This is the current rally news from 1st January 2005 onwards. For the previous news page, see here : for other archived reports, see here
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FINAL CELEBRATIONS AT AGHIOS NIKOLAOS Following the Mayor's Reception and the initial outing to Spinalonga and Plaka, Ralliers celebrated their voyage at the Almyros Taverna. Billed as a Greek evening, Ralliers added their own special brand of traditional dress, arriving in "something bought on the way round". It was somewhat of a surprise to our Greek hosts to see a motley group of Indonesians, Arabs, Indians and even a scuba diver in full gear, arriving at the taverna that evening! Our Rally crews enjoyed a 4-course Greek meal with suitable quantities of local wine, chased down with the local firewater - raki. The bouzouki band played till late and professional Greek dancers, not only demonstrated local traditions but soon led Ralliers into their own version of the Syrtaki. Rally Director, Peter Seymour, passed on messages from "absent friends" and marked the occasion by presentations to each owner on the Oz-Med and Blue Water Rallies of a souvenir plaque. It was then the turn of the Ralliers themselves - each yacht had been given a task to tell an anecdote, read a poem or donate a present to another yacht whose names had been picked out of a bag the day before. The resulting "show" was a huge success and the video is currently protected under the laws of libel !!!!! It was a very happy party, but tinged with not a little sadness as this was the last time that Ralliers will all be together - at least until the first reunion.
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ALL ARRIVE IN CRETE TO A GREAT WELCOME Thursday 7 April and Friday the 8th were busy days at the Aghios Nikolaos Marina with the arrival of all 13 Rally yachts finishing the Rally in Crete. This is the fifth world Rally that has been welcomed at the beautiful town of Aghios Nikolaos and everyone has wanted to make it a special occasion. There was champagne for each crew and fresh oranges (although luckily no one was suffering from scurvy!!) and a welcoming group for the arrival of each yacht. Over the two days the Support Team and the Marina staff worked hard to settle each yacht into its allocated berth. There were two overnight arrivals, both handled very efficiently and arrival parties stretched well into the night. The two smallest yachts, Nademia and Briet, arrived only three hours apart late on the Friday afternoon to the clamour of foghorns and with Ivor, the owner of Safari, blowing on a conch shell and the other crews cheering. After the bad weather of the Red Sea and delays in Egypt, all were delighted to arrive in the spring sunshine of the scenic island of Crete. Local facilities and excursions The Marina of Aghios Nikolaos is located within yards of local shops, bars and restaurants, which were soon visited by the hungry and thirsty crews and those looking for some "retail therapy". Crews breakfasted on locally baked bread brought in by the Support Team and stocked up again with fresh vegetables, meat and fruit. A time, too, for cleaning up the yachts, which were heavily encrusted with sand and dirt from their time in Egypt. Luckily there were few repairs to concern the skippers and by Sunday morning crews were ready to see something of the local area. First on the Welcome Programme was an outing by coach to the attractive fishing town of Elounda, where they embarked on a local boat for the short cruise to the island of Spinalonga. Spinalonga was once a Venetian fortress and in the 20th century became a leper colony. Much of the fortress and remains have been restored and provided a pleasant walk and, for some a rock scramble, in the morning sunshine. All expressed delight at once again seeing carpets of spring flowers, which had sprung up amongst the ruins. The group then reembarked for a short crossing to the mainland and the fishing hamlet of Plaka, where they were welcomed at Georgios' Taverna for a special seafood lunch at the waterside overlooking the bay. A very happy and well-fed party returned by coach late in the afternoon to the Marina. Dinner with the Mayor They say that Sunday is a day of rest, but crews were picked up by coach in the late evening for a civic dinner and welcome generously given by the Mayor of Nikolaos, Ioannis Loukarakis. The hosting was shared by the Commodore of the local Yacht Club, Dimitris Altsiadis, and the President of the Aghios Nikolaos Marina. Rally skippers were presented with welcome gifts and replies and thanks were made by Peter and Annette Seymour, the latter responding in Greek, much to the pleasure of the local dignitaries. The BIG PARTY Two further events are planned - another local excursion and, of course, the BIG PARTY. These will be reported on later, with suitable amendments to protect the innocent, where necessary ..... !!!
