Now there’s a new way to cruise in company from Europe to the Caribbean and back. The Atlantic Posse, modeled after the highly successful Panama Posse, where over 100 vessels cruise between Southern California and Annapolis via the Panama Canal and explore the Central American, Pacific, and Western Caribbean waters in a ‘sail at your own schedule’ pace, will begin in Cartagena, Spain.
“We anticipate 50 to 75 yachts to leave Cartagena with an additional kickoff in Lisbon, Portugal, says Captain Dietmar Petutschnig, who with Skipper Jacques Felt, are organizers as part of their yachting travel experience company, Ocean Posse LLC. “Yachts will go at their own pace sailing safely while having fun. There is no set start or end date. That said, the first yachts will arrive in the Caribbean in January. This will depend on weather and how much time our participants explore Morocco, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde before making landfall in Martinique.”
After that, it’s on to Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saba, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Based on survey data from the Panama Posse, each vessel spends an average of US $4,500 in country, according to Petutschnig. Therefore, with 75 vessels and a 9-month time frame, the total economic activity will be roughly US $3 million. That figure could be more if rally participants decide to lay up their vessels on the hard during hurricane season versus sailing out of the hurricane zone.
The Atlantic Posse’s eastward route takes advantage of the Gulf Stream and high-pressure systems for yachts to travel from the Caribbean via Bermuda to the Azores and back to Lisbon.
Joining the Atlantic Posse brings multiple benefits to participants, says Petutschnig. This includes a reduced registration fee, collective bargaining, free fleet, and vessel tracking, 24/7 chat communications, weekly weather, and logistics group calls, OPEN CPN Satellite Charts, West Marine Pro discounts of up to 25%, a Predict Wind Pro discount of 20%, and significant discounts from participating marinas. atlanticposse.com
