World ARC - 15 months later and back to the Caribbean

by World Cruising on 30 Mar 2017 After spending nearly a month in Brazil visiting Salvador and Cabedelo to enjoy the Carnival, the fleet sailed 2088NM North crossing the equator for the second time on World ARC to get back to the crystal waters of the Caribbean arriving at Port Louis Marina in Grenada.

The fleet were berthed at Camper and Nicholson Marina, welcomed by the marina staff picking up their lines to attach to the mooring buoys then reversing back to the dock. After spending month across the Indian and South Atlantic Ocean participants were glad to finally get back to a marina offering all facilities and services required by our nearly circumnavigators. During this stop the 16 yachts got back all together after some boats decided to sail independently straight to Grenada or coming from Ascension Island.

It was a good opportunity for our participants to get back all together on the Saturday evening at the Welcome Cocktail Party organised by MAYAG (Maritime and Yachting Association of Grenada) at the Grenada Yacht Club. Participants were welcomed with a rum punch on arrivals and canapes before having dinner all together and finally dancing the night away by the terrace. For some boats, reaching Grenada marked them coming full circle.

After having bought their boat in Grenada two years ago sailing back to Europe with ARC Europe and across again on ARC+ sailing over 33 000 NM double handed since Cape Town, Tim and Magda 'tied the knot' of their circumnavigation that day by being the first World ARC participants of this group to have sailed around the World! Congratulations!

On the following day as planned by King Neptune who came up on the SSB net on passage while getting closer to cross the equator, it was time to celebrate the crossing of the line getting back to Northern Hemisphere. All participants got dressed in costume and proceeded at the back of Golden Dragon where King and Queen Neptune blessed all our participants for their achievement crossing the line.

On Monday participants went on the World ARC Island tour with our local guide Mister Mandoo, who showed them the Northern part of the Island taking them up to Concords Waterfall where participants got the opportunity to swim and jump into the cold fresh water. After that refreshing break they visited a spice plantation and learn about the most popular fruit of the Island, the Nutmeg. Finally they stopped on the way back to St-Georges to the rain forest to see the crater Lake as well as the monkeys jumping on them to get bananas.

In the evening participants went to the cruising briefing given by James from Horizon Yacht Charter who provided lots of very useful tips and information of where to go and what to do during their free cruising period from Grenada to Saint Lucia through the Grenadines and St-Vincent. Following that participants stayed for a BBQ dinner at the Victory bar in order to exchange their sailing plans between each other.

Finally for the last day of World ARC in Grenada, participants were invited to the World ARC prize giving and dinner by the Victory Bar, good opportunity again to get everyone together as well as all our sponsors and guests to thank them all for the great time participants spent in Grenada. Overseas Express took third place having sailed half of the trip with no engine, Into the Blue finally got their prize since the Indian Ocean taking second place in Monohull division, when Exocet Strike took first place in Monohull division and Resolute II in Multihull division.

After a great final night all together dancing late thanks to the local live band who performed during the evening it was time to get ready for the last episode of World ARC sailing about 130 NM further North marking the end of their Circumnavigation.

Participants will start to arrive for the rendez-vous in Marigot Bay around 3 April when the programme will start on the 5 April until the final dinner in Rodney Bay on the 8 April.