Ocean legend Jimmy Cornell has launched a new rally aimed at sailors heading from the Caribbean to the South Pacific. Starting in Martinique on 11 January 2015, the boats will head across the Caribbean Sea to the San Blas Islands. One week will be spent among the islands of this archipelago, home to the Guna community. Preparations for the transit of the Panama Canal will be completed at Shelter Bay Marina, a well-equipped facility with a boatyard, hoist and range of repair shops.

As docking or mooring facilities for visiting cruising boats are very limited on the Pacific side, Shelter Bay is a convenient place to prepare the boat and crew for the onward passage to the Galapagos Islands. This will start immediately on completion of the Panama Canal transit. The Galapagos landfall will be at Baquerizo Moreno on the island of San Cristobal. The fleet will be based there for a few days before sailing over to Puerto Ayora, the main settlement and touristic hub of the archipelago. Day excursions to the some of the islands of this world renowned nature reserve will be organised from one of those two ports.

A 3000 mile long passage will then take the boats to the Marquesas, with landfall at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa. This scenic outpost of French Polynesia will be a suitable finale for this truly Pacific odyssey.

The boats sailing in the inaugural Pacific Odyssey in 2015 will leave Martinique in the company of the Blue Planet Odyssey fleet as it continues on its route around the world. The Pacific Odyssey will be an annual event, and will take place each year, independently of the Blue Planet Odyssey.

The Pacific Odyssey is organized by Jimmy Cornell’s company Cornell Sailing Events. Anyone interested in joining the Pacific Odyssey should send an email to info@cornellsailing.com