Jeremy Bowling to circumnavigate Sri Lanka for the first time in a sail boat
For many years it had been Jeremy Bowling’s dream to circumnavigate Sri Lanka in his GP14, the two crew sail boat that he races competitively at Ceylon Motor yacht Club (CMYC). Until recently it was an impossible dream and totally unrealistic to pursue, so he bided his time. Jeremy has reawakened his dream as peace reigns in Sri Lanka.
With support and access for the event granted, the SaiLanka adventure was rapidly put into action to beat the arrival of the monsoon & inter monsoon weather for the 1,300 km circumnavigation. Land Rover once approached, agreed to provide land and financial assistance for this ocean going adventure and became the main sponsor of the experience.
“The sport of sailing and the philosophy of Land Rover go hand in Hand, with our shared values of adventure, inner strength and competitive spirit. SaiLanka is a fantastic initiative and provides a perfect platform to deepen Land Rover’s involvement in sailing as well as support the Educate Lanka charity. We are thrilled to be involved,” lamented Sheran Fernando, Managing Director, SML Frontier Automotive.
Jeremy, at the helm, started his sail with one of his core volunteer crew members from the historic post of Galle on the 19th of February. “This is a lifetime dream that I was finally able to go through because of the dawn of peace. It will be the first time anyone will sail around Sri Lanka in a non-motorized beat. We and Land Rover are trying to bring more Sir Lankans into sailing. We also want to use it to encourage tourism in the country and push for major competitions to be held here,” remarked Jeremy.
Jeremy’s venture is entirely non-profit making. He is hoping it will showcase and promote sailing and watersports experience in and around Sri Lanka on a local and international level. He is also encouraging donations to a local charity the Educate Lanka Foundation. This charity strives to empower underprivileged students in Sri Lanka and therefore further advance the potential of this rich and varied serendipitous island of Sri Lanka. Jeremy will make landfall at the end of every day and meet with his Land rover Support team.
The next promotional celebration is in Kalpitiya on the 4th of March. Land Rover will make their war overland to Dutch Bay on their own challenge, whilst Jeremy continues to tackle the voyage by sea. Jeremy will be shadowed by his backup Land Rovers and a motorized boat. The Sri Lankan Navy will be in constant communication and standing by the seaside. The penultimate SaiLanka – Land Rover experience will be in yala towards the end of March.
The final celebration of the adventure will take place in Galle on the 5th of April with a grand finale. Cantaloupe Aqua will host Jeremy and his team to an after party that will include a fashion show by Aji Singh and Arugambay.
Should you wish to find out more about SaiLanka, daily updates, the people and organizations involved and to follow SaiLanka round the island, you can do so through Facebook by looking for ‘Sail Lanka Supported by Land Rover, via the CMYC website ‘cmyc.lk’.
