World Cruising Club are pleased to announce that Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina on the island of Grenada will be the new Caribbean destination for the 9th annual ARC+ in 2021. Since its launch in 2013 the annual transatlantic route sailing from Gran Canaria with a stopover at Mindelo Marina in Cape Verde en route, has proved popular with cruisers sailing under the ARC banner. So much so that two Caribbean landfalls in Saint Lucia and St. Vincent have been necessary since 2017 to increase capacity to meet demand of the families, couples and cruising friends wishing to sail with the tradewinds via Cape Verde.
From December 2021, all boats on the ARC+ route will now finish together at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean, combining the fleet at the finish to add to the camaraderie after their Atlantic crossing. ARC+ 2021 is already fully booked with 100 yachts set to take the start from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday 7th November following a pre-departure programme.
![](/CMS/CMS/Library/event_images_ARCPlus/ArcPlus_start_Emelin.jpg)
The traditional, direct ARC route, which departs Las Palmas de Gran Canaria two weeks after the ARC+ start, will sail to Rodney Bay Saint Lucia with the ARC+ destination change helping to ease pressure on facilities in Saint Lucia and spread boats within the southern Caribbean.
Switching the arrival destination to Grenada, also overcomes the need for ARC+ yachts to vacate berths immediately after the rally prizegiving pending arrival of the direct ARC fleet, making for a more enjoyable and less rushed stopover for all. Further, the change has allowed an extra day to be added to ARC+ itinerary in Mindelo, Cape Verde, in response to suggestions from previous participants.
Grenada is situated at the southern end of the Windward Island chain, with superb beaches, coves and islands, it is a delightful destination, ideally placed for sailing north through some of best cruising areas in the Caribbean.
Whilst entries are no longer being accepted for ARC+ this November, last month WCC announced the new route choice, ARC January, sailing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Rodney Bay Saint Lucia in 2022. The new route choice has been created to offer further capacity to the over-subscribed November departures, offering a further 75 yachts and 400 crew the opportunity for a superb trade wind crossing in the New Year. For participants, the rally will include all the activities, seminars, and social functions before the departure, which cruisers have come to expect from the ARC, and a special Saint Lucian welcome that thousands of sailors who have sailed with the rally agree is well worth crossing an ocean for. Thirty applications have already been received, with yachts ranging from 9m to over 22m. Click here to request an Information Pack for ARC January.