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I asked my guide, "How about a circumnavigation of Miniloc Island?" First a hesitation, then he was game for the challenge. We'd passed the greatest heat of the early afternoon, and, with the gentle sea breeze, the temperature was pleasant to perfection.
After rounding the south of the island we began to tack along its western seaboard. If we continued north and a little west, we would come into one of the biggest hotbeds of piracy in the world. But in the lee of Miniloc's towering cliffs the wind dropped. We were becalmed. The guide declined my assistance, and he began to paddle - with his feet! This strange variation of canoe sailing served my purpose admirably, as we made negligible progress. I lay on the trampoline that spans the hulls, soaking up the gorgeous sun and with the balmy sea lapping over me. This was Paradise! Surrounded by silence and serenity, my inner being became a sea of tranquility. These moments will always remain with me.
As we rounded the northern aspect of the island we could make headway once more. We drew near to the dagger-like cliffs in order to approach a black-naped tern, and we discovered a flock of rufous night herons roosting on cliff-rooted foliage. Then, to punctuate a perfect day, alongside us came a turtle! When we finally landed back at our base, the guide confessed that he'd never done a circumnavigation before.
When I left Palawan I was just in time. The sky grew dark, and the storm clouds were gathering. Another typhoon was on its way.
Racing At Loch Lomond (KeithM)
Steve's comment in the last issue about racing at the Loch Lomond meet (or rather the lack of it!) is an interesting one and it merits a response from me as the "organiser".
Historically, well up until a few years ago anyway, the OCSG would visit Loch Lomond most years, invariably for the extended summer event, calling it the International Meet and welcoming visitors from far and wide for the excellent cruising and a few races. When the Cashel campsite that we liked went upmarket, Loch Tummel became an interesting substitute for a couple of years. This year we have tried holding an extended event earlier in the year at Loch Sween but with a long weekend event back at Cashel, also as a trial. Appreciating that Loch Lomond is a long way for most people, it was timed to coincide with the English August Bank Holiday, which avoids the peak season in Scotland as the schools there go back much earlier.
The weather forecasts, as well as the actual conditions experienced, were such that sailing or indeed being on the water on the Saturday was out of the question, but much better for Sunday. While the regular pattern of OCSG events puts a race or two on the Sunday I felt that it would be criminal not to make the best use of some moderate wind and weather to go for a classic cruise round the numerous islands, especially as several participants had not been there before. This suggestion was willingly accepted as the obvious thing to do rather than holding a race.
But some still vied with each other to get to the coffee and bacon rolls at Luss first…
Racing At Loch Lomond (EddieP)
In response to Steve's query about there being no race at Lomond on the Sunday, the situation was the following, as discussed by Keith certainly with me early on the Saturday morning. We had a smallish group, split almost 50:50 between experienced sailors, and some who were new and fresh. It was very obvious that there would be no sailing on the Saturday (gusts were up to Force 7). So, on what had been advertised and organised, with people going back on the Monday, that left only Sunday for any sailing. It is my view, and left unspoken by Keith, that if a few of us (4 or 5 out of 10 boats), had been determined to have a race, the others would have been left with really nothing to do, not got out at all, and been possibly quite fed up. Instead, we took I think the correct decision in having a guided and supervised tour, seeing the best of the loch for quite a few who had
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