On 9 January, a fleet of 25 British-built yachts, ranging in size from 54 – 73ft, will set sail on a circumnavigation of the world as the third edition Oyster World Rally begins from Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua.
When Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams fires the start cannon, the intrepid crews – many of whom have only just achieved their first ocean crossing to the Caribbean – will be heading south on the first leg of this 16-month epic adventure to transit the Panama Canal enroute to the Galapagos Islands.
The 25 yachts taking part in the Oyster World Rally are crewed by families, couples and individuals, all brought together by the lure of a global adventure of a lifetime.
The Oyster World Rally provides a fully supported experience for any Oyster owner who has always dreamt of sailing around the world. A dedicated Oyster support team works with entrants from the moment of sign up, providing technical training, advice on boat preparation and service, logistics, customs procedures, provisioning and is even able to help to provide professional crew through Oyster Yachts Crew Finder service. The Oyster team travels ahead of the rally and is on hand at every stopover to offer an extraordinary depth of technical expertise and local knowledge.
“We help and support our Oyster owners through every step of their circumnavigation’” says Allie Smith, head of group events at Oyster Yachts, “From finding crew, to helping set up systems to run their businesses on-board, to destination guides, technical training, understanding weather, navigation, right through to being a welcoming face on arrival and organising some amazing social events. It’s a 27,000-mile support service enabling our owners to have the experience of a lifetime without all the worry and hassle. By having a limited number of yachts we create a real family feel and people make friends for life during their 16-month sailing adventure.”
The Oyster World Rally 2022-23 will leave Antigua and head south to the Panama Canal, before arriving at the Galapagos Islands, and then onto French Polynesia and into the South Pacific. After visiting the Whitsunday Islands in Australia, the fleet then head to Indonesia and the islands of Cocos (Keeling), Mauritius and Reunion. Christmas will be spent in the amazing city of Cape Town, South Africa before setting off into the Atlantic to the remote islands of St Helena, Ascension, Fernando de Noronha en-route back to the Caribbean in April 2023.
