06°49.623N / 116°39.407E
We left the beautiful anchorage of Ambong at 7am and headed out into a swelly uncomfortable sea and motor sailed for a couple of hours and then we got some wind and managed to sail for around three hours which was brilliant as we haven't sailed for so long. We hit 8 knots at one point and did really well. We followed our chart plotter into a little bay with little huts and houses dotted around. It was quite a comfortable anchorage in 4m on good sand. One of the locals came out and said hullo to Cilantro. Around 2am the wind backed around and came from the wrong direction. We stayed bow on to it and just had a bit of rocking which was ok.
Miles: 40 TTT: 257
Sunday 29 January - Agal Bay to Pulau Balambangang, Sabah
07°16.820N / 116°59.714E
At around 6.20am we went side on to the swell so upanchored at 6.30 and left. We passed two yachts anchored further out and they were really pounding up and down. The seas were a little sloppy but after we came out and around a big rock and started heading north we had a following sea - that's the one where its best not to look behind you! We motor sailed and passed the tip of Borneo and continued to Balambangan Island where the wind dropped off entirely so we dropped the mainsail while we were going along! We dodged a few blue bits (shallow) on the chart and a couple of rocks and came into another bay - a bit dry and scrubby looking. Nudged our way towards the shore looking for some water shallow enough to anchor in. Anchored in 12m on sand. A family in a boat (with rooster on board) came to all our boats to beg food.
Miles: 43 TTT: 300
Monday 30 January - Pulau Balambangan - Pasig Bay, Balabac Island, Philippines
07°50.500N / 116°59.228E
We left around 6.45 and followed our track out and headed between two islands. The reef came a long way out from the smaller island and the chart said "depths may be less than shown" - not reassuring when you hit 7m and have no idea if it is going to get any shallower. We put reef in the headsail and heeled right over which the crew hates. Turned the motor off and headed out into really rough water. It wasn't really pleasant for the first little while but then the waves settled a bit and Pacific Express loved it scooting along at 7 knots copping the odd wave over the top. It reminded us of coming up the Qld coast and how much we actually miss a good sail! We were approaching Balabac Island, Philippines and a ship was heading towards us. We thought we would head out and go around it but the AIS told us we would go within 600 ft of it so we headed for shore with the ship coming at us - pretty freaky feeling. Then the ship changed course 3 degrees to starboard and we knew we were ok. By this stage we had had enough so decided not to go to Balabac town where we think we can get simcards and we also suspected it would be an uncomfortable anchorage. So we headed to the south of the island around the point and out of the swell. There is an amazing looking lighthouse which we presume had Spanish influence. Anyway as we were coming towards the channel into the bay we were getting crazy depths 15m to 10m to 7m and they were all over the place. Cilantro took the lead and when we got in the channel the depths were constant 33m dropping slowly till we got in and dropped the anchor at 3.30pm in 6m over good sand. The island is south of Palawan Island which is the long skinny one at the bottom of the Philippines. Balabac is big and has mountains and lots of huts along the beaches and coconut palms. Lots of reef all around, lovely green coloured water and really really pretty. There is a stilt village in the next bay built entirely over the water. Looks really interesting. A beautiful place to anchor.
Miles: 46 TTT: 346
Tuesday 31 January - Pasig Bay, Balabac Island
Well a quiet day in paradise. Time to find out something about this country we have come to. Well it is an archipelago with over 7,000 islands and apparently the people are friendly and most speak English as a second language. Lots of reefs, snorkelling, diving - sounds good. We will be travelling up the west coast of Palawan Island. It is NE monsoon (dry season) so the East coast is windy and exposed. We somehow have to get to Puerto Princessa (the capital of Palawan) to check in but it is on the East Coast. We suspect we may have to leave the boats on the west coast and go by land to Puerto Princessa but first we have to get a bit closer. The Coast Watch apparently is sitting up in the lighthouse here and called up Braveheart and took their details.
Wednesday 1 February - Pasig Bay - Balabac Harbour
07°59.553N / 117°03.948E
Happy Birthday Mr Perry!
