JORDAN (THE PLACE)

Wednesday 21 November
After two nights at Taba Heights the two crews from “Fat Annie”and “Casa Tu” came aboard “Intsomi” for an excursion to Aqaba in Jordan. After checking in at the Royal Jordanian Yacht club, a visit was quickly arranged to the desert wilderness of Wadi Rum for the following day. The rock outcrops and desolate scenery were quite special and are unique. The night was spent in a Bedouin camp with genuine(?) Bedouin (in)sanitary facilities and was enhanced by plenty of red wine. On Friday the group continued to the abandoned city of Petra. Petra is an archeologic site of huge proportions set in terrain that rivals Wadi Rum for its austerity. The massive stone tombs carved into the native rock two thousand years ago were quite breathtaking.

TABA HEIGHTS

Monday 19th November
Dawn breaking over the arid hills of Saudi Arabia was quite a sight. The Egyptian side of the Gulf of Aqaba is just as stark. After nearly three weeks, “Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” were pleased to be at the marina at Taba Heights.

Sunday 18th November

Another day’s beating with less swell brought us to Nuweiba, our last stop en-route to Taba Heights. Nuweiba is the port used by many pilgrims on their way to Mecca for the Hadj and a very different place from Dahab. We ate chilli aboard “Casa Tu” and turned in early for an 0600 start.

NORTHWARDS TO DAHAB

Saturday 17th November
Refreshed after a calm night “Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” left early for Dahab, previously a "Hippie Hole" on the Sinai side of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was a long slog Northwards against the wind and with a nasty swell. This was soon forgotten as we were well received by a friendly official and welcomed the chance to come ashore for shopping, a beer and an Internet. Dahab is now a big windsurfing and dive centre and was quite busy with rather beautiful young people. That evening, all the crews ate an English meal of roast gammon, new potatoes and parsley sauce aboard “Intsomi” and watched some of the heroic exploits of Russell Crowe in the nautical epic Master and Commander.

INTO THE GULF OF AQABA

Friday 16th November
An early, pre-dawn, start was made for Tiran island at the foot of the Gulf of Aqaba. The brightest things around the lagoon at 0600 were the lights of a jack-up rig with its tenders, stacked just outside the East passage out. A pleasant sail to the end of the Gulf of Suez was followed by near calm in the Gulf of Aqaba and the three crews were pleased to slip into the water in the anchorage on the West of Tiran island.

THE FLEET SAILS FROM SHEIKH RIYAH

Thursday 15th November
“Aventura” left for Abu Tig with the wounded “Bathsheba”. The remaining three “SandS” boats headed for Shab Mukawarret – a lagoon almost enclosed by reefs that had been recommended by another mariner. “Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” were soon anchored in turquoise water in the lee of the Shab. The afternoon was brightened by the appearance of half a dozen kite surfers, making the most of the clear calm water and brisk wind from the North.

PARTY TIME

Monday 12th November
“Bathsheba” again had a fuel problem in the morning, but, with help from Kevin, they were able to fix it and travelled on to Ras Budran in company with “Aventura”. “Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” were pleased to leave Ras Sheratib, feeling fortunate not to be wrecked, like the trawler they passed in the southern approaches, which went aground on a spot with a sounding of 4.5 metres (so much for charts!). It was an easy run down to Sheikh Riyah, arriving about 2 p.m. in the bay. In the evening, all three crews plus two of the crews from the Med Red Rally had drinks aboard “Intsomi” and a well sheltered night, which was a relief. Next morning all the crews took dinghies to the reef at the entrance to Sheikh Riyah and enjoyed an amazing variety of fish around the coral - a first taste of things to come. “Bathsheba” and “Aventura” arrived just before dark, bringing the five “SandS Rally” boats together once more. “Aventura” heroically towed “Bathsheba” into the inlet after a recurrence of the fuel problem that had dogged her. In the evening a few drinks were had and a few songs played on “Intsomi”. Sharon Illi from one of the Med Red Rally boats, “Dionysus” was in true party mood and practised her pole dancing routine with Kate from “Casa Tu”. Next day was devoted to chilling out and reef snorkelling – truly relaxing for some, while Foxy from “Aventura” worked on “Bathsheba’s” fuel system in the morning. In the afternoon one of the Vasco de Gama participants Ring(?) of “Marvin” lent his skills to “Bathsheba”, ably assisted (de-temps-en-temps) by Doug of “Casa Tu” and Bill of “Intsomi”. In the end a temporary repair was made but it was concluded, sadly, that “Bathsheba” would make directly for Abu Tig marina for a more complete engine workout.

