So here we are, the ARC 2014 has ended, most of the boats are now in St Lucia, the odd one still coming in, to a reception of a steel band and rum punches, that’s if you come in during the day, if like Jo you come in at midnight, the steel band is in bed but there are  still a couple of people to welcome you in and give you that longed for rum punch!  The boats welcome each other and start the job of fixing any damage, cleaning up and then start to disperse, the wonderful bonhomie is still there but slowly the spaces start to build where people are moving away, the common bond dissipating. 

We had hoped to arrive in St Lucia   on the 13 December before Jo, but she beat us to it, arriving at midnight on the 11th and the clean up was well and truly under way.  Rodney Bay Marina is a busy place with the usual chandleries, restaurants, showers and shops.  Tonight the 16 December, George’s wife Caroline has arrived from England, in time to enjoy the Marina’s Cocktail party for the ARC followed by entertainment.  It started at 6.00 pm, we arrived about 7.00 pm and the bar staff were inundated with customers, so Mark, reverting to his eighteen year old self, when he served in a bar in the Caribbean, hopped over the counter and helped to dish out the rum punchs, etc.  A great band promised a good jump up!