INTRODUCTION

In a move to boost the economy of the outlying islands, the President of Indonesia is spearheading the development of North Maluku, in particular, the island of Morotai. It is his vision to put Morotai on the map for the world to see that Morotai is the gateway into Indonesia from the Pacific Ocean. And being close to East Asia, Morotai can be a part of the economic movement in the Asia Pacific Region. A Master plan from Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister is now in place to develop the island as a fishery, tourist, trade and services center. As part of this plan, Sail Morotai 2012 is organized and will be the main maritime event for this year's Sail Indonesia rally.

MOROTAI

Morotai is the northernmost island of Eastern Indonesia, in the province of North Maluku. The rugged and forested island has an area of some 1,800 square kilometres (690 sq mi), stetching 80 kilometres (50 mi) north-south and no more than 42 kilometres (26 mi) wide.

It is famous for its natural and marine beauty, with various coral reefs, colourful fish and marine life.

In addition, it is also known for its history in World War II, in particular, the Battle of Morotai. In July of 1944, General Douglas MacArthur had selected Morotai as the location for air bases and naval facilities which was needed to support the liberation of Mindanao. The battle began on September 14, 1944 when the United States and Australian forces landed on the south-west corner of Morotai.  With only about 500 Japanese soldiers stationed on the island, the Allied force assigned to Morotai outnumbered the island's defenders by more than one hundred to one. The ensuing rapid development of Morotai into a major military base took place. Base facilities, Naval installation, road network, 1,000-bed hospital and 2 airstrips were quickly constructed. Morotai became the staging point for Allied forces and played a major role in the liberation of the Philippines.

In light of its history, Morotai is a haven for wartime artifacts.

SAIL MOROTAI 2012

Holiday Oceanview Marina, in conjunction with the organizers of the Sail Indonesia 2012, is proud to announce that it will be the official Philippine organizer and the registration base for cruisers who are interested in joining the Sail Morotai 2012 rally. The festivities due to take place in Morotai on September 8th will coincide nicely with festivities happening in Davao City the whole month of August - the Kadayawan Festival. The highlight of this festival is the parade where different tribes and organizations compete for the best costumes and presentation. This parade normally occurs the 3rd weekend of August and the timing is just perfect for cruisers to attend the festivities in Davao before they set sail with the rally bound for Morotai.

As this will be the first year for Sail Morotai 2012, entry fee will be free and Indonesia will sponsor and cover the costs through its Sail Indonesia program. All yachts, motor and sail, are welcome to join but minimum size of 10 meters LOA is required to ensure safety to sail overseas in International waters. The Marina will coordinate and collect all required documents for the issuance of the Indonesian cruising permit (CAIT), as well for all entry and visa into the Philippines. The CAIT will be used to apply for the Indonesian Visa (non ASEAN citizens) through the Indonesian Consulate. In addition, the Marina will be offering its own programs and festivities, organization of tour packages, rally orientation seminar, free berthing, parties and get-togethers.

Route of the Sail Morotai 2012:

This is made part of the Sail Indonesia Rally and the whole map can be viewed in their website - http://www.sailindonesia.net/home/home.php and about Sail Morotai 2012 - http://www.sailindonesia.net/news/sailmorotai.php

All interested cruisers are urged to email me through the contact page, or through the comments sections, as it is also important for us to get an idea of how many interested participants there will be. This is an exciting rally to attend specially because of our historical ties with Morotai and also because it is the first maritime event ever for Davao to be a part of. It is our wish and the wishes of the government of Indonesia to develop stronger ties between our 2 countries and to establish an attractive route from Davao to Morotai and beyond, to other parts of Indonesia and Philippines.

More information and updates to come, so feel free to check in occasionally.

HOLIDAY OCEANVIEW MARINA is the first and only marina in the Gulf of Davao, located in the northernmost tip of Samal Island (7°11.94N, 125°42.74E).

A)    BERTHING

The facility offers 2 docks (A and B) with a combined total of 56 berths, Each berth can fit yachts up to 50 feet LOA. The end of Docks A and B can fit longer yachts up to 100 ft LOA.

B)    BOATYARD

There is one slipway for hauling and launching vessels. Vessels are hauled out using a trailer system.

