Following nearly 3 weeks in the Azores, the ARC Europe 2016 fleet of 23 boats left the island of Santa Maria on Sunday 12th June for the last Leg of ARC Europe taking them 800 miles further east to the south coast of Portugal, Lagos.
After experiencing very light (and occasionally non-existent) wind for the first 48 hours, they were able to sail the rest of the leg on a comfortable abeam ride with strong Northerl’y wind at 20 to 25 knots. Getting closer to the Portuguese coast participants had to keep a sharp look out to cross at an angle of 90 degrees crossing the busy TSS 40 miles south west of Cape Saint-Vicente. On Thursday afternoon the first boats started to arrived. The Hanse 57.5 with Tortsen, Ulrike and Floriand arrived first after only 5 days at sea, followed by the Beneteau Oceanis 55 Testarossa. Following that 19 boats arrived one after another to Marina de Lagos where, after a very quick and efficient check in with the marina, the boats could go through the bridge to their final berth. All the participants really enjoyed this last run making good speed proceeding towards warm weather, sunshine and blue skies. Some caught lots of fish, other got waylaid by fishing nets flotsam but at the end of Saturday morning Natalie 2 completed the ARC Europe 2016 arrivals in Marina de Lagos. One special arrival is still expected later today (22/06) the double handed Vanguard 32 with Ken and David on board will finally complete the ARC Europe 2016 arrivals as they left later than the rest of the fleet sailing directly from Horta to Lagos. They will be welcome by the Marina staff as well as many participants who are still in Lagos and have been in SSB contact with them since they left Portsmouth some 5 weeks ago.
During their stay in Marina de Lagos participants enjoyed the marina resort, resting at the pool, watching the euro cup football during happy hours at the Lighthouse restaurant and a crew dinner at the Linda’s beach bar, some of them taking the bus up to Lisbon to visit their first European city.
Sunday 19 June marked the final day of ARC Europe 2016 and the 85 participants were invited to the Waypoint restaurant by the pool of the marina resort for a drink on the terrace before the sit-down dinner of the final prize giving. Participants were welcomed by the Mayor of Lagos as well as the marina managers Ingrid and Martinho and World Cruising Club's Andrew Bishop took a brief break from ARC Portugal to visit the fleet.
After receiving some fun prizes for the Horta wall painting Facebook competition, the King and Queen pin of our bowling tournament and the funny competition, it was time to recognized the winners of this last leg of ARC Europe.
To conclude ARC Europe 2016 some participants will leave their boats for either 2-3 months in Marina de Lagos to enjoy the summer back in their home, whilst others will leave their boat for a year. The rest of the fleet, a majority of Americans and Canadian boats. were already departing for Gibraltar to enter the med and start the beginning of their sailing season.
We wish you all safe sailing and all the best in your future sailing plans wherever it will take you.
Thank you very much again for everyone who worked, supported and helped on the ARC Europe 2016, and thank you very much to those of you who took part of it.