The Indian Navy’s ocean-going sail boat Mhadei with an all-women crew, entered Cape Town Harbour after a grueling voyage which started from Goa in early November 2016.
The boat shall be participating in the “Cape to Rio 2017” race held by the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC), Cape Town.
The six lady officers’ onboard Mhadei skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi have been handpicked by the Indian Navy and groomed for this challenge. They are being trained in the various aspects of Ocean Sailing at the newly set up Ocean Sailing Node at Goa headed by Capt Atool Sinha, an Asian Games Silver medalist who will also skipper the boat from Cape Town to Rio at the Cape to Rio Race 2017.
Mhadei, a Bermudian Sloop, has been the crucible of India Navy’s ocean sailing aspirations including circumnavigation. Circumnavigation is a unique feat in Ocean Sailing wherein a boat sails atleast 21,600 nautical miles crossing the equator, every meridian and finishes in the same port as it starts.
The boat, custom built in Goa, derives her name from a deity revered by sea farers. Since her commissioning in 2009, Mhadei has logged over 105,000 nautical miles of Ocean Sailing, most of which has been through the remotest parts of the planet. She has crossed the Equator Thirteen times, Prime Meridian Six times and the International Date Line twice.