Today our ARC program was officially los. We sail namely not quite utterly alone across the Atlantic, we participate in the ARC – “Atlantik Rally for Cruisers” part. Da starten am 22. November about 250 Ships together to 13 Clock in the direction of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Ahead there are seminars and events, but also a lot of parties, where you can meet like-minded people. On the Atlantic However, you then of course put back on itself, for the ships sailing not in a crowd or on sight :-). At the latest after one or two days, the last sailing disappears on the horizon. But in Saint Lucia you can meet all again again and there are even prizes for the fastest, largest, most beautiful or the most exotic ships in different categories. You know so our captain, but I can assure you, that our “Racing ambitions” are negligible in the large and not particularly intimate ship on this tour. Most importantly to us, dass wir heil und wohlbehalten drüben ankommen 🙂

Jetzt freuen wir uns erst einmal auf die spannende Zeit in Las Palmas und viele neue Bekannte 🙂 . After yesterday evening already for happy hour the ARC + (The sail still a dangling over the Cape Verde) who had infiltrated and we know there is a lot of nice people learned, was for tonight, our first, planned official party in the Tao bar near the Marina:

Welcome ARC – Farewell ARC+

Aber das Leben besteht ja leider nicht nur aus Partys 🙂 und wir hatten über Tag noch einige andere Dinge zu erledigen. Around noon we officially checked us in ARC office. In addition to lots of information about Gran Canaria and the capital Las Palmas we got our ARC Passports, the start number for our CESARINA (60) for the Rally and other important documents, affecting our Atlantic crossing.

In the afternoon we had a visit on board the ARC organization. The security check was at. The inspector was aboard was Anne. She does the job for many years and is incidentally also the wife of the responsible “Weather frog” the ARC. Even before we had received an entire folder full of information and requirements, which are placed on the boats of the ARC. Now it was time to check on the spot, if we had done our homework properly.

We had to answer questions and let the equipment show on board and inspect more than an hour. For both of us it was a meaningful and educational event. Sure, a few things were on the list, about whose meaning you could certainly argue, but on the other hand, we also found a few small weaknesses in our security concept, die wir bisher übersehen hatten 🙂

Satisfied, to have successfully completed the first item on our To-To-List now behind us, konnten wir am Abend zur Party aufbrechen 🙂 Mit Jörg Drexhagen von Yachtfunk.com zogen wir los. The event was organized by the ARC in cooperation with the city of Las Palmas and had lain down properly to the wheel. Even the welcome was spectacular :-). As part of the Carnival here in Gran Canaria not only a carnival queen is crowned, but also a drag queen. And this beauty was standing with two elaborately decorated, young ladies at the entrance. Both my male companion were the whole somewhat skeptical and were not ready for a joint Foot Shooting. I liked the sight but actually quite good. Impressive were the almost 50 cm high heels, auf denen der junge Herr sehr elegant durch die Gegend spazierte 🙂

Inside, we were generously entertained with drinks and tapas. After a short speech it went funny and at ease. Las Palmas is probably the carnival capital of the Canaries and so we got a few insights, had been celebrated like this early in the year.

During the evening, our Round had significantly increased: Martin were now of the SY FIRST STEP and Frank and Julius of the SY jucunda also one of the party. Because actually missing only Dirk and Bettina from the SY ain't FANCY?! But they were probably too much in stress. My boat was actually still on land and on Sunday it was going to go in the direction of Cap Verde. Da wäre mir wahrscheinlich auch nicht nach Feiern zumute gewesen 🙂

Long after midnight went this splashy evening to end. Back on the CESARINA I was impressed, how much swell suddenly prevails in the port. Somehow turned my bunk?! Well, quickly and sleep eyes. Tapas sind einfach keine gute Grundlage für eine lustige Party 🙂