Published 16 years ago, updated 5 years ago

Cowes, UK: 05 March 2009

The World ARC fleet prepares for celebratory finish in St. Lucia!

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The inaugural World ARC cruising fleet, comprising 37 yachts from 13 nations that set off from St. Lucia on January 2008, is now well on its way to its final destination in St. Lucia at the end of March.

The challenging and highly adventurous World ARC route has taken in some of the best cruising destinations in the world including remote islands and anchorages in the South Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

The final ocean passage is now over with the yachts having sailed from South Africa to Brazil via St. Helena. World Cruising Club (WCC), the organizers of this epic round the world cruising rally, took the decision to route the rally via South Africa, a chosen option that has proved timely, since pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have caused Lloyds of London to withdraw insurance cover in the Red Sea.

(See Noonsite.com report: Horn of Africa Declared a War Zone – Impact on Yacht Insurance Policies [BROKEN LINK])

Since the concept for a World ARC Rally was first announced by World Cruising back in 2006, there has been a continual stream of international inquiries coming into the WCC Cowes based office. World Cruising has created the adventure of a lifetime, using up to date routing information, careful planning and the skills acquired over years 20 of running ocean sailing events.

Having experienced the famous Carnival in Recife the yachts are now on count down to the finish, with a coastal leg to Grenada, where the fleet will be hosted by the new Port Louis Marina at St.George’s, Grenada. A final cruise up the Windward Islands chain from Grenada brings the boats to Discovery at Marigot Bay, St. Lucia, where the celebrations start to wind up to mark the arrival of the World ARC fleet. A parade of sail will end the circumnavigation back at Rodney Bay, 15 months and 25,000nm after the World ARC commenced.

Meanwhile, the entry list is open for World ARC 2010/11 and to date 34 yachts have entered. To further whet one’s appetite for the adventure of a lifetime, World Cruising has also published the proposed Itinerary for the 2010/11 World ARC, posted at: www.worldcruising.com/worldarc2010/itinerary.aspx [BROKEN LINK]