If crossing the Atlantic is a major achievement, a circumnavigation must be life-changing. We’ll find out soon as World Cruising Club, the organisation behind the ever popular Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), has announced that its World ARC fleet of 37 yachts from 13 nations is nearing St Lucia and the end of a voyage around the world that began in St Lucia in January 2008 (see left). The celebrations are scheduled for the end of March this year.

The challenging and highly adventurous World ARC route has taken in some of the best cruising destinations in the world including remote islands and anchorages in the South Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

The final ocean passage is now over with the yachts having sailed from South Africa to Brazil via St. Helena. World Cruising Club took the decision to route the rally via South Africa, a choice that has proved timely, since pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have caused Lloyds of London to withdraw insurance cover in the Red Sea.

Since the concept for a World ARC Rally was first announced by World Cruising back in 2006, there has been a continual stream of international enquiries coming into the WCC Cowes based office. World Cruising has created the adventure of a lifetime, using up to date routing information, careful planning and the skills acquired over years 20 of running ocean sailing events.

Having experienced the famous Carnival in Recife the yachts are now on count down to the finish, with a coastal leg to Grenada, where the fleet will be hosted by the new Port Louis Marina at St.George’s, Grenada.

A final cruise up the Windward Islands chain from Grenada brings the boats to Discovery at Marigot Bay, St. Lucia, where the celebrations start to wind up to mark the arrival of the World ARC fleet. A parade of sail will end the circumnavigation back at Rodney Bay, 15 months and 25,000nm after the World ARC commenced.

Meanwhile, the entry list is open for World ARC 2010/11 and to date 34 yachts have entered.

World ARC is open to monohulls with a minimum LOA of 40ft [12.19m], and multihulls between 40ft [12.19m] and 60ft [18.29m].

Minimum crew requirement is two people onboard each yacht.

For more details visit www.worldcruising.com