The ARC Europe fleet left today from Ponta Delgada in the Azores on their last leg to conclude their Atlantic crossing.
The majority of the starters are on route to Lagos in southern Portugal. Cloudy Bay is making their way to northern Europe.
There was a light NE breeze for the start, enough to get the fleet underway. World Cruising Club weatherman Chris Tibbs recommended the fleet to maintain a course north of the rhumb line to benefit from the Portuguese trade winds during their second half of the passage. This winds are well established at this time of the year, blowing north to south.
A trio of boats are still in Horta due to complete repairs and they will set off on the northern Europe route when the next window opens up.
There is a cold front moving south, creating unsettled conditions therefore the crews will benefit from waiting until the end of the week. To assist these crews in their passage planning, WCC will deliver an additional Weather Briefing mid-week.
You can follow the progress of ARC Europe fleet https://www.worldcruising.com/arc_europe/arc_europe/eventfleetviewer.aspx