Well it absolutely poured rain last night with a lot of wind. Left at 6.30am and headed out to get a better angle of the wind. Had a slow sail up to Balabac Harbour. Balabac Island is beautiful and kind of has a Pacific Island feel to it. There were lots of plastic bags and rubbish floating just below the surface as we came up the coast - quite a junkyard in places. Anchored at Balabac town at 12. We just anchored in the middle of the bay in 5.3m. Braveheart and Cilantro went a bit further in into shallow water. The town looks a bit Indonesia-y. Took the dinghies in to the only tiny bit of beach we could see. Three tiny little girls were shyly smiling. There was a group of men using a pile driver. One was at the top guiding the weight on to the pile and the rest of them en were in a line pulling a rope back and forth to "work" the weight. Hard work. Lots of smiles and hullos and they told us to walk on the footpath round the houses to the road. We went to a few little stores till we found one that sold phone cards. The boys did the purchasing and put 100 pesos on the cards - this turned out to be $2.50!!! So wont go far! They had no internet so for now we are on the sail mail. The skipper asked if there were any restaurants and the girl said yes but best you eat at home! We walked through the town past the school which said "child friendly school" (lucky huh!!), past the big sign which warned about encephalitis up to the cemetery. People were saying welcome to Balabac and they were all very friendly. One end of town had the Jehovahs and Catholics and the other end the Muslims. We asked directions to get to the ruin on the hill and followed a track up to the remains of a Spanish fort. The view was amazing. Chatted to three young men up there then walked back through town and bought some fresh veges. Saw a sign for a cockfight which had been on 3 December - big money - 5,500 pesos prize! The little kids were laughing and talking - think they were a bit amazed to see us. This place is not on the tourist route and doesn't have backpackers. Went back to the boats and were waved off by the pile driver line and the three little girls. Expecting a rough night as we are on the exposed coast. The fishing boats are interesting having outriggers on both sides and even the ferry had outriggers. Sat and watched the lights in the small town. What a lovely place.
Miles: 26 TTT: 372
Thursday 2 February - Balabac Harbour - Canipan Bay
HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY BRETT
08°35.862N / 117°15.130E
Well the wind backed around the wrong direction and the swell dropped off and we had the best night's sleep in ages. All the roosters in the town were going off. We left 6.30ish and motored north with sea as calm as and no wind. Beautiful day, beautiful scenery. No idea where we are going. Caught a big barracuda but let it go very carefully - big teeth! The sea was calm but very swelly. We came into anchor but a fishing boat (Dianne) beat us to it so the room was limited as there was reef all around. We were behind a reef with surf breaking on it and behind us was another reef with surf breaking on it and a reef between us and the shore. Two more fishing boats came in and anchored either side of us. Cilantro and Braveheart anchored further out the back. The fishermen off Diane yelled hullo and asked where we were from and then just let us be. They are friendly but reserved. We were very sheltered from the NE swell.
Miles: 42 TTT: 414
Friday 3 February - Canipan Bay - Eran Bay
09°07.204N / 117°45.344E
The tide was out so we could see the reef all around us. Looked close! Left at 6.30 and motor sailed in big swell - uncomfortable. Had to go quite a way out as there are big shallow patches all the way along the coast. The weather turned overcast and we actually felt a bit cool! Caught a small tuna but let it go and then something big took the line and the last good lure!! Pretty boring day but it probably beats being in the office! A fishing boat - John Henry - came in close and travelled along side us for a while. They were just checking us out which was good as we got to check them out too and get some photos. Saw a seasnake or an eel. Passed a metal drum anchored in around 40m - it was about 6ft long and 1 ½ diameter and looked like a small canoe with a metal ring on top. Seas became a bit sloppy and it was overcast. Saw a big black fin and thought it was a shark and then it disappeared and the skipper was just saying thats the biggest shark I've ever seen when it resurfaced and turned out to be a big branch off a tree! We followed the channel in and could see reef on the left and right and some fishing nets and we anchored at 4.45 off a small village in 6.3m. Palawan is such a pretty island - quite mountainous and all the cloud has settled into the valleys so it looks like snow. Saw some fishing boats with long bits of bamboo with a net attached. Slightly swelly but ok.
Things are going well, though yesterday was a trial (you can read about that next week) but the one thing we hadn't realised and hadn't heard anyone speak of is the size of the swell out there. It is really not nice.
Love to all
Dell and Peter
PS to see where we are click the link to where we are - not the where we really are!
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