The perfect cruising companion guide is Combing the Coral Carpet: Sailing Tales and the Cruising Guide to the Philippine Islands by Bruce Curran. Though currently out of print right, it will be available again soon thanks to support from Kraken 50 owner David Wilkinson, a close friend of the author. This comprehensive book provides information about weather patterns, anchorages, navigation information as well as many sailing yarns from his time exploring the Philippine archipelago.
Unfortunately, Brace passed away earlier this year. We will be covering his adventures in Sailor’s Stories in a future issues.He had a fascinating life traversing some 16 countries on his Norton Commando motorbike, from the UK to Pakistan, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, then hopping on a boat and heading to Brazil via Saint Helena.
Bruce also sailed some 35,000 miles on a 40-year-old, 37 foot wooden ketch, which eventually took him to the Philippines in 1988 and became a second home from his base in Hong Kong. He eventually moved to the Philippines and sailed some 8000 miles around the islands which inspired his book.
