Typhoon Mirinae Ferry Services Suspended
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Photo courtesy Martyn Willes
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During Typhoon Mirinae ferry services from and to Batangas Port were suspended and the ferry boats sought shelter in Puerto Galera. By the middle of the evening the bay was full to overflowing with ro-ro ferries and cargo ships of all shapes and sizes. The Puerto Galera Yacht Club moorings were also full as sailing yachts, that arrived ahead of the storm, took up residence in preparation for attending the All Souls Regatta.
Unfortunately, the corals were to suffer from the anchors and chains dropped by these ferries but it is the only safe place to weather a storm for 50 miles in any direction.
Puerto Galera has long been a refuge for sailing ships and other vessels during tropical storms and a few have never made it into her inner sanctuary. Those that did not make it have given Puerto Galera fame and fortune as their carcasses have become famed scuba diving sites.
The discovery of the “dragon jars wreck” of a Chinese trading ship, at the entrance to the Manila Channel in the late 1970s, attracted a shoal of scuba diving enthusiasts and Puerto Galera has never looked back . . . from the perspective of water sports tourism.
This of course was not much consolation for the thousands of would-be holidaymakers stranded at Batangas Port. Hugely disappointed, all they could do was look out across the almost glass-smooth Batangas Bay and wish that PAGASA had had the foresight to appoint a warm body to provide on-the-spot weather reports. Not only would this have avoided frustration for thousands, it would also have protected some of Puerto Galera’s indigenous corals and marine life.
Make a note of this phone number for Batangas Ferry Terminal Operations +63 43 723-8242, it may save you time, money and frustration.
Links:
Muelle Bay Puerto Galera webcam
Where To Stay In Puerto Galera – the best selection of beach resorts & resort hotels