sailing2xs: 14th - 16th September - Tay Tay - Tanguinui Channel - Linapacan Island - Busangua Island (Philippines)

Sunday 14^th September

Co-ordinates

Tanguinui Channel

11 degrees 3.196N

119 degrees 33.562E

5.9m depth

We are anchored securely here in this VERY dodgy channel. Our cruising notes had told us this would be easy peasy – a lovely place to weather out a typhoon, and only one big rock in the middle of the channel, clearly identified with helpful co-ordinates.

Fishing in the rain

They lied! This channel is full of shallow bits, coral, reefs – and we have landed on about three of them, with maximum inconvenience and a few carefully chosen expletive from poor Captain Pete. But now at last we are safely anchored in 5.9 metres so…all is well!

It is POURING with rain and I have washed all of our bedding but…I can’t get it dry…But never mind; I do love having clean sheets and maybe the big washtub full of wetness will NOT go mouldy before the sun shines again.

We did have one last opportunity to go into Tay Tay to buy ice, snuggled up in rice husks.

Next to the ice house was a karaoke bar…I recorded some of the wailing from within but fortunately do not have the facility to put this on my blogsite. Be grateful! The young chaps in there were having the BEST time! Delilah! Red Red Wine! The Gambler!

The yellow building is Karaoke Heaven

But please note…the streets in Tay Tay are all amazingly clean. Not a scrap of litter; not a lolly wrapper or plastic bag. Can we be in South East Asia??? We are IMPRESSED!!

Children were shrieking and leaping into the water near the dinghy dock. They were playing with their PetFriends – helmet crabs, with helpfully long tails…

The Fuerza de Santa Isabel was just beautiful. Very well kept but not tizzied up in any way.

2XS is barely visible under the barrel of the canon. POW!

It was, obviously, very overcast when we were there but it was still gorgeous.

The Spanish-style church was less beautiful, but it still reminded us – happily – of Mexico.

It was so very wet and drizzly I was overcome with the need for…a toilet (TMI – too much information…maybe…) The local petrol station had toilets, clearly marked, so we asked if I could use them. Yes certainly but please sit on this plastic chair and wait for…about ten minutes!! It was worth the wait - the walls were lined with cheery salutations from the Bible…

Oh and are we experiencing typhoon conditions?? Well no…the odd gust of wind makes its way up this channel, but mainly it is just…raining…

Monday 15^th September

We are feeling a bit Pooh and Piglet entirely surrounded by water…(around, above, below…) MUCH rain! This morning it cleared for long enough for me to get the washing dry – a slightly urgent matter; my poor damp sheets, nice and clean, were about to go…mouldy…

We are now anchored off Linapacan Island, with the odd moment of clear sky. But mostly it is…raining! We can tell, however, that this island region is extremely beautiful.

Co-ordinates

11 degrees 27.466N

119 degrees 46.859E

depth 16m

Tuesday 16^th September

Today it is NOT raining and we have cruised gently from Linapacan to Busuanga Island, past some glorious other islands. Our favourite one was called…Popototan… But everywhere in this region is simply beautiful. And largely uninhabited, apart from the odd small village, or the odd big resort. The resorts are mainly unoccupied at this time of year because it is the WETWETWET season.

Popototan Island

We are anchored off the Busuanga Yacht Club, which is entirely deserted. All except for a skeleton staff… We met a tiny toddler called Princess; her mother offered to cook us garlic prawns and cordon bleu chicken, with potato wedges and vegetables – oh joy!