The ARC isn’t just about sailing across the Atlantic. It’s also about making new friends, learning new skills, adding to your sailing knowledge and confidence and perhaps most importantly, having fun! The Las Palmas Programme, organised by World Cruising Club, runs over a two week lead-in period and encapsulates the best of everything and, most importantly, gives the ARC crews a proper send-off.
Monday 13 November – We’re open for business
This year the Programme commences on Monday 13 November when the ARC Office, Shop and Information Centre open in Muelle Deportivo (Las Palmas Marina). By this date, around 60 boats have already arrived in Las Palmas and the first week is extremely busy with registration of the boats already in port and the new arrivals that just keep on coming.
Week One really is too good to miss!
As the Marina fills up, so the social programme escalates. Boats arriving in the first week can look forward to a couple of welcome parties. The first on Tuesday 14 November hosted by the ARC’s Official Chandlery ‘Rolnautic’ and the second is held on Friday 17 November and hosted by the Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas (City Hall). Both provide a wonderful introduction to the infamous Canarian hospitality, with local food, entertainment and colour.
New for this year is a Cocktail Party to which all ARC boat owners are invited, supported by Admiral Marine Insurance and World Cruising Club. The venue is the Real Club Nautico on the evening of Saturday 18 November, a week before the start. This promises to be a wonderful evening and a great opportunity for the owners to meet each other in informal surroundings. But it’s not all about parties!
Training workshops and seminars are also on offer to participants this week with advice on provisioning, rigging, emergencies, sextants, route, double-handed sailing and, of course, the all-important weather.
For the ARC children the organisers have laid on an Optimist Course and their very own Beach Party. Finally, a tour inland with a trip to the mountains means that any crews keen to see a little more of what Gran Canaria has to offer can take some time off and explore the Island.
From the sublime to the ridiculous!
The flags and fanfare of the Official Opening Ceremony are swiftly followed by the muck and madness of Don Pedro’s Dinghy Race
Sunday 19 November, exactly one week before the start, is one of the biggest days on the Las Palmas Programme. The day kicks off with the official ARC Opening Ceremony, where flags of all the nationalities taking part in the ARC are paraded around the Marina and then hoisted to a fanfare of fireworks.
An afternoon of fun and frolics follows the Ceremony, hosted by the notorious Don Pedro. Pedro is the owner of the Texaco Station in the Marina and Master of Ceremonies for his International Dinghy Race which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. (See separate feature on Don Pedro). Islanders, ARC participants and anyone else who cares to enter take part in this deluge of water and unknown sticky substances and, with additional activities ashore available for the slightly less adventurous and a wonderful prize giving and barbeque, great fun is had by all.
Week Two & things are hotting up!
With the majority of ARC yachts having now arrived in the Marina, the second week of the Las Palmas Programme has a number of events where crews can get together in sociable surroundings.
Things kick off on Monday and Tuesday the 20 and 21 November with Crew Suppers at Restaurant Embarcadero, overlooking the Marina. Not only does this Restaurant, now under new management, offer a fabulous menu, but there is also great music and dancing on the deck until the early hours of the morning.
Many of the ARC Happy Hours are sponsored this week, which means free drinks for ARC participants.
Go on! Make a spectacle of yourself!
The biggest spectacle of all takes place mid-week with the Berthon ARC Fancy Dress Party. Crews scour boat lockers and Las Palmas shops to come up with the most imaginative costumes, and this year’s theme – the Circus is coming to town - should see plenty of variety.
Prizes are supported by the venue, Bar La Romana, El Corte Ingles and Hotel Santa Catalina, and the official sponsor Berthon, will be providing free drinks. The ARC “Circus” will be taking place on Wednesday 22 November and a list of the winners of the Fancy Dress Competition will be posted on the ‘news’ section of this website.
As said previously, it’s not ALL about parties!
There is an intensive seminar programme running this week with three days of seminars being held at the Hotel Santa Catalina. In addition to a repeat of the topics covered in Week One, we will be covering subjects such as power management, communications, downwind sailing, returning to Europe, first aid and St. Lucia.
Sea safety demos are a must
One whole day is entirely devoted to Sea Safety demonstrations for skippers and their crews.
The Las Palmas Coastguard carries out a SAR Helicopter Demonstration off the Marina breakwater followed by a live flare demonstration and a liferaft demonstration by ARC corporate partner, Hamble School of Yachting. Often for many crews this is the first time they have seen these demonstrations all together and it is a practical and important part of the preparations.
For the families in the ARC this week there is a supper, giving parents the chance to meet each other and compare experiences of sailing with children on board. On the final Friday, the Las Palmas Tourist Board hosts the Farewell Cocktail Party for ARC crews. This is always a great occasion with every one of the 1,200 crew squeezed in to bid each other farewell and fair winds.
Midnight at the Marina - followed by the dawn of departure
Before we know it, it is Saturday 25 November and at midnight on the eve of the Rally’s start there is a final and fabulous firework display over the Marina supported by the Patronato de Turismo de Gran Canaria. Then comes the dawn we have all been waiting for and the yachts make ready for the start on Sunday 26 November.
Keep an eye on the ne
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar