Active holidays for true romantics
The glossy hull of a motor yacht, shimmering with a cool, matt sheen; a glass of calvados; a languid, curvaceous blonde sunbathing.
‘O-o-ops, I’m b-b-bored…’, she says, pouting her silicone-enhanced lips capriciously.
If this is your dream of the perfect holiday, then you needn’t read any further. I’m writing for those who’ve grown tired of the same old seaside holidays: five-star, luxury, exclusive — any standard pastime for lazy lovers of their own flesh. Today’s story is for romantics who are still boys at heart and mischievous girls yearning for maritime adventures. I’m writing for those who dream of the wind and the sea, of salty spray on their faces and a tamed sail in their hands. This article is for connoisseurs of the eternal and the authentic, for lovers of life!
A racing yacht, a sea-going speedster! There are no smart computers here to let the owner relax on deck under the scorching sun; here, you have to catch the wind yourself with a wayward sail that slips from your grasp. It is impossible to sail this boat alone: the vessel races forward, obeying only the commands of a close-knit crew, where every sailor is focused on the ultimate goal – victory!
Yes, yachting is a team sport. Four or five people on board manoeuvre the two sails and the helm. Jib, leech, staysail… — these terms only seem incomprehensible at first glance, just as the art of sailing as a whole may seem unfathomable. All that is required of an aspiring sea dog is determination and a willingness to experience the indescribable feeling of freedom, of flying over the smooth surface of the sea.
Just one or two sessions are enough to take part in your first ever regatta under the command of an experienced skipper. Of course, high-quality service is essential for successful training sessions, exciting competitions and safe sailing. As well as fully equipped yachts, you need instructors and team captains; you need to plot a course, provide boats for the judges and organise the work of the lifeguards. And where better to find such services than in Cyprus – an ancient centre of seafaring, at the crossroads of trade and transport routes since prehistoric times?
Paphos is the ancient capital of Cyprus. The old harbour, still in use today, is the heart of the city and its undisputed jewel. The stone fortress still stands guard. It is easy to imagine valiant warriors defending peaceful fishing boats from pirates of all kinds, armed to the teeth. It is here that the racing yacht fleet of our partner, the Moscow International Yacht Club ‘Spartak’, is based.
Clients have access to modern racing yachts and a full range of services for organising all kinds of regattas.
Boats can be hired for various durations, even for just one day. Athletes also have access to professional skippers, a team of judges on motorboats, and everything needed to organise a regatta. If you are planning to visit Cyprus as a tourist, the team will take care of arranging comfortable hotel accommodation, transfers and organising ‘turnkey’ sailing events.
Cyprus – an island surrounded on all sides by the gentle Mediterranean Sea – is ideal for yachting. You can sail here all year round. Whether in winter or summer, this ever-changing yet always beautiful sea will warmly welcome adventure seekers, making your holiday in Cyprus unforgettable.
To avoid wasting precious time during your stay at a Mediterranean resort, you can complete the introductory training programme in Moscow. The Spartak Moscow International Yacht Club offers a unique introductory course: a theory course and several practical sessions on the Klyazma River. Here, in the calm surroundings of a full-flowing river, you’ll acquire your first sailing skills, which you’ll then put into practice amidst the untamed waves of the Mediterranean Sea!
It’s all over: the referee’s final whistle, the snow-white yachts and colourful sails, the sound of the wind and the roar of the waves, the desperate struggle and the victory. Yes, in sea regattas everyone is a winner; they triumph over themselves, overcoming laziness and the desire for comfort, forcing themselves to undertake rewarding labour in order to conquer the sea — the greatest of the elements! And as you pull off your damp windcheater, why not treat yourself to a well-deserved glass of calvados, gazing into the eyes of the woman you love, who has silently supported you through life’s most difficult times and is by your side in this joyful moment of triumph. Together you ‘chose’ the sails, together you battled the wind, and now, as your lips touch her salty, weather-beaten lips, you listen to the beating of your hearts, counting down the happy seconds of REAL life…
Website of the Moscow International Yacht Club “Spartak”
