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wreck & roll
Years after duty free madness, Subic turns to its air and water attractions. Bruce Curran reports
COULD HEAR the early morning drone of a small seaplane over the harbor area within the protected waters of Subic Bay. Another group of three sightseers were off for the experience of encircling the eerie valleys, carpeted by lahar courtesy of Mount Pinatubo's 1991 record-breaking eruption. The powerful engine pulled the machine up out of the calm waters into the I breeze of the clear
and welcome us.. The place has been a crowd-drawer with irs unusual decor of marine artifacts. Vasco's just had to be the crazed concept of some individualist rogue, Brian Homan, an Australian expatriate since 1978. He is the man who has been behind many a diving expedition since then, on the hunt for ancient shipwrecks. At Vasco's one of the continuing themes is the increasing space being developed for the expansion of Magellan's Point Maritime Museum. I ambled through this museum, which felt original, tasteful, fascinating and set in a mysterious warm ambience within a mixed arena of maritime paraphernalia, including maritime wall paintings, parchment historical notes and many things nautical. The old archways of the place gave it a special enchantment. The artifacts currently on display have been collected from several parts of the Philippines including porcelains from Chinese junk wrecks in the
early morning
dawn, and then it was gone.
Back on land close to the seaplane's hangar I strode past a large white parrot as it raised its yellow head plumage, and a crazed sound grated from its throat. I am in Vasco's Pub Restaurant, set at Magellan's Point. Two parrots parade in this reception area where a ceiling of large flags dresses up the overhead, beneath which two Spanish cannons guard the entrance like a fortress—I half expected Captain Hook to walk by
AIR AND SEE. Chartered sand (TOP) plates and cannons
sailing the skies
FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE experience and a bird's eye view of this idyllic bay, nothing can compare to flying high with a parasailing adventure.
Subic Bay Parasailing, Inc. President Mark Neumann has been running a parasailing company in Hawaii for over 26 years and opened the Subic Bay branch six years ago. Both operations have perfect safety records that Neumann attributes to an intensive crew-training program and well-maintained equipment.
"Our 28-foot boat is specially designed for parasailing. Attached to the boat is a 400-meter, double-braided rope. The parachute is hooked to the rider's harness, and a motorized winch reels them in and out, much like a fishing line," explains Neumann. But the parasailor needn't think about the technical aspects of parasailing. For them, it's safe, easy—and fun.
"I put on my life jacket and the crew attached the parachute," said Stella Reyes, a second-year business economics student from Manila. "I slowly started to rise and was soon dangling in the air several feet above the boat. Then the real fun began. As the boat picked up speed, I went higher and higher! I was like a human kite, it was great!"
The parasailor remains aloft for about 10 minutes until the crew reels the line back in and the rider lands gently on a special platform on the deck. The time in between is spent peacefully floating, enjoying the spectacular view.
"Riders may soar up to 150 meters high, depending on the wind speed. There is no free fall, and you don't even get wet," Neumann said. "Unless you ask for the Wet and Wild Ride!"
The Wet and Wild Ride is for those seeking an even more adventurous experience. Boat captain Decson Evangelista, who has worked for Subic Bay Parasailing for over three years, explains, "When the rider is about 20 meters up, I slow the boat until he plunges gently
into the water up to his waist. Then I speed up and
water to shoot skyward. Then it's back down and into the water again.
It's a lot like dipping a teabag!"
"I love it! I've been up three times," said Jim Mitchell, an Australian visitor. "I've always wanted to sky dive, but I think the Wet and Wild is more fun. Plus the cost is very reasonable, 1,000 pesos for a session, less than $US 20.00."
On your next visit, experience Subic Bay from new heights and see the world from a new perspective—that of a tea bag's.
— RANDY ANDERSON
The Subic Bay Parasailing office is located on the Freeport on the beach behind Gerry's Grill. For more information, call (6347) 252-2206.
east and west coasts of Palawan as well as World War II artifacts from Japanese military ships that sank in the Calamian Islands, north of Palawan.
Recently Brian added a room of artifacts exclusively retrieved from the waters of the Sulu Archipelago in the very south east of the Philippine Islands. Be warned: it is not wise to get into conversation with him about the many wrecks scattered through the Philippine Islands, because his knowledge is far reaching and his tales are indelible: and he can talk for hours. Currently, Vasco's is the base for the company Archipelago Site Survey Foundation that's currently organizing an exploration of an ancient wreck off the Zambales coast north of Subic Bay. Subic's History
The Spanish Gate near the waterfront area of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone was part of a walled port area controlled by the Spanish, built up during their colonial era in the Philippines, 1521-1898. The bay gradually developed into an effective and massive military base during the American colonial era, 1898-1946. The independent Philippine government elected to allow the port to remain an American Naval Base right up to 1991. This included the years of the Vietnam War, when the American Naval Base was a strategic port of call in conjunction              with
America's Air Force Base at Clark, two hours away in Pampanga.
The current Subic Bay Freeport Zone is essentially within the boundaries established by the American forces, and
is still endearingly referred to by locals as "the base". Its own independent authority, the Subic Bay Meropolitan Authority, has become the focus of a lot of energy and activity, much of it dominated by maritime themes. It is a very successful developing zone with grand plans for the future. Today Spanish, Japanese and American wrecks are readily explored by dives within the bay area. Several toils of war lie beneath these waters, including the USS New York built in 1891; the infamous prison ship the Oryoko Maru; the Seian Mam a Japanese cargo vessel; the Spanish era San Quentin and a small steam-powered freighter, El Capitan. Other wrecks of interest are scattered beneath the waves. The waterfront all around Subic carries a lot of the action. On the water it is possible to see large and small sailboats racing, especially during holidays. In the water there are swimmers, snorkellers, divers, jetski-ers, other sailors, parasailors and chartered bancas and motor boats spinning around the bay. Moreover, the place is full of surprises in many guises, and with a little more time, an adventurous spirit and a will to explore, the visitor will be pleasantly
rewarded. There is even a unique dive available close to the dock at Magellan's Point at Vasco's, where a medium-size ex-passenger plane has been purposefully sunk to create an artificial reef. If this doesn't excite you then you might as well book for an airplane tour of Zambales's pristine forest reserves or the infamous lahar field. Whatever you do, just don't tell Captain Hook.
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