on the water

on a buoyant board like a surfboard, stand up paddle board

or better yet, a foiling board. When used on land, riders just

need to be careful when crashing or accidentally snagging

an g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro wing on something that can compromise

The wing component

is nothing more than a

handheld sail made of

dacron or monofilm or a

combination of both.

its airtightness.

People have used

wings to propel

skateboards,

mountain g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro skates, roller

skates, even

snowboards, skis

and roller blades,

but on the water is where it excels, a wing paired with a

foiling board is a sight to behold. Experienced foiling

wingboarders can tack and jibe while maintaining foiling

flight; some can even launch themselves off swells for some

air time.

31

Winging on a mountainboard

Surfing with the wing depowered

A foil board has another form of wing in the water called

a hydrofoil, this underwater wing enables lift and allows

the rider to “fly” above the water. Wing and foil board is

probably the ideal combination for wingboarding, expect a

sailing revolution

Wingboarding has

created a seamless

marriage of wave sports

and sailing, multiplying

the fun factor

as more of these

hit the market, It

doesn’t compete

with kiteboarding

or windsurfing

but instead adds

a whole new

dimension to

watersports. Wingboarding has created a seamless marriage

of wave sports and sailing, multiplying the fun factor

significantly.

With adequate wind, a wingboarder surfing with foil board

can start foiling even before he reaches the surf, and once

he has caught a swell to surf, he can easily depower the

wing by holding on to a handle on the wing’s leading edge.

When the wave loses power can power up the wing and

sail back to where the surf is, minimizing the paddling or

board pumping required to go to where he wants to, this

translates to more fun on the water.

Cebu based sailmaker Hyde sails and Kite boarding supplier

DSD manufacturing sell wings and foiling boards in the

Philippines.

32

33

Magic

El Nido

OF

Words by BRUCE CURRAN

Photographs as Credited

CRUISE

The fact of the matter is that the intrepid boater

may, more or less, day-hop all the way from one

end of the journey to the other.

It is altogether a memorable and singular yachting journey

from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Sabah to the old Chinese

and Spanish port of Puerto Galera in Mindoro Island, set

within the mid-drift of the Philippines Islands. However,

along the route there are at least four phases within the

overall journey of some 650 nautical miles.

34

The Balabac Islands

Phase one is the run north along the coast of Sabah, passing

the islands off the coast, and moving into the open waters

of the Balabac Straits. Kota Kinabalu Mountain, is one of

the 5 highest mountains in SE Asia (4095 metres), and is a

spectacular sight lying inland along the Sabah coast, seen in

all its glory at dawn or at dusk. The Balabac Islands are the

introduction to the Philippine Islands, and the sailor has the

choice of taking two ways, with a simple run up the west

coast of the scenic mountain ridged main Palawan Island,

After all, the province

of Palawan holds the

treasure trove of one

quarter of all the islands

(1,780) in this archipelago

of 7000+ islands.

Kota Kinabalu to

Puerto Galera

In Memory of the Late BRUCE CURRAN

or taking on the challenge of an adventure sail through

the complex currents of the Balabac Islands with some of

its coral reefs acting as gateways and gates into the open

vastness of the Sulu Sea.

East coast of Palawan Island

The second route is an exciting challenge for those born to

take on the x-rated coast of Palawan Island with its mass

of littering by way of coral reefs and islands. After all, the

province of Palawan holds the treasure trove of one quarter

of all the islands (1,780) in this archipelago of 7000+ islands.

It may be a complex area, but holds many riches of its own,

for those able to tarry.

The capital of Palawan province, Puerto Princesa is found

about half way along this main island coastline, built facing

the sea and within a large g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro inland bay. The larger

Dumaran Island is passed before a gaggle of smaller islands

and coral reefs dot the seascapes found to the north of

Puerto Princesa.

