Las Palmas, Canary Islands

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, known as ARC, is an organized event that attracts international sailors to Las Palmas, with bulging wallets and brightly polished vessels they gather in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a collective group. Allowing only 225 boats to join, an entry fee of 450£ (English Pounds) for the boat and 150£ per crew member, exempting all vessels under ?? feet are just some of the requirements to belong in this event. Associated with this rally are seminars on safety, sailing tactics, like man overboard procedures practiced in the bay, are just a few examples, along with festive evening social gatherings all conveniently located at the marina where the ARC participants are moored.

The NARC, Not in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisiers, is an unorganized group of weathered sailors that have logged many miles, with worn out wallets and vessels that look wrung through a wringer. The number of NARCs crossing is unlimited, no restrictions of vessels to cross will be enforced, as long as it floats, at own risk anything can attempt the crossing If a man were to go over board, the remaining crew might rethink if they really needed that person anyway before attempting rescue. There are no official events, and chance meets occur in chandleries and grocery stores, most festive gatherings are on the hook, since the ARC participants took all the berths.

The ARC will meet two weeks prior to the specified date of departure and will leave on the specified day, regardless if there is a stiff breeze or not. The NARC will hand pick their departure date, after scrutinizing the weather forecasts with much discussion amongst the captains on the best weather window to depart on.

This year the ARC left November 23, under a sunny sky and slight breeze. A parade of boats, flying their ARC insignias, filed out of Las Palmas marina. Treated to a marching band as hundreds of spectators looked upon the shinny hulls with fresh bottom paint and bright work, the sleek decks that carried crews adorned with matching outfits enthusiastically waved to the fans that came to see them off.

As the vessels converged in the small harbor to await the official starting time it became so impacted, looking like the carnival ride, bumper cars, it looked as if many vessels would end their journey before they were to start, as boats maneuvered out of one potential destructive collision course into another.

In their tattered attire, the NARC sitting upon their dulled hull and deck cluttered vessels, looked on with amusement, thinking this is what they paid for?