–with over 12 yachts for Bartica rally

SOME 12 or more cruise yachts will begin arriving in Guyana’s Essequibo River, sailing south from Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and up Guyana’s coastline from Saint Laurent du Maroni in French Guiana for the 5th International Nereids Rally.

The cruisers, originating from the USA, Canada and Europe, are expected to begin clearing Customs and Immigration on Friday at Bartica and drop anchors to spend the next 10 days offshore from the Hurakabra River Resort in the Essequibo River.
The visitors will be treated to an official luncheon welcome by Minister of Business with responsibility for Tourism, Dominic Gaskin, on Thursday.

According to a release from the organisers, Bartica’s Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, will at some point treat the visitors to a day tour of Bartica and the Baracara Falls.
The visit to Bartica will also feature a taste of Guyana’s Indigenous culture in recognition of Amerindian Heritage Month.
During their stay in Guyana, the visiting yachtsmen and women will be given the opportunity to visit Guyana’s Kaieteur Falls and other hinterland tourism attractions, and spend a day in the capital, Georgetown.

The Hurakabra River Resort will be organising three day trips to the Essequibo River, the first of which is slated for this coming Sunday.
The others are set for next Saturday and Sunday, and will be held at the resort during the rally, and include a visit to Fort Island and the Dutch Heritage Museum and lunch and games.
The exciting day tours offer a great opportunity for a guided tour of one of the yachts at anchor.

The Nereids Rally was born as an idea of Italian sailor, David Matelicani, who had retired from business in Australia. In sailing up the Essequibo River in 2011, he met with Kit Nascimento, joint owner of Hurakabra River Resort with his wife Gem, who, over many years, has been actively involved in working with the government to promote Guyana as a hurricane-free international yachting destination.

Matelicani, who had already started a Marina in Saint Laurent, French Guiana, immediately saw the potential for developing a Marina in the Essequibo River.
Guyana was first featured in the Doyle Cruising Guide, the bible for cruising yachts in the Caribbean, in 2006, as an attractive yachting destination.
In the meantime, Matelicani, with the full support of the Ministry of Tourism in Guyana and the Mayor of Saint Laurent, launched the first rally, sailing from Trinidad & Tobago in September 2013.

Today, the rallies have successfully grown each year to become a feature on Guyana’s tourism calendar.
The rally will depart Guyana on Friday, September 22, for its final destination, via Suriname, at Saint Laurent on the Maroni River in French Guiana for an elaborate welcome by the Mayor of the town, complete with a Trinidad & Tobago steel band.

An Inter-Agency Rally Organising Committee was established under the Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh.