There's good news for Mumbai's sea lovers. Now, without burning a hole in your pocket, you can rent a boat and enjoy a relaxed sailing trip for nearly two hours. The trip went aboard one such sail boat for a ringside view of the city's stunning coastline
There's good news for Mumbai's sea lovers. Now, without burning a hole in your pocket, you can rent a boat and enjoy a relaxed sailing trip for nearly two hours. The trip went aboard one such sail boat for a ringside view of the city's stunning coastlineIn today's resource-sapped times, how does one find a way amidst the bustle and din to spend a relaxing (and well-deserved) evening without the guilt of extracting from our city?
There are only 15-20 Sea-Bird sailboats in operation across the world!
Breakfree Journeys found a solution to soothe our environmentally friendly conscience -- a sailing trip that takes you into the vast blue expanse of the Arabian Sea. No engine, no power, except for wind power. Seating up to four people, it's perfect for a little quality family time or even a romantic evening with your partner.
3:40 pm The tolerant taxi
Since the city is yet to build a marina for boats to park around it, we fumbled and slid down the slipway (there's a reason for it's name) and onto the taxi to reach the boat. We took in the crowded boats and braced ourselves for some much-needed adventure. Sagar Kudale, our captain, was gushing with enthusiasm and ready to tell us all sorts of things even before we got to the boat!
3:45 pm The purple Pelican
It took us five minutes to reach our destination. Kudale's handcrafted masterpiece (a Sea-Bird Class sailboat, The Pelican) is hard to miss thanks to its shocking purple colour. The colour was quite the butt of the sailing community's jokes, we were told. We stayed out of the way as the sails went up, which when it did, was quite
a sight.
3:51 pm Cast-off!
A few seagulls bid us goodbye gliding as peacefully with the wind as the boat did in the water. It became evident within the first few minutes that this was going to be a peaceful journey. The wind was light and the waves were calm, but we were told that the sea tends to be unpredictable.
3:55 pm Dolphin Lighthouse
Within minutes of casting off we witnessed our first spectacle. The Dolphin Lighthouse is one of the oldest structures in Mumbai that is still around. Though no longer in operation, it serves as a beacon to mark the reef around this area.
4:12 pm Prong in its prime
It appeared almost out of nowhere, leaving us wondering how we could have missed it all this time. Prong's Lighthouse marks the entrance into Mumbai's harbour and the exit into the vast open seas. If you're lucky enough to go on a windier day you'll be taken right past it, out into the vast expanse of blue!
4:18 pm Meeting the MET!
Peering out into the wondrous Mumbai skyline we spotted a white spherical shaped dome on top of a building. It belonged to the MET department, which warns sailors out at sea of unexpected storms.
4:28 pm Sunk Rock Lighthouse
Yes, there are a lot of lighthouses out there we didn't know about either! Resembling a thermos flask in all its red-and-yellow glory, it was quite a spectacular sight to see it peeping out of the sea.
4:35 pm Glimpse of the tip
One of our personal favourites had to be the wonderful sight of the southernmost tip of Mumbai! Inaccessible from land it was exciting to witness a sight that was possible only from the enviable position we were in.
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4:39 pm About turn
We swung around (literally) near the Sunk Rock Lighthouse. Kudale and his assistant Nagesh tacked the sails round the other side while we ducked, praying for dear life that we wouldn't get knocked right off the boat.
4:45 pm Break free
Post the about-turn, we rolled up our sleeves and our jeans and jumped right out onto the deck of the ship dipping our feet in the water as we glided along (only possible because this boat is built so close to the water). Most of the sights having been seen, this was the most spectacular part of the whole journey -- the "Break Free" moment. Even the captain took a break andu00a0 assistant from steering us through the high seas.
5:00 pm Land ahoy
As we scrambled off the taxi and back on to the slipway there was only one thought on all our minds -- Was that really Mumbai we just experienced?
When & Where Every evening 5.30 pm onwards at Gateway of India
Cost Weekdays: Rs 1,800 for the entire boat, with seating up to 4;
Weekends: Rs 2,400
Call Rushikesh Kulkarni on 9820023362
Email breakfreejourneys@gmail.comWinter visitors
The seagulls that dot Mumbai's waters in winter migrate from Australia to enjoy our warmer climate.
Did you know?"Tacked" means changing the direction of the sail so that it swings to the opposite side, entirely.u00a0u00a0
Gone in 12 secondsProng's Lighthouse flashes it's light once every 12 seconds.
Look out for...' A sailboat race in progress
'Ashena featured as one of the top 10 luxury boats in the entire world; this Singhania baby is made of 100% pure teak wood
' Apart from seagulls, catch a spectacular view of Ospreys and Albatrosses
' Dolphins, spotted 4-5 times a season (feeding on the reef beside Oyster Rock Island mostly) is the true catch of the sailing season!
What to carry' At least a litre of bottled water per head
' Sun protection (Hats/sunglasses/sun block if your skin is very sensitive
' Non-slip footwear
' Camera
' Binoculars
