First boat of ARC+ 2025 arrives in Grenad
by World Cruising Club 3 Dec 10:27 NZDT
Enjoy The Silence arrives in Grenada in the ARC+ © World Cruising Club
The first boat of the ARC+ 2025 fleet has made landfall in Grenada, to jubilant scenes on the docks at Camper & Nicholson Port Louis Marina.
The crew of Enjoy The Silence, an Outremer 55, made incredible time on their 2,200NM journey from Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands, crossing the finish line at 15:38 UTC. This meant that they completed the second leg of their transatlantic voyage in just 10 days, 4 hours and 28 minutes, which was well ahead of the rest of the ARC+ fleet.
Upon their arrival, they were greeted by World Cruising Club, Grenada Tourism Authority and Port Louis Marina, who were keen to kick off the celebrations following their voyage.
After the finish, Skipper Jullien Jean said: "This is a special feeling for me. On one hand we are really happy because we have been pushing the boat to cross the line first, but I actually feel slightly deflated now that it is over! Perhaps I just need to do the next ARC+ because World Cruising Club is an incredible organisation.
"For us, the start was the best moment. Before the start we were completely relaxed but when we saw all the other boats it was all action- the crew just wanted to win."
Weather conditions during ARC+ 2025 have been varied. On the first leg of the trip between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Mindelo, winds were light. Many boats struggled to work their way south into the stronger and more consistent trade wind patterns which are key to Atlantic crossings. Leg 2 began with light winds as boats left Mindelo, however the breeze has been building across the last week and some boats have been experiencing sustained periods of over 20 knots.
Despite the varied wind conditions, Enjoy The Silence was also the fastest boat on leg 1 of ARC+ 2025, completing the 865NM journey from Gran Canaria to Mindelo in 4 days, 15 hours and 5 minutes.
When asked what the secret to the success was, Jullien Jean explained: "We have a great crew onboard and the boat is wonderful. It provided us with comfort, security and performance for our voyage.
"Now, we are looking forward to exploring the island of Grenada and taking some time to clean the boat after our trip."
The next boat due to arrive in Grenada is Bingera, another Outremer 55. They are due to arrive on 3 December and are likely to be followed by Dawnbreaker, a Kanter 64.
The ARC+ prize-giving will take place on 11 December but before that participants will enjoy a fantastic social programme, designed to celebrate the achievement of crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
Enjoying the well-renowned Grenadian hospitality, the period after arriving at the finish line will be a great opportunity for sailors to share stories and solidify friendships which can often last for a lifetime.