Sophie arrived last night in Las Palmas. I went out to the airport to pick her up. This is it. The week long countdown to the start of the rally commences. She brought a special gift, which is an advent calender. It now takes pride of place on the saloon wall. It will prove an ammusing reminder as we count down the days to our arrival in St. Lucia which could be Christmas day. My expected date of arrival is the 21st of December, but first we have a week of preparations ahead of us.
The ARC so far has been interesting. I have actually kept a low profile on the party circuit since discovering their dangers on opening night. My Los Palmas friends from Febuary are still here. They have been evicted from the Marina and are just a stone's throw away from the boat safe and sound in the anchorage. The ARC boats which now take up about every evailable space in the Marina are festooned with flags and bunting. A festive atmosphere permiates the the place. There is a sense of general excitement in the air. For most people this is the first crossing of a big ocean. I would say I stand out a little from the crowd in my old boat and budget but people are friendly and welcoming. I have attended two seminars on short handed sailing and practical use of the sextant at sea. All good stuff.
Today is a bit of an admininstration day. Sort out the internet, insurence for the Atlantic crossing, one of the "Terms and Conditions" I missed in the briefing. Then the rest of the week is dedicated to provisioning the boat and stowing everything for the passage. Finbarr arrives on Friday and by then we will truely be like 3 sardines in a tin! Here we go!