Busuanga to Puerto Galera via Boracay

In the Soutwest monsoon

By Tequila Mike ©

First, a word of warning! Watch your weatherfax or the TV weather twice a day as this is typhoon season and they can come very quickly, although normally you have several days warning. They normally go north for the first few months and slowly become more westerly, but this year they’re all over the place.

This trip includes four good typhoon holes evenly spread over the trip: - Masin/Tambaron area – SE Mindoro. Looc Bay (south end) – Tablas Island. Santa Cruz – NE Marinduque. Port Balanacan – NW Marinduque. Waypoints below.

This is a fast one week trip but relaxing when taken over two weeks or more. Leaving from Coron or Club Paradise the first and last few days would be remote anchorages with some civilisation thrown in the middle, a good recipe since Puerto is waiting at the end where everything can be enjoyed by gourmands such as we are!

From Coron I would suggest a stop at Tara Island for the night or you’ll have a 65 mile first day. The next stop is in the western part of the channel between Ilin and Ambulong islands off the southern tip of Mindoro. Anchor in 14 meters of sand in front of the large solitary wooden house on Ambulong Island at the north end of the village. There are many small fishing or seaweed floats close in so don’t get to close to the steep to reef. On the opposite side of the channel there is a good anchorage for the NE monsoon in 7 meters sand in front of the mangroves, which show as a small bay on the chart. There is nothing available in this village.Next stop, about 55 miles away is Boracay.

In the SW monsoon you will anchor on the east side of the island off the reef fringing the windsurf beach. I go around the north of Boracay to get here but the currents can be strong so check your charts for the direction of currents. This beach is easy to find, as it is the lowest middle part of the island. At the north end of the beach you will see a hole in the reef with a sandy area in 14 meters of water to anchor in outside the reef. Do not try to go through this entry with anything but your dinghy, very shallow. Ashore you will see a long low wall on the beach, this is the bar restaurant of American Ray and his wife Dolly called Bayview Hills. A good place to hang out and listen to Rays’ classic music collection, hundreds of records. Time your dinghy trips in and out as inside the reef becomes very shallow.

From Bayview hills it’s a short walk across the island to White Beach where most of the action is. This time of year the beach path is shielded from the wind and sand by huge screens so the view isn’t as good as high season but most places are open and I find the place more enjoyable when everybody is more relaxed with far fewer tourists around. Calypso divers is a great place with a lovely clean swimming pool to hang out in the daytime. They also do a great buffet every night for reasonable price. Talk to Richard or Gabby about the dives around the island, everyone here is friendly and will help with info. Next door there is a huge tourist info and bank/post office complex with good e-mail café. 100 meters north is Chalhs Bar, the only one actually on the sand, where happy hour sunsets can be enjoyed with good music.200 meters south of Calypso is the best Portuguese restaurant outside Macau or Portugal. Run by Helena and Antonio, who I’ve known for 20 years, they are a bit more expensive but everything is Portuguese imported. You’ll love it, say hi from me. Another long time favourite is the Indian restaurant True Food found further north on the path, sit on cushions and have an authentic meal. Someone has opened a copy of this restaurant, which I can’t comment on so maybe it’s also good. Nigi Nigi Noo Noos is a good place with great breakfasts as is the English Bakery. For a good cheap buffet dinner try Alice in Wonderland.

If any storms are on the horizon, head up north about 20 miles to Looc Bay on Tablas Is and being careful of the reefs head to the south arm of the bay between the small reef right at the bottom and the mangrove area. The currents are very strong between the islands of Boracay, Carabao and Tablas so watch your track.

If the weather is fine then head straight up between Tablas and Romblon for Romblon town on the NW corner of the island. It’s about 45 miles normally calm water between the two islands. Famous for its marble and a tall Englishman, it’s a good place to stop for a few days exploring. Very friendly people here and loads of cheap marble shops and quarries. Anchor in the north arm of the bay in front of the town next to a marble chip factory but don’t anchor shallower than 15 meters in sand or you’ll be on the reef. It’s deep but safe. The Governor normally keeps his powerboat here so you’re safe and in good company. Dave Kershaw is the tall Englishman and can be found at his Internet café or across the road at his restaurant Jaks. He’s been here many years since he left Puerto Galera and if you ask him for anything he’ll probably help out, (tell him beers should be allowed in his internet café!). Walk up to the old fort with its Pagasa weather station and great view or head south with a tricycle to some of the lovely beaches on the coast road. You can even anchor off some of these on the way up from Boracay if you like. Better to be safe in town and ask Dave to fill up a cooler and send you off in a trike.

A short hop north of here is a good anchorage in calm weather or in the NE monsoon on the SW side of Banton Island. Otherwise head up to the NE side of Marinduque and work your way behind the islands to Santa Cruz harbour for a safe anchorage in the channel this is a big town and supplies are available. An alternative is the NW corner where you’ll find Port Balanacan harbour which also safe and you’re about 20 miles from Boac, the capital town. Not much available in Balanacan.

From here it’s a bit of a slog back to PG so I would stop in the little bay just north of Bantigui point but be careful of all the seaweed floats here. It’s calm here and you’re already two thirds the way back to PG which can be a nasty trip if the wind comes out of the west as it normally does if it’s blowing hard. That’s all for now, waypoints follow, but not for navigation, rough guide only!Tequila Mike
Ilin/Ambulong
12° 14' 00N
121° 02' 00E
Tambaron/Masin
12° 16' 00N
121° 22' 00E
Boracay
11° 57' 00N
121° 56' 50E
Looc Bay Tablas
12° 13' 00N
121° 59' 50E
Romblon
12° 35' 00N
122° 16' 00E
Banton Is.
12° 56' 00N
122° 03' 00E
Santa Cruz
13° 30' 00N
122° 04' 00E
Port Balanacan
13° 32' 00N
121° 52' 00E
Bantigui Bay
13° 42' 50N
121° 27' 00E