A)    UTILITIES

RATES:

Visiting boats are very welcome. We ask you to book a berth in advance. Call us on VHF channel 68 or by email at holiday_oceanview@yahoo.com or info@holidayoceanview.com or by mobile phone no. 0929- 510-5160

A)     WET-BERTH RATES – in Phil. Pesos

• All berths have access to fresh water and individual power points
• No charge to water; power is at price posted
• Fuel can be arranged, at prices posted
• Laundry, shower and toilet facilities are conveniently located in the clubhouse building. Open 24 hours throughout the year to berth holders, accessible with key
• The marina is protected by security 24/7

B) BOATYARD/DRY-BERTH RATES – in Phil. Pesos

• Slipway for haul-out and launching (may have to coincide with high tide)
• Individual heavy duty cradle with adjustable arms (for monohulls)
• Water is available 
• Power at price posted
• Fuel at prices posted
• Miscellaneous marine services available
• Tradesmen and labor from Php100 to 400 / hr.
• To make a boatyard booking, email holiday_oceanview@yahoo.com or info@holidayoceanview.com with boat details – LOA, draft, beam, weight and type of keel.

ARRIVAL DETAILS:

A) 

The Holiday Oceanview Marina's goal is to achieve a standard that is accepted worldwidA)    SEA APPROACH

Entering the Gulf of Davao, vessels can approach on either east or west side of Samal Island.

The channel between Davao mainland and the westside of Samal island is busy with boat and ferry traffic. The narrowest  area (just over half a nautical mile wide) has a strong tidal current, mostly south-setting.  Sailing closer to the Samal side, the westside is lined with resorts and white sanded beaches.

Latitude:                7°11.94 N Longitude:         125°42.74 E

Radio Channel: Channel 68 Email or contact Marina prior to arrival is preferred.

Davao Tide Table link: http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/1502.html

B)    MARINA APPROACH

The marina is surrounded by a stone wall (breakwater).  Stay well clear of the breakwater until ready to approach. The 20 meter-wide entrance is on the NW corner, marked with red and green flags. Approach from the north and turn port into the marina. Caution: Breakwater walls are lined with rocks on the seabed.  Allow clearance. The entrance has a metal gate to prevent swells and debris from entering the marina. It is left opened when there is a vessel expected  to arrive or depart. Otherwise, it remains closed. It can easily be opened when a vessel is sighted approaching.

C)    CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) CLEARANCE

Check in or out service is provided by the Marina. A vehicle and staff will drive/assist you to the different offices for checking in or out. This is to expedite dealing with the CIQ officials. Alternate route for self check-in is to anchor on entry, at the quarantine area near Sta. Ana wharf, for CIQ boarding.

LOCAL INFORMATION:

A)    DAVAO

DAVAO CITY, being near the equatorial belt, is typhoon-free. The city enjoys a weather that remains balmy all year round. It is characterized by a uniform distribution of rainfall, temperature, humidity, and there are no wide fluctuations of the barometric air pressure. There are two seasons – the NE monsoons (October to March)  and the SW monsoon (April to September). The beginning and end of the seasons are normally transition periods. Northeasterly winds are predominant during the NE monsoon season and this will the best time for cruisers when the weather is pleasant and the chances of being caught in the path of typhoons are minimal. The SW monsoon is the rainy season. Winds are predominantly southerly, humid and warmer.

Davao City boasts of some of the finest beaches and mountain resorts in the country, and proximity to the Philippines’ most captivating diving spots as well as its highest peak, Mount Apo.   Metro Davao can also be dubbed as The City of Royalties or The Royal City, because of the presence of the kings and queens of the nature present in Davao. The Queen of Philippine Orchids which is Waling-waling, the King of Exotic Fruits, which is Durian, The King and Grandfather of Philippine mountains, Mt. Apo, the largest eagle in the world and the King of Philippine skies which is the Philippine Eagle.

B)    SAMAL

Nearby and only 10 minutes Samal-Davao ferry ride over, in the Gulf of Davao, is the ISLAND GARDEN CITY of SAMAL. True to its name, the island is a paradise surrounded by a natural garden of corals. The island has become a tourism hub for southern Philippines, boasting its pristine, white sandy beaches, natural wonders and attractions, yet it still remains unspoiled. This beautiful virgin island has been protected from commercialization to preserve ecotourism. The 116 kilometer stretch of coastline and crystal blue water is rich with underwater wildlife and the colors contrasts harmoniously from the green lush vegetation of coconut trees, to the white sandy beaches, to the dark blue color of the sea. From the hairy squat lobster to the Hawksbill Turtles to the Duggongs and a vast array of tropical fishes and corals, this island has become a diver’s haven. For the landlubbers, you have the mountains and lush forests for serious mountain-biking, camping and extreme sports. You can test your endurance as you trek and negotiate your way through caves of varying sizes.

