26 June 2016
Fireball Worlds 2016.
Why you must attend, or what you will miss if you don't attend this amazing event. About Mossel Bay Mossel Bay is a charming coastal town on the renowned Garden Route in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A popular coastal holiday destination, Mossel Bay has developed into a town of unhurried hospitality, complementing the natural beauty and rich cultural history of the area. Boasting 300 days of sunshine a year, Mossel Bay is a year round travel destination making it the ideal location for the 2016 Fireball World Championships.
For those of your worried about personal safety this is a safe town where you can walk around the interesting streets in total safety.
For the non sailors in your party there are masses of activities to keep them occupied as this is a holiday town, with museums, beaches, tours and anything you would like to do.
Food and drink of all varieties is close to the yacht club and accommodation. For those thirsty types a pint of beer will set you back 70p at the yacht club and one pound fifty at the five star hotels and upmarket restaurants. Good local wine ranges between two and eight pounds for the highest quality at restaurants and considerably less at the bottle stores.
A meal will range from two pounds for fish and chips at the harbour to 10 pounds in an upmarket restaurant. The yacht club has full catering with prices between 2 and 5 pounds for a meal
The entry fee for the event will include all social events so no extras like those we had to pay in Wales last year.
The containers will be located either in the yacht club or in close proximity to the yacht club.
Sailing Conditions In December, the summer climate and warm seas create perfect sailing conditions. The prevailing wind at this time is South East, which generally builds towards the afternoon peaking at around 15-18 knots. These conditions are ideal for exciting downwind legs sailing with the swell. The swell is rhythmical and you can expect at least 1.5 metre waves. If the South Easter doesn't turn up, then the Westerly will probably dominate, which makes for an interesting upwind leg beating with the swell.
The launching facilities from the protected bay in front of the yacht club are superb, making it easy for boats to launch from the slipway or the neighbouring beach. The Yacht Club has successfully hosted numerous big regattas and they are excited to greet the Fireballers in 2016!
Accommodation To assist you with your travel plans for the 2016 worlds we have put a list of recommended accommodation for you. We have selected a range of accommodation options including local hotels, small B&B's and guest houses as well as a variety of self-catering options.
The Protea Hotel Mossel Bay is the closest hotel to the yacht club and has been exclusively booked out for the duration of the event by the race organisers. It is a leisurely 5 minute walk to the yacht club and costs GBP40 Euro 55 AUD 80 per person
Other hotels range in price between GBP 17 -40 Euro 23- 55 and AUD 35 - 80 and are all within ten minutes drive of the yacht club
For those of you who would prefer self-catering accommodation the Point Village offers large holiday homes that sleep between 6 and 12 people in on suite accommodation with fully equipped kitchens and living areas. These are 3 km from the yacht club, a brisk 40 min walk or 4 minutes by vehicle. Cost per person is approx. GBP 17 Eur 22 and AUD 30
We also recommend BandB accommodation which is of high standard and similarly priced Backpackers type accommodation is approx. GBP 10 Eur 14 AUD 20
For the more adventuresome camping is also available on the beach 5 minutes walk down the beach to the yacht club.
Stunning weekend in Mossel Bay!
Sailing conditions on Saturday were perfect for training with the
wind peaking at 18 knots towards the end of the afternoon. We were enthralled by a medium swell
and tested with some choppy waters. The protected bay made for easy
launching and the mild winters day contributed to a super afternoon
in the bay.
Saturday night we were spoilt to a special evening at a self catering bush villa at Botlierskop. Situated in a game reserve just outside Mossel Bay, we were treated to hippo's grazing on the opposite bank as we arrived. The braai under the full moon and amazing stars surrounded by the sounds of African wildlife rounded off an amazing day!
We are excited to have the opportunity to prepare and be involved in The Fireball Worlds scheduled to be sailed in Mossel Bay, in December 2016! With superb sailing conditions and wonderful experiences such as Botlierskop right on the doorstep, this is an attractive destination for all sailors and their families.