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All Yachts now in the Mediterranean! All yachts departed Suez for their transit of the canal on Sunday 3rd April. 5 yachts (Gaultine, Ocean Song, Safari, Doctor Bird and Regardless) left Ismailia, Lake Timsah, after an overnight stay and entered the Mediterranean at 1400 hrs the next day at Port Said and made directly for Crete. The remaining 9 yachts decided to stay in Ismailia an extra 24 hours due to adverse weather reports off Port Said. As it turned out the conditions were ideal and all yachts are now making good progress towards Aghios Nikolaos Marina on the North coast of Crete. The first arrival is expected during the night of Wednesday 6th April (Safari) closely followed by Gaultine on Thursday morning. All arrivals are expected in Crete by Saturday 9th April, shortly after which the Rally Farewell parties will start in earnest, watch this space... |
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RALLY YACHTS EN ROUTE TO CRETE Tony Diment has reported that all has gone well with the preparations for the Blue Water Rally yachts to transit the Suez Canal. The measurement process and clearances have been completed and yachts and crews are ready for their transits on Sunday 3rd/Monday 4th April. A highly successful and enjoyable visit was paid to Cairo on Friday 1st April. Crews had a superb Rally day out, visiting the famed Cairo Museum with its relics of Tutankhamun en route to the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, with the "obligatory" rides on camels. There was also time for shopping at the Carrefour supermarket. After the transit of the Canal there is a 540-mile passage to the beautiful town of Aghios Nikolaos in Crete - back to Europe for most crews and to another change of culture. Much is planned for the stay but, most importantly, there will be an end-of-Rally party as most yachts will be staying in the Eastern Mediterranean. More news in the next few days when we hope to report arrivals and a safe passage to Crete. |
RALLY YACHTS HEAD TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE OF THE SUEZ CANAL
After a period of "R and R"at the Red Sea Resort Marina of El Gouna Rally yachts are on the move again heading up towards the Gulf of Suez and the entrance of the Suez Canal at Port Tewfik.
Whilst at El Gouna crews have enjoyed a wide range of resort activities including the Blue Water Rally Go-Kart Grand Prix - won in style by Andy Oliver of Mizu Baby. Trips to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings have been a great highlight as well as a Rally Dinner preceding the departure. Some have ventured much further afield - heading to Jordan and Petra the "Rose Red City Half as Old as Time".
However, ahead lies a few more days of headwinds before crews again rendezvous to undertake the formalities of the Suez Canal. Nonetheless, it should not be all paperwork and no fun since Rally Director Tony Diment has planned a tourist trip to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza whilst crews await their Canal transits and their return to the Mediterranean in early April.
RALLY SUPPORT REACHES EGYPT - Friday 18th March 2005
Tony Diment, Rally Director, has reported his arrival at the Abu Tig Marina at El Gouna in Egypt where he reports that everyone is in good spirits. We reported earlier that most yachts have arrived - the only yachts now awaited at El Gouna are Ocean Song, Regardless, Nademia and Gaultine.
There will be a full programme of events at El Gouna, which is a magnificent resort complex on the Red Sea. From there most participants will make a 3- or 4-day expedition across the desert to the fabulous sites of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. At the end of March the fleet will sail up to Suez to prepare for their transit of the Suez Canal.
MOST YACHTS REACH EGYPT, PLUS "NADEMIA" UPDATE March 8, 2005
Alistair Roberts of "Nademia" has advised Rally Control that most yachts have now safely arrived at Abu Tig Marina, El Gouna in Egypt. On 7 March "Briet" was 60 miles from El Gouna having had problems with a shroud pulling out of her deck, but expecting to motor onwards this week without difficulty. "Gaultine" has been through Port Sudan and is now well en route to El Gouna. "Regardless" was reported by Alistair as having joined "Nademia" in Port Sudan for re-fuelling. "Ocean Song" were in Suakin, but had visited "Nademia" by road in Port Sudan.