Davao and Samal both boasts of very friendly people. Festivals or fiestas would be a good way to observe how happy and sharing the Dabaweños are. Fiestas are their way of showing their love of their homeland,  culture and traditions. Amidst the chaos, hostage taking, war and conflict happening in some parts of Mindanao, Davao is still at peace and order. This is evident during the KADAYAWAN festival, the ARAW NG DAVAO festivities and Samal’s HUGYAW Samal. One must not miss seeing and participating in these festivals. It is definitely a must-see event.

The Gulf of Davao is situated on the south coast of Mindanao Island and is approximately between latitude 6° 15' and 7° 20' East and longitude 125° 25' and 126° 10' East. It has a water area of 10,500 sq. km. and approximately 520 km. of coastline from Calian Point in Davao del Sur to Cape San Agustin in Davao Oriental. Within the Gulf are the islands of Samal and Talikud in Davao del Norte, Kopiat in Davao Oriental and Lunod in Compostela Valley. Samal Island is the largest of these islands, with 118 km. of coastline.

C) GULF OF DAVAO

The Gulf has a unique pattern of water movement. During flood tide, water mass south of Samal Island flows southwest. In the northern portion of the island, between Bassa Point and Gill Point, water mass flows northeast, then southward and swiftly veers east-northeast during the peak tide current. In addition, the more saline oceanic waters flow into the gulf through the deeper section of the Gulf pushing the existing water mass northward. Tide waves occurring ahead at the eastern section cause older water to wave towards the area of low elevation at the western side. Eddies and standing oscillations are present. There are 33 rivers and creeks that empty into the Davao Gulf. Water exchange is mainly tidal with relatively good surface mixing during strong monsoon winds. The northern portion is generally estuarine in character due to the massive influx of freshwater from the flood plains especially during the rainy season. This is why there would be a lot of river debris such as tree branches and river bank debris, especially during highest tides and heavy rainfall.

Wiskun was hauled out in late 2008 and sat in the Samal boatyard next to the Samal Ferry terminal (Davao Gulf, Southern Philippines). For almost 3 years, there were a lot of work done on her. Not that she needed repairs, but more because Kjartan needed projects to do to keep busy. Some projects of course were real repairs when we found the damage - such as dry rots in the wood and rusting problems.

Dry rots:

• The masts were taken off as soon as we hauled Wiskun out. We found some dry rotting and the spreaders needed to be replaced. This project is ongoing.
• Deck boxes were rotting away. New and better desiged boxes were built.
• Deck housing, especially the area where it connects to the deck had some dry rot. This probably caused some of our leaking problems below deck.

Rusts:

• Our biggest problem since leaving Vancouver was the rust oozing off our gunwales. They became a nightmare when we reached the tropics due to the high salinity in this area. We tried so many ways to stop it and listened to so many advice. All to no avail. The rust kept on coming back. We knew that we had to somehow seal the metal embedded in the gunwale real well. But just imagining all the work covering about 100 feet all around was so daunting. Finally, Kjartan started this big project in Samal. He placed several biaxial fiberglass cloth on, sanded and sanded, painted and painted. When you look at the gunwales now, you will never know that there are several layers of fiberglassing over them. Now I dare the oxygen to penetrate and find a way into the metal part.
• Rudder post rust started to destroy part of the rudder. This too got repaired with several layers of cloth and epoxy. Probably overdone again by Kjartan, but better be safe than sorry. It is much cumbersome to repair areas under water so it is better to make sure the repair is longlasting.

Miscellaneous:

• Engine - taken out and got overhauled. Engine room got new insulation.
• Bilge area - super cleaned and painted with 2 part epoxy paint. It now looks so clean you can live in there.
• Deck - the whole deck area was smoothened, epoxied and primed. We will paint it all in white. There is a big difference in keeping it cool this way.
• Keel - lots of blistering problem areas repaired. With over 2 years of drying out time, we hope this time the repairs will last.
• Bowsprit - taken off for the time being and is already nicely painted.
• Deck boxes - newly built ones and better designed to prevent water from entering.
• Masts and spreaders - taken off and dry rot still to be repaired. New spreaders were made ready for installation.
• Body work - all scratches, nicks and imperfections were fixed and Wiskun got a new paint job.
• Waterline - Wiskun always looked port and aft heavy. Finally, we got the waterline corrected.

