The achievement of the six young girls in completing the circumnavigation of the globe on a sailboat the INSV Tarini built right here in Goa is significant for several reasons.
Undertaken with the aim of spreading the message of women’s empowerment, as well as draw attention to the work of the Navy, the voyage titled Navika Sagar Parikrama was flagged off on September 10 last year.
Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini (INSV Tarini) entered Goa harbour and came alongside the INS Mandovi jetty on completion of a historic global circumnavigation voyage on 21 May 2018 making it the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. The vessel was skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprised Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.
The circumnavigation of the globe and taking on the high seas is no mean feat and one which can even be equated with scaling some of the world’s highest peaks. No doubt with today’s sailing and communication technology, it is easy to foresee bad weather and attempt to sail around it, but it’s not always possible. At their worst, the high seas can snuff you and your tiny little boat in an instant.
The crew and the vessel encountered rough seas on numerous occasions during the voyage. The extremely cold climate coupled with stormy weather conditions especially in the Southern Ocean made the task of circumnavigating the globe highly daunting and challenging. The vessel also witnessed winds in excess of 60 knots and waves up to 7 meters high, whilst crossing the Pacific Ocean.
The patience required to negotiate the doldrums is a tale of its own. That the women were able to do it in a short period of eight months which presumably included several days together of staring at the empty water, must be celebrated.
That the vessel chose to embark from and return to Goa and a boat built in Goa was the chosen vessel to take on the high seas, should be a matter of pride for all Goans and more than that for all Indians.
Goans have been seafarers for centuries now. Even before the days of the Portuguese, Goa’s ports have been a significant point of trade between the region and the rest of the world, which is what drew the Portuguese in the first place.
Since then right through the days of the British steamships and to modern-day shipping Goans have held a significant number of posts as sailors, captains, first officers and other sailing staff on board ships.
But when it comes to joining the Indian Navy, Goans have been reluctant. One hopes that the achievement of these young women will be an inspiration to both young men and women that a career in the armed forces isn’t only about coming face to face with the enemy but keeping the nation’s flag flying high through various such expeditions.
