How it all Began

Wade and his wife Diane had been wanting to travel from South East Asia to the Mediterranean since 2015. At that time, they started to weigh up the risks of piracy in the region and followed it closely right up to their departure from Kochi, India, in 2019.

In their collective opinion, there had not been a pirate attack against a yacht since 2011, although there were some close calls – when a few individuals have defied logic and recommendations, sailing too close to the coastal waters of Yemen, for example.

With various resources at their fingertips Wade and Diane decided it was safe passage for them to undertake and so they contacted fellow cruiser Bob Bechler, who they knew was planning a similar endeavour, and thus began the relationship with the Facebook Group RED SEA PASSAGE.

Red Sea Passage Group Development and Growth

The group was started by Bob Bechler in 2017 in response to an increasing need for information sharing among vessels interested in making a passage of the Red Sea. These passages could be East to West (typically Thailand or Malaysia to the Med), or North to South (typically the Med to SE Asia or East Africa).

It is a closed group (which means you have to be invited to join) and private (which means it is not discoverable) group and has grown to just over 700 members. Discussions that arise are not shared with other Facebook groups – respecting the privacy of the group’s members. It is a very slow growth group, and contains few, if any, lurkers.

In the spring of 2018, Bob asked Wade to co-administer the group and subsequently handed over the Administration of the group to Wade in 2019, when he departed on his own Red Sea Passage. Wade has been the primary Administrator ever since.

Privacy is Paramount

Wade is adamant about the privacy issues and screens applicants before joining which is sometimes not popular with prospective members. People have become suspicious of social media and some are loathe to use their real name with an account. However, this concern for privacy has to be balanced against the existing members’ desire for truth and disdain for rumours. This is a “business only” group, where members are free to post what they wish, as long as it promotes the interests of the group. Membership is limited to cruisers that intend to make the passage, cruisers that are undergoing the passage, cruisers who have completed the passage and a very small number of shore side agents and support personnel. 

Wade normally receives emails every day requesting membership and after emailing each and everyone back with a cover letter and introductory information –  little more than 50 percent actually join. Some people are reluctant to use Facebook, while others try to join with a phoney name, which is contrary to the interests of the group.

A significant portion of the Admin work involves Wade updating the “passage maker” spreadsheet several times a week and maintaining pertinent information in the files section of the page. The spreadsheet is shared on the group page and updated frequently.

Other Resources within the Group

There are some beautiful and safe anchorages in the Red Sea area, but unfortunately the charts are more than a hundred years out of date and guide books are decades out of print. Seeing a shortfall for detailed charts, James Cole a fellow cruiser and member, spent months making detailed KAP files for members use starting in 2019 and Wade helped members to access this resource, promoting safe navigation.  

Wade believes the threat of hitting a reef is much more likely than a piracy attack. Despite this effort, there are still people that try to make this passage without the benefit of membership in the group, and knowledge of these charts. Recently, there is at least one yacht per year hung up on a reef because they were navigating in poor light conditions using a mobile phone with poor charts. Although this strategy can work in some places in the Med or the Caribbean, it definitely won’t work in the Red Sea where there are no outside resources to help.

Wade estimates that 60-80 yachts per year make the passage, probably a little more than half actually belong to the group. Many of those who belong to the group post current information about clearances and issues – to the benefit of those that follow. Once they have joined, members are encouraged to peruse the posts and comments from the past year in order to increase their knowledge of the area. Once they have made the passage, members are also encouraged to stay in the group to help the next ones.

Wade is truly dedicated to the group and the safety of vessels who endeavour to sail this route. He has been contacted several times by UKMTO to provide information or advice, when a yacht has encountered difficulty. 

Building SV Joana

As a young man Wade had a dream to sail. He and his best friend (Roger) who owned an O-Day 21 did some day sailing on the small lakes of northern Ontario, Canada. Within a short time they needed a greater adventure so they tried charter cruising in Abacos, Bahamas. With a taste of real tropical weather sailing, Wade wanted to someday have his own boat. Over the next 15 years he developed a plan and went to many boat shows around the world.  He quickly realised that to get the boat he wanted he would need to build his own – so he did!

In the fall of 1991 he bought detailed plans from Bruce Roberts in the United Kingdom and in 1992 started to build in Canada.  Working consistently 22 hours of work per week over a 10 year period – in the fall of 2002 he finally declared SV Joana complete and began to test sail and refine systems. As most cruisers are aware, a boat will never be completed, every year improvements are made and every year the next round of improvements are discussed.

Wade retired from the Canadian military in April 2009 after 26 years of service and he and Diane moved aboard SV Joana soon after. In May 2009 they departed from Kingston, Ontario Canada to start their grand adventure of a slow circumnavigation of the world.

To date, they have been to 40 plus countries over the past 13 years and are now berthed in Alanya Turkey, well positioned to visit family, friends and historic sights in the Mediterranean area. They arrived in Turkey on July 1, 2020 because of the COVID-19  pandemic and because it was the only country that would take them after they exited the Suez Canal.

With the challenges of the Schengen agreement restrictions, Turkiye (Turkey) has become their temporary home, allowing them to easily travel to Greece and fly within Europe to visit family in Austria and the Netherlands.

Wade’s wife Diane explained that Turkey was unique in that they are able to get temporary residency with very little difficulty where they are safe, secure and part of a community. “In our 13 years of cruising, it is probably the easiest country we have encountered with respect to Immigration,” she says.

Feedback from cruisers that Wade has helped over the years can be read below.

Paul and Andy “Talulah Ruby 111”

Pam Sellix

“Wade was a life saver for us while we on passage. I asked many questions, he responded promptly and reassured me we were OK. At times it felt I was asking too many unnecessary questions but Wade reassured me of the old adage, “the only unnecessary question is the one not asked.”

Barbara Joyce Cole

“Thank you Wade for administering this very valuable information and support resource.”

Marianna Baldo

“Thank you Wade and all of you for keeping this group a good one.”

Liz Coleman

“Wade and Diane, keep up the good work, your efforts are greatly appreciated.”

Anita Farine

“You are doing a great job, thank you.”

Andre Ruegg

‘Thanks for all your great work in informing all the cruisers.”

Not only has Wade assisted a great many cruisers, but he also works hard to encourage and aid the marine companies and individuals that work with cruising boats in the Indian Ocean/Red Sea. One such person was Nazer Muhammed Ali, who helped a great many cruisers as they passed through Cochin, India and viewed the cruising community as his family. Sadly, he died last month so Wade started up a crowdfunding campaign to give Nazer’s western friends an opportunity to come together and help his widow and children.

Tell us who you think should be recognised for their services to cruisers and we’ll feature them in our “Cruising Legends” series [email [email protected]].

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Related Reports:

• Travelling North and South through the Red Sea by SV Joana (Noonsite June 2021)
  
• Red Sea:  Passage Report on a Successful Trip from SV Joana (Noonsite July 2020)
  
• SV Joana’s Refit Experiences in North Island NZ (November 2015 to September 2016)
  
• More reports by SV Joana on Noonsite
  

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Related Links:

• SV Joana Blog
  
• Red Sea Passage Facebook Group
  

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.