The decision to launch Wiskun back to the water was made because Kjartan is now busy building the 50 ft. catamaran with our friend Bill from Vancouver. Being away, Wiskun was gathering too much dust where she sat, from the ferry traffic next door and the boatyard operations all around. Also, the metal of the shed was shedding too much rust onto her deck. The moment of truth came on August 15th when she was launched. The engine purred and the gears worked! We motored slowly to Oceanview marina. While I steered the boat, Kjartan went below to check everything. Everything seemed fine, and the insulation worked so well, I couldn't hear the engine as loud as before. The only thing weird about it all was that Wiskun had no masts, no bowsprit, no sails and no anchors.

Now Wiskun sits in her new home - in Holiday Oceanview Marina. There are still lots of projects to do below deck and some things in my wish list have yet to materialize. Oh well, in due time. For now, cleaning away all the dust some of which are 3 years old plus more and throwing away many many things. By the way, I found out that batteries melted in the heat. Luckily I thought of emptying all the electronic gadgets of batteries when we hauled out.

The Gulf of Davao is situated on the south coast of Mindanao Island and is approximately between latitude 6° 15' and 7° 20' East and longitude 125° 25' and 126° 10' East. It has a water area of 10,500 sq. km. and approximately 520 km. of coastline from Calian Point in Davao del Sur to Cape San Agustin in Davao Oriental. Within the Gulf are the islands of Samal and Talikud in Davao del Norte, Kopiat in Davao Oriental and Lunod in Compostela Valley. Samal Island is the largest of these islands, with 118 km. of coastline.

The Gulf has a unique pattern of water movement. During flood tide, water mass south of Samal Island flows southwest. In the northern portion of the island, between Bassa Point and Gill Point, water mass flows northeast, then southward and swiftly veers east-northeast during the peak tide current. In addition, the more saline oceanic waters flow into the gulf through the deeper section of the Gulf pushing the existing water mass northward. Tide waves occurring ahead at the eastern section cause older water to wave towards the area of low elevation at the western side. Eddies and standing oscillations are present.

There are 33 rivers and creeks that empty into the Davao Gulf. Water exchange is mainly tidal with relatively good surface mixing during strong monsoon winds. The northern portion is generally estuarine in character due to the massive influx of freshwater from the flood plains especially during the rainy season. This is why there would be a lot of river debris such as tree branches and river bank debris, especially during highest tides and heavy rainfall.

HOLIDAY OCEANVIEW MARINA

The only marina for yachts in the whole of Mindanao, it is located at the northernmost point of Samal Island. It is now operational, with yachts coming in mainly for storage purposes whilst owners go back to their home country. The marina offers 24/7 security and Davao being typhoon free, it is a perfect area to leave your yachts in. Power and electricity is available. There is a slipway for haul-outs as well. For more information and booking of berths/haulouts, just click on my contacts link.

We just received an email from our friends, Walter and Ae. Their sailboat was hauled out here for maintenance and painting not too long ago. They are now on their way north of the Philippines. It will be interesting to follow their route and hear of their experiences.  I am sure a lot of cruisers who are planning to come here would be interested too. Below is their email to us, and a few pictures which they are so kind to share with all of us.

 "Hello Ellen & Kjartan Just a quick hello. Hope you are well. How is progress on the cat? We are still in the Gulf of Davao. A couple of days ago we stopped in a bay in front of a small village & had the most amazing welcome. The town Capitan, the Governors secretary, school teachers & most of the locals couldn’t welcome us enough. Out came the local coconut wine, Tuba, delicious! Even the neighbouring village send someone over to drag us away to their huts. Obviously a bit of local rivalry. Later the Governor sent his secretary back to invite us to the town hall for a formal welcome, with a request to sleep there. I declined & told him I would let him know the next day if we would attend a formal welcome at the Town Hall. Then he wanted to arrange for a police escort! So I asked if we were in danger, he said there won’t be any problems here, we are very welcome. So I told him we can’t see any reason for the police to watch over us. The next morning we sent him a text to advise we had to leave. This was just too much!

Our pos. was 06 deg 41.42 N, 126 05.33E (close to Gov. Generoso/Sigaboy).The next day I had to recover from a coconut wine headache, that’s a change! Thank you very much again for your help, Kjartan & Ellen. Still looking for the motor problem, must be sucking air intermittently. All is well here, just waiting for some favourable wind. Have fun, don’t work too hard, hello to Bill & Boboy, Ae & Walter "

Fair winds to you both, Walter and Ae.

