I love the Mandolin. It’s a Cal 36 from 1970 that Yachts For Life has been using for the past 10 years. It’s the first boat I skippered by myself, and where I gained my confidence as a sailor. It’s also the boat where I met Naomi and, a year later, started dating. We’ve had […]
Seiling
The Philippine Sea
We are drifting fast down the coast of Mindanao. The wind is directly behind us and the sails are configured opposite of each other, so called wing on wing. It’s barely enough wind to fill the sails, and sometimes we drift so fast that the sails back off, but still we are going fast. 5-6 […]
The Hinatuan Passage
In my research before I began my passage through the Philippines, one place in particular stood out as ominous; the Hinatuan Passage. This place has strong currents and whirlpools and I had to pass through. The sailing directions states: “The current attains a velocity of about 7 knots between Kabo Island and Rasa Island. A […]
The sail towards the Solomon Islands has begun!
Finally we set sail! We are ready to begin the voyage to Davao, one month after the boat was launched. In the meantime, we have been on a river outside the city of Tagbilaran waiting for our masts to be extended. An unexpected job, but it had to be done. Our masts were too short, or the sails too […]