Crew Available: Seeking Passage up the Red Sea

[The Nomad]

Hey sailing folks,

I'm currently in Kenya and have been denied an overland visa to Ethiopia. You can only get one flying in and I don't fly (part of my going around the world without flying thing).

I know that not many boats are heading up the Red Sea but if anyone is, I'm very keen to head up to Sudan\Egypt\Israel from Kenya.

My experience has been sailing from Darwin to Alor, Indonesia on Tropicbird and then from Phuket to Cape Town on San Miguel. I can cook, clean, sail a little bit and do watches. I've hand-steered at least 2,000 nautical miles (we didn't have an automatic pilot on San Miguel) and I don't get seasick.

I have until June to leave Kenya.

Appreciate any assistance in the matter.

Cheers,
Simon

[Arthur Garfield]

Why not overland it up to Sudan,Egypt ?

In any event-safe travels


All the Best

[DefinitelyMe]

Wow, that's ambitious mate. Bad country for cruising boats but I hope you find someone! You might have better luck getting a passage on a commercial ship. Have you tried that? Some freighters still take passengers.

[atoll]

best bet is get to juba via uganda then jump on the train,then only 5 days to khartom,ferry from wadi halfa to aswan.

[The Nomad]

Appreciate the advice folks. Will be heading to Mombasa to seek out some commercial vessels. And I've just read that the borders between both Sudans have opened so if no boat then I'll overland it from Uganda.

Thanks again. If anyone's keen on my travels, y'all can follow my no-flying around the world at thenomadicdiaries.wordpress.com.

Happy sails everyone!

[atoll]

Originally Posted by The Nomad

Appreciate the advice folks. Will be heading to Mombasa to seek out some commercial vessels. And I've just read that the borders between both Sudans have opened so if no boat then I'll overland it from Uganda.

Thanks again. If anyone's keen on my travels, y'all can follow my no-flying around the world at thenomadicdiaries.wordpress.com.

Happy sails everyone!

check out mombassa yacht club all the harbour pilots hang out there at lunchtime.

also the mission to seamen on a Friday night

[The Nomad]

Thanks atoll! Will check 'em out!

[Bulawayo]

Also from Mtawapa Creek............just north of Mombasa, is another departure point for the Red Sea. We passed that way a few weeks ago.

[DefinitelyMe]

Nice! Maybe not so impossible as i'd thought it might be! Glad the options are coming together mate. Best of luck with your trip. Cheers!

[Bulawayo]

Being frank, it is not an especially nice experience at the moment. Yemen is fraught with terror issues with a semi-civil war going on. For my part I would keep away from Aden, despite the cheap diesel - the fresh veg market was good a few weeks ago but with present escalation of activities I would avoid going there. The Red Sea weather is not especially nice with everything against you in the Southern sector at present. We had sleet at night in February, coupled with two weeks of 28-35knots of wind. Ugh. Things are now improving, though.
Eritrea is pleasant enough although the inner harbour is a bit challenging - there are limited reprovisioning opportunities. Port Sudan is also interesting - the authorities can be difficult. You need significant patience to deal with eternal question of why do you sail? You must have cargo - you MUST HAVE. No one sails for enjoyment or to travel, you must be carrying something.
Sudan has superb scuba diving and some great marsa's to visit. Beware the Pilot Book still shows Qusair as a Port of Entry - it is incorrect, it became a military port about 18 years ago! The southern most entry port in to Egypt is still Hurgada where we have always been welcomed. Again, beware as the charts are also incorrect due to constant development work along the sea front and where land (reefs) are constantly being reclaimed. Passing through the Suez cannel is not a problem as long as you book your agent in good time. You can transit the whole of Egypt if you wish, allowing you to sail straight out of the canal and into the Med without ever clearing in or clearing out.
Saudi is actually a positive experience as long as you are polite. Many shall tell you that you shall have something cut off if you sail into their waters. Its actually quite the opposite - they are also super polite and affable. Fuel is so cheap (last refuelling of 800 litres of diesel cost us a little over $40) and access to first class supermarkets and US sourced foods is amazing. The range of veggies and fruit is also good. Evertything there is very cheap - good quality batteries, solar panels, etc etc are also considerably cheaper. Everything you buy is tax exempt and no arguing. Hope this helps.