ARC 2012

Yippee. ARC 2012 is firmly in the diary and fully crewed. I am so pleased that the team have all accepted and even expressed some enthusiasm for the ordeal. Its still a full twelve months until we leave in November 2012 but already Andrew has prepared his best ragut for a tasting session. Andrew is the most important man on board as he will be in charge of catering. We will all take it in turn for cooking duties but Andrew will be responsible for provisioning and ensuring that we have 21 days supply of delicious fresh food. I think the prospect of this huge responsibility pushed Fatty over the edge and she decided that British Airways would provide a less stressful experience - i suspect she's right.  The cracking news is that the ARCettes have also started planning the joyous reunion in St Lucia and i have witnessed animated discussions about villas and pools and mud baths - well, maybe not mud baths.

Today was the day that the ARC office opened for the 2011 event and our friends Mervyn and Amanda are in the Canaries gearing up for their departure on Aztec on 20th November. I am so jealous but savouring our trip in 12 months time.  In fact we have lots to do. An Ocean survival course is a must. It comprises a day in a swimming pool when they switch off the lights, turn on the wave machine, spray you with high pressure water and shout at you to get into a liferaft fully clothed wearing a lifejacket. As you can imagine its a belter.  I in turn have a list of jobs which includes servicing all the emergency equipment, organising extra gas canisters to keep Andrews ovens blazing, ordering the new furler for the cruising chute, fitting red lights in the saloon to protect our night vision and a host of other things that buzz around my brain and eventually end up on a long list in my notebook that gets longer before it gets shorter and each item is ticked off.

Here are some pictures from the ARC in 2005.









Fatty and i are going to Palma on the 19th of November to check on Juno. We will report back.