At the end of two and two years in which no tourists in yachts entered the Shavit anchorage, the maritime border was opened to tourists for the first time. Shavit anchorage is the pioneer as a maritime gateway for tourists.
A couple of nice tourists from the Netherlands, Harald and Anika arrived from Marina St. Raphael in Limassol, Cyprus to Haifa. It is a dream of many years that has matured in the last five months, to reach Israel. The couple's inquiries and requests throughout the entire period were not possible due to restrictions by the Ministry of Health on the entry of tourists.
Corona test arrangements
For those arriving by air, there is a simple solution of corona tests at the airport by a company that won the Ministry of Health tender. There was no option for those arriving by sea, and the limitation of inspection before going ashore remained a barrier to arrival, including for sailors arriving by merchant ships.
An effort and departure from the norm, by the manager of Maagan Shavit, Mr. Roni Zissou, brought the solution: a private laboratory will come to the ship and perform the test for a relatively inexpensive price of 175 dollars, and upon receiving the results, it will be possible to go down to the beach, or stay on the ship.
After Roni's negotiation with the company, the price was cut almost in half, the laboratory arrived on a ship named India, tested the couple and after a few hours, passed the negative result on to Roni. The latter allowed the Dutch to leave the cute Alan 34 foot ship and explore the areas of Haifa.
supporting community
Members of the Carmel boating community as neighbors at the mooring place, guides, recommends and even helps a couple who intends to stay in Haifa for several weeks. Thinking outside the box and providing creative solutions opened the maritime border that had been closed for the past 26 months.
We all hope that this swallow will announce the return of a ship clerk with tourists to the Shavit anchorage in Haifa and perhaps even expand the canvas to the famous EMYR fleets that visited the shores of our country with a hundred ships for the regatta. The sea is a bridge and an opening to the world, let's keep it clean, give it the respect it deserves and it will only return us with good.
Welcome to the State of Israel. The State of the Noble Jewish People.
Do not live in illusions, tourists will not come to Haifa!!!
Haifa has nothing to offer tourists,
There is no transportation to and from the anchorage, there is nothing nearby within walking distance,
It is not possible to refuel (only with a little help from other sailors).
as well as food and water to drink.
Yatir's welcoming journey
The residents of Yatir drove en masse towards the anchorage. Some of them were not able to come, due to the shortness of breath from the thick and musty air that comes out of factory chimneys on their way to the anchoring spectacle and the recommendation to stay in the houses and cover the windows. Those who arrived saw among the piles of rusty scrap boats moving in the water, a yacht. A real yacht, not like a toy of the rich in the Dania neighborhood of Yatir. A real yacht, which sailed to the limit! Suddenly, 200 people gathered at the mooring platform. 'Who are you?' said Yusuke, plucking up courage and trying his luck in broken English. 'It seems to me that they are Dutch' said Baruch, the manager of the jigsaw puzzle store, which is also the entertainment district of Yatir that the mayor declared. 'But there is an epidemic, who allowed them to come' cried Ziona, the person responsible for the corona in the Yatir Municipality. She is called to the scene by Giora, the director of the Yatir tourism development association, who has been standing with binoculars toward the sea for two years, waiting to report on tourists. Ziona and Giura asked Yusaka to contact the foreigners and tell them that PCR is required. The Dutch got off the yacht, and from the fear of the plague he felt hundreds of people moved back in panic. 'It's fine, here they are being tested' Yusuke reassured as he poked the Dutch with his nose. Ziona Mahar brought the camera to record the Dutch. mainly the Dutch. Giora also brought a camera, to prove that two years of staring through binoculars paid off very well and Yatir is on the world tourism map. Yoska arranged for the Dutch on the yacht in isolation some rhythmic Hebrew music and Yatir's ridge dance band, was called to wear holiday clothes decorated with colorful embroidery and dance in circles in front of the yacht together with Tovia, the accordion player who sat down on the slightly phosphorescent grass of the mooring tired of all the hustle and bustle and the ceremony and wondered if there was a reception committee in Holland waiting for the second The first residents of Yatir to arrive by yacht at some anchorage there.
Well done. May they enjoy their visit to the Land of Israel