Alistair and Carolyn have had their problems - first leaving Djibouti only to discover that they could not use their engine because of a damaged pulleywheel driving the engine waterpump. They gallantly sailed on for several hundred miles but when some 60 miles north of Port Sudan they suffered the final indignity of shredding their headsail and had to turn back to Port Sudan.
After a flurry of telephone calls between "Nademia", Rally Control and Crusader Sails a new sail was manufactured within 48 hours and a few hours later was in the hands of DHL en route to Port Sudan. At the time of writing this update the sail has reached the Middle East and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the delivery will take place very soon and "Nademia" will be under way again to Egypt.
| Fuel Transfers in the Gulf of Aden | |||
Due to a lack of wind during the transit of the Gulf of Aden, two groups of yachts became extremely short of fuel. 'Regardless' (John Ward) hailed a passing freighter, who (after negotiation and liquid encouragement!) parted with sufficient diesel to refuel our yachts. |
 Rally yachts stand by |
 Fuel transfer at sea - 'Aragorn' alongside |
 'Briet' receives fuel from 'Aragorn' |
| Djibouti Stopover | |||
Whilst in Djibouti, several crews managed to visit the interior accompanied by a local ex-French legionnaire. They were able to see local wildlife, the salt lake, Bedouin and even do some racing in land yachts. |
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RALLY YACHTS IN EGYPT AND ISRAEL - 22 February
The first two yachts to leave Djibouti have now successfully arrived at their chosen ports of call at the north end of the Red Sea. "Condor" (David and Claire Lewis) arrived at Hurghada on 21 February and, having completed their clearances into Egypt, arrived at Abu Tig Marina, El Gouna at 1500 hours the same day. "Safari" (Ivor and Bernice Karan) have reported their safe arrival at Eilat, where they have been made very welcome at the Marina in the centre of the resort town.
Rally yachts such as "Safari" and "Condor", which left Djibouti after only a brief respite, have been extremely lucky in having southerly winds for the whole of their Red Sea transit. This phenomenon is somewhat unusual as the reputation of the Red Sea is for northerly winds for most of the way. Yachts leaving later have also had big seas and southerly winds, which in fact have been far too strong, with some reporting gusts of over 50 knots and hours of winds of 30+ knots. A few, including "Tahlequah" and "Paroo", have sought refuge but are now under way again.
Reports today to Rally Control show a complete mix of conditions, with the majority experiencing lighter southerlies and "Nademia" reporting being becalmed! "Doctor Bird" and "Regardless" were the last to leave Djibouti today at 0630 hours.
There are no major problems amongst the fleet, apart from the recent weather conditions. However, "Nademia" has a cracked fan belt pulley and has lost their tow gen so are having problems with battery-charging and may call in at Port Sudan for repairs. Spares have been ordered in UK and will be taken out to Egypt for them by the Rally organisers.
RALLY YACHTS LEAVE DJIBOUTI
We have been informed by Richard Bolt in Djibouti that Rally yachts have started to leave for their long transit up the Red Sea to Egypt and we have had reports from yachts now at sea. We shall now be publicizing reports on a twice-weekly basis giving the general situation regarding the fleet. Yachts will now be travelling independently rather than in organised groups.
Up the Red Sea
Early departures from Djibouti included "Condor" and "Safari". Although the statistics show that yachts sailing up the Red Sea suffer from northerly headwinds for most of the 1000 miles to Egypt, there can be exceptions. Such is the case for "Condor" and "Safari", who left Djibouti on 14th. Both are making extremely good progress and David Lewis ("Condor") has reported that he only has 450 miles to go to arrive in Egypt. However, the wind has now dropped and they are motoring. "Safari" is some 18 hours ahead of them.
Arrangements for refuelling and formalities have gone well in Djibouti and there has been time for some exploration and fun. The crews of "Nademia, "Ocean Song", "Paroo" and "Aragorn" took a trip into the desert where they even had a chance to do some land-yachting. Several of the crew members stayed out overnight for a real desert experience.
"Mizu Baby", "Gaultine", "Briet", "Nademia", "Tahlequah", "Ocean Song", "Paroo" and "Aragorn" have now left Djibouti. This morning "Tahlequah" was reporting strong southerly winds and heavy seas around the Bab el Mandeb. "Doctor Bird", "Elise", "Ishtar", "Regardless" and "Valtair" are planning to leave on Monday.
