After 27 consecutive days at sea, yacht Phoenicia arrived on Sunday 29 August in the safe waters of Gibraltar’s Ocean Village marina for some well-earned R n R. The 21 metre vessel, a traditionally built replica of a 600BC Phoenician cargo ship, is currently recreating the epic first circumnavigation of Africa achieved some 2,600 years ago.
Captained by experienced mariner, Philip Beale, alongside a crew of ten, Sailing yacht Phoenicia had just completed the stage between the Azores and Gibraltar, a stage that was at times stormy and tricky to manoevure between continuous shipping traffic.
This is just one part of a voyage that began in Syria in August 2008. Phoenicia sailing yacht then sailed through the Suez Canal before reaching the Republic of Yemen at the foot of the Red Sea in January 2009. Phase two began in August 2009 when she was launched once more to continue around the Horn of Africa, down the east coast, passing through the challenging Cape of Good Hope and back up the west coast en route to the Straits of Gibraltar.
After little over a week in Ocean Village marina (Phoenicia’s crew are relishing the opportunity to drink British pints and conduct a good stocking-up in Morrison’s)Sailing Yacht Phoenicia will cross the Mediterranean before returning to Syria once more. And the end of the circumnavigation Phoenicia will have clocked up 17,000 miles.
Ocean Village has enjoyed hosting Phoenicia yacht and her team for several days and she has provided quite a photo opportunity for Gibraltar’s residents. Phoenicia has also been filmed by the BBC for their series Ancient Worlds broadcast on BBC2 in November and worldwide from next year.
