Friends and I visited Carabao Island the 15th Nov. 2009.
I made an album with 43 images and the album URL is linked in this webpage but I never posted the pictures here. So, it is better late than never. I’ll do it in segments.
Here is the dairy entry for this day:
Corregidor Dairy
2009 Nov. 14th to 16th
Day 2, Sunday, 15th Nov. 2009.
Based on the experience yesterday (no sea swells, light NE wind and a low tide) we ordered a boat from Villa Carmen in Cabcaben to take us to Fort Frank, Carabao Island at 0830. We were planning to go under the wall at the desalination plant, west side of the island. They wanted and we paid 3500 Peso.
After a little over an hour ride we arrived at Fort Frank. The wind was much stronger then yesterday and worse there were ocean swells, they came from the NW. Maybe yesterday, at the west end Corregidor, we didn’t have any swells because the land points at Mariveles were protecting us from NW swells. My 3 partners, John, Steve and Marcia, didn’t think it was safe and didn’t go.
I went in with three walks to get one piece of gear at a time under the wall. I thought it was passable. I walked up the steps which were wet at places and immediately went higher over the connecting land bridge which connects Battery Crofton. One of my goals was to check the feasibility to climb up on the opposite gulch of the one with the wall where I came up.
I got the impression it could be done and I let you judge by the images. Still I don’t know whether a boat can come close enough to offload people safely. And still the first climber would have to be agile coming up; much of the slope is fine gravel and need to be brushed away. If the first climber was to rig a line it should be easy to get up there. I would like to try it next time.
The reason for all this is, that gulch or slip is the most calmest water around the island and one wouldn’t have to worry about the risky boarding of the island either on the west side under the wall or east side, onto the wharf because of wind, swells or tides. These are the only places one can enter Fort Frank and with Philippine Banca boats it is always difficult and risky.
While I was on the island I noticed renewed digging at the desalination plant and the tunnel entrance to Battery Koehler. The trail between the Battery Koehler and Battery Greer sure needs maintenance, I constantly had to bend down under vegetation. Because of our situation I didn’t bother yet to put on boots and bolo.
The trails from the upper end rail track (from the east side wharf) and it’s shortcut from there were ok. Where this trail meets the trail between the batteries I noticed another trail and followed it a little. It seems well used and it seems to run on top of the tunnel to Battery Greer.
I communicated (texting) with my partners as to what to do and we didn’t come to a decision. So I saddled my gear and returned down to the wall. Down there it was obvious the swells had picked up and sometime they even looked like Waikiki breakers.
Ok, we agreed to hang it up. Between the boat crew member and me swimming we got my gear and I back on the boat. I had a little trouble standing up going thru the surf because my sandals broke and slipped up my legs.
We asked the boat crew to go around the island slowly so we could take pictures. The ride back took a little longer because of the NE wind generating local Manila Bay swells. They dropped us off at the Corregidor south shore at our request that saved time and water coming over the bow.
We set down at the south beach watering hole and agreed to go our separate ways tomorrow. I was pooped and called it a day. We noticed the hotel rigged a sliding wire from the hotel to a solid frame near the beach but it was not yet in operation.
The next day Steve and Marcia hosted a retired Lt Col of the US Army and who also is the son of a Philippine scout, who resides in the USA. His father served on Fort Frank during the war and was part of Battery ‘North’, the four 155mm guns. I told him I been at the battery once and we seen only 1 Panama mount. He then said with certainty that his father had told him there was only one, the others were in position the old field way.
END
091114Ski3Karlreturningtobanca. My friends decided not to go, enter Carabao Isl., ex Fort Frank because of the swells. I was a Navy diver and did not have any concerns, so I went. I walked under the wall about 6 times , separate trips, to cary my cameras and stuff not to get wet. I made the mistake to walk with snadals, the rocks under the water are round, big and slippery, The last walk, returning to the boat, the sandals broke, slid up my legs and I lost my footings. A boat crew member came to help with the gear.
091115aFtFrBridge1. I am standing in the saddle connecting Battery Crofton to the island, the wall is at the bottom. The foot bridge to Battery Crofton is just below me.
091115aFtFrBridge3. One comes up these steps, under that foot bridge and then steps into the entrance to Battery Koehler.
091115aFtFrBridge3a. Right is the entrance to Battery Koehler and left is the foot bridge to Battery Crofton. One comes up that ravine under that foot bridge.
091115aFtFrBridge6. The entrance to Battery Crofton from the foot bridge. The wall is right at bottom.
091115bFtFrBridgehole1. As I climbed onto the saddle between Battery Crofton and the main part of the island I noticed this hole; it is just a few feet from where one enters Battery Koehler coming up from the wall.
091115bFtFrBridgehole2. Apparently steps went over this hole onto the top of Battery Koehler tunnel.