Things are hotting up in Las Palmas in preparation for Sunday’s ARC start

With four days to go ’til the start of the ARC, the marina at Las Palmas is a hotbed of activity. Thankfully, for most boats, the more important boxes are already ticked, getting here being the main one. Safety checks were almost all complete yesterday, and the World Cruising Club’s pre ARC seminars, covering all topics from provisioning and weather to communication, were wrapped up yesterday too. It’s just those last minute things (fish hooks, batteries, bulbs, wool?) that are occupying most crews’ time. And thinking about the trip.

The weather has taken a turn for the better after a few days of miserable rain. One crewmember’s first words on arriving two days ago were: ‘I thought I just left England!’ Today there was a little more sunshine and a pleasant 10-15 knots of breeze. It looks like there will be a little more than that for the start.

Tonight may provide plenty more material for this writer as the Smirnoff Ice party rocks the ARC fleet. With not much in the way of time or materials to make costumes, the Fire and Ice theme is bound to stretch crews’ imaginations to the limits and the results will no doubt be very entertaining!