Fourth Vasco da Gama Rally 2009 - 2010
Complete Rally Route:
Arrival:
Friday October 09, 2009: 16.00 hour:
Welcome meeting in the new Marina in Alanya for all the members.
Alanya Marina offers some free days and can also arrange a farewell party.
Alanya City will be very happy to host our rally and is very happy that the start will be here.
The specified program for this moment is not yet available.
The start:
Saturday October 10, 2009:
Start from Alanya to Gazipasi 25 NM
Sunday October 11, 2009:
Gazipasi to Boziazy 42 NM
Monday October 12, 2009:
Free start to Aydincik 20 Nm
Captains meeting at Tuesday October 13 at 17.00 hours.
Wednesday October 14, 2009:
Departure Aydincik – Mersin 90 NM
Free departure.
Between Aydincik and Mersin there are several nice anchorages
and harbors. This is an interesting coast, and generally there are a few
other yachts. This is a free sailing leg. Arrival in Mersin Friday
October 16, between 2.00 and 4.00pm. The program will be made later.
Monday October 19, 2009:
This day we need for the authorities to check out
from Turkey.
Have your transit log, passports and crew lists ready.At 05.00 hours their will be a captainsmeeting.
Tuesday October 20, 2009:
Departure Mersin – Jounieh ( Libanon) 174 NM
Early start. Remember, you are not allowed to stop or visit the Northern
Part of Cyprus. If you do, you are not allowed to enter Cyprus!
Wednesday October 21, 2009:
Arrival in ATCL Marina not later as 18.00 hour.
The program and excursions will be made official later.
Tuesday October 27, 2009:
Captains meeting at 09.30.
After the meeting refilling fuel and check out of Libanon. There is a free
start to Larnaca Cyprus.
Jounieh – Larnaca 115 NM
Monday November 02, 2009:
The last day for shopping, Captains meeting 03.00 hour
and after check out.
Tuesday November 03, 2009:
Departure Larnaca – Port Said 235 NM
Free start.
Thursday November 05, 2009:
Arrival in Port Said. Felix our agent in Egypt is waiting for
us. Mr. Nagib Latif and his staff are standby and collect all
your passports and papers. We stay till Monday in Port Said.
Time enough for the measurement, shopping and fill up fuel.
Sunday November 08 2009 at 17.00 hour there is a captains meeting.
During our stay Felix our agent invites all the members for a welcome
party and don’t charge the yachts for agent fee for the Suez Canal.
Monday November 09, 2009:
Port Said – Ismailia 40 NM
We plan the first leg of the Suez canal,. We motor in convoy trough
the canal and it is very important, to follow the instructions from
the pilot(s), and rally leader.
Monday November 09 till Sunday November 16, 2009:
We stay in the friendly and nice yacht club from the Suez Canal
Authorities From here we make an excursion to Cairo and the
piramides. More information will come later.
Monday November 16, 2009:
If possible the second part of the Suez Canal. 47 NM
Till Sunday November 22 , we stay in Port Suez.
From here you can make two excursions. Day trip to the Sinaï and the St. Catherine Monastery or a
2 night tour to Petra in Jordan. Prices are dependence of the number
of participants. From Port Suez, there is a free start to Hurghada. This part of
the Red Sea has generally Northerly winds, up to 6 BF. But there
are many safe anchorages. The waters and islands around Hurghada
are famous by divers. Before we start, there is a captains meeting
at Saturday November 21 2009 at 17.00 hours.
Port Suez – Hurghada 200 NM
We sail trough the Gulf of Suez to the New Hurghada Marina
in the centre of Hurghada. The arrival on this in the marina is
scheduled at Sunday December 13 2009 Arrival of all the yachts
between 13.00 and 15.00 hours PM. For a smooth arrival, it's
nescesary that all the yachts enter the marina before 15.00 hours.
For diving, snorkeling, night-life , shopping and restaurants is Hurghada
one of the best spots in Egypt. In the marina are restaurants, shops, good
supermarket and a bank with ATM. Fuel station and gas filling can be arranged.
The management of the marina charges the rally yachts for only 2 weeks for a 3 week stay.
For Christmas and New Years eve there will be planned some nice dinners.
And from here there are three excursions possible:
One day tour to Luxor
One night tour to Luxor
Two nights trip to Luxor and Ashwan
We leave Hurghada Marina at
Sunday January 03, 2010:
Departure time, 09.00 Hour. Captains meeting at Saturday
January 02 2010 at 17.00 hour.
Hurghada – Safaga 45 NM
This is a very nice area for snorkeling, diving and swimming.
Safaga – Port Ghalib 90 NM
Sunday January 10, 2009:
Arrival at the marina
We have to say goodbye to the yachts, that stop here
and stay the winter in the Red Sea. Thank you all for the time you have
sailed with us, and we wish you all the best and a safe trip back to the
Med.
Monday January 11, 2009:
Captains meeting at 17.00 hours and hereafter departure.
Tuesday January 12, 2010:
Port Ghalib to Suakin in Sudan 450 NMThis is one of the nicest parts of the Red Sea, with the most beautiful
anchorages and Marsa's, sometime more as three miles into the dessert.