35

Malaysia Mount Kota Kinabalu

There is also the chance to tarry in the Balabac islands

themselves. There is a snug anchorage in the cove near the

SE tip of Balabac Island itself, with a steep climb up the path

to the over 110 year old Spanish lighthouse at Cape Melville

with its commanding view over an open ocean. Somewhere

on the coral reef to the west lies the remains of the SS Melville

herself. It is a poignant reminder that you are entering islands

that have many wrecks some dating back

1000 years ago when Chinese mainland

Asian traders plied these waters in search

of natural products, gold and pearls. They

found an abundance of swift-spittle and

sea-slugs that are delicacies built deep

into the folk law of an ancient culture.

West coast of Palawan Island

The west coast is full of whales cruising

in the deep waters of the Palawan Passage which lies some

30 miles offshore for a safe passage all the way through

to a preferred destination. The first 100 miles are perfectly

explorable, but are guarded by semi-charted reefs that lie

close and not-so-close offshore in the shallow waters of the

continental shelf.

Ulugan Bay is the first deep indent on the west coast, with

road access to the capital city, Puerto Princesa, some 1 &

1/2 hours away, which is an entry port for the Philippines.

The Underground River

A little north of here is one of the Natural Wonders of the

36

It is a poignant

reminder that you are

entering islands that

have many wrecks

some dating back

1000 years ago.

World, The St. Paul’s Underground River. This runs over

8 kilometers into the mountain, and is a fascinating and

awesome visit. Named originally by a British sea captain

charting the area in the nineteenth century, because the

main stalactite and stalagmite cavern reminded him of his

beloved home country’s main cathedral in London town. A

paddled local boat takes you into the dank coolness of the

mountain for 3 kilometers.

Port Barton

The sail north passes a coastline with very

British chart names, such as Queen’s head,

before the pleasurable anchorage in Port

Barton, where a ‘primitive’ developed resort

scene thrives in a snug area cut off from

the open sea by several islands and reefs.

Waterfall swims, scuba dives, forest walks,

and new friendship meetings add to the pleasures of the

water journey that still lies ahead.

The Malampaya Sound cuts inland for 30 miles, and is home

to a unique pod of Irrawaddy dolphins that thrive in the

brackish waters of the sound, and have become so isolated

that they are the only recorded school of this type of

dolphin in the whole of the Philippine Islands. Now guarded

by a conservation project monitored by the local fisherfolk.

El Nido

Then there is the scenic majesty of the El Nido area, with

its wealth of sheer limestone outcrops and several majestic

White Beach Port Barton

Bagungan Waterfalls-tour-trekking

Cabo Melville

anchorage choices. A thriving coastal town with a fresh

produce market as a boon for ongoing provisioning.

Exploration possibilities are endless in this oasis. I am

thankful for my 35,000 miles of cruising over the past 40

years, and El Nido is a top favorite on the menu of places

that need revisiting. Its magic is legendary.

Weather Patterns

North again walking the west highland way in 4 days an attractive coastline with many

anchorages fir for a swim break or a quiet spot for reading

that book that heeds finishing. The season from about mid-

October to late May, brings in the NE (Amihan) winds, while

the SW monsoon (Habagat) normally dominates the other

months, with lighter winds and often mild weather on the

cusp at the beginning and end of each season. The months

from June through to December, the SW wind period, are

known for their typhoons, with July and September both

recording an average over 3 annually. Warnings are usually

at least 3 to 4 days ahead, since most of them sweep in from

the open Pacific Ocean. The NE winds, the ‘amihan’ winds,

are the preferred ones for sailing clear of the northern tip of

the main island of Palawan itself, and striking out to cross

the open water country across the Linapacan Strait. Islands

start to crop up all over the place either side of this exposed

stretch of water. The Linapacan Strait is renowned for

conjuring up strong to vicious winds blowing west through

the Straits, but either side of this moody stretch of water lie

umpteen anchorages.

37

Onuk

Ulugan Bay

The Calamian Island Group

The next necklace is ‘the Jewel in the Crown’ of coral

island cruising. The 128 islands of the Calamian group are

a cruising ground all of their own, and some cruising people

have been there for years, and others still keep coming back

and exploring the laced opportunities embedded throughout

this paradise. Sand bars, palmed beaches, and rich turquoise

reefs abound, while dugongs and kingfishers claim the area

as the realm. In the sheltered waters to the south of the main

island in the group, Busuanga, lie several g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro worthy of

visits, with Sangat and Uson islands at the head of the list.

