Sailing in Newport Beach

Karen, Paul, Pascale and John.

Newport Beach, California, U.S.A., February 2014. 

Kidlat

Lightning smile.

Taal lake, July 2011.

Hamilo Coast Regatta

Hamilo Coast, Batangas, Philippines, September 2011.

Portuguese galleon in Sunda Kelapa

The first European fleet, four Portugese ships from Malacca, arrived in 1513 in Sunda Kelapa (Jakarta's earliest name and nowadays the name of its old harbor) on their way to the Spices Islands. In 1522 the Hindunese Kingdom of Sunda signed a peace agreement with Portugal by allowing the Portuguese to build a port with fort to contain the growing power of the Muslim rulers of Demak from Central Java. A few years later in 1527 the Portugese lost their outpost as the Kingdom of Sunda lost a battle against Fatahillah, a Sumatran Malay warrior from Demak. The new rulers renamed the city to Jayakarta...

By digging in old Sunda Kelapa very recently a stone relief was found. The stone relief showing a Portugese galleon is now resting in the garden of the Stadhuis which serves as Jakarta's historical museum. Now one can hope that this treasure will find a better place than just being stored in the garden exposed to pollution, heat, and shiting birds. It's remarkable how history can be treated.

As I am not an expert on galleons it may be worth learning more about the origin of this stone relief. Any help out there?

Jakarta, March 2009. 

Flying Dutchman

Photo from Seminyak, Bali, August 2008.

Beware of global warming!

Sailing boat on the 6th floor of Pacific Place, Jakarta. At least some Shopping Malls are prepared ...

Photo from February 2008.

Sailing 250 nautical miles in Paradise

One of the most challenging and beautiful sports events is taking place every February in the Philippines—the Philippine Hobie Challenge.

It is island hopping at its best. The organizers make sure that you will find your dream island after many hours of sailing. The event lasts for seven days and consists of five days of island hopping and two days of in-shore races at the beginning and at the end.

The most wonderful thing about the event is that sailors from around the world participate: from Alaska to Australia, from Europe to the Philippines. Winds change from calm to stormy, waves from gentle to bizarre, encounters from dolphins to aircraft carriers but coke is always with rum.

Photo from the calm in-shores at Club Paradise, Busuanga (Northern Palawan), February 2007.

Trust me, you don’t take pictures on a Hobie when the sea is real rough.

Best Valentine's Day Gift Ever

Get your loved one something really useful. Buy a life jacket for your dog and take it out on a catamaran sailing boat.

Photo from February 007, Northern Busuanga, Philippines.

Weird travel companions

Will be out in the blue for the next week and hope that no such strange things will approach us again as happened last year north of Masbate, Philippines in February 2006.

Hobie Cat and One Wave

Just coming back from sailing. In general there is not much wind in July in the northern parts of the Philippines. If there is wind then its related to Taifuns. Today was one of these days. Lot's of rain in Manila but perfect sailing weather just 50km southwest of the mega city. We didn't get sun burned this Sunday and the Hobie Cat 16 catamaran reached easily some 18 knots (i.e. 33 kilometers).

The photo is from this years Hobie Challenge where we (at least most of us) sailed some 242 nautical miles (almost 450 kilometers) in 5 days. As you see, some waves are bigger than others.