All roads ‘will lead to Rhodes’

Ian K    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, ash, New Sailing Holiday Ideas, Sailing Holidays Talk, sailingbreaks, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Sailing Blogs     cruise, Europe, floatilla, greece, Rhodes, yacht charter

Officials in the Greek island of Rhodes have predicted that this year will see a huge rise in visitor numbers.

Tourists visiting Greece and the Greek islands have many options when it comes to entertainment, with a yacht charter in Greece among the many things to do.

With rising visitor numbers expected, there could be a rise in holidaymakers taking a yacht charter or flotilla in Greece while on the Island of Rhodes or from the mainland.

Photo from Flickr user: gavin rice

The prediction comes as bookings show that Rhodes will be visited by more than 600 cruise ships by the end of the year.

The 600-plus ships will bring more than 700,000 tourists to the island – almost 25% up on the figure for last year.

In 2010 539 cruise ships docked in Rhodes, seeing 561,000 visitors head onto the island.

Figures for last month show that visitor numbers were up 42% on those recorded 12 months earlier – from 11,802 to 19,256.

Policy changes introduced by the Greek government have had a positive effect on the Rhodes cruise industry.

100 marathons in 100 weeks

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     fitness, Fitness Breaks

If you haven’t noticed, it’s marathon season. No matter what your sporting achievements so far, a marathon is a long way – 26 miles and 385 yards to be exact.

But when all the runners have hung up their medals, one man is back out on the roads ready for his next run, and yes it’s another marathon: Simon Buckden is running 100 marathons in 100 weeks!

Now while running one every day was clearly crazy (as comedian Eddie Izzard demonstrated) to do one every week for almost 2 years is incredible! For Eddie, he had to get up every day and get back out on the road, but for Simon he gets to relax, put his feet up, slip back into regular life for a couple of days then have to go through it all again.

I’ll say it again: 100 marathons in 100 weeks.

Read the whys, the hows, and the ‘why the hells’ from the man himself.

Simon, from the beginning, tell us why?

In December last year in Leeds a friend who is a fellow military veteran was going to run 100 miles in 24 hours to raise money for a veterans charity called Project 65.  I said that I would come and do a few laps with him to help out; prior to this I had been running for over 20 years but only half marathons.

It was snowing and got as low as – 7C but I ran for 70 miles before eventually we decided to stop because the support people were suffering in the cold! It totally changed my outlook on running and I decided to take on 100 marathons in 100 weeks.

I was in the Army for 12 years and was medically discharged in 2001 and in 2005 was diagnosed with Post Traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD) due to my service in 6 operational tours and so I am now a retired Veteran.  I lost 9 friends at war and so some of what I am doing is dedicated to them and also to raising awareness of PTSD and the charity that I am Trustee of which is The Forgotten Heroes.

What’s hardest, running in the cold or the heat?

To be honest I take whatever comes: I have trained in Norway and been in Bosnia in the past when it has been – 35 with wind chill and I have run in Israel in the desert when it was 45 degrees. I think that I prefer the heat to the cold as you take less time for your muscles to warm up and so I would say it is harder in the cold.

At your lowest, what motivates you to take the next step?

Whenever I get to that low point where I think that I don’t need to do this, I think of the people who are not alive and can’t enjoy running and it is a huge kick up the backside and motivator. I am very motivated anyway and the challenge and adrenalin is enough to take me over the line.

Which marathon was the most fun so far?

The most fun was the Virgin London Marathon that I have just completed. It was my partner’s first ever marathon and I have been coaching her from novice for 18 months. It was an honour to take in the sights, and the crowds were amazing and to go over the line holding her hand… It was the first time that I have ever really shown any emotion at a marathon and I would urge anybody to try and run the London Marathon as it is a brilliant day.

For people taking on longer distances, what advice do you have?

My advice is that you need to be very mentally strong and motivated. I only took up marathon running because of this challenge and I find that the stronger you are mentally, the easier it is physically. Also, there is a need to eat properly and recover properly and I have struggled more with that side than the mental side of it – in a long distance run many things can happen or go wrong and you need to get everything right as much as you can: People who have run a marathon will know that dreaded feeling when the wheels come off at say 18 miles and then you realise you have another 8 miles to go!

You are living for running; do you also dream about it?

