Sailors of the 3rd Vasco da Gama Rally, an international offshore yacht race, talk of pleasures on the high seas.
They’ve seen the snazziest marinas and jetties in the world and on the downside, few weather turnarounds too — but nothing quite prepared the sailors of the 3rd Vasco da Gama Rally for the city of Mumbai.
“The city is so vibrant and it’s got such a lovely coastline. It’s terribly sad that it has no marine infrastructure. If it had, Mumbai could see at least thrice the number of foreign sailors here,” reveal the motley group that are in town for the Vasco da Gama Rally.
For these 30 seafarers including an excited Welsh terrier— it’s been quite an ocean marathon — having left Turkey last October, to make their way past Lebanon-Cyprus-Egypt-Sudan-Yemen-Eritrea-Oman and then Mumbai along their 5,500 nautical mile ride so far.
“It was a slightly longer trip this time,” offers Lodewijk Brust, Dutch yachtsman and rally chairman, who has been around the Indian coast for the past 11 years. “Because of the pirates in Somalia, we took a roundabout route. Several yachts were scared and went back, but I know the way around and we’re here,” he smiles.
For these sailors sea is home. Monica Kemmer, a German sailor, has been enjoying living on her boat for the past three years while Esper yacht owner Liz Cleere, who has put her London residence on rent and has been living on her boat for the past five years, says: “The seas can bring people closer. Sailing also offers a wonderful peek into different cultures and I’ve had some lovely experiences, I think the coastline of the Red Sea is fantastic; it’s great to go diving there.”
Gautama and Anju Dutta, who are organising the Indian leg of the rally, say it will not only bridge the gap between Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia but also create greater yachting awareness back home. “A sailing rally is a wonderful cultural contact; we hope this makes people start taking to the water more,” says Gautama.
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