With the majority of the ARC Europe fleet having passed the halfway mark on this long Leg 2 from Bermuda to the Azores the event team has just arrived in Horta ready for the first of the arrivals this weekend. It's great to have both Johny and Victor here to welcome the boats and they will be familiar faces to those that started in Nanny Cay. Since then both have been busy with exams for their respective studies but are pleased to be back for the Azores Cruise and on to the finish at Marina de Lagos.
Hoisting the rally flag in Horta
marina - where it is already a busy season with over 120 yachts transiting
through from the Caribbean/USA on to Europe.
The Azores Cruise is often a highlight for many crews from the warm welcome at Peter Cafe Sport where you get to talk story with other sailors that have just crossed the Atlantic, to the great local food and wines. But it's the chance to stay a while and visit the other islands that make up the archipelago which appeals to most. The Azores is a hard place to get to and rather than head off soon after arriving in Horta it's nice to take in some of the other islands. The island of Pico is just a 20 minute ferry ride away (those that need to stretch their legs can walk to the summit of Pico - 2,351m!) and then ARC Europe visits the islands of Terceira, Sao Miguel and sunny Santa Maria in the south. Each of the islands is proud of their individuality and charming in their own way and crews have lots to look forward to with guided coach tours, crew suppers, prizegiving and the street bull running fiesta!
ARC Europe has visited Horta marina for over 20 years and as such is the longest rally to make landfall here. There are so many wall paintings covering every surface from yachts that have sailed to Horta over the years and walking around the marina today we have managed to spot a few from ARC Europe boats over the years...can you spot yours from this collage?
