SAILING INTO SUNSHINE

by Sally Erdle

“I wasn't going to cross an ocean. Now I’ve done it twice. Our ‘normal’ friends think we’re nuts, but our sailing friends know what we’re talking about.”

— Marie Graven

As the latest Atlantic Rally for Cruisers plus Cape Verde (ARC+) fleet made landfall at Grenada’s Port Louis Marina in December, the Caribbean Sea welcomed more than 400 sailors from 27 countries, including 36 children under the age of 16.

the ARC+ fleets by having a single landfall, at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina (www.cnmarinas.com/plm) in Grenada.

The number of ARC+ entries is currently limited by the capacity of the marina in Mindelo, Cape Verdes (the increasing popularity of catamarans can reduce overall fleet size, as they take up more dock space).

ARC+2022 departed from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on November 6th, 2022, and set sail from Mindelo on November 18th. On November 27th, the Mylius 60 Fra Diavolo crossed the finish line to set a new ARC+ course record with an elapsed time of 9 days, 5 hours 26 minutes and 49 seconds.

Most of the rest of the fleet arrived in late November and early December, and jubilation ensued when each boat arrived. Rum punch was drunk, hugs exchanged and cheers resounded down the docks.

The 91 boats participating in the yacht rally’s second leg, from the Cape Verde Islands across the Atlantic, sailed under the flags of 22 nations ranging from Finland to the Cayman Islands. The largest was 21.07 metres (67 feet), the smallest was 9.75 metres (32 feet), the oldest was from 1979, and the six newest were all built just last year.

The ARC+ rally, organized by World Cruising Club (WCC), offers a two-legged passage from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean (850 nautical miles and 2,150 nautical miles respectively), with a stop in the Cape Verdes. It was launched in 2013 in response to the ever-growing popularity of the original Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), which sails direct and non-stop from the Canaries to Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia.

The ARC+ originally also ended at Rodney Bay, arriving just before the ARC. After the ARC+, too, began to grow, an alternative landfall in addition to that in St. Lucia — Blue Lagoon Marina in St. Vincent — was offered in 2018 to handle the overflow. Although this destination option also proved popular, Blue Lagoon Marina’s 25 slips soon proved insufficient for the booming interest in ARC+. In 2021 the decision was made to reunite

Marte Pontoppidan, aboard the Norwegian TRT1200 catamaran Karayato — a family boat with three kids — told of a mini-emergency during their crossing: running out of sugar. Many other boats in the fleet offered to share their supplies but no drop-off at sea worked out. She said, “When we arrived we were greeted by all the Norwegian and Danish crews — and someone even brought sugar! We have made so many close friends through the ARC+, but it still came as a surprise.”

Rosalind Preston on the custom Bill Dixon-designed Sweet Dreams concurs, “I've made lovely friends and come away from the ARC+ with a full address book!”

Another sailor explained, “First you naturally start chatting with people who have the same make of boat, or the same flag, or another boat with kids… and then it spreads out from there. Next thing you know, you have a group of like-minded friends for life.”

As 2022’s ARC+ fleet streamed into Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, marina manager Zara Tremlett remarked on the difference from the year before. “It’s fantastic having no [pandemic-related] restrictions,” she said. “After sailing across the Atlantic people can roam straightaway — just an absolute pleasure!”

And roam Grenada (recently named Caribbean Journal’s Yachting Destination of the Year 2023) they did, taking tours to the island’s rainforest, waterfalls, chocolate factories, rum distilleries, dive sites and beaches.

Between outings, the crews availed themselves of Grenada’s plethora of service providers — haul-out facilities, sailmakers and riggers, diesel and outboard mechanics, and even cleaners to help get things salt-free and ship-shape again after a boisterous ocean crossing. Joelle Szyjan of Turbulence Sails said, “We’ve never been this busy before. Luckily there are others we can share jobs with when the ARC+ comes in and everyone wants work done all at once. We want the sailors to say that they can get things done in Grenada.”

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After arrival rejoicings, repairs and island tours, what came next? WCC's outgoing Managing Director Andrew Bishop said, “When many people arrive, they don’t have plans. The goal was to get here. Then, plans evolve while talking to others — groups coalesce for Christmas, other passages, etcetera.” But plans or no plans, sailing in the Caribbean was on agendas.

Chris and Karen Parker on the Oyster 56 Mistral of Portsmouth were among those with a schedule: sail up to St. Lucia in time to join the World ARC circumnavigation that started on January 7th.

Chris and Mary Greenwood on the Malö 42 Sea Candy looked forward to more extensive island hopping. They planned to sail up to the Tobago Cays, back to Grenada to leave the boat over the holidays, return to the boat, sail north to Martinique, and then be in Dominica for Carnival during the third week of February. After that, they’d make their way back to Grenada, then Trinidad (where a relative of Chris's is a vicar) and Tobago... with maybe a sail to Curaçao thrown in. Finally, a cruise back up the Eastern Caribbean island chain to join ARC Europe in May.