I dream at the moment about the day that I finish my hundredth marathon, the pain and the joy, all at the same time and the pride of pushing myself to maybe the limit – it is a dream worth having.

What plans does the charity have?

The charity has only just gained charitable status and so is now working on tying to gain funding and recognition. In this economic climate where every penny has to be earned, it is hard for a new and small charity to compete with the likes of Help4Heroes who have corporate and media backing. So all help is appreciated.

For more information on The Forgotten Heroes

Or follow him on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/100mara100weeks

Reef ‘may take decades to repair’

Ian K    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, ash, sailingbreaks, scubadivingholidays, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Sailing Blogs     australasia and pacific, australia, coral, great barrier reef, Scuba Diving, snorkelling

People keen on scuba diving and snorkelling while on a yacht charter in Australia may be interested to learn that a new report says the Great Barrier Reef in Australia will take years to fully mend following the cyclone last month.

In an article published in the Wall Street Journal, bosses at the Great Barrier Marine Park Authority said the storm caused severe damage.

Reef ecologist Paul Marshall, who coordinated the survey, said in the worst hit areas “there was hardly any coral to be found left alive”.

Photo from Flickr user: Eulinky

He added: “Big piles of coral rubble and broken plates had been ripped off the reef and tossed about or dumped at the bottom of the reef in piles. That was pretty heart-wrenching to see.”

In total, the team led by Mr Marshall surveyed 36 reefs in a 300km stretch of the reef.

The Great Barrier Reef is the only living organism visible from space, and at 348,000 sq km the reef is larger than the UK and Ireland combined. It is made up of more than 3,000 reefs and 900 coral islands stretching along the north-eastern coast of Australia.

LBCC announce Isle of Wight event

Ian K    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, ash, sailingbreaks, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Sailing Blogs     Britain, Cowes, Isle of Wight, LBCC, little britain challenge cup, sailing event

Organisers of one of Britain’s newest sailing events have reported a lot of interest for places at the Isle of Wight meet.

The new Laser SB3 Challenge is to take place in Cowes on June 3 and 4. The Little Britain Challenge Cup (LBCC) event, which is now open to entrants, has an upper limit of 30 teams.

Photo from Flickr user: bortescristian

LBCC event manager Mary Scott Jackson said: “We have received a number of phone calls and email enquiries virtually every day since early February, when we first announced our intention to have the SB3 Challenge, so we must warn prospective contestants, it will be first come, first served, for the limited number of places available.”

David Smith, LBCC chairman, added: “One day of early summer racing, especially on a Saturday, is a perfect mid-year opportunity for the construction and property industries to mix and mingle. We expect a rapid take-up for places, so I look forward to welcoming both new and familiar faces to this first SB3 Challenge.”

The event is expected to capture the feel of a yacht charter in the Solent, with the added excitement of competition on a summer’s day.

Summer opening for Rhodes marina

Ian K    ash, Sailing Holidays Talk, sailingbreaks, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Sailing Blogs     Europe, greece, Marina, Rhodes, yacht charter, Yachting

Britons on yacht charters in Greece this summer will be able to enjoy the benefits of a new 100 million euro (£88 million) marina opening on the island of Rhodes.

It is hoped that the marina, which is based on the east side of the island, will become a tourist destination as well as provide relief to the congestion often builds up at the island’s only yacht harbour.

Photo from Flickr User: Bracketing Life

Scheduled to open by June, the marina is due to become fully operational by 2012, and will be able to accommodate the newest ‘mega-yachts’ as well as more than 400 vessels.

People on sailing holidays will be able to stock up on necessary goods using the onshore shops, as well as enjoy the restaurants, cafes and spa.

A ring road connecting the island’s international airport to the marina is also under construction, and is currently 70% complete. Plans to construct a five-star hotel and shopping centre in the area are under discussion.

Top Ten Kitesurfing Destinations

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, kiteboardingholidays, Kitesurfing Destination Reviews, Kitesurfing Travel Talk     australia, Boracay, Brazil, Canary Islands, cape town, cape verde, Cumbuco, Egypt, Essaouira, hawaii, Hurghada, kite boarding, kite surfing, kiteboarding, kitesurfing, Maui, morocco, Perth, philippines, Sal, Spain, Tarifa, western australia

Take a look at our Top Ten Kitesurfing Destinations and pick the spot that’s right for you.

