The sailing season has started in the Philippines! For two days, a light yet fluky wind carried nine Hobie Cats and three Hobie Getaways around the history-laden islands of Corregidor and 'Fort Drum'.
The Corregidor Regatta was the first of six races of the Travellers Series, an eight-month long sailing event organized by the Philippine Interisland Sailing Foundation.
Glenn and I, alias team Tiger Gambas, started the Traveler Series with a promising 3rd place! The first time ever we took a trophy home! Despite a torn trampoline (due to be replaced within the week), a missing fixtures one of the shrouds (which could have easily de-masted the boat), a few tactical and technical lapses (which buoy is the windward mark?) we managed to reap in two first places! Our combined fighting weight of 287 pounds (only 2 pounds above the minimum racing weight requirement) surely helped in the rather light wind conditions of around 8 to 10 knots.
While s(n)ailing our way from Puerto Azul Marina to Caballo Island just off of Corregidor, we had to cross the South Channel which connects the South China sea with Manila Bay. How exciting it was to tack last minute to evade a commercial fisher boat (yes, we saw it and heard its warning horn!) or to duck the Super Ferry to not be run over by it! Although our Cats are fast considering their size, there is no use in trying to bully a floating condo building.
The scenery of the race was great! Rounding Caballo Island we could see the remnants of buildings, once the bastion of the American military and later the battle ground during the Japanese invasion. Just then, the wind picked up. With good boat speed we passed Fort Drum, formerly a natural islets. With a considerable amount of concrete, the island was transformed into what looks like a war ship.
“Tiger Gambas” is definitely not a war ship. But, we are ready to battle for a good overall place in the Travellers Series! A third place is a good start, I’d say.
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