On the 26th of October Ko Tangaroa was the first World ARC yacht to arrive at Le Port in Reunion, at around 0630 in the morning, with a crossing time from Mauritius of approximate 18 hours. All other boats followed a couple of hours later and moored alongside the quayside.
Skippers came ashore with the whole crew to meet Custom and Immigration officers. Clearances were a quick process and run smoothly after which a deserved restful afternoon was enjoyed by all.
In the evening all the participants gathered to enjoy a welcome ceremony hosted by the TCO - Territoire de la Côte Ouest and the Tourism Office. Participants were welcomed by the Maire du Port and the Director of the Office de Tourisme de l'Ouest de l'ile de La Réunion.
A tour of the volcano was held the following day and everyone found the tour very interesting, for the breath-taking views and luxurious natural environment that makes Reunion a truly unique island. At the end of the day that involved some hiking through the volcano crater, everyone gathered at a restaurant to enjoy an exquisite variety of local food dishes and recover their energy levels.
There was a Halloween Party with many locals joining in with a variety of characters from witches to pirates and zombies. Treat or treating scary good time!
All the crews have had a great time exploring the fantastic island of La Reunion and Le Port has been a very safe and secure place to leave the boats. The crews are extremely grateful to the Marie du Port, the Ile de Réunion Tourisme and the TCO for their support which has been complete throughout. Thank you for a great stay! Merci de passer un séjour inoubliable!
The yachts will leave Reunion on 2nd November and the course to Richards Bay is 1370 nautical miles long and is expected to take the fleet 7-10 days to complete.