World Cruising Club’s ARC Europe 2012 will depart Nanny Cay Saturday, May 5, and 35 yachts are currently signed up. There is a good mixture of yachts that have sailed on World Cruising Club events in the past, including several that just completed ARC 2011, and new participants joining for the first time. It is a great opportunity to meet and sail in company with an international mix of sailors on the 3,650NM passage across the North Atlantic to Europe.
Twenty-five yachts will again be starting from Nanny Cay and there is also a start on the same day from Hampton, VA, in the US with five yachts set to depart from there. All yachts will be heading to the first rally destination port, St. George’s in Bermuda.
From Bermuda the combined rally fleet crosses the Atlantic to the Azores islands. The final leg departs from Ponta Delgada on São Miguel to Marina de Lagos, Portugal, with support provided for yachts heading to northern Europe.
At 0900 on Saturday morning the ARC flag was raised on the Nanny Cay breakwater and the doors opened to the ARC Europe office, located upstairs next to the Marina office. The first arrivals checked in.
Registration at the ARC Europe office is followed by a mandatory Safety Equipment Inspection onboard, when a member of the World Cruising team spends time checking through the safety equipment required for the Rally. It also gives them a chance to talk through correct procedures for potential emergency situations at sea.
Sunday night saw the first official welcome drinks party on the beach terrace in Nanny Cay Marina. A great turn out of about 80 participants from both the Atlantic Cup & ARC Europe attended the function to enjoy complimentary rum punch and canapes by the beach. Andrew Bishop provided a spontaneous welcoming speech, thanking Nanny Cay Marina for their hospitality, as well as supplying a brief history of the two WCC events running from the BVI this week. Miles Sutherland-Pilch, General Manager of Nanny Cay, thanked WCC for their ongoing close relationship with the Marina and further welcomed the fleet to the BVI, wishing them a safe journey to Bermuda.
A west to east Atlantic crossing can be a daunting prospect, but sailing with ARC Europe provides the camaraderie of a group of like-minded skippers and crew, plus our experienced staff on-hand at the start and in each rally destination port. We provide peace of mind with satellite tracking of every yacht, a daily radio net, a daily weather forecast and a detailed skipper’s briefing before each ocean crossing. Prior to the start of the rally helpful advice on planning and preparation is provided at seminars and in the comprehensive skipper’s handbook.
ARC Europe breaks the Atlantic crossing into manageable parts, enabling yachts to change crews and provision in Bermuda and the Azores. Both destinations also provide fascinating sightseeing; whether exploring the historic town of St. Georges in Bermuda, or climbing dormant volcanoes in the Azores. The route allows for time cruising the unspoilt Azores archipelago, a highlight of the event for many crews.
