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IS THIS A FAREWELL TO CEBU??? Apparently, as we headed out of the channel at 32 knots, it was… Thank you to Fin and his guys at the Cebu Yacht Club, as well as Emilio and Steve from the management. Broadwater Marine has a well stocked chandlery here with very reasonable prices, Mike found a smoked glass forehatch for his yacht at an unbelievable price, but he still couldn’t afford it!! Bummer, Dude. |
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We were full of clean fuel, 760 litres of it, and it was a good trip from Cebu to Alona Beach on the south side of Panglao island. Around two hours, calm sea and sunshine, and plenty of beer. Atlantis Divers offered us a mooring and picked us up from the boat, the beach is soft white sand for the most part and the swimming pool at the Alona Palm Resort was very welcome, the sunken bar and the beers were great. We met up with the manager, Mayen, and also Swiss chef Uli. Marcel, the owner was unfortunately out of the country. This resort, for us, is one of the best we’ve seen in the Philippines, along with the next one on Siquijor |
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After a shower and pre-prandial at the Atlantis Resort, (Alona Palm, unfortunately full for this day), we headed over for a wonderful poolside dinner at the Palm and a leisurely bar hop all the way home. |
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A 9.00am start the next day presented different circumstances – despite being re-assured that the mooring had sufficient depth under, the outdrives must have been banging on the coral for quite a while at low tide, the props are chewed up a bit and one outdrive is sticking up in the air, and, to add to the problems, the banging has ripped out the hydraulic line for steering!!!!! 50 minutes later our mass genius has fixed everything except the bends in the props, and we zoom off to Siquijor for lunch and a swim in the pool of Coco Grove Resort. Bit of a rough trip with the wind/waves, and the power steering failed again, thanks Paul, hope the engine burns get better?? |
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This place is so well constructed and so peaceful, we decide the wind is too strong to anchor off Dumaguete and so we stay the night at the resort. Joy, the manager, takes care of us very well, and shows us the extensive grounds and the new phase, which has truly world class rooms, views, and service, (the staff here remember names very quickly, a nice touch, to be remembered!). |
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Two big swimming pools, four bars and some very beautiful construction, high quality fittings, and another sunken bar, this really is a beautiful resort. |
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A great sleep and a relaxed morning, since we are only having lunch at Apo Island a few miles away and then heading for Nigels place at the southern tip of Negros. Apo Island is small and rocky, very similar to some of the little beaches on the south coast of Portugal, Algarve. The Apo Island Resort is built into the rocks in the same stylish way that all of Mike Butlers projects seem to be handled.(Get well soon Mike). His penchant for the Mexican beige/sandy/ochre colours he uses, blends in very well with the environment and natural surroundings, a great stopover, but no time for a dive in the crystal waters of this marine sanctuary unfortunately. |
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The last short hop for the week-end is to the anchorage on the southern point of Negros, called Bonbonon, home to Nigel and Pilar and their basic, stylish, open air resort, the Tongo Sail Inn. I say open air, because the front and side walls of their comfy nipa huts open up completely, and it’s great waking up to the sunrise and looking over at Mindanao across the water a ways. |
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Steering failure again, right at the entrance to this awkward channel, first buoy to port, right Nigel?? Anyway, everything un-loaded and all aboard for a 2 minute trip to the Inn, a warm welcome from the long haired git and his much more pleasant wife Pilar, ( where are the daughters??), and a great BBQ in the evening and many many beers, (Mike crashed at 7.00), relaxing…. |
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So, here sits the scribe, looking over to Mindanao on a beautiful sunny, windy day while all the others are on their way back to Manila for a few more days work. |
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Thanks and good thoughts go back with Paul, Jing and Prateek, who joined us for this really comfy short leg, where we’ve seen two of the best Resorts in the country, not expensive, by the way. The Tongo Sail Inn, where Mike is now, is a relaxing family run place with a perfect match of European and Asian hospitality, I have been here many times and love it, food is great and everyone is so friendly, Nigel’s not a bad bloke either…….. |
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Boat fixing/fuelling/cleaning tomorrow, ready for the next leg which is a short trip to Sipalay on the West coast of Negros and then two longish runs of 100+ miles each to Cuyo and then Club Paradise/El Rio y Mar for a serious check of the boat for the long final haul 500 miles down to Kota Kinabalu and then 500 more back up the other side of Palawan to Busuanga and then Manila via Purto Galera probably. Anyone want to come???? |
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