A BRISK SAIL

Sunday 11th November
“Bathsheba” and “Aventura” left Suez after spending a day sorting Bathsheba’s fuel system and made a short leg to Ras Matarma on the East of the Gulf. “Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” left Marsa Thelemet and had an excellent sail in Force 6 winds to Ras Sheratib, also on the East side, which turned out to be very exposed, so a pitching night was had by all as the wind continued to blow.

INTO THE GULF OF SUEZ

Saturday 10th November
“Fat Annie”, “Casa Tu” and “Intsomi” set out past the mosque at Port Tewfik at 0600 for Marsa Thelemet on the West side of the Gulf of Suez and after motoring all morning were rewarded with a spirited sail in the afternoon, so much so that “Intsomi” had trouble furling their genoa and were forced to drop the sail in the entrance to the Marsa. “Fat Annie” entertained the two other crews for drinks that evening.

THE SOUTHERN LEG OF THE SUEZ CANAL

Friday 9th November

We stayed for four days in Ismalia, using the time for trips to Cairo and its museum and the Pyramids at Giza. We also bought local diesel for as little as 5 pence per litre!

Peter Fox with Kevin and Sarah Cooke had arrived at Ismalia two days after us aboard “Aventura” so we the rally was at its full strength of five! Our pilots arrived early on Friday, so the second and final leg of the Suez canal was done in daylight. We popped into the local town at Port Tewfik (Suez) but didn’t have time to visit Suez town itself and decided to leave that pleasure for the return trip.

THE NORTHERN LEG OF THE SUEZ CANAL

Sunday 3rd November
The first leg of our canal transit, to “Ismalia”, was a truly unforgettable experience. Our Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pilot came aboard at 1100 and we were soon under way. He was quick to take charge of the VHF mobile and was in constant and noisy communication with his colleagues on other boats while at the same time answering his incessantly sonorous mobile phone and occasionally finding a moment to change our course. All this was accompanied, from time to time, by massive container ships, a thousand feet long, bearing down on us from the South. The canal itself is mostly dead straight and deep enough for small boats to keep to starboard outside the channel markers. Some highlights of the day were the smiling fishermen in small boats risking life and limb (particularly after it got dark), and the entry to Ismalia which has more lights than Harrods store at Christmas. Our pilot was much needed for the approach to Ismalia. He displayed an admirable compassion for the fishermen as we dodged their unlit boats and a useful current knowledge of the buoys, especially as some rather important ones were not at all as shown on our charts! It was with some relief that we tied up at the SCA marina and sat down for a few drinks and a little later a communal meal.

FIRST DAY IN EGYPT

Saturday 2nd November
Safely berthed at the Suez Canal Authority’s “Yacht Club” at Port Fouad on the East side of the canal we welcomed the opportunity to cross on one of the free ferries and visit the town of Port Said.
A late lunch in “fish market street” for £3.00 a head was a tasty introduction to life in Egypt.

The sun set behind the Suez Canal Authorities splendid office as we re-crossed the canal to return to the boats.
Later the skippers had a less tasty dip into the ways of Egypt as we participated in a ritualised fleecing where we paid loads-of-money for our visas and passage through the canal. In fairness, some of the pain was alleviated by the confirmation that if we returned within six months, the canal toll would be waived.

THE CROSSING TO PORT SAID

Thursday 1st November
“Casa Tu” and “Bathsheba” left Paphos at 0500 and “Fat Annie” and “Intsomi” left St Raphael marina at Limassol at 0600 all bound for Port Said, Egypt. The four boats met up over the night of Friday/Saturday at an anchorage just North of Port Said. The trip over had been calm, with little opportunity to sail, but the approach to Port Said at night made up for any lack of excitement as “Stealth Trawlers” with no radar reflections crossed our paths.

THE RALLY ASSEMBLES IN CYPRUS

Wednesday 31st October

“Casa Tu” and “Bathsheba”, two of the other boats in the “SandS Rally” were moored in Paphos so the crews of the boats at St Raphael used their rental car to pop back there to meet for lunch and agree departure timing. The rally was now to involve only five boats. “Aventura” the fifth boat was to follow later.

Monday 22nd October

The Port Police, who had provided a temporary mooring at Paphos were rather restless (to say the least) so “Intsomi” sailed East to Limassol and the St Raphael marina.“Fat Annie” joined “Intsomi” at St Raphael marina after a few rather rolly nights in the entrance to Paphos harbour and a car was rented for Shop-Shop-Shopping (!!!) and a trip up to the Trodos mountains (cool). During our stay at Limasssol “Intsomi” had needed repairs done on sails and a fridge.

Friday 19th October
The first two boats participating in the “SandS Rally” (SCUBA and Sailing), “Intsomi” and “Fat Annie” reached Cyprus, after a 150 mile passage and one night at sea. Paphos was our entry port but there was not really any space for two yachts let alone the seven expected for the “SandS” group.