Med Red Rally 2006! Great cruising rally

port said1 © Nirit Slaney

After the very successful 2005 rally in which 50 boats took part – even the ‘non-sailors’ loved it - the Med Red Rally has announced the new finalised route and dates from Marmaris in Turkey to Abu Tig Marina in Egypt for April 2006.

The rally will start from Yacht Marine in Marmaris, and sail via Tel Aviv to Port Said. Then after transiting the Suez Canal, the rally will sail from Port Suez down the Gulf of Suez to Tawila Island, and finally arrive at the lovely Abu Tig Marina in El Gouna. The Med Red Race, part of the rally, will commence on April 14 from Herzliyah Marina in Tel Aviv to Port Said (135nm)

There will be a full sightseeing itinerary along the way, and Abu Tig is a welcome inclusion for many

Abu Tig Marina © Nancy Knudsen

‘Abu Tig Marina in El-Gouna is by far the most beautiful and most charismatic marina in this sailing area’ said Easy Swissa, Rally commodore. ‘We were there for just two nights but felt as if we could stay forever and a day. The marina has a North African feeling with a big welcome, great hotels and fantastic restaurants. All this with a belly dancing show on the quay!’

By way of contrast, Tawila Island is a white sand desert isle only 14 miles northwest from El-Gouna. The Rally will stop at Tawila where crews can relax on the beach or enjoy snorkelling on the nearby reefs. As evening falls there will be a barbeque and bonfire.

‘The Red Sea has some of the most beautiful spots in the world’ says Rally Coordinator Nirit Slaney, ‘So far it’s largely undiscovered by yachtsman due to the lack of mooring places, but the building of new marinas makes cruising here much easier and very inviting’.

The final itinerary reads like many a sailor’s (even non-sailor’s) dream

April 06 -Yacht Marine, Marmaris, Gathering and send off party
April 07 - Pre-start from Marmaris, Turkey to Tel-Aviv, Israel.
April 11 - Shore day trip to Jerusalem.
April 12 - Sailors will spend the ‘Pesach Eve’ Holiday with families of Israeli sailors.
April 14 - GRAND START for all Yachts from Tel Aviv to Port Said.

suez moring © Nirit Slaney

April 16 - Bus trip to Cairo and the Pyramids.
April 17 - Transit sailing through the Suez Canal to Port Suez – an unforgettable experience. Being part of the rally makes the complex bureaucracy easy.
April 18 – Sail from Suez city to Tawila Island, passing through Abu Dom Marina
April 19 - Anchoring at Tawila Island, Red Sea – White sand virgin beach and an ideal spot for snorkelling over Coral reefs.
April 21 - Arrive at the beautiful marina of Abu Tig, in El Gouna, Egypt’s foremost Red Sea Resort, well known for its African’s desert scenery and great hospitality.
April 22 - A shore overnight trip to Luxor, site of the ancient city of Thebes, the Valley of the Kings and Tukankhamen’s Tomb.
April 24 – El-Gouna to Sharm El Sheikh and along the Sinai Peninsula.
April 26 – From Sharm El Sheikh to Ras Abu Zneima for snorkelling
April 27 – Abu Zneima to Port Suez
April 28 – From Port Suez to Herzliya.
May 2nd - Final party, coinciding with Israeli Independence Day Festivities.

Charter yachts with/without skipper are available, entries can be made now. For further information please email info@med-red-rally.com or visit the web site http://www.med-red-rally.com