S/V Po Oino Roa: ARRIVED ZEKE'S BOAT YARD

Dock Position 10° 33.985N 124° 01.473E
Port Carmen, Cebu
Philippines

After our day off from traveling we continued on to Malapascua Is. Our last stop before arriving here in Port Carmen. Again our passage was done with light winds on the nose. We departed our anchorage early and arrived here around 3 pm. We phoned ahead to Zeke and he sent one of his boys out in a banca to lead us in through the channel. Once Kathy manuvered into our assigned berth the yard workers took over securing lines tying us off four ways. We are bow in with a small concrete jetty extending out and then a wooden gangway secured to the jetty and our bow in.

BERTHED

After a bit of cleanup and putting things away we made our way up to the restauant/bar to visit with the other yachties and have a meal out.

KATHY READY FOR DINNER OUT, NO COOKING

It always amazes us as we travel around and visit new places and locate someone that we have not seen for several years and thousands of miles away. Here the familiar face was Joe from the S/V Jubilee whom we last saw during our stay in Fiji. It was nice to catch up a bit and get more information about the local area. We also got to meet a number of new yachties here doing and having work done by the yard.

Friday morning Zeke stopped by for a welcoming visit. We discussed some of the projects that we wanted accomplished. These are mainly improvement items that we have looked forward to for several years including a new hard fiberglass bimini and replacing our aft cabin ladder with a cabinet to store Kathy's sewing stuff and will still function as a ladder. We let him know that we were not in a great hurry, that was good as all the workers are busy at present but would be finishing several boats soon. It is very inexpensive to stay, our berth is 7000 FP or $175 US per month. Once we start using the yard workers their wages are between 500 and 800 FP per day, that's $12 to $20 US. Finally a place that is very affordable to get projects done.

Next was a trip to the local town of Daneo for a visit to the bank, check out the grocery store, open market and get a general lay of the town as we will be here in the yard for a number of months. Back on the boat we began to get ready for work mode. First on the list was getting shore power hooked up. Being in a new country that means a different plug and my having to play electrician. Once that was done we were able to connect up our large fan to get some air moving through the boat. It is has been very hot here with temperatures of 82° when I get up at 5 AM and then in 90's later in the day.

Our custom built wind scoop that can be rotated in all directions made by our friend Renee formerly of the S/V Scarlett O'Hara and now on the M/V Rubicon also helps moving some air.

Friday evening we joined in the weekly yachtie gathering at a small restaurant in the nearby town of Carmen.It was a tryke ride away and some how we managed 3 Yanks, 2 Aussies and an English woman along with one Filipina and the driver all on one tryke. I'm not sure how that little 125cc motorbike managed but it did. It was a nice evening meeting new friends, dinner along with drinks was again cheap, less than $10.

Saturday it was time to continue with our preperations for work mode. We scrubbed the decks. removed both head sails and got the shades back up. There are still more small put away things to do but with the heat of the afternoon a siesta is required and they can wait.

Here are a number of more photos from our trip from Puerto Galera to here in Port Carmen