There is great excitement as we arrive in Rodney Bay aboard SeaDream 1.
The first of the yachts to have left Las Palmas in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) has just arrived and the IGY marina here is preparing to host the rest of the fleet as it approaches the end of their trans Atlantic crossings.
Already 19 of the 59 yachts in the ARC Plus have made land fall so far. Departing from their stopover in Mindelo, Cape Verdes five days earlier than the ARC fleet left Las Palmas, these yachts had a shorter distance to sail to Rodney Bay and so arrived earlier.
Named after British naval officer George Brydges Rodney, the bay in which we anchored is on the North West coast of Saint Lucia; it is along the north western and importantly leeward coast of the island to the north of Choc Bay.
SeaDream 1 anchored off the cut and offered tender service to one of the local bars or direct to the marina.
Guests enjoyed the Yachting Land Adventures, water sports organised by the ship while others spent time on the local beaches or a hiked to Pigeon Island.
We meanwhile attended a reception with the Honourable Lorne Theophius the island’s Minister of Tourism to welcome the arrival of the first boat to complete the ARC
