She sailed into our lives in April 2018, and has been leading us quite the dance, ever since. From October 2018, we spent the next six months getting her set with sails and halyards; fittings, paint and polish; and all the many documents and approvals required for India’s first sailboat to be registered for blue ocean sailing with guests.
It was hard work, but it helped familiarise ourselves with every curve and fitting on Antara. Dilip, India’s first solo circumnavigator, was earlier involved in the construction of Mhadei, Tarini and Thuriya. I cut my teeth on Antara.
Why Antara? Dilip’s first baby was Mhadei. The two of them did India’s first solo circumnavigation together. Naturally then, if Mhadei was his mukhda (the first verse in Indian classical music) then this is his Antara (the next verse).
Well aware that there is no sailing between June and September, we chose to go ahead and launch Antara in April 2019. She was ready to sail and frankly so were we.
The weather gods, with Murphy in the lead, had other plans. We had 3 cyclones in the last monsoons; probably the first such trio in as many decades. The first caught us amidship and forced us to scuttle upriver for shelter. Better prepared for the other two, we hunkered down in Bombay harbour and rode those out. Dilip, though an old salt, insists these are the stuff of his nightmares today.
Having spent itself, the weather then lent a helping hand to make for several pleasurable sails with family, friends and guests, who are now friends. Antara’s tribe grew manifold in just one season as we took every opportunity to have her out on the water. We sailed the coastline between Goa and Bombay, making several trips up and down and even some stopovers in Murud, Ratnagiri, Devgad, Bhogwe and Netrani. Look up my blog and Facebook for more about these trips.
Between October 2019 and March 2020, we must have sailed about 4,000 nm.
The Covid19 outbreak brought our sorties to an abrupt halt in March. In May, we took off the mast and put Antara into hibernation, for the monsoon, at the Aquarius Shipyard in Divar.
She will stay there till September. We will use the time to plan for the post pandemic world.
Till then, look out for updates about us, her and our sail plans; about adventure travel in India and the opportunity to sail with us on Antara come September 2020.
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I was awestruck reading Dilip Dhonde Sir's circumnavigational voyage! Being fascinated by the sea, I'm looking forward to a small sea voyage with you this year.
Nice to read your newsletter. Refreshing just to read anything other than Covid 19. Hopefully post pandemic Antara will be back sailing and we get to read more about your adventures.