The atmosphere at the Terminal Náutico in Salvador da Bahia is starting to build and today the marina saw the arrival of the twelfth World ARC yacht. The crew of Umineko crossed the finish line at 1100 hrs this morning before piloting up the Baia de Todos os Santos and past Fort Sao Marcelo to be greeted by other members of the Rally. The warm welcomes from the local sponsors of the Rally have continued and skipper, Sato and his crew enjoyed ice cold Caipirinhas and a selection of local fruit.
Sato said he and his two crew members had had a ‘peaceful and pleasant’ sail across the South Atlantic although it was a bit longer than they expected, and hoped for. They were fortunate that they had not had many problems with the boat and its equipment, and all was well. The next few boats to arrive will be Trompeta, Peat Smoke, At Last, Sophie and Juba and they should all arrive before the end of 5 March.
The official programme for the stopover will begin shortly. On the afternoon of 6 March the crews will participate in a city tour in Salvador. The participants will learn about the city and its rich history whilst touring the sights by bus. The groups will then dismount for a walking tour through the old town or Pelourinho district of the City. On 7 March, the finish line closes and all the crews will get together for an afternoon prizegiving event at the Terminal Náutico, just in time for the start of Carnaval that evening.