Unique Blend of Sailing, History, Culture and Scenery
Returning for the first time since 2019, the rally brought sailors together to experience the Baltic’s unique blend of rewarding sailing, fascinating history, vibrant cultures and breathtaking scenery.
Starting in Kiel, Germany, on 5 July, the fleet sailed around 1,000 nautical miles through Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and the Åland Islands before finishing amongst the stunning islands of the Stockholm Archipelago.
While the Baltic delivered a variety of weather conditions throughout the month, the final days were blessed with glorious Swedish sunshine, providing the perfect ending to a remarkable adventure.
The opening stop in Stralsund introduced crews to the city’s rich Hanseatic history with a guided walking tour before the fleet continued on an overnight passage to Hasle, Bornholm, arriving in time to experience Sildefest, the island’s much-loved harbour festival filled with music, local food and Danish hospitality.
From there, the rally sailed to the medieval city of Visby, where crews explored the UNESCO World Heritage-listed old town before enjoying dinner beneath one of the city’s historic medieval vaults. One of the standout moments of the rally followed with an overnight stop at Gotska Sandön National Park, one of Sweden’s oldest and most remote national parks. With endless sandy beaches, ancient pine forests and complete tranquillity, the island offered a true wilderness experience unlike anywhere else on the route.
The fleet then crossed to Tallinn, where a guided walking tour brought the city’s rich medieval history to life, before continuing to Helsinki, a destination that quickly became a favourite among many crews. Alongside exploring Finland’s vibrant capital, participants attended a presentation from ARC veteran Heikki Vesalainen, together with Bodil Forss from Finnish Ocean Sailing Ladies, who shared valuable local knowledge for cruising Finland’s spectacular archipelago.
For Flo Cromheecke-Zipper aboard the catamaran SkipperZipper, Helsinki was the highlight of the rally.
- “The places we visited were so amazing – Helsinki was my number one! We made so many friends and we know we will keep in touch.”
Following the rally’s offshore passage to Mariehamn, crews enjoyed several days of free cruising before reuniting to exchange stories over a waterfront dinner in the heart of the Åland Islands.
The final chapter of ARC Baltic took the fleet into the beautiful Stockholm Archipelago, where one of the most memorable evenings of the rally unfolded. After a day of free cruising, crews gathered at a secluded wild mooring for a BBQ organised by the World Cruising Club Yellow Shirt team. As the sun set over the smooth granite rocks, sailors reflected on the friendships formed, the miles sailed and the unforgettable experiences shared, while enjoying a delicious feast in perfect summer weather.
The following evening, the fleet gathered one final time at Bullandö Marina for a farewell dinner overlooking the marina, celebrating the end of an extraordinary adventure and raising a glass to new friendships.
The rally’s success was reflected in the feedback from participants.
Danielle Lavoie, who began the rally aboard Ice Bear before joining SkipperZipper, said:
- “Everyone has been so welcoming, and I have made lifelong friends. The ARC Baltic was so well organised and it was simply an amazing experience.”
Ryan Clarke aboard Fuzzy Duck added:
- “The rally was really good! The social side has been fantastic and everything has been really well put together and thought through.”
Jake Bloom aboard the new Moody 41DS Makani Olu said:
- “It was fantastic. I loved exploring the Swedish Archipelago. If it wasn’t for ARC Baltic, I don’t think we would have come here. Meeting the fleet, who all came with different sailing experiences, was great. I love the Baltic!”
Despite some challenging weather along the way and some weather delays, ARC Baltic proved to be an outstanding success. Combining exceptional cruising with carefully planned shoreside experiences and the camaraderie that defines every World Cruising Club rally, the event has firmly re-established itself as one of the highlights of the Baltic cruising calendar.
As the fleet departed Bullandö to continue their individual cruising plans, they left with lasting friendships, unforgettable memories and a shared appreciation for one of the world’s finest cruising regions. Following such a successful return after six years away, ARC Baltic is well and truly back.
ARC Baltic 2026 Information
- The ARC Baltic Rally is a coastal cruising Rally through some of the most spectacular sailing grounds in Northern Europe. Starting in Kiel, Germany, the route takes participants through Denmark and Sweden before finishing in Stockholm, Sweden.
- Covering approximately 1000NM, the Rally combines organised cruising with the flexibility to enjoy the many cities, islands, harbours and anchorages along the way.
- The start of ARC Baltic 2026 was on 5 July from Kiel, with a programme of hosted stopovers, social events and cruising in company through the Danish Straits and the Swedish west and east coasts.
- One of the highlights of the Rally is the passage through the stunning Stockholm Archipelago, before the final celebrations and prizegiving in Stockholm on 31 July.
- ARC Baltic 2026 returned to the World Cruising Club programme after a six-year hiatus.
- The fleet consists of 14 boats. (12 monohulls, 1 catamaran and 1 trimaran)
- Smallest boat: Hornet 32, Dania (9.7M).
- Largest boat: Oyster 62, Skyelark 2. (18.89M).
- Boat flag nationalities: Boats entered from 5 countries. The most common countries are United Kingdom (8) and United States (3).
- Sailors on the Rally are aged between 31 years and 75 years.
…………………………………
To read more about other World Cruising Club rallies, check out the World Cruising Club website.
Anyone interested in taking part in a rally should contact mail@worldcruising.com or call +44 (0)1983 296060
…………………………………
Related Links
…………………………………
© 2026 Noonsite. This content was edited by Noonsite. Do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved.
Find out all news, reports, links and comments posted on Noonsite, plus cruising information from around the world, by subscribing to our FREE monthly newsletter. Go to https://www.noonsite.com/newsletter/.
If you have found this information useful, become a paid member to enjoy unlimited use of Noonsite plus many other perks. Your membership fees really help our small, dedicated team keep country information up-to-date in support of cruisers worldwide. Find out more about Noonsite Membership levels and benefits here.
Leave a comment
You must Login or Register to submit comments.