The World ARC fleet has now passed the halfway mark of this journey of the Rally from the Galapagos Islands to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas. This leg is also the longest one from the entire circumnavigation with 2980NM.
At this milestone stage anything is a motive to celebrate:
‘Today we celebrated with cupcakes because we have less than 1,000 miles to go’ Charm
‘Tonight is party time on-board. We left the Galápagos Islands 10 days ago and we have now reached the halfway point to the Marquesas. For the first time since we started this crossing, we had a drink for happy hour: a small glass of rum-tonic, quite fitting for the circumstances!’ Cassiope W
‘Cobin (12 yrs old) made homemade cinnamon rolls, put together a model V8 engine, played with his sisters, read to them, and put them to bed, made Mac and cheese for everyone for lunch, helped with the spinnaker, and created a flier to start a boat cleaning service when we reach the Marquesas. Oh - and somewhere in there, he scrubbed the toilets and cleaned his room. He had a great day and so did there rest of us because his cinnamon rolls were spectacular! He wanted to make a special dessert for St. Pat’s Day’ Charm
Special mention for the Family yacht Rubicon IV that for personal and mechanical issues got delayed in Panama and is sailing straight from Panama City to the Marquesas doing some 3850NM to join the fleet in French Polynesia.
No major issues have been reported so far, aside from some sails sewing hours and a broken boom vang. The fleet is doing good progress and the yachts neck to neck leading the fleet, Nica and Charm are expected to arrive one day earlier than planned in Hiva Oa, and all the others between the 21-30 March. Clearances into French Polynesia will take place and the fleet will start to cruise the Marquesas Islands towards the welcome rendezvous in Nuku Hiva on the 3 April.