HISTORY
The plan for a Rally was inspired by the close relations I metduring myprevious visits in 1998 to 2003 from the Med to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.Plans for the rally where made in 2003 and finally in November 2004 the Vasco da Gama Yacht Rally was registered at the Chamber of Commerce in Amsterdam.
The first rally starts in 2005 from Finike in Turkey to Egypt, Jordan (where the rally was involved by the opening of the new Talabay marina in Aqaba. After spending Christmas in Eilat(Israel) we sailed toPort Ghalib, the new Port of Entry in the South of Egypt, where the management surprised us with a very warm welcome. After our check out, we proceededto Sudan, Eritreaand Oman to Mumbai, India, where we arrived on the 6th April 2006. After 2 weeks stay, our sponsors Marine Solutions and H2O organized a regatta together with several Indian Yachts to Goa. During the monsoon time pontoons were installed for the rally yachts in the Mandovi River atPanjim, the Capital of Goa. Twenty nine yachts from 11 Countries (USA, Canada, Australia, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, UK, South Africa, Israel and Italy) participating in this rally, cruised a total of 4000 nautical miles.
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The second Vasco da Gama Yacht Rally starts fromKekova in Turkey at 30 September 2007 to Setur marina in Finike who surprised us with a 3 days free stay and a nice welcome. From here we take the new route along the beautiful Coast of South EastTurkey to Mersin. As guest of the municipality, with 5 days free stay in the Fishing Port in the middle of this bustling town, celebrating the end of the Ramadan, we had a great time. Also a new destination Larnaca, as guests of the Larnaca marina we have spend one week. The efficient and friendly Marina staff gave us a warm welcome, helped with the clearance, organized in cooperation with the Yacht Club, Government, Municipality and the Cyprus Tourist Organization a lot of activities like a BBQ, diner and - Dance evening in the Castle a bus trip over the island and sightseeing ofLarnaca. And last but not least, the regatta on Sunday. Several of our yachts have participated in this. With the marina in the centre of Larnaca and big shops, supermarkets and good restaurants nearby it was great.
The same as in 2005 in Port Said, Mr.NagibLatif (Director of Felix Agency) arranged special prices and discounts given by the Suez Canal Authorities for several harbours within the Canal. All yachtsmen were treated with a very nice dinner andtraditional music.
From the fifteenth of December until the fourth of January we stay in the new Hurghada marina. Sherif the marina Manager and his staff organized a fantastic time for us. After the stop and check out in Port Ghalib we sailed to Sudan.
During our 1-week stay in Suakin, the oldest natural harbour in the Red Sea, we made a trip through the dessert to Port Sudan. Mohammed the agent helped theyachties with shorepasses and refilling water, fuel and gas.
Anchoring in the well-protected harbour of Masawa, the majority of yachties enjoyed a trip to the capital Asmara, situated in the mountains at an altitude of 2.200 meters. The water in this part of the Red Sea is not as clear as in the North, but there are still many beautiful reefs.
In Aden the rally organization had several meetings with the harbor authorities, Coastguard
and the Navy for organizing the safety aspects of the trip in the areas of the Gulf of Aden affected by pirates.
All the yachts filled up with diesel at very reasonable prices to prepare for the coming dangerous trip. Now a day there is a very big supermarket (Lulu)in town. Taxi drivers as Saeed and Omar went very helpful for us.
10 march 2008 – 3 April 2008
Salalah Port, the biggest ContainerHarbour in the Arabian Sea, still has a good anchorage for yachts inside the harbor, although space is limited. The harbor authorities (Mr. Bart Noothoven van Goor, Mr. Rolf van Strijbos, Mr. MohammedHardan and Mr. Cyril van der Merwe) organized, in co-operation with the tourist office, a very good folklore show and a very nice evening in the Club. From here visas were arranged for India and we started the longest trip in this rally, the 1100 miles to Mumbai.
2008. The extension of the new breakwater is almost ready. Our agent Mohammed Saad did a good job, also by organizing rentalcars for a reasonable price. Now there are there are several larger supermarketsin Salalah. L, Oasis just outside the Port is the Port Club with good foods and drinks especially for the non alcoholics. Cyril and his staff have given us a great time.
