Another Working Day Has Ended

The following are photos taken from our passage from Manila Bay to the Island of Boracay during a race with the same name. It took us 24 hours and some odd minutes nonstop. The fastest this author has been on this here sailboat called "Karakoa".

Caught a little sleep and woke up to this... It was almost six in the morning, Maestre de Campo East of Mondoro and the sunrise. We've been sailing for 16hrs straight. It was here too that we saw dolphins going south. Sorry, didn't get a shot.

Helming Karakoa is Steve Benjamin our fearless skipper who lead us all the way with an extra day to the most beatifull beach in the world.

Approaching the final mark on a beat, PNP water police escorts us like we're some kind of VIP rockstars. On the rail with me are Nick Craddock and Jelbin Ramos.

Racing to Bora with Karakoa

Philippine's premier offshore sailing regatta is on again. The 4th Standard Insurance-Smart Infinity Manila to Boracay Race will kick off at 2pm on Wednesday, 15Feb this year. If you are curius how offshore sailing is all about, visit this blog again for results and great interesting shots.

Discribed in its sailing instructions as "a 200 nuatical mile passage race from Manila Yacht Club to Boracay Island", this regatta has been, for three years in a row, well attended by local and international boats. Frank Pong of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is one of our regular participants. Every year his boat gets bigger and bigger. This year his latest latest Riechel Pugh maxi yacht - aptly named - "Boracay", is a hot favorite for line honors.

Our world famous Island is becoming a major destination not only to beach combers but to big international sailing events. It will not be a surprise if the prestigious China Sea Race and President's Cup Regatta be held here one of these years.

It's probably the best format for a regatta in the country now, add a few inshore races and you've got a formula for a potencially major tourist event that can be compared to Ko Samui Regatta of Thailand or Raja Muda of Malaysia.

12Feb06 Manila Bay - Our second practice for the big offshore this week. Here, an extra spinnaker pole is being taken out from below. It was an uneventfull day but a good workout all together because we got to sort our sail inventory and threw in couple pairs of tacks, spinaker peels and some jibes. Looking forward to our next and final practice Tuesday when Skipper Steve Benjamin arrives form the U.S.

Last year's party. I hope they have a new band this year.

Next: Passage pictures, race entries, parties and hopefully dolphins.

Video sa Roma at Scoot ni Poldo sa Manila noon 60's

Here is a rare shot of a "handlebar" taken in Manila with Pinoy scooteristas.
Fast forward to the year 2005, to Rome. the other side of the scooter world, click here for the video.
Many thanks to Mr. Mgee for the picture and Nole Veluz of Italy for billeting us in his nice flat.