SailBlog - ARC Seminars

Graham

14/11/2008, Las Palmas

The ARC programme is extremely well organised and a large number of seminars and presentations are provided for sailors. We have split down the attendance between all of us and over the past two days have been to seminars on Provisioning, Emergency Management, Rigging, Weather and the Route, and this morning, a Sextant Top Tips session down by the sea. Throw in a night at the local Jazz Club last night, and the ARC Official Opening Party tonight, and that's a typical couple of days at the moment; busy! We still have seminars on communications, generator repair, getting back to Europe, what to see in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean Islands, and several others. We also have at least four more parties to get to yet, one of which is fancy dress ('Caribbean Carnival' theme) for which no one has a clue what to wear yet - no surprises here. Sounds like a job for the afternoon prior to the party... The atmosphere here is very relaxed and none of our crew has any concerns about the crossing. We have travelled over 2000 miles to get here from England through much rougher water than the trade winds route usually delivers and we are looking forward to a reasonably relaxing crossing with the fishing rods out trawling for tuna and some warm, sunny weather. The aim next week is to do no work whatsoever on the boat (apart from repair the generator!) and enjoy some of Gran Canaria by using the local buses to get around cheaply. This should leave us in the right frame of mind to enjoy the farewell cocktail and fireworks party; well that's the theory! Time to go and get a book on how to fish, as Mark T is the only crew member who has caught any fish in the last 2000 miles. Clearly some work is needed here! Photo: Mark T undergoing 'Sextant Assimilation'