January 2016, Kudat Borneo
Posted by Michael Lewis on Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Wow, so much time has gone since our last blog, although we did add photos of our 2015 motorbike trip. Facebook has certainly become our diary of choice, but hope those few of our friends who are not FB users do get to see this website and don't worry when it hasn't been updated regularly.
From our last blog in Bonbonon harbour we continued sailing over the top of Mindanao, Apo, Siquijor, Camiguin islands through to Surigao straits, Siargao Island and Bucas Grande. Another incident here when the anchor winch spun backwards and the handle broke Gay's arm just above the wrist. We were 4 days from medical assistance so splinted it and carried on. We sailed in company with Bob and Lee on Chakira, and virtualy every night we ate on board Lee's boat, a match made in heaven as he enjoys cooking and we enjoy eating. Good company too. We stopped at Bislig on Mindanao's east coast to visit the hospital and have Gay's arm plastered, and continued back to Samal in Day hops.
Early in 2015 we started another motorbike trip through the Philippines, this time up the east coast of Mindanao, and through Leyte, Samar, and up the long leg of lower Luzon island to Subic Bay. Then down to Mindoro Island to visit Trish and Fitz at Porto Galera, where we left our bike and returned to Samal to entertain visitors from Adelaide, James, Sara, and Gloria. Had a good time with them visiting a few tourist spots and introducing them to our friends. We flew back to Mindoro and continued back through the Visaya islands, with 1 small incident when we came off the bike in loose gravel on Mindoro Island, but apart from that had a good time.
We did a few more boat jobs, making an epoxy glass exhaust box - our old stainless steel one had some dodgy material which kept weeping and was difficult to fix. Also installed some permanent 240 volt wiring and power outlets to save having extension leads snaking over the floor when we are at a powered marina.
We had a lot of birthday parties with karaoke at Tambayan restaurant and all to soon it was time for us to move on to Borneo. Eventually sold our motorbike to friends in Biliran and had a 3 day ride in the rain to deliver it there. On 10th December we had a tearful goodbye to our friends and left the marina bound for Borneo. We motor sailed a lot of the way due to a long spell of contrary light headwinds, most unusual for that time of year, and got to Kudat after running the pirate gauntlet off Zamboanga, but much easier than trying to go against the wind and current up the east coast of Mindanao.
Here in Kudat we have slipped the boat and antifouled, and also made new engine mounts as our Poliflex mounts had failed for a second time.
So that is the brief version of the last 18 months, sorry the updates have not been regular.
All is well with us apart from the usual aches and pains and deteriorating eyesight.
Belated Merry Xmas and happy New year to all.
Mike Ga and Miming.
From our last blog in Bonbonon harbour we continued sailing over the top of Mindanao, Apo, Siquijor, Camiguin islands through to Surigao straits, Siargao Island and Bucas Grande. Another incident here when the anchor winch spun backwards and the handle broke Gay's arm just above the wrist. We were 4 days from medical assistance so splinted it and carried on. We sailed in company with Bob and Lee on Chakira, and virtualy every night we ate on board Lee's boat, a match made in heaven as he enjoys cooking and we enjoy eating. Good company too. We stopped at Bislig on Mindanao's east coast to visit the hospital and have Gay's arm plastered, and continued back to Samal in Day hops.
Early in 2015 we started another motorbike trip through the Philippines, this time up the east coast of Mindanao, and through Leyte, Samar, and up the long leg of lower Luzon island to Subic Bay. Then down to Mindoro Island to visit Trish and Fitz at Porto Galera, where we left our bike and returned to Samal to entertain visitors from Adelaide, James, Sara, and Gloria. Had a good time with them visiting a few tourist spots and introducing them to our friends. We flew back to Mindoro and continued back through the Visaya islands, with 1 small incident when we came off the bike in loose gravel on Mindoro Island, but apart from that had a good time.
We did a few more boat jobs, making an epoxy glass exhaust box - our old stainless steel one had some dodgy material which kept weeping and was difficult to fix. Also installed some permanent 240 volt wiring and power outlets to save having extension leads snaking over the floor when we are at a powered marina.
We had a lot of birthday parties with karaoke at Tambayan restaurant and all to soon it was time for us to move on to Borneo. Eventually sold our motorbike to friends in Biliran and had a 3 day ride in the rain to deliver it there. On 10th December we had a tearful goodbye to our friends and left the marina bound for Borneo. We motor sailed a lot of the way due to a long spell of contrary light headwinds, most unusual for that time of year, and got to Kudat after running the pirate gauntlet off Zamboanga, but much easier than trying to go against the wind and current up the east coast of Mindanao.
Here in Kudat we have slipped the boat and antifouled, and also made new engine mounts as our Poliflex mounts had failed for a second time.
So that is the brief version of the last 18 months, sorry the updates have not been regular.
All is well with us apart from the usual aches and pains and deteriorating eyesight.
Belated Merry Xmas and happy New year to all.
Mike Ga and Miming.
