There are actually 124 islets (one less at high tide). Long associated with Alaminos, Pangasinan, the Hundred Islands are actually reached by boat from the coastal town of Lucap.
You can also fly over them. 🙂
After our flight over the Hermana Sisters, we went feet dry near the beach resorts at Tambobong, Pangasinan.
The inlets and bays of Zambales and Pangasinan are rugged but beautiful.
Coral formations are clearly visible below the azure surface of the South China Sea.
Masinloc Bay, Zambales
Palauig, Zambales
Near Iba, Zambales
The Zambales mountain range and western Pangasinan are a womb for cloud and rain. Moisture from the double coastlines of the Bolinao peninsula are uplifted by mountain waves, and a lot of convection activity results — thunderstorms.
Last October I flew up the coast of Zambales almost to Santiago island, the northern tip of Pangasinan.
A line of thunderstorms from north to south barred me from Lingayen Gulf. I tried to outflank the line, to edge east to Lingayen Gulf then turn south down Central Luzon to Omni.
The storms formed faster than I could fly! In the end I had to retrace my route down the coast, turning east at Iba to Pinatubo and Clark.
Fuel and sunset were factors. This map was downloaded from my GPS, my track in yellow.
I was ready to RON for fuel at Iba, but there was daylight between the scud and Pinatubo.
Airborne for 2 hours and 45 minutes, I landed at Omni with just an hour’s fuel left in the tanks.
In December and January the weather was less threatening.
The thunderstorms were there, but under the weather visibility was good and we maintained VFR.
Those clouds looked ominous! Sometimes there is turbulence below that, but Carlo claims bumpy air keeps him awake.
We found Alaminos and followed the arrow-straight road to Lucap. The Hundred Islands hove into view.
Alaminos, Pangasinan, Lucap in the distance
Hundred Islands National Park
Some islands, like Governor’s Island, is more developed.
I went here many years ago by boat. The drill was to hire a banca to take you to an uninhabited island that you can claim as your own for a day or two.
Hopefully the banca would come back before you ran out of drinking water.
“Five passengers set sail that day
for a three-hour tour.
It was a chance to be Gilligan, relying on your wits and those of a banca fisherman who might or might not remember two days later which island he dropped you off at.
Of course if the fisherman went under a bus in the meantime… . Oh well, the trick was to make sure Ginger and Mary Ann were along for the ride.
Next in the series: A mythical airfield, an encounter with Presidential security, and the reinvention of a Cessna pilot.
Posted from Lausanne, Jan 28, 2008.
Hi guys,
Have been looking through your blog and enjoying many of the posts. I am writing to you from a television production company in the UK and we are currently developing a new project and I would be really keen to speak with you guys, especially about flying near volcanos.
It would be great if you could email me.
Best wishes,
Oliver
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Hi Oliver, welcome to Flying in Crosswinds!
I’m traveling in the US right now, on a business trip. I’m on US Central Standard Time. The easiest email address for me to access now is tonetrivera@gmail.com
I’ll try and send you an email now.
Cheers!
Tonet
.
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Dear Tonet,
Taga Tambobong, Dasol, Pangasinan ako. Yong lolo namin ang may-ari ng culebra island and crocodile island. Buti naman at naligaw ka don, hehehe. Belated happy birthday, hindi na kita nababati kasi wala naman akong cel no. mo. Hindi ka na talaga mareach, hehehe pero alam ko, nakatapak pa rin ang paa mo sa lupa, alam ko ang tonet na nakilala ko noon at sigurado akong yon ka pa rin magpahanggang ngayon. Namimiss ko yong samahan natin sa avon noon, hindi ko pwedeng kalimutan yon, masaya, nandon yong respeto sa bawat isa. Those were the days, sabi nga nila. Regards to your family. God bless.
celia
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Celia!
Sorry for late reply, I was traveling sa Europe. Dasol! Sus, ang ganda ng lugar ninyo from the air! I had the chance to fly to Hermana Mayor, finally, and it’s truly a paradise island. I wrote about that flight here also, hanapin mo yung “Hermana Mayor”.
My Mom is from Mabini, Pangasinan. Magkabagayan pa pala tayo.
Maganda talaga ang samahan natin sa APMI noon. Do you know that I fly over the plant often? I do aerobatic training now, and our aerobatic training ‘box’ is in airspace designated as “Tango Four”, which is right over the plant at Calamba 🙂
Sometimes I wonder if anyone sees me flying aerobatics there. Parang libreng airshow ‘yun!
Nasa fb ka ba? Padala ko sa ‘yo doon and cell phone number ko.
Thanks for visiting Flying in Crosswinds. I appreciate your note!
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very nice entry here… I love the pictures.
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Thanks, Marvin! Have a great Christmas, and come back here often!
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thanks for sharing your pictures….i’m also from Mabini, Pangasinan but based here in California. My Tatay’s family (Ancheta) is from Mabini. Do you have any photos of Mabini?
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I believe I have aerial photos of Mabini, and will look for them (I hope they are still on the hard disk!). My Mom is from Mabini! Small world.
Tonet
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