Missions for Boa Esperança

The caravel on her own is nothing new – but she continues to charm as if she really did come from the mists and romance of those heady days of Discovery.

José Gravata recalls a a typical story: in 2009 a reporting team from China’s second largest TV channel was visiting the Algarve, and by chance the Boa Esperança was about to set sail for Sagres with some students on board.

Enthusiasm among the Chinese was such that “they asked me if they could come along”. That day they apparently had “other historic sites” to film but they “changed their plans and came with us, against the wishes of the person in charge of their itinerary”.

Three days later, the “chargé d’affaires at the Chinese embassy got in touch with me to say that 80 million people had seen the film made during the voyage, and that the programme had been a definite success!”

Born in Faro, José António Gravata has always been in love with boats and the sea. He began working on the caravel as a pilot, in 2004. Before that, he’d been used to navigating a 10-metre yacht (Boa Esperança is 24-metres). Nevertheless, on his third voyage the then commander (and always very occupied director of the port of Lisbon) José Castro Centeno, suggested that Gravata take over his job.

“It’s a huge responsibility – both in navigational terms in these modern times, and for the fact that the boat works with a voluntary team. They are people who love her and are available, but they’re not professionals.

On a long trip it’s very difficult to find the right people – the sort that I know will keep the boat safe in bad weather or difficulties; people available for a long period of time. You need a lot of commitment from the people you choose”, he explains. And the minimum number of crew required is 17.

“The caravel has triangular sails – and from the moment they’re opened, we have to let them in, out, bring them up and down. It’s all arm-work. The largest sail has eight cables on each side and the smallest one has four”.

Just to give an idea, releasing the Boa Esperança from her moorings is a very difficult job, and has to be done calmly. “As the auxiliary engine of 187 hp is very weak, we need to take advantage of the wind and the current when we leave any quayside. Just for this kind of manoeuvre we need a lot of people with at least the minimum knowledge or experience to handle all the lines.

Intriguingly, “we’ve worked more with retired people as these are the most available. It’s difficult for youngsters as they’ve always got their studies” or professional life to juggle with.

Where the hold was in the old days there’s now a saloon with 22 bunks, 3 washrooms and a kitchen with freezer capacity. The caravel can stay 5-6 days at sea without needing to restock with food, fuel or water.

And the commander has his own cabin. There’s also a 4-bunk compartment for when there are females on board.

But “none of them have ever wanted to use it”! “Having the opposite sex on board is always very good because it requires a different kind of discipline. The rest of the crew are quieter and behave better”. And “the sailing’s more fun”, guarantees Gravata…

Boa Esperança was constructed by APORVELA (the Portuguese association for sailing training). Her first taste of the sea came on 28th April 1990, and she was acquired eleven years later on 16th June 2001 by “Turismo do Algarve”.

Today, with the crisis, “everyone is trying to minimise costs - and the caravel has her costs, just like any other work of art/ monument or church that needs to be maintained” and kept in good condition. And to this end two members of the crew dedicate themselves to round-the-clock maintenance.

“Everyday there’s work to do. It’s extremely expensive to maintain a boat made of 140 tons of wood. Every year she has to go into dry dock to be painted – and her wood needs to be re-treated”.

Is it worth it? “Well, of course I think it is,” answers Gravata. “She’s a huge attraction wherever she goes. And we’ve had experiences, like for example in Saint Tropez, in France, where we met people who didn’t even know Portugal existed!” Even when she’s sailing, the caravel causes other craft to execute alarming manoeuvres just to get a closer look at her.

“She’s already navigated the Atlantic ocean; participated in important regattas… she was even present at the Golden Jubilee for the Queen of England”, he adds.

She’s also had her share of celluloid glory, “used for background in a number of films”. When she went to Cannes Film Festival in 2008, for instance, she was the centre of attention – even among all the gleaming millionaire yachts. “Everyone”, from actors to production teams, went on board. “I think we were a very good ambassador for Portugal.”

So what of the future? In 2012 “we have a project with a French film producer that will involve visiting 19 Mediterranean ports. It’ll be for a documentary on the traditions of the different countries visited, and their music”.

The itinerary will also include a new trip to Cannes, between 8th and 17th May. Boa Esperança will leave Lisbon and then make for Gibraltar, Alicante, Marseilles and finally arrive in Cannes on 7th May.

She will then go on to Corsica, Sardinia, enter the Adriatic and sail up to Venice, before making for three further ports – Constanta in Bulgaria, the Danube Delta in Romania and Odessa in the Ukraine.

The whole trip will take 4-5 months, there and back. A huge challenge? “Absolutely, and we hope it won’t be the last”…