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Exody - Days 443-454: World ARC done- the family disperses!



Here I am with our departing crew at St Lucia’s Heewanora airport on Monday 11th April, this time I am headed home too for a family pitstop.  Marian is at the smaller Vigie airport boarding for Trinidad.  Here with two UK-bound flights carrying 600 odd folk leaving in two hours, it feels more a British motorway service station on the M1 than a Caribbean airport!  Sharp contrast to the last twenty one months of being boat and fleet bound, in the company of just ourselves or our immediate World ARC family of about forty people.


World ARC wound up on Saturday 9th with a parade of sail from Marigot Harbour to cross the start/finish line in Rodney Bay.  We processed in length order so Exody was second in line.  Two behind us was Garlix chafing at the bit under full mainsail  like a tethered race horse, barely managing to keep her place in line at 5 knots behind ’certified Turtle’ Chat Eau Bleu.  The final dinner and prizegiving was a special event with ministerial guests, steel band, live music and good local food.  We were treated to an excellent, well observed and amusing boat by boat overview by our yellowshirt Victor – he himself having grown through the experience like the rest of us.

Since our last log from the Tobago Cays, we spent a further morning snorkel-exploring - great water clarity, fish, reefs and green turtles (brown actually but green because they dine on seagrass).  Close on the wind a single tack took us northward to Bequia on Friday 1st April,  Mustique off to starboard together with dramatic uninhabited Battowia and Baliceaux.  Union, Carriacou and Grenada all still visible to the south astern.

As the anchor dragged on our last short visit to Bequia, we were pleased when mooring man ‘Phat Shag’ found us a great spot really close inshore, just off the docks of the iconic Whaleboner and Frangipani beach bars.  With the best developed services in the Grenadines, I lined up a genoa repair and spent a half day making new guardwires with Dan of Piper Marine .  We met Trinidadian friend Mike Connell and wife Arlene and enjoyed seeing their self-developed home cum holiday let building.  Sunday 3rd we hired a 4WD covering most roads on the island: turtle sanctuary, architecturally interesting houses, the airport, the beach resort at Friendship and the fort for sunset.  We lunched on great creole fare at Dawn’s on Lower Bay.  Monday Pete and Sally ferried to St Vincent for a taxi tour whilst we collected the sail, refitted the guardwires, provisioned and chilled. 

We joined several of the fleet leaving at first light Tuesday 5th for the 60+ mile trip north to Marigot:  Makena, Ayama, Garlix, Chateau Bleu.  Motoring for a spell in the lee of St Vincent, we made a good course once the trades came back, Makena  peeling off to moor at the scenic Pitons.  Soon we were docked stern to the delightful and picturesque Capella Marigot facilities- crew quick to hunt down the showers and complimentary pool access.  We share the dock with an immaculate sailing superyacht and a large square rigger.

Pete and Sally were released from boat cleaning and polishing to take a rewarding tour of the island one day.  We enjoyed a World ARC welcome at the relaxed Café Maygo and on the last night were treated by crew to a meal at Julietta’s - with the best view over Marigot.

Exody was first out for the Parade of Sail on Saturday 9th a two hour passage north to Rodney Bay.  We were re-joined by our South Atlantic crew David Toy, now back for more crewing on board Aretha.  Sailing under reefed main and engine, it was quite a task to maintain speed and separation in the gusty conditions.  The evening function was at once enjoyable and poignant as we sadly began the process of unravelling our close knit World ARC family.  We all received a tasteful and comprehensive momento photo album, certificates of circumnavigation and yet another World ARC flag!  Much effort was subsequently spent diverting our end of rally emotions with the activity of signing each other’s books and flags!

Joining Pete and Sally at beachside restaurant  Jambe de Bois after their brief tour of the Pigeon Island park on Sunday, we enjoyed excellent cocktails and dinner - first class service and atmosphere, connecting with the owner Barbara , an old friend of my brother’s.  

With all four of us flying out in the afternoon, Monday morning was fairly manic- or should we say focused.  Starting early- packing, cleaning, clearing, stowing to make way for the internal varnish work we have commissioned to be done using the rare opportunity of our brief absence.   We hope that the work of the small team lead by Vision and Pride lives up to their monikers!  

In the meantime all four of us are contemplating life on a different planet just a few hours flight away.

Peter (Skipper)


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