Yacht Cleone on
ARC 2024 SITREP - 0
After a few
happy days based in Santa Cruz in Tenerife, we arrived safely in Las Palmas on
the 11th of November. Since then, we have spent almost a fortnight
getting ready to start the real part of this adventure, the ARC 2024 Atlantic
Crossing. And today is the day we set off with another 148 yachts of varying
sizes and conformations for the main event.
As planned,
after a straightforward trip from Madeira, Steve left us almost as soon as we
arrived in Santa Cruz to go back to the office. Francesca and the Skipper then
hired a car and spent a couple of days visiting the sights of Tenerife. It came
as a bit of a surprise to be reminded that Mt Tiede, on tiny Tenerife, is the
highest point in Spain. Not only does it dominate Tenerife but also it can
easily be seen from Gran Canaria over 60 miles away. Secretly we were relived not to be able
to spend 80 on the return
cable-car trip to the top of Tiede, but on the day that we drove across the
moonscape below the cable-car that makes the final ascent to the top, the view
from the top would have been stunning. So we contented ourselves by dropping in
to the nearby Visitor Centre and driving back to the marina via a windy road
relieved by stunning views of the West Coast.
What should have
been an easy days sail across the water to Gran Canaria was made difficult by a
light head-wind, choppy seas and an unfavourable current. The tedium was
relieved by having to dodge the
many ferries that ply between the islands and the wonderful views of the
diminishing Mt Tiede and the looming island of Gran Canaria. But by the time we
arrived at the entrance to the port of Las Palmas, it was fully dark. We advised
Port Control of our arrival, but they metaphorically shrugged their shoulders,
gave us permission to cross the port to the marina, and telling us to watch for
commercial traffic coming in and out of the harbour. There were plenty of
navigation lights and marks to help us, but we had to thread our way between the
many commercial vessels either anchored or making their way slowly in and out of
the port. And when we approached what we knew was the marina entrance, there
were a myriad of yachts anchored not only in the charted anchorage, but directly
between ourselves and our destination. Eventually Francesca picked out the
correct lights that marked the entrance, but even this was made even more
confusing by being lit by red lights on both the Port and Starboard sides!
Nevertheless, we were soon being helped alongside the arrival pontoon, where we
were allowed to stay until the office opened the next morning. Even though we
had just moved from one smallish Canary Island to the neighbouring smallish
island, full entrance procedures were followed before we were escorted to our
allotted berth in the midst of the swelling crowd of ARC
yachts.
Since then, our
days have been filled with attending briefings and seminars on all sorts of
interesting and useful subject, including navigation and weather forecasting
tips, sextant refreshers, victualling advice and so on. This has been lightened
with daily Sundowners (Happy Hours), normally starting at 1830 and finishing
very smartly at 2000. Each evening has included a couple of beers (or glasses of
wine) provided by one of the many sponsors of the ARC, and they have been great
opportunities for making new friends.
There have also been a couple of proper parties and a Crew Supper; again
well organized and well attended.
Two of the many
great things about the ARC are the variety of nationalities taking part, and
Cleone is very proud to be supporting the only Kenyan Flag in acknowledgement of
our crewman Kaya. There has been a daily kids club, not of course attended by
even the youngest member of our crew. There are also a very wide variety of
yachts. There are the long, slim, sleek out-and-out racers who will start an
hour before us and will probably have left St Lucia before we arrive there.
There are a mixture of catamarans, some of them in the racing division and some,
like us, in the cruising division. We dont expect to see any of them at sea
after we have left Gran Canaria. The majority of yachts will be in the cruising
division, and since Cleone has been allocated the smallest handicap but two, we
will be at or near the back of the Fleet. But please dont worry on our behalf.
We have been assured that the traditional Rum Punches will greet us on our
arrival in Rodney Bay Marina, and that there will still be cold beers available
thereafter.
We are aware of
the dreadful weather you are all experiencing in UK at the moment. We are all
working hard to sympathise with you. But please forgive us if we are finding it
difficult!
With very best
wishes and love to you all,
James,
Francesca, Louisa and Kaya
Yacht
Cleone
Las Palmas, Gran
Canaria
PS. Anyone
should be able to read our blog on the World Cruising Website. We would be
grateful for email confirmation from one of the Anderwoods that this is the
case.