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.

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.

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.

Cook Islands Kitesurfing Competition 2011

Ian K    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, kiteboardingholidays, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs, Tribe Kitesurfing Blogs     Aitutaki, australasia and pacific, Cameron Dietrich, Competition, cook islands, Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association, International Cook Islands Kitesurfing Competition, Jesse Richman, kiteboarding, kitesurfing, Motu Maina Iti, Muri Lagoon, Pacific Island, Pacific ocean, Rarotonga, South Pacific, water sports, wind sports

In June 2011 the Cook Islands will be hosting its inaugural International Cook Islands Kitesurfing Competition in Aitutaki, with some of the world’s biggest names in kitesurfing competing. The Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association has organised the event which promises to launch the Cook Islands as an international kitesurfing destination with some of the world’s biggest names set to compete in the line-up.

The competition opens with an exhibition event on 25th June 2011 at Muri Lagoon and the main competition takes place at Motu Maina Iti off Aitutaki from 29th June to 2nd July 2011.

Two-time world champion Jesse Richman has confirmed he’ll be competing; the Maui born 18 year old is a two-time KPWT champion and has won gold in international competitions all over the world. Also competing and going for gold is Cameron Dietrich, one of kitesurfing’s biggest names and has also been named the sport’s worldwide ambassador.

The judge’s panel will also include some impressive names in the kitesurfing world. Three-time Queen of the Air Susi Mai has agreed to judge along with Tahitian pro rider Moehau Goold.

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Adventure travel specialist Jonny Bealby says, “walk the back streets”

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, ash, mountainbikingholidays, New Adventure Travel Ideas, overlandholidays, trekkingholidays, Tribe Adventure Travel Blogs     Adventure Sports, Adventure Travel, china, cultural holidays, indepenedent travel, Overland tours, Syria, tours, travelling, trekking, Uzbekistan

There are a few countries that people simply never visit: some are dangerous, others just exist well beyond the imagination of regular travellers.

Jonny and Chia - Rampur

And it’s in these places where you’ll find the essence of travel. Looking for danger is a fool’s game; travelling in search of adventure, well that’s what it’s all about.

Having established award-wining travel company Wild Frontiers, Jonny Bealby is a man who researches, visits and explores the routes that later become his firm’s travel packages. Just returned from a mountainbiking holiday in Syria, he’s already packing for his next excursion. read more