Captain Scott ~ Saturday, April 19, 2008

Subject: Puerto Princessa

We are anchored off a YC in a pretty bay with high mountains to the west.
9 45N 118 47E. There are only 3 other cruising boats here. All friendly and
helpful. We have found fuel, good provisions, a good restaurant and several
drivers. Most transport is by Tuk tuk (3 wheel motor bikes). Yesterday we
went across the island to a World Heritage Site--a park which features the
world’s longest navigatable underground river. We were told it was a 2 hour
drive which it was. Had it been driven safely (which it wasn't) it would have
been 4 hours. And if one of us drove it would have been 6. A white knuckle
hair raising drive on one lane dirt roads across the high central mountains.
Passing brightly colored buses that had seats for 30 and contained 90
passengers and their chickens. 30 in seats-30 on their laps-and 30 on the
roof. 3rd world driving is the real danger in sailing around the world—
forget pirates and typhoons. We called our driver "suicide Willy"
which seemed to make him drive faster. In the park we stopped for a
permit---then later stopped to pay for the permit---then later stopped in a
small town to pay for a boat. We were told the boats were all filled and to
come back in 4 hours. So we ate at a roadside spot that featured 2 pots. One
was a greasy wild boar stew and the other was greasy cooked vegetables.
Bill has relapsed and does not get far from the head. We finally caught our
boat--a canoe with outriggers that took us around to a beach. From there we
got into our 4th line for the one hour trip through the underground river.
Bats and Stalagtites I expected but my surprise was swallows. They flew
through the cave in large numbers obviously navigating the same as the
bats--by sound. Today we sail north to Roxas. We will take Rosemary. She’s a
British lady, who sailed here with her husband, then he died, and she’s here
alone on their boat.