The big name in Egyptian kitesurfing, mainly thanks to its flat waters which stay shallow out to 100m. Wind is cross-onshore from the left and there are two main spots to consider: Magawish Bay and a kite beach near Jasmine Vilage.

These favoured holiday islands also have the top kitesurfing spots. Corralejo on the north coast of Fuerteventura is perhaps the best. Known for great wind and good year-round weather it’s a favourite for several windsports. Winds are cross-shore and are at their best in the summer months. Flag beach is a favourite on this stretch of coast.

Small name, long beach: Sal serves up plenty of space so everyone to get in and take advantage of the natural benefits of this island in Cape Verde. Winter brings with it the wind (15-25 knots) and it’s still warm enough to go in without a suit. There’s 3km of beach to launch from, with winds more side-on at the end of the bay and more side-off at the top.

Boracay Island in the Philippines is a touch of paradise. If your idea of a kitesurfing holiday involves lagoons for learning and white sand beaches for launching off, your in the right place. White Beach is 4km long so there’s always space, and thanks to the ever-present trade winds, there’s always wind.  A long high season (Nov-Apr) and shallow entry keeps Boracay popular.

Lush hillsides and national parks lead to the beaches of Maui. Kitesurfing is one of the newest sports to thrive here on this Hawaiian island. Again it’s the trade winds that keep conditions consistent. Expect 17-22 knots anywhere from 75-95 per cent of the time from April through October. The north shore has side-on-shore winds from left to right and is protected in places, in line with the locals’ traditional respect of the oceans.

On the far west of Australia, kitesurfers get to play in some of the strongest winds of this part of the coast. Better suited to intermediates and above, there’s open water for everyone. But closer to shore there’s a sand spit that protects beginners and gives them a shallow entry point. This also helps to create great slalom conditions. Best conditions are from October through April, with winds from 15- 25 knots, which work best in the afternoon.

There are more than 30 beaches to choose from around Cape Town, and it’s during the winter month that the winds are most consistent. Cape Peninsular stretches out to the Cape of Good Hope, creating Table Bay. Shallow lagoons and slight swell, all the way up to full 5-metre waves; it’s a place of variety, with perhaps the most imposing backdrop of any location: Table Top Mountain. The legendary ‘Cape Doctor’ – a southeasterly wind that dominates conditions, keeps winds regular and strong.

Essaouira is loved for its curved bay and cross-on winds. Further south of this Moroccan favourite you’ll find stronger waves, although conditions nearer the town provide enough challenges for kitesurfers of all abilities. Winds get stronger after lunch, peak at around 40 knots in the summer periods and are most effective the further downwind you go. Expect bigger waves in the winter and little need for a shortie outside of the coldest months.

Just 45 minutes from the airport at Fortaleza you’ll find Cumbuco. This Brazilian beach spot has 10km of frontage and sand bars offshore that produce good waves. Wind is mainly side-shore from the right, occasionally side-onshore, and there is plenty of it even for advanced kitesurfers. For the most powerful winds arrive between June and December, and take advantage of flat water past an initial shore dump.

New Zealand to host sailing events

Ian K    ash, sailingbreaks, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Sailing Blogs     Auckland International Boat Show, Ciaduct Events Centre, Dinghy Sailing, Millennium Cup, New Zealand, NZ Marine Export Group, Pacific, regatta, Sailing, sailing events, Superyacht Captains Forum, Volvo Ocean Race, Yachting

New Zealand might be hosting the Rugby World Cup later this year, but sailing – its other national pastime – is being celebrated with a few events of its own for good measure.

People who have a keen interest in sailing events might be interested to discover that the NZ Marine Export Group is hosting the 2011 Superyacht Captains Forum on September 15-16, which will take place at the Viaduct Events Centre to coincide with the Auckland International Boat Show.

Photo from Flickr user: arriba

Furthermore, Auckland will also host the 2012 Millennium Cup between February 23-25, with one of the highlights being a race between 11 identical 34ft MRX Farr-designed yachts. The Millennium Cup regatta for sailboats and motoryachts of 24m and above will also take place between February 23-25.

The NZ Millennium Cup proceeds the Auckland leg of the Volvo Ocean Race between March 8 and 18 next year.