Following an excellent bon-voyage party
hosted by the Saint Lucia Tourist Board on Friday night, where the relaxed participants
were wished well for the start of their adventure by Saint Lucia’s Director of
Tourism, Louis Lewis, and World Cruising Club’s Andrew Bishop, the fleet of
thirty yachts set sail today (Saturday 9 January) bound for Santa Marta in
Colombia. There was a calm and relaxed atmosphere on the docks of IGY Rodney
Bay Marina as the World ARC 2016-17 crews made their final preparation:
collecting fresh fruit, topping off water tanks, and stowing dinghies.
But
then it was time to throw off the lines and head out to the start line in Rodney
Bay. For many crews and owners, that moment was the goal of many years of thinking,
hoping, planning, and many recent months of detailed preparations. So there was
excitement as the boats processed out of the exit of the marina and crew got
themselves ready for the start.
Conditions
at the start were very good. The reliable easterly wind, forecast by World
Cruising Club weatherman Chris Tibbs, blew across the start line at about 10-15
knots. As the countdown to the start was made on the VHF radio, the motor yacht
Reel Extreme, was on station to provide representatives from the Saint Lucia
Tourist Board and IGY Rodney Bay Marina, members of the media and other local
supporters, an excellent view of the fleet as they hoisted their sails up and
jockeyed for a good start.
The
starting signal, first across the line was the Swedish flagged Baltic 56,
Spirit V, with the shortest boat in the fleet Ain’t Fancy, and the Beneteau
First 47.7 Chilli Bee crossing closely after. On leaving Rodney Bay all the
boats sailed south along the Saint Lucian Coast towards a turning mark off Castries,
rounded first by Spirit V to set course west towards the first World ARC
2016-17 stopover of Santa Marta Colombia. The crossing is expected to be quick,
but a little uncomfortable. The first boats are expected in Colombia on
Wednesday or Thursday.
Whilst
sad to be turning their sterns towards Saint Lucia and saying a final goodbye
as they head for pastures new, the circumnavigators in the fleet look forward
to returning in April next year, or perhaps April 2018, or even just maybe
2019. Many adventures lie ahead, which will be reported here through regular
reports from the rally team and logs from boats. The fleet’s progress can be
followed here: http://www.worldcruising.com/world_arc/eventfleetviewer.aspx,