During my four days at Secret Kite Camp, the Coron tourist information centre is unable to book the ferry ticket back to Mindoro. In the evening, the last ship before Christmas is fully booked. That’s enough! I lie to the coastguard: I need urgent medicine from Mindoro. That throws me to the front of the multi-page waiting list. Sparkling clean patent leather shoes monitor the proper overloading of the ferry. there are 250 passengers on 146 regular seats.
After nine hours of waiting, I arrive in San Jose. I jump into one of the minivans, which are even more packed than usual just before Christmas. After another hour, I’m back in Bulalacao. The dogs are howling again at Felipa Lodge. Eight years after my first visit, the Filipinos still can’t hit a single note or beat on the same ancient Videoke machine.
The last kitespot of the trip is my favourite spot in the Philippines. www.kitesurf-mindoro.com has actually been fully booked for weeks. But Kathrin puts me up in a small tent in the yoga pagoda. A quick hello to all my dear friends and straight out onto the water. The wind is blowing at a cosy 18 knots and the tide is coming in.
At full and new moon, it is not always safe to kitesurf, as is the case in many of the Philippines’ standing areas. Between the moons, the water doesn’t go down that far – but for my last jumps, the water at low tide is a bit too little for me. A Frenchman crashes over a rock on the reef and cuts his knee up pretty badly. At low tide it gets a bit crowded in the bay with six kiters.
I wait until the water rises again in the afternoon. At high tide there is enough space for at least 12 kiters. Then you can safely cross the reef. With 20 beds, there are never more than 12 kiters on the water at the same time anyway. My big air top score from the Secret Kite Camp was never equalled in my four days here with a maximum of 22 knots. But I am satisfied. Despite storms and typhoons with plenty of alternative routes, I was on the water every third day during my two months in the Philippines.
Every evening, good people from all over the world dine at a big table. Only one bad person quarrelled with his wife. We save her together. For Christmas, I give all the employees T-shirts printed with kitesurf-mindoro.com. They are as happy as punch. A whole pig on a spit and a huge buffet are served. Then all the guests are given presents.
During the night, the specially flown-in Videoke machine takes over. Bulgaria rocks the Bohemian Rhapsody weirder than ever before. The night is long and bloody. Stars shine over silent peace. Not a breath of air stirs. The jungle behind the kite camp is as quiet as a mouse.
Thanks for the pictures, Urh!
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.