The prices includes professional crew and all boat costs, food costs are additional and shared between all crew members.
Further additional costs include flights, transfers, meals and accommodation ashore and personal insurance.
This sailing adventure is not just about the destinations, but the incredible experiences you’ll have along the way. At this stage the route is divided in one short rally leg from Tonga to Lau, Fiji and then cruising among the islands of Fiji. Taking part in a World ARC leg is both a challenging and rewarding experience. As a crew member you become part of the team and are involved in everything from navigating to cooking. During offshore passages watch shifts will be in place. This means crew are on watch for three hours and off watch for six hours. The responsible ‘on-watch’ team handles steering, trimming, and navigation while off-watch you get a chance to rest, sleep and also prepare meals and help out with other duties around the boat. The skipper and first mate will always be at hand to guide and help when needed, building on your existing experience from offshore sailing.
You can expect to cover approx. 2350 NM.
Crew gather aboard S/Y Celeste on June 5th providing an opportunity to get to know your fellow crew members and familiarize yourself with the boat. Celeste will be at anchor at the northernmost island of Vava’u in Tonga, just outside the charming town of Neiafu. The days leading up to departure for Fiji, on June 8th, will be spent with preparations onboard and exploring this beautiful South Pacific island with its sheltered bays, limestone cliffs, and underwater caves. The island is rich in Polynesian culture and traditions, and the friendly locals are deeply rooted in Polynesian heritage. The waters around Vava’u are teeming with wildlife, and humpback whales usually arrive in the area in June for their mating season.
There will also be social activities with the crews of other boats participating in the World ARC. Before departing there will be a thorough safety briefing. The leg will start with the other World ARC boats heading towards Fiji, ending in Lau. Crew will divide into three watch teams with 3-hour shifts. This means that you will be on watch for three hours and off watch for six hours. The responsible watch team handles steering, trimming, and navigation. As a crew member on board Celeste of Solent, you become part of the team and are involved in everything from steering and navigating to cooking and taking care of the boat. It will be about 2 days of ocean sailing before we dock in Fiji.
Fiji, known for its white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush tropical landscapes, consists of over 330 islands, of which about 110 are inhabited. The two largest islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where most of the population lives. The capital, Suva, is located on Viti Levu. We will then cruise and explore the islands of Fiji; in total around 300 NM of cruising. In these waters there is the chance to encounter humpback whales, known for their breaching and song. The country has a rich and diverse culture, a blend of native Fijian, Indian, and European influences. Traditional dances, songs, and ceremonies, such as the ”meke” (dance) and ”kava” ceremonies, are important parts of Fijian society. It will mainly be daytime cruising among the islands with their sandy beaches, stunning nature, and rich wildlife, finishing at Musket Cove.
Start: Vava’u, Tonga – 5th June
Depart for passage to Fiji – 8th June
Arrive Fiji – 11th June
Cruise & explore the islands of Fiji – 13th-20th June
End: Musket Cove, Fiji – 21st June
S/Y Celeste of Solent is always manned by a crew that holds Master of Yacht certification and has a number of skippers available. The crew rotate and for each Leg of the World ARC the skipper has been nominated so you can be confident of whom you will be sailing with. All skippers have many years of experience sailing on board Celeste and other yachts and some are also instructors for Master of Yacht. Leg 1-4 Skipper: Thomas Darholm has sailed around Shetland, Orkney and Scotland as well as to Svalbard, around the Azores and across the Atlantic.
This sailing adventure is not just about the destinations, but the incredible experiences you’ll have along the way. The 2350 NM route is divided in one short rally leg from Tonga to Lau, Fiji and then cruising among the islands of Fiji.
On longer passages, over open sea with night sailing, crew alternate between the berths in the aft. Under way, it is most comfortable place to sleep.
The crew of Celeste are very happy to sail with clients who have limited offshore sailing experience. However, we would suggest that at the very least you have experience of an over-night passage on a sailing yacht prior to joining a World ARC leg.
