My Destiny... Our Destiny...
People have asked me why I have chosen the cruising life and I must admit that there are
times I thought I am crazy to do this. I didn’t know anything about sailing. I spent our
year of preparation reading every book about sailing I could get. It never clued in to me
how the sailing life really was until the time I lost sight of land the day we casted off
from Vancouver. That was several years ago now, and I have not regretted it since then.
As everything the word connotes, I have enjoyed the freedom, the ecstasy and the excitement
of seeing different countries and meeting different people of varied cultures. The treasured
memories will forever remain with me.
I started this website to invite cruisers to come to my island paradise of Samal. Officially
known as The Island Garden City of Samal, it is an island located in the Davao Gulf. Here,
you can enjoy life’s simple pleasures. It is tranquil, peaceful and full of unspoiled
natural attractions. The island is only a 10 minute ferry ride from Davao. It is a safe
haven for riding out the typhoon season and for storing your vessel while you fly home.
Off the beaten path, we chose to sail to Davao City to be closer to my family, but there
are several reasons why we have not regretted coming here. Davao is typhoon free and winds
are seldom stronger than force 4. It is considered as the largest city in the world but here,
one can still enjoy a relaxing slow pace of life with amenities that are comparable to developed
countries. The city is clean, the air is fresh and there is a wide abundance of fruits, vegetables
and seafood at a fraction of the price you pay in America. It is no wonder why Davao is set to
become a favorite retirement haven in this part of Asia. With its friendly and honest people,
low costs of living, quality medical centers, huge shopping malls, vibrant nightlife, diversified
cultures and security, I can only sum them all to one thing – quality of life.
Typically known as "Lantsa" in local dialect. Here it is used to transport passengers from Samal to mainland Davao.
I encourage my visitors to ask me questions – anything from cruising life, where to go, what
to do, things to do, costs, weather information, and I will try my hardest to give you an
answer, if not, at least direct you to where you can find the answers.
The Yacht... Our pride and joy...
Wiskun comes from a Native Indian word which means “love” and "friendship". She is a ketch, made of
ferro-cement and her design is Samson C-Breeze. She has an overall length of 50 feet, beam of
13.3 feet and a draft of 6.9 feet.
Our Yacht, WISKUN. Took us all over the world.
The Crew
Kjartan
Kjartan Sekkingstad, born in Norway, immigrated to Vancouver, Canada in 1991. He was initially
sent to Canada on a work visa to open, manage and operate an aquaculture company, rearing salmon.
It didn’t take long before he got stuck with the difficult challenges of the business, and
eventually became a landed immigrant, purchased sailing vessel “Wiskun and used it as his
residence and office.
Ellen
Ellen Lee-Kwen (that's me), born in Zamboanga City, Philippines, and grew up in Davao City, she
immigrated to Vancouver, Canada in 1978. She worked as a consultant for a venture capital company
involved in the aquaculture industry and got retained as the Financial Controller of a
Norwegian-owned aquaculture company.
Tiko and Kenta
In year 2001, both decided to retire with dreams of sailing around the world. They took almost a
whole year to prepare Wiskun for offshore passages. Although Kjartan grew up close to the
sea and worked with boats almost his whole life, he has never actually sailed far. In fact,
Wiskun is his first and only sailboat. Ellen is worst. A behind-the-office-desk type, she
could not even differentiate between port and starboard. Driven by their love of the sea
and a deep craving for adventure, both sailed off (with their 2 little dogs) in August 2002.
The Adventure
Routing Map: Depart Vancouver, BC CANADA - Arrive Davao City, Philippines
- Canada - Vancouver, BC.
- USA – San Francisco, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Cruz Island,
Sta. Catalina, Longbeach, Newport, Mission Bay, San Diego
- Mexico – Turtle Bay, Sta. Maria, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Isla Isabela, Punta de Mita,
Bahia Chamera, Bahia Tenacatita, Bahia Santiago, Zihuatanejo, Calita de Campos, Lizard Bay,
Santiago Bay, La Cruz, Puerto Vallarta
- French Polynesia – Hiva Oa, Tahuata, Rangiroa atoll, Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora
- Cooks Islands – Suwarrow
- Western Samoa – Apia
- Kingdom of Tonga – Vava’u islands, Nuku’alofa
- Fiji – Suva, Lautoka, Savu Savu, Musketcove Resort
- New Zealand – Opua, Kawau Island, Auckland, Whangarei
- Vanuatu – Port Vila, Luganville
- Solomon Islands – Gizo
- Papua New Guinea – Kavieng
- Palau – Koror
- Philippines – Davao, Samal island
Please follow this link to view the
PHOTO GALLERY
of our adventure.