Very clear and warm water, the best diving and snorkeling spots, and
mostly good sailing conditions. In the first rally, the members have
catched here the most and the biggest fish. This is also the part of the
Red Sea with the most reefs, and good navigation and day sailing is
a must. Arrival in Suakin not later as 20 January 2010. Suakin is
the eldest naturel harbor in the Red Sea, we organize a bus trip to
Port Sudan, there is a much bigger market for fruit and vegetables.
Suakin have now electricity and the new E mail café on the harbor
front is ready. Buying fuel in Eritrea is not possible, we have to fill our fuel and water
tanks here. Remember we are anchoring and you need jerry cans
to bring this by your own dinghy from the shore to your yacht.
There are not banks or electricity in Suakin, and payments are only
possible in US dollars or Euro’s. At 24 January there is a captains
meeting at 17.00 hour, and 25 January 2010 a free start to Massawa in Eritrea.
Monday January 25, 2010:
Suakin to Massawa Eritrea 250 NM
The first 100 NM in Sudan there are many good anchorages, but alongside
the Eritrean Coast till Massawa , there are only some small and not very
good places. From here we can expect some time Southerly winds, but
generally not strong. Arrival in Massawa not later as February 02 2010.
Massawa Port have a good, big anchorage., but currently it’s unsecure or
This anchorage is open. Shopping in Massawa is very limited.
We organize a bus trip to the capital Asmara in the mountains on
a height of 2.200 meter.
Monday February 06, 2009:
There is a captains meeting at 17.00 hour. February 07
there is a free start. Before leaving we have to clear out by Customs and
Emigration, and obtain a sail permit to Aden in Yemen.
Tuesday February 07, 2010:
Massawa to Aden Yemen 450 MN
This is the most complicated part from the rally with many days withstrong to very strong winds, from the South, special around and in
the street of Bab el Mandab. On the Eritrean coast there are
many sheltered anchorages between Massawa and Bab el Mandab to
wait safe for a weatherwindow.
But it,s very important and a must to go, if this ispossible. Also in the middle of the night. Once out of the Red Sea and in the Gulf of
Aden, the wind will decrease and there are some good anchorages on the Coast of Yemen.
AdenThis is a good and safe anchorage in Aden Steamerpoint. Obtaining
fuel and water is possible and easy. There are good shopping facilities.
The people are very friendly and helpful. If there is interest we can
organize a trip to the capital Sanaa or a daytrip around Aden.
For visiting Aden a visa is not required, but for a roundtrip the costs
for a visa are 80 US $. In Krater 5 KM from the anchorage there is a ATM for US Dollars
and a big supercenter Lulu, ask taxi drivers Saeed or Omar to bring you there.
We plan to leave Aden on:
Thursday February 25, 2010:
Aden to Al Mukalla Yemen 280 NMThis is the most dangerous area, affected by some piracy. During the
previous rallies, I had meetings withthe Yemen Coastguard and Navy,
Harbor Master and harbor authorities, and have informed the
International Coalition fleet to take care for our rally.
All this authorities advise, to sail not further as 10 NM out of the coast
of Yemen. We formed groups or 5 yachts and every group sail in
the vicinity of other groups. And no worry, I have sail this part 6 times,
al ways close to the Coast, and mostly single handed
Al Mukalla Yemen
This is a bit rolly anchorage, we stop here only for one or two days
to be sure that all boats have left the dangerous area. If you need
diesel can be delivered by jerry cans.
Leaving Al Mukalla at March 01 2010.
Al Mukalla to Salalah Oman. 260 NM.
Arrival in Salalah March 04, 2010.
From here we have to arrange visa for India. We collect
all the passports, application forms and money to send one or
two persons to the Indian Embassy in Muscat. Visa are valid
for 6 months, before the expiration date you have to leave India.
The harbor is 15 km from Salalah town and you need a taxi.
Oman is a well organized almost western country, with a good
infra structure and good shopping. Prices are almost the same
as in Europe. The harbour have a very nice club, ( L’Oasis)
with good food and drinks, and during our visit last year,
they have surprise us with a nice BBQ. If there is interest we can
organize an excursion.
Our agent Mohammed Saad arrange for a reasonable prize a rent a car, the town is 20 KM from the marina.In Salalah are several big supermarkets and good shopping.
We plan to check out in Salalah at:
Sunday March 7, 2010:
Salalah to Mumbai India1080 NM
Tuesday 8 March a free start. During the previous rallies,
moderate winds from the North, make the trip easy. In 2008 very
light Northerly winds during the trip, advise is in that case to take
a more Northerly course. Floating fishing nets, on the surface and mostly more as 5 Miles
long around 200 Miles out the coast of Oman, gives several yachts
problems. Our friends and sponsors from Marine Solutions
in Mumbai are working on a nice welcome program.
Mumbai - Goa 220 NMForts of India Cup Regatta
Program for this regatta will be ready later this year.From Mumbai to Cochin in Kerala 580 NM
Saturday 10 April, 2010:
Departure
There are plans to sail only by daytime. The Indian Coast is
very crowded by small fishing boats
,and in the night mostlywith none or wrong navigation lights. For the yachts those like to proceed to the
Maledives, Thailand or Malaysia, there is enough time to have profit of
the South Westerly monsoon Winds
,which generally starts in May.Arrival in Cochin 20 April 2010. The latest information from Cochin,
the new marina will be open in October 2009.
Total distance from Turkey to Cochin 4500 NM