Whilst the dockside in Rodney Bay Marina is busy, it often seems busy with ARC sailors just chilling-out after their transatlantic voyage. There are of course jobs to be done after arrival; laundry to sort, boat cleans to start; sails to dry and pack away; foulies and lifejackets to clean and dry. Then after two days, once the whirlwind of arrival has passed, there is a noticeable shift into Caribbean chill-out mood. Crews are wandering along the docks, reconnecting with friends made in Las Palmas before the start and meeting new friends made during the crossing. 
There is always time for a chat; a quick or more often slow conversation about the crossing. “How long did you take?”, or “When did you get in?” are almost always the first questions, before moving on to weather and equipment breakages. Everyone wants to hear each other’s tales of the Atlantic, or pass on some gossip of a fish caught or a sail ripped.
By early evening the chill-out moves onto boats and to the marina board-walk bars. A sundowner beer, a cheerful greeting to a new arrival, or an invitation to impromptu drinks on board. Such a chance to look around other boats and meet other ARC sailors is often offered and rarely declined. Yes, the ARC transatlantic sailors are now all chilling; gradually shifting from the hectic pace of boat preparation in Las Palmas followed by the challenges of the Atlantic crossing, into relaxed Caribbean cruising mode. For this is the reason they have all come to the Caribbean, starting their lives as bluewater cruisers and launching from Saint Lucia to explore the delights of the West Indies. Now is the time to relax, enjoy the weather, chat with friends and make plans for where to go next. The joy of being a cruising sailor is now apparent. The sun always shines, the winds are fair, and our boats are now well proven by Atlantic winds and waves, so where shall we go next? Or should we stay a while longer and chill-out some more?
With ARC boats arriving almost hourly – over 125 are now safely in Saint Lucia – the marina is a constant buzz of new arrivals. A cheerful wave and claps from neighbours, a shout to friends and a welcome had to take lines, and congratulations and hugs are offered, quickly followed by an ice-cold rum punch and a basket of tropical fruits and Saint Lucian rum. For most boats it has been a fast passage and although the pace of arrivals is slowing, all boats should be in Saint Lucia by 16 December, even those that diverted to Cabo Verde for repairs en route.
The ARC social programme is now in full swing, with the traditional Gros Islet street-party – the Jump Up, happening tonight, and a beach-side fish fry at Anse Le Rey, a fishing village to the south of the marina.