Boat International – September 2019

GUINEA-BISSAU

SituatedbetweenSenegalandGuineainWest

Africa,theislandsofGuinea-Bissauofferstunning

beachesandforest,butthemainattractionis

“tribalexperiences”,saysNickDaviesofCookson.

Issueswithmigrantsandpiracyhavebeen

reported,andbureaucracyisabarrier.“Yachtscan

gothroughtherewiththerightplanning,”hesays.

ERITREA

Eritrea’sRedSeacoastlineofferspristinediving

anddesertedwhite-sandbeaches.Pelorushas

scopedoutthecountry’shighlights,whichinclude

nightdivingwithturtlesintheDahlakArchipelago,

atribalexperiencewiththelocalAfarfishermen,

whostillgetaboutusingtraditionalsambukboats,

plushotsprings,cavepaintingsandgreathiking.

ONTHERADAR(CONTINUED):

SOUTH AMERICA’S

NORTH COAST

Longassociatedwithdrug-fuelledcrimeand

isolatedincidentsofpiracy,thecoastfrom

Venezuelato Panamaisnow a viable

proposition,accordingtoNickDaviesof

Cookson.HeparticularlyfavoursColombia,

whichofferslushAmazonianrainforest,

greatcoffeeandprehistoricruins.“Thedays

ofFARCandcivilwararelonggone,andnow

thecountryisopeninguptomainstream

tourism,”hesays.“Yachtsarestartingtogo

toCartagenaandyoucancombineatrip

downtherewithPanama’sSanBlasIslands,

ortheCornIslandsofNicaragua.”

Asever,thekeyisintheplanningand

workingwithknowledgeablelocals.“You

needexpeditionteamswithlocalguidesand

therightcontactstogetpermitsandgetoff

theboatandexplore,”hesays.“Thewaters

herearen’tthattrickyforlocalpilots.”

Gabonhasbeen

labelled“theland

ofthesurfing

hippos”byNational

Geographic

magazine

09 2019 boatinternational.com