Since we arrived here in Rodney Bay life has been hectic with almost no time for sleep. But after our 22 days at sea that was what we longed for. Meeting our friends again, eating fresh food and of course drinking a few champagne bottles and between them cooling down with the local beer Piton. Enjoying life ashore! As you know we arrived early in the morning, an ARC-boat came out to meet us and then led the way into the marina. We got a berth next to Zahara and Ron and Larry were actually still awake. They had arrived a few hours earlier, when they heard that we were coming in around 5 am they decided to let the bed wait and stayed awake with the help of more alcohol, that’s true friendship. We got a fruit basket, local rum punch and a huge Heineken bottle, one glass in each hand we stood on the pontoon. Suddenly we had so much space to walk on, but all we did was drinking and hugging our friends. Arne on Lina 4 gave us a bottle of champagne, then he went back to his own boat and popped another one which he served us in real glasses, no plastic cups! We were overwhelmed with happiness, and after a while also more than slightly drunk. That’s what happens when you cross the Atlantic, you can ask any of the other sailors in the ARC. The last boat, a Canadian one, was due to arrive around an hour later than us, of course we went to welcome them. On our wobbly legs, we blame the land-sickness, we walked on the pontoons to the Canadian‘s berth. I think we took more steps than we’d done on the whole crossing, it felt a bit strange. The sun was getting warmer and people were becoming tired. We were too excited to feel that but decided to go to bed anyway, realizing that it would be a long night coming up with the General Managers Cocktail Party in the marina the same day. Being so used to not shower the preparing for the night was quicker than usual, a dress and a bit of makeup and we were ready. All the waxing and shaving were done on the Atlantic well in advance for our landfall. The party was in the marina, they had closed of the area around H2O, our new sailors bar, and around the small pool rum punch, beer and wine was served for free together with some food that was hard to get to because of the long queue. It was nice having so many people to talk to, lots of congratulations were made, we all made it across the pond. I had a hunch when I saw the pool and I was right, in the end lot’s of people ended up in it. So did we, some evil Norwegian through me in, but then Sofia and Emelie were already there, after three weeks together we still were not longer than six meters from each other. I think that shows what a good time we had on the Atlantic. Three girls on a small boat with a lot of Sex and the City do have effect, now we noticed a lot of good looking men and dancing was a good way to enjoy them. What happened after that? Yes you are correct, what happens in the harbours stays in the harbours, we are sailors.

The rest of the week has been terrific, costume party, street party and beach life, the water temperature here is amazingly warm, hardly cooling at all. We have also had to squeeze in a few interviews and picture takings, I guess that’s part of being one of the two all female crew yachts. We also got some attention for having such a small boat, but that’s a bit strange because a few years ago 31 foot was a standard family boat and lot’s of them have crossed the Atlantic. One day we got an email that said; Congratulations! We are pleased to advise that you have won a prize in ARC2009. Exciting! We tried to guess why, could it be our fish photo? Or the most beautiful yacht? It couldn’t be because of our sailing performance, that much we knew. We just hoped that it wasn’t something stupid like the most beautiful crew.

Last night it was time for the ARC 2009 Prizegiving. I managed to get ARC passes for my parents so they could join us. But before we went there Emelie and I had to buy new shoes, a girl that’s going on stage to receive a prize does that much better in high heels, at least if you have a matching cocktail dress. To get in a good mood we invited Ron and Larry for lunch and shared a bottle of champagne with the two gentlemen. My parents arrived just in time to take some photographs of us, Zahara and Ranja, the three smallest boats all berthed in the same slot. Then we were of to the prize giving and the farewell party. We got rum punches and mingled around in the beautiful garden. Some of the people we might not see again, at least not for a while, thinking about that made me a bit sad. But I went back to thinking like a sailor, live here and now, tomorrow is another day. After a while it was time to go into the big hall where the prize giving ceremony was going to take place. They started with prizes to the yachts that had come 2nd, 3rd and 4th in their classes. Then they went on to the more typical ARC prizes, like oldest skipper, youngest skipper (wasn’t me, but a 24 years old Polish guy), best picture, best log, youngest crew member and so on. We were eager to see what prize we would get. Andrew Bishop then announced that we had won a special prize, a picture framed and presented by the photographer Tim Wright. It was a picture of us while crossing the finish line and we got it because of “very good accounts of life at sea”. Underneath the picture it says; Best Daily Logs - ARC 2009. We walked up on the stage, matching dresses and high heels, people applaud and cheered, it felt great!

After the prize giving the party continued outside in the garden, then we went back to the marina. More party there in H2O, lot’s of beers and drinks, not very good if you combine it with almost no food. What shall we do with the drunken sailor? All three of us slept at home, our last night together, although it was a very short one. Emelie left Cantare this morning, she’s staying at a hotel for two days before going back to Sweden. We will miss her enormously but we have hope, she enjoyed life as a sailor so much that she will try to sell her house and then come back to us in March for Cuba and the trip back to Sweden. Anyone interested in buying a nice house outside Ängelholm? Special price for you!

By the way, we came on 7th place in our class of 17 boats, that’s quite alright. In total, when the finish time was corrected according to our handicaps, we ended up as number 52 in the cruising division where 158 yachts participated. We are very happy with that!

/ The Captain (Feeling like she deserves today)