The fourth edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers Plus (ARC+) set sail on Sunday, Nov. 6, from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bound for Saint Lucia.

The fleet's first stop will be Mindelo in Cape Verde.

ARC+ rally control expects to be welcoming the first arrivals in Cape Verde by Wednesday, Nov. 9,  in good time to enjoy a few days of exploration and relaxation before regrouping on Nov. 16, to tackle the longer Atlantic stage to Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.

During their time in Las Palmas, ARC+ crews enjoyed a pre-departure program of seminars, safety inspections and social functions.

The ARC+ Cape Verde route option is part of the 2016 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, and was introduced for the first time in 2013 to give sailors in the world's most popular trans-ocean rally a choice of routes across the Atlantic. This year there are boats registered from 19 countries around the globe including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the USA. The crew represents 24 different nationalities and are aged from three to 75 years old, and has been exceptionally popular with family boats crossing the Atlantic this year, with 15 children under the age of 16 participating.

Regular ARC mascot "Ed the Iguana" will make his annual ocean crossing with Lotti Heathcote the crew of Alderman (GBR).

Meanwhile, the pre-departure program for the ARC fleet sailing directly to Saint Lucia on Nov. 20, has just begun, with a full program of preparation seminars and social activities. Safety inspections are already underway, and during the next two weeks, seminars will be held covering useful topics for ocean sailing including provisioning, communications, weather, and sailing techniques.

Fully preparing crews for the voyage is an important part of the ARC program, and the World Cruising Club provides invaluable advice to help participants prepare for the voyage.