Electric Airplanes - New-normal For Tourism?

Late last year we saw the first flight of a 6-passenger, all-electric seaplane – de Havilland Beaver - soon to enter service in Alaska but now we have the World's first, 9-seat, Cessna Caravan electric airplane ready for operations in 2021

When The Going Gets Tough Subic Bay Beckons

In 2006, when the Clipper Round-The-World fleet was battered by a strong NE monsoon while traversing the South China Sea from Singapore to China, they sought a place of refuge that offered safe habour, and a place to repair boats & rejuvenate the crew. They chose Subic Bay. In 2020, with the World in the grip of fears about the Corona Virus (covid-19) outbreak, centered on Asia (and, in particular, their intended destination: China), the Clipper Round-The-World fleet sought safe harbour, and a place to replenish supplies & to allow crews to relax in preparation for the next leg of their adventure - to cross the Pacific Ocean to Seattle. They chose Subic Bay

For the 15th year in a row, against all the weather forecasts, the All Souls Regatta in Puerto Galera proved to be the most enjoyable yacht racing event in the Philippines. Three days of glorious 10-12 knot breezes sandwiched between weeks of almost nothing. The only anomaly, if that is the right word, was the thunderstorm on the first day that surprisingly bulged out of Batangas Bay, encroaching on the fleet as they raced from the Verde Island mark to the finish-line off Haligi Beach – initially benefiting those holding course in the middle of the Verde Passage with extra wind, while forsaking those closer to the shore until much later

For almost as long as I can remember the ferries between Batangas Port and Puerto Galera were predominantly outrigger boats of various sizes. Outrigger boats would deliver passengers from Batangas Port to Muelle Pier & Sabang Beach, and to beach landings at White Beach, Aninuan, Talipanan and Coco Beach. In late 2018 the outrigger boats were banned, to be replaced with “fastcraft”, which are reportedly designed to be safer – they are certainly not faster

In March 2019 we undertook a sailing adventure to the southwest corner of Busuanga Island to explore the developing yachting destination known as Busuanga Bay - an experiment in tourism development pioneered by the former Puerto del Sol Resort   Discovery Dive Center . . . now Marina del Sol Resort

Sibale is an extinct volcano and one of the numerous islands within Romblon Province. Sibale contains nine villages (barangays), forming the municipality of Conception and most of the residents still speak a dialect that is unique to Sibale and its two closest island neighbors: Banton and Simara (aka Corcuera)

In December 2018, we visited Romblon (town) on Romblon (island) in Romblon (province), arriving by yacht from Puerto Galera (Mindoro), via Mainit Bay (hot-spring bay) Banton Island (Romblon), with the intent of also visiting Sibuyan and Tablas islands. For various reasons we spent the majority of our time with our base of expedition being the Romblon Yacht Club, located about a kilometer North of Romblon town

Royal Cargo All Souls Regatta Halloween fun!

Images courtesy: John Smart

Unquestionably the largest yachting event in the Philippines each year, the 2017 Royal Cargo All Souls Regatta Week in Puerto Galera is shaping up to be the most fun you can have on the water at Halloween.

Upwards of thirty yachts are expected in 2017, competing for trophies of Tanduay rum in three classes: cruising, cruiser/racer and multihull. In the multihull class the event has already set a Philippine regatta record, with eight cruising multihulls already signed up.