–Davide Matelicani tells how Nereid’s came into being

BY PURE chance, Davide Matelicani came to know Kit Nascimento and his wife, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento. He was here weathering out a storm when the three met and got to talking. Pretty soon, the conversation came around to boats and yachting, and Davide mentioned en passant that he was headed to French Guiana to set up a marina there.“So why not here?” asked Kit, who, with his wife, runs a thriving eco-tourism operation named the Hurakabra Resort on the Essequibo River. “Swell idea!” Davide must’ve replied, as together they began talking around the concept of welcoming yachters here, preferably on the scenic Essequibo River, thereby making the country a prime destination for yachting, and the activity itself one of the most consistent and reliable on Guyana’s tourism calendar of events.

Today, five years on, Nereid’s International Yacht Rally, as the event is called, is on its fourth voyage here; and according to Kit, it’s been a particularly successful year for them, as this time around the flotilla is made up of 15 vessels, with just two repeaters from last year.

Kit told media operatives on Friday that during their 10-day stay here, the visitors were treated to a fun-filled programme of activities, whereby they were taken on a guided tour of Georgetown and the Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls, among other places of interest. They were also hosted by Mr. Gordon Bradford, Chairman of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) while on a tour of Bartica, where, besides being taken to see the Marshall Falls and a walk through the jungle to get to two smaller falls, they were treated to a ‘Reggae-on-the-River’ concert, featuring the local group ‘First Born’.

According to first-timers Damien El Lucile and his wife, they will certainly be returning next year, in spite of encountering bad weather on their way over from France.

Another couple, Urs and Christine from Switzerland, said that despite the journey being very challenging for them, it was well worth the while in the end.

As for tour organiser Matelicani, it’s been a difficult sail this year; probably the toughest he’s ever encountered coming to Guyana. For starters, he said, they’ve had to endure very strong winds, squall-type weather conditions, and lots of rain, which accounted for many of his fellow yachters being “a little tired” on arrival.

Yachters this year came mainly from Canada, Switzerland, France and Sweden; but, for the first time, quite a few also came from Germany.