ARC Portugal comes to an end in Marina de Lagos
On Wednesday 29 June,
ARC Portugal 2016 came to a close with awards presented to all the
participating crews at a dinner hosted by the rally sponsor, Marina de Lagos.
After four weeks together, firstly for rally preparations in Plymouth, then
sailing across Biscay to make landfall in Bayona, and lastly two weeks cruising
the coast of Portugal, the participants have had a memorable journey to reach
the Algarve.

From Solent racers to
first time cruising couples, crews this year had a wide range of previous sailing
experiences before setting off. Sailing together as a fleet has helped them
share knowledge and advice in different situations, with Rally Control also on
hand. From Bayona, the distances between stopover ports are covered in a
day and conditions for each leg have been mixed; some residual swells combined
with lights airs made one leg difficult, with stronger winds causing different
challenges on another. Overall the passage south this year was lighter airs
than normally expected at this time of year.
Ashore, crews have
enjoyed an introduction to the many cultural highlights along the way including
a port wine lodge, the birth and final resting places of Portugal's first
monarch King Alfonso, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compestella in Galicia, the
birth place and former home of the Portuguese discoverer Vasco de Gama, the
famous university library at Coimbra, the Palace of Pompal in Oeiras, and the
city of Lisbon. There's also been time for tapas in traditional town squares,
to soak up the atmosphere in quaint fishing villages and enjoy countryside
walks off the usual tourist trail.
All the participants
have enjoyed getting to know each other well at the various social functions
organised at each stopover, as well as the many impromptu gatherings aboard
yachts and ashore. Lifelong friendships have been formed, and cruising
partnerships established. And for the first time there was an engagement for
one of the crew, whose girlfriend proposed to him on arrival in Lagos!

Shared experiences after
a month together created a very special atmosphere at final rally dinner.
Manager of Marina de Lagos, Ingrid Fortunato, has welcomed the fleet for over
two decades and says about their involvement with the rally, "ARC Portugal was started to promote
the opening of Marina de Lagos in 1994 and after twenty two years is well
established as an event continually introducing yachts to sailing in Portugal.
The arrival of the rally marks the start of the busy summer season during which
we typically welcome in the region of 1200 visiting transit yachts, including
many from the ARC on their way to the Canary Islands. As our first and longest
running sponsored event ARC Portugal is very special to all of us at the
marina, and we always look forward to their arrival."
For Andrew Bishop,
Managing Director of World Cruising Club and founder of the rally, the rally is
also a great annual event: "Having
sailed the course in 1989, and run the rally for twenty two years, during which
time we have introduced more than 400 yachts to sailing in Portugal, it always
gives me great pleasure to see our participants end the rally with fond
memories of sailing the Portuguese coast, a better knowledge of this lovely
country, and often as more confident sailors through the experiences gained.
ARC Portugal is a fantastic introduction to long distance cruising, and the
first step for many starting new cruising adventures."
Whilst all those
involved with ARC Portugal in 2016 will be sad that this year's rally has come
to an end, it is also just start of many more exciting experiences this summer.
Some boats are planning to continue cruising into the Mediterranean, whilst
others will be using Marina de Lagos as a convenient base to continue exploring
Portugal. Wherever their adventures take them next, the friendships between the
crews and their memories of their sail south together are set to last a very
long time.