The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) of Australia has announced its partnering with the 2015 Port2Port Down Under Rally, which will take place during October and November 2015.
Every year around 200 privately owned cruising yachts and catamarans participate in the annual migration of cruising sailors from the west coast of the Americas to French Polynesia and beyond to Australia. These 'nautical nomads' travel over 8000 nautical miles during the eight-month period between February and November.
Come November the majority of the fleet choose to spend their first cyclone season exploring New Zealand. From May onwards the south west Pacific sailing season begins, which sees the fleet depart New Zealand and spend six months exploring Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
It is at the end of this period the fleet needs to decide where their next cyclone season will be spent.
The goal of the 2105 Port2Port Down Under Rally is to emulate the success of the Island Cruising Association All Points Rally and promote Australia to the fleet as the next destination.
A departure party is planned to take place in Noumea New Caledonia on the 23rd October 2015. The vessels will depart soon after (subject to weather) with the goal of arriving in Newcastle no later than the 15th October 2015.
The rally will finish at the all-weather, deep water, working port of Newcastle with essential services such as customs, quarantine and immigration all operating within the port.
The rally organisers, Australians John and Leanne Hembrow, have been actively cruising the pacific for the past seven years. During this time they have visited and spent time in dozens of international ports. John and Leanne believe Newcastle is perfectly suited to host the rally.
The NCYC with its modern, maintained facilities including cyclone-free, affordable berthing, shipyard and maintenance facilities, commercial centre and licensed club will be home to many of the vessels and crews of the rally fleet for the four months
from November 2015 – March 2016.There is also so much on offer in and around Newcastle such as museum’s, art galleries, historical buildings, dining and shopping precincts, ocean baths and pristine beaches all located within easy walking distance of the NCYC.
To celebrate the arrival of the fleet there is a week of social events, including, BBQ`s, a cocktail party as well as tours and sightseeing, which will commence on Sunday 15th November and continue until Sunday 22nd
November.
On arrival each registered participants will receive a NCYC marina voucher entitling the participant with $380.00AUD credit for berthing of their vessel at the NCYC.
