If Manila had a human avatar she’d be a sultry seductress. She would at first be a little scary, and a little overwhelming. Over time she’d make you feel comfortable drawing you in closer and closer. (more…)
Nope Nothing To See Here
Manila gets mixed reviews from most people. Fellow cruisers, travel guides, and even locals all have varying opinions. Undeniably there’s a certain pull though, to seeing the capitol city of the Philippines. (more…)
The crew climbs Banda Api, a pretty sweet volcano in the Spice Islands. We untie Delos from the village quay and set sail for Ambon- the capitol city of the Spice Islands! (more…)
I feel like the Philippines always pulls something extraordinary out of its magical hat, and this was something I never thought I would see here. (more…)
It’s Wednesday night and we’re laying outside watching all of the little insects flying around and making their presence known to us. They may be small, but we definitely knew they were there. They can get annoying after a bit though, but our only saving grace is that there isn’t enough of them to cause an infestation. We are the type of people who keep our house clean, but we do like to have companies like https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/pest-control/ on speed dial in case these few insects turn into a whole swarm of them. After hearing them buzzing around and fluttering their wings at us, the sound of them suddenly became very soothing. I’m half sleeping when Brian suddenly looks over at me with a big grin on his face, eyes filled with thrill and excitement. –”it’s my Birthday this weekend, lets sail to Manila!!” (more…)
Follow the Delos crew and we’ll show you our Moonshine process on board from start to finish! Have you run out of the good stuff while anchored in that sweet spot? No worries! (more…)
The crew gets situated in Band Neira, Indonesia after our sail from Australia. We do a bit of yoga, hit the water for some snorkeling, then get to the heart of the Spice Islands by touring a nutmeg plantation and Dutch fortress. (more…)
Me and my brother Brady have this thing we call laughing moments. Let’s just say you’re having so much fun in the moment you spontaneously start smiling and laughing uncontrollably. (more…)
During the 2013 season from August to October Delos was lucky enough to sail the awesome waters of Raja Ampat, in the far eastern portion of Indonesia.
We took some notes and photos and want to share what we learned in the form of this simple guide. (more…)
Raja Ampat has one of the world’s largest tropical marine ecosystems and an outstanding biodiversity of fish and coral. It’s located in the north-western tip of Indonesia’s Papuan “Bird’s Head Seascape,” and lies in the heart of the coral triangle. (more…)
Since beginning this trip I’ve been humbled by the amazing things I’ve seen, both above and below the water. This planet we live on has so much natural beauty to explore. In California, I was able to dive in massive kelp forests, in Mexico with giant manta rays, in Bora Bora with enormous Lemon Sharks, and in Costa Rica, on a Costa Rica fishing charters – I just love the outdoors, there is so much to explore, and so many memories I am ready to create. For now, I am coming back with memories that will last a lifetime. That said, the best part of the entire trip was, undoubtedly, getting to watch whales. Honestly, for that, California is a great location– whale watching california is an activity that can be enjoyed by all of your friends and family, ensuring that you all have fun together in this beautiful place.
How cute are these guys? (Bohol Tansiers)
Watching whales and sharks in their natural habitats is always good fun! Something that had always eluded me was interaction with Whale Sharks. Not because I wasn’t looking for the opportunity, mostly because it’s just not that common. But it has always been fascinating to me. I mean, the Internet is full of interesting videos and pictures of Weird Looking Sharks and whales. What could be more exciting than interacting with them! So when we found ourselves only a day’s sail from Oslob in the Philippines I jumped at the chance. We left the Chocolate Hills and Tansiers behind and set sail southwest, towards the big island of Cebu. Without much information and not wanting to pay the outrageous prices for a guided tour we decided to do it on our own. Using the GPS coordinates from Google Earth we sailed all day to Oslob. Oslob Whale Sharks are in Oslob, right? Wrong. After a dinghy expedition to the beach through breaking waves and lots of blank stares from the fishing guys I finally got some better information. Apparently, the Whale Sharks were not in Oslob, but in another village 10NM further south. Strange.
Delos safely moored at Sumilon Island.
With 10 miles to go and less than 2 hours of sunlight left it was going to be close. I hate anchoring in the dark. We motor sailed as fast as we could to Sumilon Island, and were directed by some friendly local dive guides to the only mooring on the island that could handle a yacht. With the twilight creeping in we were now moored in the lee of this tiny island. It turns out we hit the jackpot as these very friendly guys also gave us all the info needed to find the Whale Sharks.
It was such an amazing experience we decided to do it twice! I hope you enjoy the footage.
The Delos crew swims with these gentle giants after anchoring at Sumilon Island, Philippines- just off the coast of SE Cebu Island. It was a truly humbling and amazing experience! (more…)
I was lounging in the cockpit on a blistering hot afternoon, nearly drowning in my own sweat. The skies were an endless blue and the sun beat down with an oppressive force. There was a slight breeze of only a few knots. (more…)
The crew leaves Darwin, Australia and sails over 600NM to the Spice Islands in Indonesia! During the 5 day sail we entertain ourselves with fishing, showering, and general lazing around. (more…)
With our bank accounts running low on board Delos, Brady and I would go over and over our options of some possible next steps. (more…)
After sailing the Philippine seas, with SV Delos and the Delos crew, it’s time for me to go home. It feels a bit sad, because it has been a fantastic four weeks and I have learned so much about sailing. (more…)
I woke up on the 1st of Jan 2014 with a slight headache and an extremely dry mouth, all reminders of last night’s extravaganza. I felt a bit disorientated and as soon as I turned my head to look at Brian laying snoring on my right, it all came rushing back to me. (more…)
The crew crosses the Gulf of Carpentaria then chills for a few days exploring the secluded beaches in the Wessell group and the Hole In The Wall. (more…)