Day 1
The fleet at the Start right off English Harbour, Antigua (we are the 7th boat with grey sails)
(Dana) Happy Rally Day! We’ve been dreaming about and planning for this day for a long time.
In 2018, we bought an Oyster 625 (hull #6, hence 625-06) in the UK because she is a great blue-water sailing vessel. We had heard about the Oyster World Rally (OWR) happening every two years and were intrigued. We named her Latitude to reflect the destinations we wanted to explore and the ability (latitude) to go anywhere we wanted. And we did. The Caribbean in the winter. Maine/Massachusetts in the summer. All with an eye towards an OWR at some point. In 2022, the kids were still in college. In 2024, the dogs were still bounding about. So 2026 became the target. Here we are.
Now is the time to go. As Greg says, we have our health and we have the resources to set off on this epic adventure. We are truly fortunate.
Now, twenty-three Oyster sailboats ranging in size from 50-90 feet (ours is 63) have been docked at Antigua Yacht Club for ~10 days. Technical support teams swarm the decks, checking the rigging (important on a sailboat), electronics, systems, and safety procedures. The Oyster team provides daily briefings on weather routing, safety (a theme), destinations (especially Panama and the Galapagos… our first big stops), transiting the Panama Canal, communications, and the start. Crews dart about provisioning, getting laundry done, preparing standard operating procedures, leading drills, and building their connections. Owners are mixed in, participating in preparations and getting to know each other. This is truly a community, with the joint goal of completing a circumnavigation together.
The afternoon before the start, the docks are abuzz with energy. After the Skippers briefing, the entire fleet gathers for a group photo by drone. Look for us on/near the Stars & Stripes on Latitude. Excitement and healthy dose of nervousness. Final preparations continue.
The morning of Sunday January 18th is glorious. Latitude blares our theme song from the speakers – Bill Withers’ Lovely Day. Final spares are purchased. Final baguettes are procured. Final laundry is picked up. So many hugs and best wishes between owners, crew, and the entire Oyster team. Messages pour in from family and friends. Tears are shed. Excitement builds.
By 11am, we’re off the dock and headed to the start line. It’s not a race, yet still an organized departure of these beautiful sailboats. Photos taken of each other. Monitoring channel 72. Announcements at 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute. Sails are up. 10-second countdown. 3..2..1.. Airhorn. Cannon. And we’re off.
The fleet fans out in a colorful array on Yellow Brick tracker. Several options for initial stops before we gather to transit the Panama Canal. Our first stop will be Isla Providencia, an island that is part of Colombia yet off the Nicaraguan coast. No surprise… we’re the only boat headed there. 6 days of passage. The journey begins.