Small World - part 2

	SMALL WORLD IN THE ATLANTIC RALLY FOR CRUISERS (ARC 1999) - Part 2 By Brian Bell
	The next year, 1999, we set off earlier! We left Port Dinorwic on the Menai Strait in North Wales at the end of June, heading for north Spain. There were three of us this time, me, Michael, and a friend of Michael's, Nick. I had also changed the headsail arrangement, having reinstalled the roller reefing genoa and put on a detachable emergency forestay just behind the roller jib so we could still use the hanked on jibs and also set two genoas for downwind sailing. After an unpleasant Biscay crossing, we changed crews in La Coruna and Vi and I took our time "port-hopping" down Portugal and Spain (and meeting other ARC, and non-ARC, yachts) to Gibraltar where it was all-change again and Michael, Nick and I sailed to Lanzarote via Madeira. Again we changed crew and Vi and I cruised around the Canaries before putting into Las Palmas in Gran Canaria about 4 weeks before start the ARC. The week before the start of the ARC was somewhat hectic, even though we had tried to plan it not to be, but at least other yachts were similarly busy! There was so much food to be stowed away, and on the Friday we got all the fresh vegetables and meat. All the veg and fruit had to be washed on the pontoon to make sure no cockroach eggs came on board, and for the same reason all cardboard and similar food packaging bought locally was not brought on board. Then there was the safety inspection - and would you believe it, the bow navigation light, which was working the week before, wouldn't light! We discovered this a few hours before the inspection so I had a busy time replacing the deck connector. Anyway, we passed. The crew arrived at the beginning of the last week - Michael and Nick, and a friend of mine, Mike Davis (also retired, like me). On the day before the start (Saturday), Michael and I attended the skippers' briefing where we received our sailing instructions for the start and the finish, instructions about the daily radio net where we would report our mid-day (UTC) positions, and a weather briefing. We came away with a wad of paperwork which we didn't have time to read in detail until we were well under way - we just absorbed the starting details. That night there was an impressive fireworks display over the harbour - just to stop anyone getting to bed early! Sunday - the start. We were due to cross the start line at 1300 UTC. The boats which were racing, i.e. not allowed to use their engines, were due to start at 1245. With around 250 boats taking part, we (and many others) decided to leave the Marina at about 1100 and cruise around the bay, keeping well clear of the start area. The outer end of the start line was marked by a Spanish warship, but it was actually quite difficult to find against the coast until we were quite close. Michael and I had decided that he would steer the boat at the start because of his yacht racing experience, and I would take the helm for the finish. There was a good NE wind so we broad-reached towards the line and crossed only a couple of minutes late - and we were not last! What was 2 minutes when we had 2700 miles to go! The start was magnificent with so many yachts quite close together and travelling fast. Part 3

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