Currious. Cape Good Hope vs. Suez?

[Trim50]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

No, not really. By the time you add up the expense for food, fuel, bribes, passage fees, wear and tear on the sails an rigging etc., then add in the element of danger and risk, the cost is about the same. Actually, the cost to ship a small boat is much less.

BTW, only the people on CF seem to think we are the "big bucks people." LOL when two registered nurses from Whoville, USA are considered to be "well heeled." The many thousands of boat owners here in the Med would be rolling with laughter reading this and then looking down at our dinky 54ft water toy boat from their private cruise ships.

Shipping your boat is ridiculously expensive...there is no way you can justify it in my opinion. Better off selling your boat and buying another in the Med. Seriously.

[lo brust]

As organizer of the Vasco da Gama Rally and passing the Suez Canal 12 times I agree for the full 100% the article of Bullawayo. I have also information that this year 15 yachts coming from Thailand have passed the Suez Canal. I am also surprised that many sailors do not collect information p.e. by Noonsite.com or other yachtsman with experience in the Red Sea.

[nhschneider]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

At the end of day, take on board the present security situation and make your best judgement without listening to anyone who labels you a fool for which ever route you elect for.

Please forgive me for my unfortunate use of the word 'fools'. I regret saying it.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

The west coast of Africa is now the hot spot for piracy and associated marine crimes. The problem is the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria. The Red Sea might be better like Bulawayo said. Check out the map.
https://icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting...ive-piracy-map

But the Singapore area is by far the worst.

I have to agree on the Gulf of Guinea. If sailing that area, I would give the coast a wide berth.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[barnakiel]

Round the Cape it is a loooooong voyage. A looooooong one.

b.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by mausgras

Its my impression that pirates on the Suez route are more interested in a $50 million tanker of oil than a private yacht where they would be lucky to get a $50 000 ransom and unlucky enough to bring down half the European navies. When was the last yottie hijacked?

To the best of my knowledge three years ago when special forces were involved in the release of the couple involved. However, this is an unconfirmed story circulating amongst several yachts that we spoke to in Eritrea. We also follow this website for reports. I also think that events on land can unduly influence peoples attitudes. We have cruised pretty extensively in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean and have found the locals in places like Yemen to be very friendly and welcoming - but so saying I would not go there right now despite having a couple of friends (European medical professionals) in Aden. It only takes one fruit cake with ambitions to please his ISIS masters to ruin my day although UAE military forces are apparently controlling Aden harbour area presently. One of the reasons to stop anywhere is to experience the local culture and to enjoy contact with the locals but Yemen is not the place to do that just at the moment. However, bypass the countries flanking the Gulf of Aden and the balance of the journey can be worthwhile. Oman is a great country with super hospitable people ( + cheap fuel and excellent food from supermarkets like Carrefour and LuLu, plus a wonderful selection of fruit & veg in the local markets) and is also the last country to seriously re-provision if coming from the east. Salalah is the western most Omani port where you can do this. Oman is also very easy to get repairs / maintenance undertaken and importing parts is no issue without any duties being levied and also no backhanders. Madagascar has very limited long term food stuffs (fresh fruit and veg are no issue) and the same applies to Mozambique. Forget about even attempting to bring in goods from outside the country unless you are prepared to hand over various taxes that no receipt shall be given for. Reasonable supplies can be obtained in Mombasa from Nakumat and similarly in Dar es Salaam.
Dar also has a very good yacht club and free moorings that have a security patrol - free for up to a month depending on your reciprocal membership of a yacht club, otherwise its free for one week. There is also free anchoring close by. Places like Comoro Island; Mayotte are also lovely altho' food is expensive (avoid Grand Comoro, Moroni, as they frequently impose substantial levies). Mauritius is also very pleasant but also not the easiest to provision in, whilst Chagos is simply stunning for beauty but 0/10 for food/fuel etc and is now restricted for cruising permits. Madagascar is a must stop as are places like Juan de Nova and Bassa da India.
South Africa also has many marina's offering free moorings for international boats for up to a month at a time depending on where you are. Durban, typically, has an international jetty where you tie up and step ashore in the centre of the city for a month, free of charge. However, beware the crime - we prefer to anchor a couple of hundred meters out for security and we always padlock our dinghy, and do not walk anywhere after dark and never carry fanny packs as they are a likely target. However, after a long period crossing the Indian Ocean the supermarkets are fantastic and everything is available in the chandleries, plus the usual sail lofts, engine suppliers etc are all there. The haul out facilities are also good value. It is a pleasure to stock up and get maintenance done in SA but just be cautious with safety. It is also a good opportunity to visit some of the incredible game parks or even to travel north to Zimbabwe (got to give the home country a plug!) and the cheap game parks there and of course the Victoria Falls.
In South Africa places like the stunning Knysna lagoon, which has an interesting entrance is a stop worth making if the weather allows - along with several other places. South Africa does have some significant benefits.
So saying, the Red Sea has so many attractions as well including the amazing diving along the unspoilt coast of Sudan. As I said in the earlier posting, a stop on the western coast of Saudi is also possible if you should find you need to undertake repairs. We usually do need repairs and then also find the local customs/immigration officers are very accomodating with reprovisioning and topping up the fuel. Transiting the canal is also not a particularly hard experience.
I would guess that the choice of route at this time is no different in reality to what it was a number of years ago - dependent upon your time frame.
If you want to get to the Caribbean / east coast US as quickly as possible then the trip around SA is a good choice. If the Med beckons, especially with its history then the Red Sea is certainly do-able. A stop in Aqaba (Jordan) allows for a visit to Petra and to Wadi Rum - places that have such incredible history. It is also easy enough to anchor on the Egyptian side of the Sinai and jump on the ferry to Aqaba (a short trip) - but pay a boat boy to secure your boat against pilfering or buddy boat with someone else and stagger your trips.
If anyone wants/needs I have plenty of information on both routes.
Best..............

