Nov 20 – Dec 22 | $7950
Come and cross an ocean on Sea Dragon! This is a bucket list kind of trip and we’ll be doing it as part of the ARC Rally. A true blue-water passage is incredible on its own, but add shoreside activities, camaraderie of other boats, and the festive racing scene and it’s that much more special.
There will be time to become well aquatinted with Sea Dragon and your fellow crew members prior to setting sail, as well as time to participate in the ARC events and explore Gran Canaria.
The crossing itself will be a true blue water passage, hooking into the trade winds across the Atlantic. Our crew are there to help hone in on any skills you’d like to focus on gaining/improving, including celestial navigation. A passage like this is the perfect opportunity to learn and practice using a sextant, doing sight reductions and plotting.
We will arrive on the other side with plenty of time to relax and explore on the island of Saint Lucia, both by land and by sea. You and your team will have worked hard and sailed many miles, it would be a shame to not get some time to enjoy the Caribbean as well! There’s hiking, snorkeling, paddle boarding, delicious fresh fruits, warm water, and luscious hillsides. Not a terrible place to end after crossing an ocean!
All meals on board Sea Dragon are delicious and vegetarian, with the addition of fish if we catch any along the way.
This is not a trip for the infirm or physically unfit – you MUST be able to go up and down the companionway and move safely about the boat while in rough conditions, have good balance, and be in reasonably good health. Please contact us with any health questions or if you answer “YES” to any of the questions on our health questionnaire prior to signing up for the trip!
Ardent Training is offering a discount on the RYA Day Skipper Theory online course to anyone signed up for this trip. If you’re interested in taking the course, let us know when you sign up and we can give you the discount code!
KEY POINTS
- Distance: 2800 nautical miles
- Cost: $7950
- Date: Nov 20 – Dec 22, 2024 (33 Days, 32 Nights)
- Start: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
- End: Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
For more details, please explore the drop down menus at the bottom of the page.
Tentative Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Plan to arrive at Sea Dragon between 1500-1700.
Day 2-4: Boat/safety briefings and ARC shore side activities
There will be much to take in and prepare for setting sail. You will get to know your fellow crew members, your home for the coming weeks, Sea Dragon, and participate together in the ARC events. You’ll get to know crew from other boats in the rally too! There will also be time to explore Gran Canaria before departure and get a last meal ashore before weeks at sea.
Day 5: Set Sail
With the other boats in the rally, we’ll cross the start at 1300 headed for Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.
Day 6-25: Underway Upon the Atlantic Ocean
While life will take on a certain rhythm while at sea, each day will always be different and the watch rotation will give everyone a taste of each time of day as you head west. You and your crew will work as a team to keep the boat moving efficiently and make life fun! Plenty of time to read books, watch films, practice/learn celestial navigation, cook a favorite meal and enjoy being disconnected.
Day 26: Arrival Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
The exact arrival day will vary depending on the wind and will probably be sooner than this. However, there is plenty of time built into the trip for lighter winds and to soak up slower sailing.
Day 27-31: Explore Saint Lucia, Sail to Marigot Bay
There will most likely be plenty of time to explore before the prize ceremony. This means opportunities to hike, snorkel, paddle board, and even pop out to ‘cruise’ St Lucia, spending some time at anchor in Marigot Bay and/or Rodney Bay. We’ll also have the time to take part in any ARC shore side activities and welcome other boats that arrive.
Day 32: ARC Prize Giving Party
Time to celebrate everyone’s arrival into Saint Lucia together with other crew members of the boats in the rally!
Day 33: Departure in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
You’ll need to leave the boat by 1000 at Rodney Bay Marina.
Sign Up Now
The deposit is only $500. It’s non refundable if you back out, but if we cancel or modify the trip we are happy to return your money or apply it to a different voyage. Please review the Crew Contract for full details. The remaining balance is due 60 days before the trip begins. Please contact us with any questions.
Contact Us
Call Us: +1 (305) 330-4212 (Pacific Time) If we don’t pick up, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
– 32 nights accommodation on Sea Dragon
– All meals (vegetarian), snacks, and drinks on board
– Sailing Instruction
– ARC shoreside activities
– Safety equipment and foul weather gear
– Use of paddle boards in port
– Mask, snorkel, fins
Contribution does not include:
– Transportation to Marina Las Palmas or from Rodney Bay Marina
– Transportation from Gran Canaria Airport (LPW) or to Hewanorra International Airport (UVF)
– Additional nights spent ashore
– Personal expenses while in port
It will be warm and the sun will be strong! Take a look at our Tropical packing list.
Gran Canaria Airport is a 20 min taxi from Marina Las Palmas. Hewanorra International Airport is about a 1.5 hour taxi from Rodney Bay Marina in Saint Lucia.
All Crew members are responsible for their own passports and any necessary visas. You must have at least 6 months remaining on your passport beyond our arrival in Saint Lucia.
Please look into the specific type of visa you need for arriving at these destinations by sea, or contact us directly to discuss.
Holly first started sailing at 19 on what she had thought was a “once-in-a-lifetime” passage from Plymouth, UK, to La Coruna, Spain with a youth sail training organization, but during the voyage she became totally invested in a life at sea. She volunteered for that charity for a few years before becoming a full-time sailor in 2015. Since then she has worked for similar charities around the UK, all of which specialize in providing valuable experiences for vulnerable or disadvantaged young people, and also instructs adults on adventurous coastal and offshore trips anywhere from arctic Svalbard to the Caribbean – with some of the ocean crossings being undertaken by celestial navigation only. Holly has been fortunate enough to sail on Sea Dragon several times in the last 8 years: on eXXpedition voyages researching the prevalence of oceanic plastic pollution from Senegal to Guyana, in the Caribbean, and around Britain, and most recently across the Pacific from Mexico to Tahiti in 2023. Holly is a Yachtmaster Instructor, and holds Yachtmaster Ocean with commercial endorsement and Proficiency in Medical Care certificates. She has sailed 65,000+nm.
Abi Davies, First Mate
Abi grew up in Dorset, UK and exhibited a passion for all things sport and outdoors early on, spending most non school time playing/competing in various sports or being outside along the SW Coastline. Having completed her BSc in Geophysics at the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Exploration Geophysics at the University of Leeds, she decided to join the RAF to seek more adventure. Initially joining as a Fighter Controller, she changed branches to become a Communications and Networks Engineer and has deployed on various operations and exercises, giving her a breadth of experience in different high stress environments. During her time in the RAF she has represented the service in volleyball, athletics, bobsleigh, waterskiing/ wakeboarding… and sailing, both racing and on expeditions. The most memorable expedition was sailing from Iceland to Greenland, having to navigate huge icebergs/shelves and experiencing midnight sunsets. In 2023 she sailed with Sea Dragon from Hawaii to Tahiti via Kiritimati, which was the final confirmation needed to pause the military and pursue life as a professional sailor. Abi holds a commercially endorsed YM Offshore ticket and MCA Medical First Aid qualification.