We are very excited. Finally, after over a year of talking and planning, the actual project of building a 50 ft catamaran in Samal has started. Cedar and building supplies from Vancouver arrived and work started a week ago. Bill, our Canadian friend, flew in from Vancouver Island, and together with his new apprentice, Kjartan, have started building. The offshore cruising catamaran is a Ron Given design called "Norma". Bill built his own Given design catamaran before, sailed the Pacific to New Zealand, and back to Vancouver Island before he sold it. He is quite familiar with the Given design. Bill is super rich in experience, knowledge and know-how. Kjartan is very excited to be learning from him.

And this is what it will look like when finished:

Update - 5

Hull No. 1 and Hull no. 2 now connected by the bridge deck. Beams 1 to 4 installed.

 Watch the video -
;feature=youtu.be">Building Norma Part 5

Update - 4

For the months of July and August, pieces are being built and dryfitted into hull no. 1, whilst work on finishing hull no. 2 is ongoing. Watch the youtube

Building Norma - Part 4.

Update - 3

Several pieces being worked this month, such as the keels, daggerboards, the deck pieces. Hull no. 1 has been turned for the guys to work on the inside - sanding and fiberglassing. Preparation for hull no. 2 also in place. Watch the youtube Building Norma - June 2011

Another youtube was prepared on just the vacuum bagging part. Watch Vacuum Bagging

Update - 2

May 2011 - Hull No. 1 is almost done. Watch the youtube Building Norma - May 2011.

UPDATE - 1

April 2011 - Month went by fast and while waiting for more tools to arrive from Vancouver, the days were spent building sections that is meant for later - i.e. daggerboards. To summarize the work done in April, watch this youtube video:

Building Norma - 0411

Wiskun needed a good paint job. The last time we painted her was in New Zealand in 2006/2007. At that time, we did the roll and tip method, and not spray painted. This time, we decided to hire experienced auto painters to do the job.

We bought our paint from Vancouver, but these painters were not familiar with it. Kjartan gave in and followed their recommendations - a German made type of paint that was fairly expensive, but available locally in Davao.

There were at least 3 coats of primer paint. Filling and sanding in between. Then 5 coats of white and 5 coats of blue, plus 3 more coats of clear over the blue. For the finishing, they used rubbing compound and then wax. Polishing and buffing until it shined. Watch the slide show and tell me what you think.

title="Painting Yacht Wiskun in Samal">Painting Wiskun

Of course, Kjartan babysat the painting crew the whole time. Each morning, he walked around the boat with a marking pencil and made sure all imperfections were fixed before they proceeded to the next coat. Kjartan also had to correct some of their "bad habits and shortcuts". I think they are now ready to do more yachts. Kjartan is quite meticulous and I hope they have learned from him. All in all, we are happy with the work and have decided to get them to do the topside as well.

Happy Holidays everyone. The year 2010 sure went by fast and in a few days, we welcome a NEW YEAR!! We wish you all the best, in good health and hopefully, the end of the global crisis.  Truth be said, I am really very tired of hearing about the global crisis. Enough is enough.

Let me take this opportunity to thank those who have been following my blogs. I have been busy with other matters not related to sailing and have not been able to keep up this site.  For this, I apologize. Next year will be another busy year. Kjartan will be starting a project which I will write about as it progresses.  Hopefully, our Wiskun will be ready so she can be launched back to where she should be - in the ocean! Holiday Oceanview Marina is open and Wiskun will look real nice floating in one of its berths.  It will also be nice to go sailing again, even for just a day around the Davao gulf.

A lot of emails have come in enquiring about the marina and the boatyard. I am always ready to answer your questions and to assist you. I am never too busy for that. I did however close my "Comments" section because I have been getting hundreds of spam comments. Just email me directly through my Contact section and I will answer your emails as soon as I can.

Camp Holiday Beach resort will welcome the coming new year with a bang - FIREWORKS, Band, food and Entertainment. Come and join us in celebrating 2011!!

We welcome the Marina's very first sailing yacht - S/V Skokica, from Slovenia. Miran and his crew sailed from Lankawi to Davao via Zamboanga City where they officially checked into the Philippines. They had a set timeline.  They barely had time to pack up the sails, stow them away, before they left again to fly home to Slovenia. Wow! But at least, we had 2 days getting to know Miran. He is an Olympic silver medalist in Ski Jumping!! From the mountains down to the sea, sailing the world. I think it is quite remarkable. He is rushing back fairly quickly as part of the planning committee to the World Ski Jumping Championship in Norway this coming December.