And we're off. . .

Bonbonon, Negros, Philippines

My documentation came through after a second trip back to Cebu to receive it.  We loaded water and some stores, said some serious goodbyes and were off.   In earnest.
This time I could feel it.  We were heading south to Bonbonon with nothing drawing us back.  Finally, after a year and some in Drydock I was really, truly leaving.

We got a fair breeze, which was unexpected.  We sailed.  Brillig sailed!!  And she sailed well.  Close to the wind we could let the tiller free and she would steer her own course.  This is a blessing.  But the weather turned squally, and the rain was not unappreciated.  And would be the tone of the passage:  Rain, followed by calms, winds that quartered around the compass unti the next squall came along.
But we were gone, and loving it.  It took a couple of days to do the miles to Bonbonon.  We actually tried making anchor on Siguiour Island but the harbour was so noisy and nasty we did a u-turn and went back to sea.

We saw plenty of dolphins for a change.  Motored a lot of the way--a new experience for me.  But I am glad to see the engine running reasonibly well.  Minor leaks here and there.  We call her Yolanda the Yanmar.  We have a list of names actually.

Herbie   -    windvane
Frida    -    fisherman anchor
Suzie   -     stay'sle
geeps   -     gps
Sea Biscuit- inflatible dinghy
Alice, Carol, AC, or Carolina - hard dinghy
Algernon -   main anchor
Boots   -    Bootsie's ashes that hang on mast step
blotter   - the chart plotter
CPR     -    the CQR anchor, that we don't love
MaxSuck - a chart program called MaxSea, that Annabelle does not love
Marvin   -    a name I am considering calling the main'sle


Tomorrow we set out for Palawan, west of here a couple hundred miles.  Until last night we were going east to Palau.  But. . . plans don't always last.  And this seems the better plan.  Though a drastically different one perhaps.  We shall see.  But our time in the Philippines is nearly done.  Hopefully we saved the best for last.