The End

ARC 2007

There it is then - 10.30 UK time 11 December we crossed the line - in the darkness as the sun set some 45 minutes earlier. So that was 16 days 9 and a half hours for a trip which turned out to be 3034 nautical miles (even though the direct route from Las Palmas is supposed to be about 2,700 miles). It has been a frustrating day with lousy wet weather, changes and drops in wind and all sorts of rearrangements of the sail plan. The worst was about midday today when we found ourselves under a 12 mile diameter black cloud with torrential rain - and not a breath of wind. As we went around and around in circles we had jealous visions of all the other boats nearby powering forward in 20 knots of breeze to the finish line ahead of us. Fortunately we got out of there after about 40 minutes and were on our way once more. The afternoon was a little better but we continued to scan the horizon for any trace of rival Into the Blue. Not a trace but plenty of other boats as the fleet converged on one small spot at the north tip of St Lucia.

The finish line is at the back of Rodney Bay and heading towards it the wind comes almost head on so our last ten minutes was beating upwind into 20 knots of wind and a 25 degree heel - a suitably dramatic ending to the trip.

Even more dramatic was the rapid approach of a pair of white lights from starboard - it definitely looked like a high speed collision until we realised it was the ARC official photographer storming up for boat pictures on the line. We were sufficiently under control to be able to offer full smiles and waves as he went by. We are not sure exactly our position crossing the line but think it was somewhere in the low 50's.

We have also found subsequently that quite a number of boats ahead of us had been using their engines in the quiet spells - obviously we think their positions should be expunged from the records.

Arriving at the dock we were presented with a tray of very strong rum punches and a basket full of fruit. We still have the fruit though the rum punches disappeared almost instantly. The rest of the evening you can probably guess. Suffice to say the rum punches are large and strong, the local Piton beer is similarly plentiful and this morning the number of pints of iced water being consumed is reaching epic proportions.