The World ARC fleet said farewell to the last of its Indian Ocean island hosts this morning, as the it sailed away from Le Port de Galetes on the northern coast of La Reunion. It has been a superb week-long stay on the island during which the World ARC crews have explored what the island has to offer, to the maximum. The participants toured to the Piton de la Fournaise as a group at the beginning of the week but have since explored in smaller groups on foot, by hire car and even by helicopter. 
The conditions for the start this morning were quite testing as 21 boats of the fleet returned to the ocean in sizeable swells and headwinds. The first across the start line, timing their approach very well was Beatoo before Working on a Dream tacked behind the committee vessel to be the second across. Royal Leopard and Ruby then cross close together at the offshore end of the line whilst BRIZO and GUNVOR XL did the same at the inshore end. The remaining boats then successively passed the committee boat as they sailed as close to their south west course as possible. The fleet will head towards the south of Madagascar, keeping well clear of the coast before turning west to Richards Bay. The journey is expected to take the fleet 7-10 days to complete but there are additional variables of the adverse currents off the south of Madagascar to content with as well as negotiating the strong Agulhas current just before arriving in Richards Bay. World Cruising Club would like to thank Isle de Reunion Tourisme, CCIR Port de Plaisance and the town of Le Port for all their support to the World ARC visit as well as those maritime organisations who were on the water to watch the start this morning. Thanks also to members of the Club Navale Portois for providing a committee vessel, expecially in such wet and windy conditions. Merci pour tous! A Bientot! |