Dear Noonsite,

I have been sailing some 15 years with 75,000 miles logged so far. So many miles because I crossed the Pacific several times.

We created a number of Facebook pages to help yachts making their first passages in the Indian Ocean.

South Atlantic Ocean Crossing

Indian Ocean Crossing

Red Sea Passage (This is a closed FB group. If you would like to join, please email Wade Alarie at wade@joana.ca).

We have about 50 boats a year opting for a South African route. Only in the last couple of years has the Red Sea route seen a reemergence as a viable option. It has been several years since a yacht has been attacked on the route. Risk comparison between pirates and the weather problems around South Africa are always on yachties minds.

With the decrease in pirate activity on the Red Sea approaches there has been a ramping up of the number of yachts making a Red Sea passage.

Access to any of the Facebook groups can be gained by an email message to Bob Bechler, ac7id@yahoo.com. Please include the email address associated with your Facebook page.

Last year there were 4 boats making a northbound passage thru the Red Sea and 2 southbound. For 2018 we have a dozen in our northbound database, but realistically I think the number will be 8.  None of the vessels last year encountered any difficulties and none of our boats hired armed security. Stops were made at Socotra Island, Suakin Sudan and Egypt. Detailed passage reports are on our Facebook page and some have been submitted to Noonsite.

The Cochin International Marina has long been the traditional departure point for northbound Red Sea passages. Even though pirate activity has reduced the number of boats making the passage the advantages remain. Excellent stop for provisioning, good marina security, an interesting tourist experience, and excellent medical facilities are available. The recent visa change which allows e-visa entry into Cochin makes a visa solution inexpensive and easy.

Vessels interested in a Red Sea Passage can make contact and join our Facebook pages. The crossings are not formal rally’s. Rather they are for information exchange and mutual security if desired. Informal fleets can time their departures and sail together. Radio nets help keep all informed.

Bob & Alex Bechler
SV Sisiutl

Useful info from Albert Cook who posted this update on the Red Sea page:

In Egypt, there are two main agents that deal with yachts transiting the Suez Canal namely Prince of Red Sea and Felix. I wrote to both in early 2017. The below was their responses:

According to Prince of Red Sea, 2015 they saw 27 yachts sail through the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea either heading towards S.E Asia or towards the Mediterranean Sea and in 2016 that figure was 27. At the time of writing, we are aware of at least 10 yachts that sailed this route so far in 2017.

Felix quoted that in 2015/2016 85 Yachts transited South through the Suez Canal with some 70 yachts transiting North and in 2016/2017 it was 70 and 50 respectively.

Not one incident was reported.

Editor’s Note: A transit of the Suez channel does not necessarily mean a Red Sea transit too. Some yachts go to Egypt via Suez, stay for a period and then return to the Med. Egypt presents a non-Schengen destination to allow time to pass so they can again return to a Schengen country.