First it was a cruise ship, now a flotilla of four pleasure yachts will be sailing up the Essequibo River on Thursday morning.

Public Communications Consultants Ltd (PCCL), managed by Kit Nascimento, is spearheading the drive to get the yachts in Guyana. At a media conference yesterday he said the event could pave the way for more pleasure yachts coming to Guyana, giving a boost to the tourism sector.

Nascimento said the event has been dubbed "Adventure Sail" and would last for some 18 days.

The yachts are scheduled to drop anchor in the Essequibo at nightfall tomorrow and arrive at the Baganara Island Resort on Friday.

Nascimento said the venture faces many challenges including the Coast Guard's assistance in navigating sandbanks in the channel leading to the Essequibo. Nascimento said for future expeditions of this kind buoys and other guides would be needed.

Evergreen Tours, owners of Baganara, will be absorbing the shipping agency fee of US$200, with the four vessels actually paying US$16 each, the current rate at ports across the region. This is because Guyana's customs regulations do not provide for the clearance of pleasure yachts, something that needs to be changed through legislation.