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.
On this trip you will experience the tropical paradise of Vanuatu in the heart of the south Pacific, blue water sailing on the passage to Mackay, Australia and the wonders of the eastern part of the Great Barrier Reef.
The crew meets on July 14th in Vanuatu on the island of Efate, with the harbour located in the city of Port Vila. With an opportunity to familiarize yourself with Celeste of Solent, a Farr 65, with each other, and with the other crews participating in the rally. Port Vila is located around a magnificent natural harbour offering stunning views of Iririki and Ifira islands. The waterfront area is so unpolluted visitors can look down from the seawall and see live corals and tropical fish. Port Vila is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu. It is a relatively small city with a population of about 50,000. It is a cosmopolitan city with residents from various ethnic backgrounds, including ni-Vanuatu (the country’s indigenous people), French, Australian, Chinese, and other immigrant groups.
The island of Efate is one of the larger islands in Vanuatu and the most populated. The island has varied terrain, with both high mountains, rainforests, and coastal areas. There are several villages where we can experience traditional Vanuatu culture, as well as many beaches and coral reefs. The island’s road network is relatively simple, with a road that circles the entire island, making it possible to explore many of its scenic spots.
The sail towards Mackay starts on July 17th. The days leading up to departure will be spent on preparations and exploring Port Vila and Efate. WARC will also organize a gathering for all crews before the start. Before we depart we will do the route planning and have a thorough safety briefing. This is a relatively long ocean passage which is estimated to take approx. 7 days, covering 1150 NM. We will have plenty of time to get into the routines of offshore sailing. As a crew member onboard Celeste you become part of the team, taking turns steering, navigating, trimming, etc., and we also take turns with other onboard duties like cooking. We will divide into three watch teams with 3 hours on duty and 6 hours off. 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.
The waters around Vanuatu are rich in wildlife, and humpback whales usually arrive in the area this time of year. The whales mate in the waters around the islands. The humpback whale is known for its breaching and its song. The last stretch before arriving in Mackay takes us through the eastern part of the Great Barrier Reef. Perhaps we will have time to stop and snorkel on the reef. On arrival in Mackay, we will dock at the Marina, which features restaurants and cafés. The city is located in the state of Queensland and offers a mix of industrial and natural beauty, with its coastal location making it a popular destination for nature lovers and adventure travellers.
Queensland’s coastline is one of Australia’s most spectacular and varied, known for its incredible natural beauty and biodiversity. It is home to some of the world’s most iconic sites, such as the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching over 2,300 km along the coast of Queensland. It is home to thousands of marine species, including colourful corals, fish, turtles, and sharks. It is a popular destination for snorkelling, diving, and marine research. Queensland’s coast offers an unparalleled combination of tropical adventure, untouched nature, and marine life that we will have the opportunity to experience.
Start: Port Vila, Island of Efate, Vanuatu, Crew Arrive – 14th July
Leg to Mackay departs – 17-24th July
Time to explore Mackay & Queensland area
End: Mackay, Australia 27th July
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.
On this 1,150 NM trip you will experience the tropical paradise of Vanuatu in the heart of the south Pacific, blue water sailing on the passage to Mackay, Australia and the wonders of the eastern part of the Great Barrier Reef.
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.