Coron town itself, on Busuanga, has fresh market products

as well as simple handicrafts on offer. Don’t expect a night

out on the town, it is normally a very sleepy hollow!

Calauit Island & The Apo Reef

NW of Busuanga lays the game park on

Calauit Island, with giraffe, springbok,

waterbuck, zebra and local Calamian deer

roaming free since the 1960s. Caged

cat-bears that meow like their namesake

prowl in their limited space, and penned

Palawan crocodiles subsist in limbo,

reminders that there are still formidable creatures out there

that share our earth space. Inland, the endemic Palawanpeacock

struts its way through the forests and the cry of the

Palawan-hornbill sprays through the light breeze of a tropical

dusk. This Philippine-African safari is a surreal trip through

another dimension. On the north side of dominant Busuanga

lies the boating anchorages at Rio y Mar, with a pleasant

resort organized around water sports. A nearby island has a

sister resort Club Paradise, that is a place as good as it gets

on this journey deep into paradise. Finally, an open stretch of

water carries cruisers to the protected reef system of the Apo

Reef, splitting the Mindoro Straits in two. The number of coral

species here rivals the entire number found throughout the

whole of the Caribbean Sea. It is a divers’ haven, with coral

fish and turtles amongst the rich tapestry in the underwater

world.

This Philippine-

African safari is a

surreal trip through

another dimension.

Mindoro Island

Another stretch of open water ends at Pandan Island, where

a true gem of a resort has spun its yarn for many years.

The beach bar clock ticks timelessly as many tales are spun

38

between the international fraternity. Inland lies the open

prison of Sablayan, which is worth a visit if only to buy a

criminal built handicraft, or see how ‘crime pays’ for inmates

to farm in idyllic surroundings.

The west coast of Mindoro runs up to the Calavite Passage. This

body of water is often host to serious winds screaming west

down the passage and arching out like a fan for over 20 miles

to seaward, way out into the Luzon Sea. The NE monsoons

bring in the strong winds, and the sea is often rough.

Puerto Galera

This passage must be braved in order to reach the heart of

paradise that lies around the corner at Puerto Galera. This

perfect typhoon anchorage is enchanting,

and wrapped lushly in great tropical beauty. It

is a definitive home-from-home, and in one

corner nestles the friendliness of the Puerto

Galera Yacht Club. The Bar props up a lot of

cruising experiences, and it is time to stretch

out the legs, grab a glass of some local brew,

and churn out the yarns of the cruising life.

The PGYC fits in snugly like a piece of golden

lining into this cloak of island cruising, reflected in the fact

that they bill themselves as ‘The Cruising Yacht Club of the

Philippines’.

The overall boat trip has played out its four phases. The run

up the Sabah coast is the ‘warm-up’ before the long stretch

meandering through the Palawan islands, followed by the

be-jewelled Calamian group offering up its magic. The final

phase takes the boater through the soul of nature with the

Apo Reef, Pandan Island, and the oft boisterous final stretch

along the Calavite Passage, before reaching journey’s end in

the tranquillity and awesome space that is Puerto Galera.

The other point of the matter is that this immaculate harbour

is the perfect place to base, then explore like an octopus

reaching out in every direction to every nook and cranny,

to find fresh delicacies scattered throughout a magic land.

After all, if you stayed at every island in the Philippines for

just 2 days it would take you 40 years to see this magical

tropical archipelago laced with intrigue and mystery.

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 bank of america 5.25 cash back card 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, financial edge community credit union bay city mi 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

6/15/2020 12:20:05 P

39

Vincent Lecolley

Discovers the Real

V

incent Lecolley is a French photographer based

in the Philippines. Along with his Fiancée he is

roaming around to taking pictures of the true

Philippine culture, photographing manual workers

doing their daily tasks here in the Philippines, and at the

moment he is concentrating on the local farmers in Negros

Oriental.

One glorious sunny day when he was doing

a little road trip with his fiancée in the south

of Negros, he passed by one of his favorite

places, the rice fields in Siaton.

Eyeing some farmers hard at work planting

rice, he decided to stop and started

photographing until one of the farmers saw

him.

