"If you sail to Horta and don't visit Peter you don't really know Horta."

Originally called the Casa Azores the café was opened at the end of the 19th century by Ernesto Azevedo as a handicraft shop, but gradually began selling drinks too - in particular gin & tonics favoured by the British.  

The Devil’s Triangle, or more commonly known as the Bermuda Triangle, is an expanse of water in the western parts of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is alleged that a number of aircraft and sea vessels have disappeared under mysterious circumstances which could not be explaine. Hence the stories about it being a hive of extraterrestrial activity.

Bermuda is an archipelago consisting of seven main islands and many smaller outlying islands. The main islands consist of hilly terrain and a subtropical climate and are clustered together.

After the successful use of GPS tracking devices on other events over the past year World Cruising Club will be fitting them to the ARC Europe fleet this year. The feedback from previous events has been very positive from all those involved - organisers, participants and friends & family ashore keen to stay up to date with progress.

Have you wondered what a sailing rally start is really like? This You Tube start video was made by the crew of Berkley East (USA) at the start of ARC Europe 2010 in Bermuda.  Dramatic shots of the fleet sailing through the cut! 
Berkley East also filmed mid-Atlantic on the way to the Azores - see her lee-rail down, hoofing through the Atlantic swell.  Watch the You Tube Atlantic video here.
The picture shows Larry, Mary, Gerald and Selwyn from Berkeley East celebrating their arrival in Lagos, Portugal.

By linking the ARC and ARC Europe, you can complete an Atlantic circuit, one of the classic bluewater cruises.  An Atlantic circuit is an adventure that crosses the Atlantic west to east and east to west, cruising the Caribbean and Europe between the ocean crossings. 

These extracts are from one of the daily logs sent in by Louanjo (PAN) at sea, and the mixture of this log book and watching the You Tube video gives a real sense of what an Atlantic crossing can be like with ARC Europe. The videos start with the fantastic start in St. George's Bermuda and take you on the 1850NM passage to Horta in the Azores. Enjoy your time with the Argentinian crew of Louanjo: Alberto, Desiree and Martin...

Safety First, a good motto for all of the yachts participating in ARC Europe 2011.  They will each have to pass a Safety Equipment Inspection before the start of the rally.  Read on to find out more about what is involved in an inspection.  

At the northern end of the Caribbean the British Virgin Islands make a great final cruising ground for ARC Europe participants before they set off from Nanny Cay, Tortola, across the Atlantic. Powdery white-sand beaches, lush green mountains, and plenty of sheltered anchorages characterise the BVIs.