2016-17 World ARC - Exploring Mauritius

by World Cruising on 27 Oct 2016 On Sunday 23rd at 0800 in the morning the Jeanneau 53 Golden Dragon safely arrived at le Caudan Marina Waterfront completing the World ARC fleet. John and Taffy sailed double handed since Cocos Keeling catch up with other participants after they departed late from Bali.

On the following day, all the World ARC participants went on a tour organized by Exclusive Vacation taking them North of the Island with a first stop at the Castle of La Bourdonnais. Participants learnt about the heritage left by the French when they started to develop maritime business with Mauritius, building the harbour of Port-Louis to facilitate trade with France.

After the visit participants got the opportunity to taste the rum directly made at the Castle before heading to the 'third most beautiful Botanical Garden in the world', built in 1719, with 85 different varieties of Palm trees over 37 hectares - the garden is also world famous for its long pond of giant water lilies. Participants then stopped for lunch at the Sugar Plantation museum enjoying local food before learning about the sugar cane process leading to the most appreciated drinks for sailors arriving in port, Rum.

Today, the last boats got refuelled by truck and refilled their gas bottle as we are getting closer to the start for Reunion this Thursday. Final crew members started to arrive to join their new homes for the next weeks to complete the Indian Ocean crossing taking them to Reunion and then Richard’s Bay on the East coast of South Africa.

Over sixty participants took part in the welcome and prize giving ceremony tonight organized and co-hoisted by Le Caudan Marina Waterfront and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority also call MTPA. Participants were welcomed by local dancers, before the Chairman of the MTPA Mr. Arnaud Martin took time to welcome once again our participants in Mauritius wishing them fair winds on the rest of their voyage.

The Finngulf 46 Mearra Nieida took first place in Monohull division with a corrected time of 15 days 04 hours 03 minutes and 22 seconds whilst the Atlantic 48, Resolute II took first place in multihull division being the first boat of the fleet to arrive in Mauritius with a corrected time of 15 days 18 hours 09 minutes and 51 seconds.

To mark the end of a busy but successful week tomorrow will be the skipper’s briefing for Leg 12 from Mauritius to Reunion as well as Leg 14 taking the fleet from Reunion to Richard’s Bay. Skipper’s will receive all the information they need to plan their passage from Mauritius to South Africa leaving on Thursday 1400LT for le Port in La Reunion, shortest leg of their round the world navigation with only 132NM to get there.