So they waved at each other and the farmer

came over to see him and find out what he was doing. They

talked for a moment and then Vincent explained to him that

one of his projects was to pay tribute to the manual workers

in the Philippines by photographing them and telling a little

bit of their stories to the world.

Soon word got

around and when

some of his relatives

saw the pictures of

him and he became

a “instant star” in

his province.

They relaxed and took time to talk again, and Vincent learnt

that Dionisio was 68 years old and despite his age he is very

hard working, and lives in the mountain nearby.

He started to photograph while g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro was planting the rice. The

farmer was engrossed in his work seemed to really like it. His

co-workers too were very industrious and

working hard, and they were pleased that

they were being photographed as well.

When the day was done they left him

with the promise to see each other again

soon.

They became friends and are keeping in

touch with each other.

Soon word got around and when some

of his relatives saw the pictures of him

and he became a “instant star” in his province. He started

to receive texts from people recognizing him even received

text from adjoining islands. Vincent has received messages

from his family telling him how happy and proud they all

are.

The farmer was intrigued and seemed to be very interested his

idea and he told Vincent that his name was Dionisio and that

the next day he will be planting a lot more rice with the help

of some other workers and invited him to come take pictures.

Jumping at this opportunity of course Vincent said “YES!

The following day, to get an early start he returned to Siaton

around 7 am to meet Dionisio (the farmer) who was wearing

his most stylish work hat.

Dionisio has sent Vincent a message to thanking him and

has told him that “people are now noticing him”.

It was now Vincent’s turn to be really touched by the

hospitality of the true Filipino worker and will continue his

travels exposing more of the true Philippine traditions and

the backbone of this amazing country. Active Boating will

be following his exploits closely.

40

Philippines

41

42

43

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46

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B

eyond the southwest coast of Batangas lies Occidental

Mindoro, a province that glimmers with a natural

lustre that even the jaded traveller cannot ignore.

Occidental Mindoro is a province in the Philippines

located in the MIMAROPA region. The province occupies

the western half of the island of Mindoro. Its capital is

Mamburao but the largest municipality is San Jose.

The province is bordered on the east by the province of

Oriental Mindoro, and on the

south

by the Mindoro Strait. The South China Sea is to the west of

the province and Palawan is located to the southwest, across

the Mindoro Strait. Batangas is to the north, separated by the

Verde Island Passage, a protected marine area and the centre

of the centre of the world’s marine biodiversity.

General land surface features that characterize Occidental

Mindoro are mountains, rivers, hills, valleys, wide plains and

some small fresh water lakes. The taller mountains can be

found in

There is also a mountain

known as bundok

ng susong dalaga,

the “Maiden’s breast

mountain”, that looks

like a reclined woman.

OCCIDENTAL

Inasakan, Ilin Island

50

the interior that it shares with Oriental Mindoro. Mountain

ranges converge on the two central peaks, Mount Halcon

in the north, and Mount Baco in the south. There is also a

mountain known as bundok ng susong dalaga, the “Maiden’s

breast mountain”, that looks like a reclined woman.

The northern part of the province has relatively fewer plains,

while the southern parts have wider flatlands. Most of the

plains are cultivated fields, with few remaining untouched

forests.

Significant hilly areas can be found rolling off in Santa Cruz

in the north and in San Jose and Magsaysay in the south.

These are grassed-over rather than forested.

There are several major drainage or river systems flowing

on a generally westerly course: Mamburao River, Pagbahan,

Mompong, Biga, Lumintao, Busuanga and Caguray. Swamp

areas are restricted to the south, specially, along the river mouths.

The town of Mamburao is the provincial capital and the

set of government. San Jose,

considered

Words by BARRY DAWSON

Photographs as Credited

DESTINATION

L MINDORO

51

mapio.net

Mamburao river

the main commercial port of the province, is the centre of

commerce g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro entertainment. The bustling town is home

to major banks, restaurants, cafes and

schools. To the northwest of mainland

Occidental Mindoro is Lubang Island,

divided into two municipalities – Looc

and Lubang – along with the surrounding

islands of Ambil, Golo and Cabra. These

islands have fine white sand beaches.

