A month or so ago, I wrote about the Kaya ng Pinoy balangay project of the Philippine Everest team. By this time, it was set to sail off to other parts of our archipelago in emulation of our seafaring ancestors. But as we Pinoys say, "weather-weather lang". It translates to the idea that everything has its time same with the changing of the weather and the shifting of wind directions. This couldn't be truer in the case of the Balangay. sir Art (Valdez) wouldn't risk it and he relates that our ancestors didn't either as they brought their families along with them on the journey. So they practiced prudence, patiently waiting for better weather before sailing.
It was nice to get invited to test sail onboard the Balangay even if just around the periphery of the CCP wharf and a bit beyond the breakwater. The Bajau hands were all very nice and helpful, assisting me to move to the smaller boat being used to tow the balangay into place so I can shoot the Balangay with her sails on.
The weather last Saturday wasn't the most ideal, with grey clouds hanging ominously over the city with possible squalls brought about by a typhoon. It was tricky shooting under the rain, repeatedly wiping off the raindrops on my lens. Maybe, the habagat will give us another window of good weather to test sail again but for the time being, i thank sir Art, the nice people over at Agatep & Associates PR agency, and the crew for the very rare opportunity to climb aboard and sail Manila Bay on the Balangay. Will update you, my readers, on the progress of the Balangay project.