"Gee Whiz" and "Barbas"
Although we have yet to receive an update, "Gee Whiz" (Paul and Elizabeth Moody) should be loaded on a container vessel in Colombo this week for her voyage back to UK after her dismasting. Paul and Elizabeth are now having a short break after the stress of their experiences and we hope to welcome them back to UK soon. We have heard from Alberto Mir on "Barbas" that repairs to the gearbox are continuing in Male (abeit slowly) and we hope very much that "Barbas" will soon be back on track to rejoin the Rally.
Update 14th February 2005
On the morning of Sunday 13 February the last group of Blue Water Rally yachts safely arrived in Djibouti to be met by manager, Richard Bolt.
Safety Procedures
For safety reasons Rally yachts have been sailing in 3 groups through the piracy-risk area of the Gulf of Aden. They have been following a special route and have been observing other safety procedures, including limited communications during the last week. The groups formed up independently at a rendezvous point in the Indian Ocean, having come from Male (Maldives) and Cochin (SW India), our revised stopover following the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka.
Rendezvous and Refuelling at Sea
Although in previous years trade winds have provided good sailing as far as the Gulf of Aden, Rally crews experienced light and variable winds for much of the time, thus requiring much motoring. In the Gulf of Aden itself many crews found themselves short of fuel, creating a somewhat stressful situation. John Ward of "Regardless" did much to save the day when he hailed a vessel which was passing his group and negotiated the purchase of sufficient diesel to refuel his group. The group then arranged a rendezvous the following morning with the last group of yachts and transferred sufficient fuel for motor-sailing the remainder of the passage to Djibouti without further worries on that account.
Support in Djibouti
Richard Bolt has reported that the first 3 yachts to arrive have already been refuelled and prepared for their early departure for the Red Sea transit. Others will complete their immigration formalities and refuel over the next 48 hours or so. For those with no wish to leave immediately, Djibouti will offer good victualling and recreational facilities ashore - Djibouti town has several bars and restaurants, an excellent Arab market and French shops and a supermarket. There may even be time for exploring into the interior.
The latest photographs from Cochin (29th January 2005)
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Update 25th January 2005
Cochin Voted a Top Venue
All of the rally yachts in Cochin have been busy exploring the delights of India during the past 10 days. The anchorage off the Taj Malabar hotel is in a delightful setting with the old colonial town of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry just a short distance away and the convenience of the hotel on the other side. Flat water, a cooling breeze to offset the midday temperatures of 36 degrees celsius and good holding ground has given everyone the freedom to get off their yachts and undertake a variety of excursions into the nearby mountains and tea plantation areas. The area is similar to Sri Lanka in many respects and therefore the initial disappointment at having to sail past tsunami-hit Galle has been compensated by the overall Indian experience. On Saturday 22nd January the rally undertook a trip into the Kerala `backwaters' by traditional indian `rice boat'. A stunning Kathakali performance involving dramatic dance performed by highly decorative and face- painted players intrigued everyone. Later visits were made to local communities to see `toddy tapping' and rope-making and of course fishing from the huge `chinese' nets. A typical Kerala (Southern Indian) curry lunch was served as the rally cruised between small island communities on the return to the anchorage off Fort Kochi.