Sablayan, located at the centre of the

province is the largest municipality. The

town has its own municipal fish port,

where produce is traded and shipped to surrounding areas.

Sablayan is surrounded by a haven of biodiversity: it is the

jump-off point to Apo Reef Marine Park, the white sand

Mamburao extends

far beyond into

interior at the foot

of the mountains.

beaches of Pandan Island, and the magnificent heights of

Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park.

Mamburao City

Mamburao was designated as the capital

of Occidental Mindoro when the island

province of Mindoro was divided into

two separate provinces in June 13, 1950:

Oriental and Occidental Mindoro

The Municipality of Mamburao lies on

the level area of the coastal bank of Mamburao River

and extends far beyond into interior at the foot of the

mountains. The town is situated along Mamburao Bay,

Tayamaan Beach, north-west of Mamburao

mindorotravelguide.com

52

53

Apo Reef Natural Park

between Tubili Point and Mamburao Reef, and affords

good anchorage. Mamburao River empties into the bay

about 3¼ miles eastward of Tubili Point. The bay has a

good anchorage for northerly and easterly winds, but it’s

exposed to the southeast monsoon. The Mamburao Reef

extends 3¼ miles southward from Caroisan Point.

The Island of Mindoro used to be called Ma-i before

the Spanish colonizers came, it was an island nation in

itself consisting of seven ethnic groups with their own

language, customs and systems of writing. Collectively, the

indigenous people were called Mangyan by the colonizers

and the Tagalog settlers.

Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Malay traders have records

of trade with the people of Ma-iChinese traders who

came to the island to trade were amazed how peaceful and

honest the island’s inhabitants were.

54

The indigenous Mangyan of Mindoro are some of the

most peaceful in the g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro, not a warrior race, but a

peace loving people preferring to avoid conflict as much

as possible. Originally living in the lowlands, the Mangyan

were driven to the mountains by Tagalog settlers. Despite

their history, Mangyan culture is preserved relatively well

and continues to thrive, their way of writing, prose and

song preserved by the current generation for the future

Mangyans.

Lubang Island at low tide

domcajayon.github.io

The island is divided into two provinces: the eastern

side called Oriental Mindoro and the Western side called

Occidental Mindoro. Much of Mindoro is agricultural land

with no major cities at all. The more popular side of the

Island is Oriental Mindoro, a well-known eco-tourism

destination where 60 percent of xcel energy amarillo tx bill pay island’s population

live, Puerto Galera a

Originally living in

the lowlands, the

Mangyan were driven

to the mountains by

Tagalog settlers.

natural protected

harbour on the

northern side of the

island is one the

more popular tourist

destinations on the

island.

But in this issue

we’re going off the

beaten track and

highlighting Occidental Mindoro, the beaches are just

as good with great dive sites including the world famous

Apo Reef National Park. Other than the main island of

Mindoro, this province also includes several islands making

it an ideal destination for adventurous boaters. Among

these islands are the islands of Lubang and Ambil g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro popular destinations for anglers.

Occidental Mindoro’s tourism office was nice enough to

provide us a list of places to go while in the province here’s

Mangyans

waytogo.cebupacificair.com

55

a list of some of the best places to go while in Occidental

Mindoro:

Parola Park Lumang Bayan, Sablayan

The park’s foremost attraction is a historic watchtower.

Located in Sablayan, it was erected

in 1861 which allowed the natives to

guard against pirate attacks. In 1896

it was equipped with bells to warn

residents of impending raids. Later,

a church was built which withstood

the elements for ten brief years, but

is now in ruins. A cannon which was

used to defend the town is all that

stands at a promontory.

Round the clock watchers and defenders stationed there

at signal or warn the people to hide while launching volleys

of cannon fires to defend the town. Today, a lighthouse

and an old cannon could still be found there. The park

offers the best sunset view in town.

Round the clock

watchers and defenders

stationed there at signal

or warn the people to

hide while launching

volleys of cannon fires

to defend the town.

