The Highs and Lows of the Arc 2007
by World Cruising Club 23 Dec 2007 12:01 GMT
Can there really be an "average Atlantic Rally for Cruisers"? Probably not if ARC 2007 is anything to go by. Average weather depends on how far north or south of the rhumb line a yacht has stayed and how far ahead or behind the main body of the fleet it has sailed. Average breakages certainly come down to an individual level; some yachts having a smooth crossing with hardly a hitch, whilst others have battled rig failures, engine problems, broken sails and booms.
Not withstanding averages, ARC 2007 has definitely been an event with many highs and lows for all concerned. Amongst the many memorable high points has been the overwhelming excitement and sense of achievement at getting a small boat across 2,800 nautical miles of open ocean. For most it is the culmination of months, and sometimes years of planning, and for some the ARC is the completion of a once-in-a-lifetime voyage.
The big yachts that can eat through the miles may bask in the glory of being the first to arrive into St. Lucia's Rodney Bay after 11 or 12 days, but the true spirit of the ARC is surely reflected in the achievements of the smaller boats, such as Westerly Berwick Wagtail (9.40m) and the Nordic Folkboat Ariel (7.64m), that crossed in 23 days and 21 days respectively.
Tragedy affects everyone
ARC 2007 was also marred by tragedy following the death of one skipper, John Thompson, skipper of the yacht Avocet, who never recovered consciousness following a severe head injury onboard. There were several other significant injuries during the crossing from the Canary Islands.
A female crew member on the Volvo 60 AAG Big One, Alla Byazina, was evacuated from the yacht after sustaining very serious burns to her legs. Following a 10-day stay in hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Alla has now returned home to Russia and doctors are confident she will make a full recovery.
The winds and waves were also responsible for injuries suffered by Andreas Bienz, the Swiss skipper of Tai Shan, a Beneteau First 50, who endured an uncomfortable week lying in his bunk after a fall in the cockpit which broke several of his ribs.
ARC yachts to the rescue
The strength of the ARC has always been the ability of yachts to communicate and co-ordinate help for each other, but on two occasions this year the ARC Net helped to rescue crew from non-ARC yachts that were reported in difficulties. Two crew from Barbary Duck were evacuated onto ARC yacht GiGi (GBR) and three crew from Spam were rescued by the Irish ARC yacht Navillus.
Whilst the rescued yachtsmen and women were safely landed in St. Lucia, the Spanish Navy took responsibility for the migrants found at sea in an open boat by the British-registered ARC yachts Tallulah and If Only. With many migrants setting out on the perilous journey from the African coast towards the Canary Islands, ARC skippers had been briefed on what action to take, so were able to summon help for the desperate crews.
Take That! The weather threw everything at crews
For many participants it is the weather that will be the lasting memory of ARC 2007 and this has been far from average for some yachts. For three days and nights, during the middle of the crossing, the core of the fleet had to sail through an area of concentrated thunderstorm cells and squalls, which lashed some unlucky crews with winds of 40 knots plus, pushing up big Atlantic waves and making for some very uncomfortable sailing.
Experienced Atlantic yachtsman, Mark Ashman, skipper of Persuader Too, commented, "I have done this crossing many times and this is the first time I have worn foul weather clothing in this direction. We should be in shorts and T-shirts day and night".
Rather more poetically, Brian Crosston of Cat-Man-Do described the fun side of the extreme weather: "Torrential rain and with a sail the size of a Supermodel's knickers we surfed to a new record of 21.7 knots! We were all screaming with excitement like a bunch of schoolgirls at a 'Take That' concert!"
Occasionally the weather did as was expected, providing those perfect trade wind days that sailors dream of, even if the crossing as a whole was a reminder that the Atlantic is no "milk run" and the Ocean should always command our respect.
Sue Allison from Hanse 461 Swagman, summed up the feelings of many after her arrival in St.Lucia. "It has been a trip we have been planning for so long. The sailing has been spectacular for the most part, except the times when there has been no wind, and I've been energised, excited and nervous in turn. Would I do it again? Absolutely yes!"
So ARC 2007 is over, crews having attended the Official Prizegiving last night (21 December) to celebrate the achievements of the whole fleet. Many are off to explore the Caribbean and enjoy a tropical Christmas.