Arrival at 23 March 2008 in the anchorage near the Gateway of India, despite the lack of any facility for yachts, our sponsors Marine Solutions and the Royal Bombay Yacht Club gives us a perfect time. He arranged all the paperwork, refilling of fuel and water, taxi boats for bringing usashore and a lot more. A new regatta to Goa was organized with the new name FORTS CUP OF INDIA referring to all the OldPortuguese forts along the Indian Coast. It was an amazing experience. Thanks for all General Dutta, Gautam and AnjuDutta from Marine Solutions, together with your staff. With the help of our friends from Marine Solutions and One Stop Travel, pontoons where installed again. On this rally 23 yachts from countries(USA, Canada, Australia, Italia, France, UK andSwitzerland.
The Vasco da Gama International yacht Rally is now recognized as the most important activity of the yachting community in the Middle-Far East. With its successful completion, the missions have been achieved, with a colorful character and rich social content.
Yacht Rally
Look at www.markara.com the site from Mark Aranha, guest on board of JUWIN during the Vasco da Gama Cup.
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The third rally and the first rally from South to North. Starts at 26 January 2009 from Cochin to Goa with 10 yachts. After a week stay the group sails to Salalah in Oman, where another group of 16 yachts join the rally. Even as the previous rally we sail in convoy to Aden and proceed to the Red Sea. 5 May 2010 we left Port Said to the new marina in Alanya, where the rally finished.
26 yachts from 13countries (Holland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, USA, Japan, Australia, UK, Austria and Australia0 have joined this rally.
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The Fourth rally start at 8 October 2009 from Alanya Marina to Mersin from where we sail with 10 yachts for the first time to ACTL marina in Jounieh in Lebanon. From there via Larnaca in Cyprus to Port Said where another group of yachts join the rally.
After spending Christmas in Hurghada marina the rally proceed to the South. After the hijack of Paul and Rachel Chandler by SomalianPirates (this couple join the second rally with us) authorities of at least 7 countries try to stop the rally to return back to the Med.Some yachts decide to return but the majority decided to proceed. To extend security, stricter rules for the convoy where made.
In the Port of Salalah the Chatham a British frigate invites all the members on board and gave us an interesting information session about their work and supplies the group with a lot of important information. An attack some days later close under de coast of Oman, urge us to change our route and we sail through coastal waters to Masirah Island before we cross to Mumbai, where all the yachts arrived safe at the last days of March 2010 in the Port of Mumbai in India.
At the 14th of April, the Minister of Tourism from the State of Maharstra flagged out the rally for the next leg to Goa. After a stay of one week and no option for docking the last leg of 400 NM to Cochin started.
The new marina, the first one in India opened just some weeks before. 20 yachts from 10 Countries (Holland, UK, USA, France, Switzerland, Germany, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Italy and India) join this rally and spend the monsoon here.
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The 5th rally starts on 20 January 2011 from Cochin with stops in Goa and Mumbai.
Because the increasing Piracy and the very dangerous situation we decide to sail close under the coast of India and Pakistan almost to Karachi before we cross to Oman. Also the Blue water Rally decides to follow us. After a successful stop in the Port of Sur in Oman to refill with fuel and food we sail and motor close under the Coast of Oman and Yemen to Aden. During this trip 2 yachts, both sailing independently, were captured some hundred miles out the Coast of Oman, 4 sailors lost their life and 7 others were held for 7 months in Somalia. After one week in Aden we continued to the Red Sea and arrived in Port Saidon the 10th of May. From there we sailed to the finish:AlanyaMarina, where the yachts arrived on the 13th of may 2011. A few days later we celebrate together with the members of the EMYR. Several members of the VdGR join them on an excursion to Cappadocia.
15 yachts from 7countries (Holland, UK, France, Brazil, USA, Belgium and Gibraltar) joined this rally and sail 5000 NM (1000 NM more) and are happy to arrive together on the finish safely.