Calawagan River Resort

In recent years, the island of Mindoro

has become one of the fastest

growing tourist destinations in the

Philippines, owing to its many natural

wonders and attractions. The beauty

of this island is evident in its many

spectacular beaches, rivers, streams

and mountains. In particular, the

Parola, Cabra Island

Presing Park ( Parola ), Lumang Bayan, Sablayan

Named after the wife of former Mayor Loreto Urieta

during his term. It is a five-hectare park frequented by

promenaders who seek relaxation. Overlooking the sea,

the park enjoys cool breezes blowing landwards. At the

middle of the park, 15th century cannon, believed to have

been used against the pirates, is on display. A grotto of

Our Lady of Fatima is visible at the far end of the park.

This Mountain Park was served as the setting of a historic

watchtower and the cannon was built in 1861 against

Muslim pirates and intruders who used to raid the area.

56

Calawagan Mountain Resort is such a place that exemplifies

the many amazing sights this land g star hotel san jose occidental mindoro to offer. It is located

in the vicinity of the town of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.

As a testament to the dedication of its inhabitants towards

living in harmony with nature and keeping their environment

unspoiled by human activity, the Calawagan River that

runs through the resort was awarded as the cleanest inland

body of water under the Ramos administration. The water

that flows through the river is sources from many natural

springs from the mountain and is clean enough to be the

source of the community’s drinking water.

57

Mamburao Beach Resort

Mamburao Beach Resort

The resort operated by the municipal government, it is

a one and a half-hectare resort situated on a riverbank

at Barangay Alipaoy, 1.5 kilometers

from the town proper. Since 1976,

a relaxing place servicing local

residents and the visitors from

neighboring towns. The Calawagan

Mountain Resort features several

waterfalls, pools, cottages, tourist

facilities, forests and hiking trails.

It is an ideal locale for anyone wishing for a truly unique

outdoor adventure.

discovermindoro.com

Mamburao is renowned

for its world-class beaches

with all the accompanying

images of pristine, powdery

white sands.

Mamburao is a municipality in Occidental Mindoro, and

it is renowned for its world-class beaches with all the

accompanying images of pristine, powdery white sands,

endless blue seas and palm trees lining the coast. Its beach

resorts are top-notch too, with great accommodations and

facilities which allow for great swimming, diving, playing

water sports, or just plain relaxing with cottages along the

beach that can be rented at very affordable rates.

For those looking for a place to stay, Mamburao has a

wide selection of hotels and inns that cater to any guest’s

needs. In the whole province, Mamburao has most hotels

aside from San Jose in the Southern tip of the province.

La Gensol Plaza Hotel, Traveller’s Hotel, New Mindoreño’s

Hotel and Restaurant are just some of the places you can

settle in for a good night’s sleep.

Ambulong Island San Jose

This 3,000-hectare island is one of

the three beautiful islands found in

San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. It is

characterized by white sand beaches,

cliffs along pillars jutting out of the

water and underwater caves.

Virgin Beach, Ambulong Island

58

Coral gardens and tropical fish are abundant in several

coves. A fisherman’s village is located at the sheltered side

of the island. Ambulong

It is acclaimed as one

of the best in Asia and

as a diving mecca in

the Philippines.

island is also a jumpoff

point to some of the

dive spots in the area,

such as the Ilin Point,

Baniaga Reef, Apo Reef,

Ambulong Bank and

Manadi Island. This dive

sites are about an hour away by pumpboat from the

Caminawit Port.

The Apo Reef Marine Park includes the fascinating birdpopulated

island of Binangaan and Cajos del Bajo. The

island has a variety of bird species that lures birdwatchers

and nature lovers.

The waters surrounding the island are abundant with

marine fauna and luxuriant coral growth represented by

approximately 400-500 kaleidoscopic coral species. Marine

life includes varieties of sharks, sting rays and manta rays.

There are over 500 species compass scores online in the Reef.

Apo Island

Apo Reef National Park Apo Island, Sablayan

One of the dive sites frequented by most divers in the

Philippines is Apo Reef. It is acclaimed as one of the best

in Asia and as a diving mecca in the Philippines. It is a

34-kilometer reef teeming with the bio-diversity of marine

life is located 20 miles west of Mindoro proper, with a

narrow channel running east to west, dividing this reef into

two lagoon systems is the north and south. Underneath,

the clean waters, fine white sand and numerous coral are

visible.

