Image courtesy Martyn Willes

The All Souls Regatta 2010 in Puerto Galera will be the largest All Souls Regatta yet organized, the news that the Philippine Hobie 16 fleet (from Taal Lake Yacht Club) will be joining the racing & cruising keelboats and multihulls is a guarantee of extra color and fun during this legendary sailing event.

The All Souls Regatta was first held in Puerto Galera, in 2004. It was specifically designed to be the first sailing regatta of each Philippine racing season. The Philippine racing season starts with the arrival of the drier northeast monsoon in October and runs until the following May, when the wetter southwest monsoon blows in . . . competitive sailing still continues throughout the year around the Philippines but the southwest monsoon weather keeps some of the less hardy sailors at home.

Image courtesy Girlie Cervantes

Competitive sailing flourishes in Subic Bay in August with two weekend regattas: the Lighthouse Marina Resort Ninoy Aquino Anniversary Invitational Regatta; and, the Philippine National Hero's Day Invitational Regatta. The best of the racing and competitive cruising sail boats will be in Subic Bay for these events.

Organized by the Saturday Afternoon Gentleman Sailors (SAGS), supported by The Lighthouse Marina Resort Hotel and the Subic Bay Yacht Club, these two regattas will feature races around Subic Bay and possibly (weather permitting) to some of the nearby islands outside the bay area. Winds in August can be somewhat unpredictable so courses will be set on-the-day to suit the forecast conditions.