After departing Rodney Bay on the 7th of January the 2017 World ARC fleet have commenced their 15 month circumnavigation and during the night the first boat of the fleet crossed the finish line to complete Leg 1 of the rally and arrive in Santa Marta, Colombia.
This passage across the Caribbean Sea is well known for its lively seas and with good trade wind conditions, it provided some testing and every good sailing for the fleet.
The first yacht across the little was Like a BrEEze followed by Tulla Mhor and Sandvita.
Founded in 1525 Santa Marta is the oldest surviving city on the South American Continent and an important colonial city of Colombia. It is a beautiful historic place and a rapidly developing tourist destination. Santa Marta is blessed with stunning sandy beaches backed by the dramatic Sierra Nevada Mountain range and the nearby beauty of Tayrona National Park. The newly constructed IGY Santa Marta Marina is an excellent facility for cruising sailors and will be home to the fleet during our stopover.
There is a very exciting program planned for the fleet here in Santa Marta over the next week commencing with city tours of Santa Marta and a Welcome Party hosted by IGY Santa Marta Marina.
All boats that started with the fleet from Saint Lucia are expected to arrive by Sunday evening.