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

Please forgive me for my unfortunate use of the word 'fools'. I regret saying it.

Thanks........appreciate the comment.

[estarzinger]

South Africa is an amazing country to visit. It was one of the top highlights of our first voyage.

Also, at least for us, rounding a great cape was a nice moment/feeling of accomplishment.

The weather was not bad, the forecasting is reasonable good and the harbors conveniently spaced.

We highly recommend that route.

It is however "the long way" if your objective is to get to the med.

[Trim50]

I'll looking for crew for the Red Sea...any interested sailors wanna live a little?

[alansmith]

Wasn't there a party of four Americans murdered a few years ago on their yacht in this area ?

[goat]

Originally Posted by alansmith

Wasn't there a party of four Americans murdered a few years ago on their yacht in this area ?

There's a lot of Americans murdered in America every year.

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[Blackie Swart]

I second the comments on the SA coast -lots of harbour hoping opportunities with stable weather patterns that give weather windows. I thought I would post a picture of the entrance to Knysna, beautiful day but don't mis-time your arrival with some bad weather, you won't get in.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...1&d=1442128570

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by alansmith

Wasn't there a party of four Americans murdered a few years ago on their yacht in this area ?

Yes, this happened over four years but was south of Oman and the area has not been subject to any further incidents. This area is overflown by Omani, US and UK airforces as well as being patrolled by various naval ships. The following is a quote:
'According to American reports, the SY Quest was captured on 18 February 2011 at 13.23 UTC by nineteen pirates in a mothership, 190 to 240 miles off the coast of Oman at approximately 18°00′N 61°02′E in the Indian Ocean.'
Sadly these events do occur and shall likely continue world wide - we have no real way of knowing where next. However, the location was still a fair distance from the Gulf of Aden.
We must remember that sailing has its up & downs and more murders still occur on land just the same as more sailors go missing each year for unknown (run down or weather?) then are knowingly murdered.

[MikeFergie]

I went through a similar thought process in deciding where to buy my cat from.
Being a South African living in Mozambique for many years my boat would come back to Mozambique.
- I found boats in the med to be the "cheapest" to buy most probably due to a big market with loads of second hand boats. Then how to get it to Mozambique ? Down the Suez was a concern for me mainly due to Oman and what's going on in Yemen.
Through Gibraltar down the west coast and then up the east coast was just too long.

Taking these factors into consideration I bought my cat in the Seychelles . I went to fetch it in June and we sailed down from Seychelles to Mayotte which is a jewel of an island. We then left down the Moz channel to Maputo.

We had no problems or concerns and saw our fist ships near the mozambique coast.
In Mayotte there is a large French naval presence to keep an eye on the region.

Regards
MikeF


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[Sos]

The OP asked about getting to the med. Its a long way from Cape Town to the med!