Hebe Jebes Jan/Feb 2014 | Page 42

Features The calm before the storm—Bancas off Cabulauan Island. We quickly contacted Mike of Puerto del Sol Resort, Busuanga Bay (the delightful bay where the Houghtons and Larkans moor their respective vessels), and felt much happier once on the end of a strong mooring line next to Resolute in a sheltered bend of the river mouth. Perhaps we relaxed too much. Our chief adviser in nautical matters, Andrew Kellow of Dragon Marine Ltd, urged us to hasten north to Subic Bay. In retrospect we should have done so, but at the time we were worried about the possibility of Haiyan deviating, as late-season typhoons often do, and were reluctant to leave a spot that seemed so secure. And we weren’t aware of the full horror of what was to come until it was too late for us to leave. So that’s how we found ourselves in the direct path of a storm tipped to reach wind speeds of up to 400 kph with a 40 to 50-foot tidal surge. The Houghtons were still in HK, but the Larkans were good soul mates. We busied ourselves preparing our vessels. Jackie and I stripped Brigadoon bare, even tucking the booms below deck, and ran all the halyards up the masts. Our intention was to stay aboard, but on the last fretful night before the storm we changed our minds and at 7:00am ran up to charming Jimmy of the Al Faro Resort overlooking the bay and asked if we could stay with him. He was delighted at the suggestion, and changed his plans to leave. So, in the end, it was the hard core of Jimmy, us three and two staff—Nitnit and Mel—who saw the storm out. It was quite convivial really. As the wind increased, we sat amiably together in the kitchen, sharing our last supper. 40 Hebe jebes • Jan/Feb 2014 Even as the storm built up, it didn’t seem much different to those we’d experienced in HK. Only at the climax, when the glass shattered, did we think ‘Hope it doesn’t get much worse than this’! But then there was the peace of the eye passing over us. It had come four or five hours earlier than we’d expected. It was only when the wind funnelled from behind us that the boats were affected. There were seven vessels in the bay. All of them moved, apart from us. Rory and Shelly, who stayed aboard Shelly D, had a night they wouldn’t care to repeat. Just after 10pm they were hit by a gust which seemed to fall down the hillside with katabatic force, bouncing off the water and registering 92 kts on F