Foreign sailors pick Samal Island as starting point for 2012 Sail
Morotai in Indonesia
ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SMALL, Davao del Norte, Sept. 7 (PNA) --Eleven yachts manned by
sailors from several countries took off Thursday here towards Indonesia for the 2012 Sail Morotai,
sailors from several countries took off Thursday here towards Indonesia for the 2012 Sail Morotai,
highlighting the island of Morotai in North Maluku which is site of the World War II battle waged
under Allied Commander General Douglas MacArthur on September 1944.
under Allied Commander General Douglas MacArthur on September 1944.
The yachters have chosen this island city in the Davao Region as their starting point for Sail Morotai
when the 11 sailboats made the traditional sail pass as sailors bade good bye to Dabawenyos who
sent them off Thursday morning for a safe journey. Dabawenyos waved Philippine flaglets as a horn
blared signalling a safe and fun sailing.
The private sector activity was held at the Ocean View marina owned by the Holiday Island Garden
Development Corporation of the Bangayan's family.
Participants were Australians Michael and Rosemary Lewis (S.V. Expiditus, 36-foot monohull); Daryl
Nelson (S.V. Metana 2, 38-ft. monohull); Bruno Hammerler (S.V. Freiheit, 38-ft. monohull);
Christopher and Daun Morris (S.V. More Magic, 43-ft. monohull); Trevor Burridge (S.V. Gadfly, 44-
ft. monohull); Heinrich and Rosita Hetzel (S.V. Ela, 43-ft. catamaran); and Alan Chalk and Marife S.
Banez (S.V. Break-Away, 43-ft. catamaran).
Other nationalities were Dutchmen Johannes A.M. Van Run and Maria Helma Verdonk (S.V. Alk, 39-ft.
monohull); Americans Walter and Jane LeCompte (S.V. Calixto, 46-ft. monohull); Paul and Robyn
Carpenter of New Zealand (S.V. Shiralee, 35-ft. catamaran); and Belgians Luc Callebaut and Jackie
Lee (S.V. Sloepmouche, 46-ft. trimaran).
Gene Bangayan, who is also president of the Davao Tourism Association (DATA), said that through
social networking and after several exchanges of messages, the group came to Davao and docked their
sailboats at the marina for some maintenance check in time for their journey to Indonesia.
The group arrived here middle of August and had the chance to visit places and learned Davao's
culture, crafts and tradition. "Although they stay in their boats, they go around and experience what our
city can offer," she said.
Bangayan said the sailors were issued a special visa by the Indonesian government with no registration
fee which would allow them to stay in Indonesia for two to six months. She said the Indonesian
government spearheads the annual sailing activity to promote their different island destinations
including Talaud which is the nearest point to Talikud Island of Samal.
On Sept. 15, 1944, allied forces from the United States and Australia under Supreme Commander
General Douglas MacArthur landed on Morotai and defeated small Japanese troop remaining stationed
there. Morotai became the air and naval base of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific that helped
free the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
More than 120 yachts are expected to participate in the 2012 Sail Morotai from various countries
including Australia, Philippines and Malaysia. It will take the yachters some eight days to sail from
Samal Island to Morotai or arrive about September 15 to 17.
Bangayan said they are now working on Davao's regular participation on leisure sailing aiming to
launch the Sail Philippines in 2013 where sailboat owners can participate for fun.
"We thought of expanding and sustaining our linkage with them (sailors) in order for them to come back
and bring more participants by initiating events in Mindanao," she said.
Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Art Boncato said considering that participation will
be from different countries, "we will elevate it to national scale and mark it as an identifying event for
Sail Philippines."
He said this requires lot of interventions but DOT will take the lead in getting inter-agency support like
the Customs Immigration Quarantine Security (CIQS) task force.
"But in the future perhaps we can have our own sailing brand as the island is full of eco-adventure,
eco-tourism," he said.
Boncato said the sailors that just left Davao have their own blogs where they can talk about their
experiences here, a good exposure on what Davao offers which can draw interests from around the
world. (PNA) LAM/PrixDignaDBanzon/LDP/
when the 11 sailboats made the traditional sail pass as sailors bade good bye to Dabawenyos who
sent them off Thursday morning for a safe journey. Dabawenyos waved Philippine flaglets as a horn
blared signalling a safe and fun sailing.
Development Corporation of the Bangayan's family.
Participants were Australians Michael and Rosemary Lewis (S.V. Expiditus, 36-foot monohull); Daryl
Nelson (S.V. Metana 2, 38-ft. monohull); Bruno Hammerler (S.V. Freiheit, 38-ft. monohull);
Christopher and Daun Morris (S.V. More Magic, 43-ft. monohull); Trevor Burridge (S.V. Gadfly, 44-
ft. monohull); Heinrich and Rosita Hetzel (S.V. Ela, 43-ft. catamaran); and Alan Chalk and Marife S.
Banez (S.V. Break-Away, 43-ft. catamaran).
Other nationalities were Dutchmen Johannes A.M. Van Run and Maria Helma Verdonk (S.V. Alk, 39-ft.
monohull); Americans Walter and Jane LeCompte (S.V. Calixto, 46-ft. monohull); Paul and Robyn
Carpenter of New Zealand (S.V. Shiralee, 35-ft. catamaran); and Belgians Luc Callebaut and Jackie
Lee (S.V. Sloepmouche, 46-ft. trimaran).
Gene Bangayan, who is also president of the Davao Tourism Association (DATA), said that through
social networking and after several exchanges of messages, the group came to Davao and docked their
sailboats at the marina for some maintenance check in time for their journey to Indonesia.
culture, crafts and tradition. "Although they stay in their boats, they go around and experience what our
city can offer," she said.
Bangayan said the sailors were issued a special visa by the Indonesian government with no registration
fee which would allow them to stay in Indonesia for two to six months. She said the Indonesian
government spearheads the annual sailing activity to promote their different island destinations
including Talaud which is the nearest point to Talikud Island of Samal.
On Sept. 15, 1944, allied forces from the United States and Australia under Supreme Commander
General Douglas MacArthur landed on Morotai and defeated small Japanese troop remaining stationed
there. Morotai became the air and naval base of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific that helped
free the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
More than 120 yachts are expected to participate in the 2012 Sail Morotai from various countries
including Australia, Philippines and Malaysia. It will take the yachters some eight days to sail from
Samal Island to Morotai or arrive about September 15 to 17.
Bangayan said they are now working on Davao's regular participation on leisure sailing aiming to
launch the Sail Philippines in 2013 where sailboat owners can participate for fun.
"We thought of expanding and sustaining our linkage with them (sailors) in order for them to come back
and bring more participants by initiating events in Mindanao," she said.
Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Art Boncato said considering that participation will
be from different countries, "we will elevate it to national scale and mark it as an identifying event for
Sail Philippines."
He said this requires lot of interventions but DOT will take the lead in getting inter-agency support like
the Customs Immigration Quarantine Security (CIQS) task force.
"But in the future perhaps we can have our own sailing brand as the island is full of eco-adventure,
eco-tourism," he said.
Boncato said the sailors that just left Davao have their own blogs where they can talk about their
experiences here, a good exposure on what Davao offers which can draw interests from around the
world. (PNA) LAM/PrixDignaDBanzon/LDP/
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