As of this afternoon on Tuesday 17 December, 175 ARC boats have safely crossed the finish line into Rodney Bay Saint Lucia after their Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands. It has been a slow and steady ARC with a wide scattering of arriving boats. This steady inflow made the Rodney Bay Marina a constant hive of activity for nearly 3 weeks now with one busier week to go. Tonight, up to 700 participants are invited to the General Managers Cocktail Party being held on the lawn just outside the large Super-yacht dock within the Marina. This ever-popular event is sure to be one to remember.
Due to slightly abnormal weather conditions during this ARC, and the ever varying types of sail boats participating in the ARC each year, the time difference between the first and last arrival is set to be one of the greatest with an approximate 3 week gap between the first and last boat. Each arrival is as important to us as the next one, and we ensure to provide a warm welcome to every boat whenever they make landfall here in Rodney Bay.
On the docks today as boats continued to arrive, the question is often asked of how was the trip, or often more specifically how were the conditions? It was summed up quite simply by Paul from Pelican ‘We had it all; wind and lots of it from every direction to no wind from any direction all in the space of a day. But it kept us on our toes and when it was good, it was so good’
The ARC office has been busy all day with friendly sailors, friends and families all keen to hear news of the incoming boats still at sea. Jonathon Terry and his partner Karen participated in ARC Portugal earlier this year and made some close friends who were to go on and sail their boats on the ARC. These boats included Webster, Starblazer, Arcarius of Plymouth, Freebooter and Abraxas. Jonathon and Karen decided to surprise their friends by flying out to Saint Lucia to welcome them all in and celebrate their Atlantic passage.
‘We are so proud of seeing our good friends completing something we are not quite ready for, we had to come and see them’. Jonathan Terry
The activity on the docks has been steadily increasing as more people touch down in Rodney Bay Marina. The busy spots have included the Board Walk Bar for some much craved Caribbean refreshment, the laundry service, the shower block and the numerous sailor friendly cafes for some needed wifi. Once these ‘essentials’ have been achieved, crews have been venturing out to see the island of Saint Lucia and with the help of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board have been able to find the most suitable excursions available. We hope all ARC participants enjoy their stay on the island and take the opportunity to get away from Rodney Bay and see what this beautiful island has to offer.