If you have always wanted to cross the Bay of Biscay, but have felt unsure about tackling it on your own, then Rally Portugal could be just what you’re looking for. This annual passage departing from Plymouth, UK to Lagos in Portugal’s Algarve, visiting a total of eight ports, is organised by UK rally specialists World Cruising Club as a fun event for cruising sailors on their way from the UK to the Mediterranean.

Rally Portugal is also an attractive option for those simply looking for an enjoyable summer cruise. A number of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) yachts also use Rally Portugal as a sociable and interesting way to head south.

At World Cruising Club we have always believed that crossing the Bay of Biscay is often seen as a hurdle for yachtsmen heading south for their first extended cruise. So this year we decided to find out how true this was by asking participants whether this was their main reason for joining Rally Portugal, shortly after their safe arrival in Bayona, having completed the first leg of the Rally from Plymouth. The answers are revealing and make interesting reading.