All the boats have arrived in Bermuda now who took the startling line in the BVI and Portsmouth, VA. Kalimba was the last to arrive last night, with the cheerful crew of three glad to be greeted on the customs wharf with cold Dark & Stormy's!
“We had a great sail!” they exclaimed. “Some wind, some calm, some storms and some more calm. We swam a bit when the wind died, and enjoyed the sailing when it picked up!”
Kalimba arrived just as the Luau on the deck at the Dinghy Club was in full swing, and were offered to raucous from the rest of the participants as they sailed through Town Cut and into St. Georges. After clearing customs just after dark, they moved to their berth at the Dinghy Club, which is now chock-a-block with boats.
Fishing for a lost diesel jerry can gasket near the fueling dock! Successful!
Earlier in the day, the fleet were offered the opportunity to take on duty-free fuel over at the Heritage Center. The morning was almost a no-go when a very large motor yacht took the space on Pennos Wharf where the refueling normally takes place (a diesel tanker truck deliveres the fuel each year). After a lengthy delay and some reshuffling, the truck was able to come down to the Heritage Center courtyard, and the refueling commenced all throughout the afternoon.
During the slightly boring process, the kids from Morning Haze and Starship were given a tour of the Swedish sail training ship Gunilla, berthed on Pennos Wharf just a few hundred meters to the west. They had a blast helping carry sails around on the deck of the big three-masted square-rigger, and were given a glimpse of what life is like on a tall ship thanks to the very friendly crew.
The Luau itself last evening was a big hit. Crews dressed in their best Hawaii garb, and Lyall Burgess, ARC Europe event manager who actually lives on the Big Island, passed out leis to folks as they made their entrance. Andy was tending bar, with free Dark & Stormies for all, while Mia, dressed festively herself in grass skirt and tropical shirt, bounced around the room taking photos. Even Ed the Iguana, on his way back across the Atlantic once more aboard Starship, was in festive attire.
As the Bermuda fleet partied in St. Georges, the ARC USA fleet celebrated their arrival in Florida and the mainland US. In what was a particularly fast passage – Miles & Anne Poor on Karina, who pioneered the route for World Cruising Club, reported their fastest ever passage – all the yachts had safely arrived by last evening and celebrated with a group dinner at the Oasis restaurant in downtown Ft. Lauderdale.
“The party tonight was great fun,” wrote Anne Poor in an email yesterday evening. “We gave out the participant plaques from Weems & Plath, and a few awards. Moonshadow received the Weems & Plath Navigators Awards for their well-kept traditional logbook, while the crew on Dark Star earned the Seamanship Award for their excellent passage and beautiful boat!”
With a good weather window, most of the Ft. Lauderdale fleet were planning to depart already this morning, bound for the Chesapeake Bay and Annapolis, MD, the de facto home of World Cruising Club USA.
So as the ARC USA fleet sails for home, the ARC Europe fleet is one day closer to starting what for many is the biggest adventure of their boat’s – and their own – lives.
“This passage to Bermuda was definitely the biggest adventure for Sojourner, said Ken Smail on the customs dock when he and his crew arrived on his Shannon 37 cutter. “And the next leg is even bigger yet, so we’re excited!”
The sailors face an 1,800 mile passage to Horta, dominated by the Azores High – played right, and the passage can be smooth, downwind sailing. Played wrong, and it can be days of light and variable or no wind at all if the fleet gets stuck in the center of the high.
But that’s not until Wednesday. Tonight marks the Prizegiving Ceremony for Leg 1, followed by the traditional fish fry that the Dinghy Club puts on each year, and then it’s two days of prep work before the big departure day on Wednesday.