Cape Town, March 02, 2018 – The Indian Navy’s second ocean going sailboat
INSV Tarini, embarked on the first Indian all-women circumnavigation of the
globe on 10th September 2017 from Goa, India, flagged by Mrs. Nirmala
Sitharaman, India’s Defence Minister. In its circumnavigation, the boat has
visited Freemantle, Australia; Lyttelton, New Zealand and Port Stanley,
Falklands, and arrived in Cape Town for the final port call today, 2nd March
2018.
For a sail boat’s voyage to qualify as circumnavigation, the voyage
has to start and finish at the same port; cover a distance of at least
21,600 nautical miles; keep south of the three great capes of the Southern
Hemisphere; cross all longitudes in the same direction; cross the equator
twice; not use any canals and certainly not use the engine for propulsion.
These are the exacting standards under which the crew of INSV Tarini is
currently sailing to be the first Indian women to have completed
circumnavigation.
Upon arrival at Yacht Marina in Cape Town today, INSV Tarini and the
crew members were received by Hon’ble Patricia de Lille, Executive Mayor of
Cape Town and Rear Admiral (JG) E. M. Masanabo, SA Navy from the South
African side and Mrs. Ruchira Kamboj, High Commissioner of India to South
Africa, Mr. Abhishek Shukla, Consul General of India in Cape Town and
Captain Manjit M. Thomas, Defence Adviser, High Commission of India,
Pretoria from the Indian side. Capetonians, including members of Indian
diaspora also turned up in large numbers. So did students of St. Paul’s
Primary School, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, who extended a warm welcome to
the crew members of INSV Tarini.
The day of arrival of INSV Tarini in Cape Town also coincided with the
festival of Holi which is being celebrated the world over today. Holi, the
festival of colours signifies the victory of good over evil and this
auspicious coincidence truly marked the accomplishment of the crew members
and their tremendous grit, determination and perseverance. The festival was
celebrated with crew members of INSV Tarini with a splash of colours and
dash of drums.
INSV Tarini will berth in Cape Town till 14th March. During their stay
in Cape Town, the crew members will have several engagements including
formal calls on local leadership, media interaction, receptions, interaction
with students in University of Western Cape. It will also include the
inauguration of a photo exhibition. This will display images from the
voyage and will be open to the public from the afternoon of 5th March 2018
at the Royal Cape Yacht Club.
