The Salty Dawg Sailing Association’s Homeward Bound Rally, scheduled to start on May 10, 2022, is an offshore passage in the company of other boats of many nationalities. After starting from the USVI or the Bahamas, the official destination is Hampton, Virginia, U.S.A, but boats will sail directly to various ports on the U.S. East Coast and Canada. The SDSA is considering organizing a stop over and gathering in Bermuda for skippers who want to break up the long passage.
According to SDSA President and Rally Manager Bob Osborn, “The rally begins with captains and crews gathering in Antigua in late April, sharing a farewell dinner at Boom Restaurant, English Harbour, Antigua before departing for the passage to the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Boats anchor at various harbors in St. John and St. Thomas, USVI. Farewell events in the USVI will be localized and planned by departing boats. All events will be conducted in a Covid-safe environment.”
Boats departing from the Bahamas will gather in Marsh Harbour prior to the May 10 start.
As with all Salty Dawg rallies, the stated departure date is a goal, the actual date the fleet leaves port is weather dependent. An arrival dinner in Hampton, VA will be planned for those boats that choose to make landfall there. All Salty Dawgs and interested cruisers are welcome at this event to provide a warm welcome to arriving cruisers.
Osborn also noted, “The Rally includes weather routing by The Marine Weather Center, position tracking by PredictWind, and an extensive level of coordination and support by the SDSA support teams during the offshore passage.”
All Salty Dawg rallies and events are led by seasoned sailors who volunteer their time and knowledge to help cruisers realize their dreams. The Salty Dawg Sailing Association is a Rhode Island registered 501c 3 non-profit organization dedicated to fostering safe seamanship, safe passagemaking and camaraderie in the cruising community.
For more information on the Homeward Bound Rally visit the SDSA website by clicking here.