Saint Lucia is Rife with Enthusiasm to Welcome the Inaugural 'ARC January' Fleet

12th January 2022

By SLTA

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Chairman of the SLTA – Thaddeus M. Antoine

PRESS RELEASE - Saint Lucia anticipates welcoming the inaugural ‘ARC January’ fleet with over 200 representatives from 30 countries. With a focus to further develop the yachting niche and generate greater economic impact for the destination, organizers have sanctioned the ARC January event, of which 43 vessels sailed from Las Palmas Marina on Sunday, January 9, 2022, to the IGY Rodney Bay Marina.

The friendly ‘ARC January’ event was conceptualized as a second leg of the main Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) event, thereby welcoming even more sailors to the destination and for a longer period. The January Atlantic crossing should give the fleet constant trade winds with few calms, where the rhumb line can be sailed more easily.

Commenting on ARC January, Chairman of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), Thaddeus M. Antoine said “We express sincere gratitude to the World Cruising Club. Andrew Bishop and his team have made Saint Lucia their home for 32 years, and each year adds new participants, thereby expanding the ARC family that we in Saint Lucia are delighted to receive. We value the economic impact of the ARC to our island, and people, and look forward to making ARC and ARC January grander each year with the support of our entities and Corporate Saint Lucia”.

Six (6) of the forty nine (49) registered yachts remain in Las Palmas Marina completing final fixes and awaiting parts and crew to arrive with the hope to join the rest of the fleet on their passage to Saint Lucia in the days ahead.

Most of the boats will take about 18-21 days to make the 2,700 nautical mile Atlantic crossing to the IGY Rodney Bay Marina, and in association with the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and Events Company of Saint Lucia, on-island events in keeping with country protocols are planned.

World Cruising Club in partnership with Brand Saint Lucia and corporate sponsors, have planned an exciting arrival programme and special ARC reunion for the boats that crossed at the end of 2021, promising a wonderful atmosphere at the IGY Rodney Bay Marina.