59

Ilin Island

ANN ROXANNE DE VERA

Ilin Island San Jose

Ilin Island is the biggest among the group of islands located

in San Jose. It lies between San Jose and Ambulong Island.

Ilin island has five beaches, some of which are fringed with

reef making passage impossible during low tide.

Lubang Island

Located Northwest of Occidental Mindoro and west of

Batangas, it was on this island where a Japanese soldier

named Hiroo Onoda, was found in 1974, who surrendered

Lubang Island, Onoda Trail

60

(046) 489-2087

domcajayon.github.io

Ambil Island

after 30 years of hiding in the mountains. Onoda was

once thought to be the last straggler from World War

2. Until Another Captain of the Japanese Imperial Army,

Fumio Nakahira, held out for another six years more, being

discovered in April 1980 in Mount Halcon, on Mindoro

Island.

Parola, Cabra Island

62

On the western portion of Lubang is Tagbac which offers

more than five kilometers of gradually sloping, hued,

sandy beach lined with coconut trees. Tagbac is around

20 minutes away from Lubang town proper by jeepney.

Favorite swimming areas are Tilik Beach and Canu Beach.

Ambil Island

Northcoast of Lubang Island, an interesting spot of Ambil

is the scenic Besay Falls, which is a 20-minute walk from

the center of Barangay Tambo, passing through rice

plantations and carabao pasture. The falls features a series

of waterfalls, each

It was on this island

where a Japanese

soldier named Hiroo

Onoda, was found in

1974, he surrendered

after 30 years .

cascading into a clear

basin of about five

meters in diameter.

Cabra Island

Southwest of Lubang

Island, the island is

generally flat with

golden sandy beaches on the southwestern part and

magnificent rock formation along the east coast. Cabra

used to be a popular pilgrimage site because of reported

apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Like Ambil, Cabra is

also a favorite fishing ground of local and foreign anglers.

Mt. Iglit

Mt. Iglit in San Jose is one of Occidental Mindoro’s

reservation areas, declared as a game sanctuary for

Tamaraws, an endemic animal found in Mindoro. The

tamaraw bears a close to the Philippine water buffalo,

commonly known as carabao. However, it is smaller and

has shorter horns growing straight upwards forming a V,

instead of curving wide open set of horns of the carabao.

Pandan Grande Island Sablayan

The island is a 30-hectare islet surrounded by a white sand

beach and is also the site of 20-room diver’s lodge made of

native cottages. This beautiful coral islet is located within

snorkeling distance from a submarine drop-off, inhabited

by schools of marine life.

Tamayanan Beach Barangay Tamayanan, Mamburao

It is a one-hectare beach lined with coconut trees. The

beach is ideal for swimming and is frequented by local

residents. It has picnic cottages lined along the beach that

can be rented to tourists.

Pandan Island

Mt. Iglit

63

White Island

White Island Manadi, Barangay Ilin, San Jose

It has an almost mile-long beach with smooth and powdery

white sand. The tranquil and peaceful island is an ideal

place for swimming, scuba diving and fishing. Sea turtle

eggs are occasionally found buried in the sand and the

visitors are reminded not to disturb the nesting area

Diving in Mindoro Occidental

BON MARC MENDENILLA

Oriental Mindoro offers excellent diving in Sabang Puerto

Galera, also known as the Pearl of Mindoro. Known by

divers world-wide for its splendid beaches, coral reefs,

Mt. Iglit is one of

Occidental Mindoro’s

reservation areas, declared

as a game sanctuary for

Tamaraws, an endemic

animal found in Mindoro.

vast variety of marine

life, and exquisite

dive sites, that are

available to both the

seasoned experienced

divers and new divers

alike. Occidental

Mindoro, although

at the present time

Diving paradise at Apo Reef

64

Abundant marine life

is not as well-known as Puerto Galera, it is gaining world

recognition as another diving paradise with a variety

of activities to choose from, such as the chance and

opportunity to discover many unexplored shoals and atolls.