Nereid’s Rally photos

Nereid's Rally 2015

Nereid’s Rally 2015

Just a random selection of photos from the 2013 and 2014 editions of the Nereid’s Rally to whet your appetite for 2015.

Kaieteur Falls

Kaieteur Falls

One of the many reasons to visit Guyana!

We love Bartica!

We love Bartica!

There is no better way to get around than by boat…

Flight to Kaieteur Falls

Flight to Kaieteur Falls

OK, maybe one better way…

Our tour boat!

Our high speed tour boat!

But only because there is no other alternative for visiting some sights!

So we leave our yachts in the care of our ever present escort...

The coast guard of Guyana keeping tabs on our progress

So we leave our yachts in the care of our ever present escort…

The anchorage off Hurakabra River Resort

The anchorage off Hurakabra River Resort

and go exploring…

Off the beaten track

Off the beaten track…

There really are times when it’s worth leaving your boat… (not often, but it does happen…)

VIPs arrive at Hurakabra

VIPs arrive at Hurakabra

Just as long as we are back in time for the party!

It's smiles all round...

It’s smiles all round…

OK… I’ll admit that I do enjoy a party now an then…. but the Nereid’s Rally isn’t all about the receptions! Wonderful as they are…

Sailing to Suriname

Sailing to Suriname

It’s also about doing some serious sailing…

Follow the leader...

Follow the leader…

And admittedly, a bit of motoring…

Al glass of rum anyone?

A glass of rum anyone?

With lots of breaks in between to do important stuff like…

Food for thought?

Food for thought?

Eating too much…

The Torarica Pier

The Torarica Pier

Playing tourist…

Pirogue anyone?

Pirogue anyone?

Checking out the local transportation…

Yachtsmen with balls...?

Playing boules…?

Enjoying a round of the local sport on the Mana River…

It's Kit and the Mayor of Saint Laurent!!!

It’s Kit and the Mayor of Saint Laurent!!!

Unveiling the “soon to be” marina in Saint Laurent du Maroni…

It's visit a yacht day in Saint Laurent

It’s visit a yacht day in Saint Laurent

and getting to know the locals…

The town of Saint Laurent du Maroni

The town of Saint Laurent du Maroni

Which is really what the Nereid’s Rally is all about…

The town hall

The town hall

The towns and buildings are certainly interesting…

Children of Saint Laurent

Children of Saint Laurent

but it’s the people that give it it’s true flavour…

Come see for yourself!

 

 

Sailing to Paramaribo Suriname

GPS track, French Guiana to Suriname

As you can see, I eventually did manage to sail to Suriname. 30 hours from anchorage to anchorage, but a trivial sail nonetheless. Just aim to make a nice neat arc out to the 20 meter depth contour!

The Surinamese fishermen are the only navigational difficulty (and the reason for the occasional zigzag in my GPS track). They have a habit of stringing their three mile long gill nets across the main shipping channels, or better still, attaching one end to navigational buoys. Some have been dragged miles from their correct position. Sailors beware!

Yacht obstacles off Suriname!

I had the pleasure of having this particular fishermen place his net across my path just as I approached Paramaribo. I wonder if he understood why I was forced to follow him for the next two miles as he laid his yacht trap!

Sailing under the bridge in Paramaribo at night.

I arrived at the safe water mark at sunset and while it should have been a simple matter of following the lit buoys in to Paramaribo, Suriname’s penchant for towers with blinking red lights atop makes this an exacting task. Start by aiming for the green ones (lights that is), and take note of the following GPS coordinates (marking my boats position as I passed each buoy), for a trouble free night entry.

I had to wait for this odd localized squall to pass before making my final approach!

Squall over Paramaribo delays Eileen’s arrival.

6º 04.988 N        55º 12.820 W  Safe water Mark
6º 03.235 N        55º 12.905 W
6º 01.876 N        55º 12.897 W
6º 00.443 N        55º 12.923 W
5º 59.022 N        55º 12.934 W
5º 57.537 N        55º 12.120 W
*            5º 57.120 N         55º 11.384 W    (I anchored here temporarily to await the tide)
5º 56.619 N        55º 10.692 W
5º 55.932 N        55º 09.594 W
5º 55.195 N        55º 08.413 W
5º 54.330 N        55º 07.155 W Red
5º 53.296 N        55º 06.143 W
5º 53.356 N        55º 06.023 W
5º 52.013 N        55º 05.535 W White Flashing
5º 50.284 N        55º 05.791 W Red
5º 49.697 N        55º 06.177 W Red
5º 49.350 N         55º 06.649 W Red
5º 49.091 N        55º 07.342 W Red
5º 49.080 N        55º 08.232 W Red
5º 49.010 N        55º 09.532 W Wreck BEWARE
5º 48.333 N        55º 09.833 W Bridge
5º 46.846 N        55º 09.341 W
5º 46.418 N        55º 08.975 W
5º 45.598 N        55º 08.171 W
5º 44.842 N        55º 07.405 W
5º 44.115 N        55º 06.691 W
5º 42.229 N        55º 04.851 W anchor here!

More obstacles for the unwary sailor.

Take special care of the wreck indicated above! It’s unlit, and I didn’t see it at all on my way in… I’m claiming ‘t was the “luck of the Irish” (Eileen’s heritage) that spared me from probable collision.

Domburg anchorage at dawn.

It’s a long way from the mouth of the Suriname River to the anchorage at Domburg. It took all night!!! Not as easy as I was led to believe (from what’s published on the Internet) either….

More on that subject later…