PAGE 10 • AUTUMN 2005 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
NEW ASA MEMBER BENEFIT
Palau offers beautiful waters to sail and dive year round.
Photo Dermot Keane
“THE BOAT INSURANCE PEOPLE”
SAILING DESTINATIONS
Don’t pay more than you should. In a few minutes you
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can get complete insurance for your sailboat at a very
Dive right in
competitive price. Check us out and enjoy these
Diving is a big attraction in Palau, which is known for its
ASA member benefits:
big pelagic animals and incredible wall dives. Not so well
Call or log onto our website, www.nmu.com, to get a
known is the fact that there is a large sunken fleet of
free, no obligation quote and you’ll receive a One Year
Japanese WW II vessels courtesy of the US Navy. All of
Special Membership in MARIGUARD, an exclusive,
the wrecks are located in or very close to Malakal Harbor
internet-based boating club, absolutely free! As a
and are accessible by dinghy.
Mariguard member you’ll enjoy special membership
pricing on hundreds of boating and safety related
Blue Corner is probably Palau’s best-known dive site and
items, a free float plan response system, a theft
Chandelier Cave probably our most novel. Dive inside a
protection program and many other boating related
limestone rock island ... most of the dive is actually
online tools. www.marisafe.com
conducted at the surface ... no need to exceed ten feet
to enter. There are five separate chambers. A good free
1-800-BOAT-INSurance
diver can easily do it without scuba.
*As an ASA member, you may also be eligible for special
For WW II history buffs, this is paradise. The Japanese
“ASA Enhancements” to your policy. Call us for a quote and
heavily fortified Palau for many years before WW II broke
see how valuable your ASA membership can be!
out, and the remains of those fortifications are
everywhere, many untouched. Planes and shipwrecks,
caves, guns and bombs abound. Also, the island of
west side. Hundreds of little islands provide a myriad of
Peleliu, just south of Koror, is the site of some of the
places to get in the lee and hide out. The main harbor
largest battles in the Pacific.
area, Malakal Harbor - West in front of Sam’s Tours/
Royal Belau Yacht Club gives pretty good protection in all
Sailing Palau
but the very worst of conditions. Royal Belau Yacht Club
goes out of their way to make visitors welcome and offers
Sailing is good all year round in Palau. However, the best
a full service yacht club open to all to enjoy.
weather season is considered from mid-December to late
May. Palau generally has northeast trade winds during
While there are no bareboat sail charter operators in
that time. It can get rainy and wet beginning in June.
Palau, captained charters are available. At the moment,
Also, late June to November is considered typhoon
the only boats available for rent on a daily basis are
season. Palau is generally not considered to be in the
Lasers and Hobie “Waves” through the Palau Pacific
typhoon track; however, they can and do spawn in the
Resort. There is a live aboard Cal 46, Eclipse, that
region and when they do, Palau is subjected to southerly
operates out of Sam’s Tours that offers week-long sailing,
winds, which can make the best diving impossible.
diving and kayaking trips. Eclipse, operated by John
Weather is always unpredictable, but barring a tropical
Mc Cready is available for charter with captain and
depression in the neighborhood, the sailing is fantastic.
(awesome) cook/divemaster.
Inside Palau’s natural lagoon, waters run up to a depth of
Dermot Keane is the general manager at Sam’s Tours which is
120 feet. The western portion of the lagoon is large and
the official home of the Royal Belau Yacht Club and offers
offers great sailing. Additionally, there are plenty of wide-
complete facilities for visiting yachts and local boaters including
open spaces to sail and also lots of sheltered coves to be
moorings, anchorage, dinghy dock, gas station, bar-restaurant,
explored.
showers, water and trash service. They warmly welcome all
yachts. He hopes to be able to put together a youth sailing
The lagoon is huge and protected by a barrier reef on the
program in Palau in the near future. R
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