The 1st May meant Labour Day in Tahiti on this warm sunny morning, and to celebrate this national holiday the Tahiti Tourist Board kindly organised an all-inclusive day tour to show our visiting World ARC participants what this beautiful Pacific island has to offer. With over 120 people attending, the early start certainly didn’t deter our eager sailors from their free tour or more importantly to some, the all you can eat buffet!

At the Tahitian equivalent of a civic reception the crews of the World ARC yachts gathered at dusk under the specially decorated craftsman’s village outside the Tahiti Tourism offices to be officially greeted and welcomed to Tahiti and French Polynesia.

Since departing Atuona Bay in Hiva Oa at the beginning of April, the World ARC yachts have been thoroughly enjoying their cruising period and the opportunity to explore and discover the dramatic landscapes, tranquil lagoons and well-protected anchorages that French Polynesia has to offer. With stopovers in the Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands the participants have had an unforgettable experience with many stories to share as they are reunited in Papeete, Polynesia’s capital on Tahiti.

The World ARC fleet is currently enjoying a cruising period where they get the opportunity to go at their own pace and choose their own routes between Hiva Oa and Tahiti. Many are braving the tricky navigational challenges of the Tuamotu Islands. These atolls, just a ring of coral surrounding a lagoon have nothing higher than the top of the palm trees so they are not visible until just a short distance away. The current can be strong in the channels between the islands and run at up to 6 knots in the passes into lagoons. The yachts have found the challenge worthwhile however the atolls are idyllic. As the crew of Lady Kay report from Fakariva “We sailed south about 15miles inside the lagoon and are anchored in a pristine bay. There are no other boats in sight, in fact there is no sign of any human activity, just beach, coral palm trees, and beautiful bright blue calm sea.”

Some happy news was announced this morning on the dock of Tahuku Bay. On the 29 Feb Lorraine from Storyteller, realising she would not get a chance again for four years, sent a postcard to her boyfriend Craig back in New Zealand asking him to marry her. It takes a long time for a postcard to get from the Galapagos Islands to New Zealand and when Lorraine called home from Atuona this morning Craig had not received the postcard. Undaunted she popped the question over the phone and he agreed. The announcement followed shortly after; in true World ARC style Rally Control told the fleet the good news over the VHF and messages of congratulations flooded in.

Roger Langevin’s Trimaran 50’ Branec IV was the first across the finish line in Hiva Oa this Easter morning. Having departed Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands Roger and his crew, Sabine Engelbrecht and Nadjet Lemeche had a pleasant voyage with a mixture of some fine downwind sailing from the trades and some lighter spells.

After a marathon voyage of five seperate flights since departing Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands, Mandy Parker and Kieran Higgs have landed safe and shattered into the remote town of Atuona on the Southern Coast of Hiva Oa. Having flown back to mainland South America into Guayaquil from the Galapagos, the yellow T-shirts made their way to Santiago Chile where they then flew on to Isla De Pescua (a.k.a Easter Island) where they enjoyed a short stay before flying on to Tahiti and then finally a further 500 miles arriving into Hiva Oa early on 21st March.

Many of the participants took advantage of the time in Puerto Lucia to explore inland. The highlands have been a popular destination with a chance to cool off. Hugh and Val Pilsworth from Blue Flyer particularly enjoyed the novelty of putting the heating on in the hotel in Quito. Others have visited Cuenca with its colonial centre or Banos. Many of the younger crews have had a great time in the surfing town of Montanita, just an hour or so along the coast by local bus, an experience in itself. There have also been a few crew changes with many friends and family flying into Quito or Guayaquil to join the yachts for the trip to the Galapagos.

On Saturday afternoon the World ARC yachts were visited by the recently appointed Minister for Tourism of Ecuador,  Economist Veronica Sion de Josse. The Minister was hosted to lunch by Engineer Ricardo Palau Jimenez, President Nelbacor SA, owners and developers of the impressive Puerto Lucia Yacht Club complex, which was also attended by local dignitaries from the area including the Commandant of the Naval Academy in Salinas, Captain Lenin Sanchez Mino.

The first few boats to cross the Equator are now arriving in Puerto Lucia Yacht Club in Salinas, Ecuador. New ocean - new country – new hemisphere: the voyage has now truly got underway. It has been as expected a leg of light winds through the area known as the horse latitudes due to sailing ships in the past being forced to throw the horses overboard to lighten ship. Luckily no World ARC boat have been forced to take such drastic measures and horsepower has come into it’s own with many running their engines to get through the Doldrums.