The local Indian people have been wonderfully kind to the rally and in return have been invited aboard different yachts to enjoy some reciprocal hospitality. For many of these Indians this is the first yacht they have seen, let alone to go aboard - sarees and turbans turning the anchorage into a colourful spectacle. A huge Hindu festival has taken place during the rally's stopover in nearby Ernakulam and having taken the local ferry to the `big city' a carnival atmoshere involving parades of decorated elephants, fireworks and the cacophonous sound of huge horns greeted the multitudes of people that gathered. Everyone is now relaxing or shopping before the imminent departure across the Arabian Sea to Djibouti. With special procedures in place for this leg everyone has a calm sense of security for what lies ahead and feels well prepared and well briefed
Update 21st Janary 2005
Rally Yacht Dismasted - All OK
We have been reporting departures of Rally yachts from Phuket and their onward voyages to Cochin in India and Male in The Maldives. For most the trip has not been difficult, however a tropical cyclone was forecast as some of our crews were well en route and they had few options other than to continue. Many of the Rally yachts en route to Cochin encountered strong winds and heavy seas as they approached the SW of Sri Lanka, with particularly strong gusts off the west coast. Regrettably "Gee Whiz" was dismasted and was escorted by "Ocean Song" to the port of Galle. Both Paul and Elizabeth Moody were unhurt, although clearly shocked by the event, but are safely alongside in Galle Harbour. Two other Rally yachts sought refuge in Galle, but were undamaged. Within a few hours Paul had been in touch with UK Rally Control and his insurance brokers. An insurance assessor will be with them in Sri Lanka on 23 January when decisions will be made about possible repairs. Rally Control UK put Paul in touch with the owner of the Unawatuna Beach Resort (see our good news report earlier), who has offered Paul and Elizabeth accommodation. Families in UK have been kept informed and are now in direct contact with them.
Farewell to "St. Barbara"
Early reports from Phuket indicated that no Rally yachts had suffered damage serious enough to stop them continuing with the rest of their voyage. Unfortunately, St. Barbara suffered damage when breaking her anchor during the tsunami at Phi Phi Don. On first inspection this was deemed to be fixable within the short time frame. However, once she was out of the water and a full inspection had been carried out, it was found that she had extensive damage to the rudder which will need replacing. The repairs are estimated to take two months to complete at the earliest so it is out of the question for "St. Barbara" and her crew to continue with the Blue Water Rally. We are extremely sorry that Peter and Sue Goldsmith (and Roger) are unable to continue and complete their circumnavigation with us. They originally took part in our Yachting Monthly Biscay Triangle and have been an integral part of the Blue Water Rally since October 2003. Our very best wishes to them for the future and we look forward to their joining us for the first Blue Water Rally 2003-5 Reunion.
Planning Ahead
Over the next few days Rally yachts will be meeting up in two main locations - Male in The Maldives and in Cochin. Final decisions and planning is now taking place for the onward transit of the fleet towards the Red Sea and their final return to the Mediterranean. We are pleased to report that "late starters", "Paroo", which suffered damage during the tsunami in Phuket, are making good progress and should meet up with the Rally soon. We are also pleased that "Tahlequah" should catch up with the fleet with her transit crew on board. Owners, Ed and Helen Muesch, are recovering well after their life-threatening experiences in Phuket and will rejoin their Rally friends and the yacht in Djibouti.
RALLY
CREWS PREPARE TO LEAVE PHUKET
After the traumas of the previous few days, Rally crews have met in Phuket on Friday 31 December to discuss proposals for the reorganisation of the Rally itinerary. Back in the UK the Rally organisers have been busy preparing alternative options set against the disastrous effect of the tsunami in neighbouring countries along the Rally route.
Help for the Rally
The port of Galle in Sri Lanka is clearly not an option and the Maldives have suffered serious damage. Nonetheless the organisers have been in touch with the authorities at the port of Cochin in SW India, which was unaffected by the tidal wave and terrifying events of 26 December. A major hurdle was the requirement for entry visas for India, which would normally apply to visiting yachts. However, an approach to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in London outlining the special circumstances immediately resulted in a most generous offer of cooperation and helpful treatment on arrival in Cochin.
A New Destination
Rally skippers agreed unanimously to accept the planned changes to the itinerary, which will see crews and their yachts starting to leave Phuket over the next few days. Tony Diment, Rally Director for the Sri Lanka stopover, will now be heading for Cochin in order to meet the first arrivals there, due around 13 January. Cochin and the district of Kerala is a holiday destination for UK tourists and should present an opportunity for Rally crews to recover from the stress and individual crises of the last week. The new itinerary will also allow the Rally to get back “on track” and return to the original planned itinerary from Djibouti to Egypt and through to the Mediterranean.
Rally Reporting
The Rally will recommence the reporting system daily within the fleet as soon as yachts leave Phuket. We shall report general positions of the fleet in the normal way as they sail towards Cochin.