Leg 11 From
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina to Hatteras, North Carolina -- with a scheduled 10 AM Start
We all awoke to a gray, dismal, rainy and cold morning. The forcast is for easterly winds of 10-15 mph
which could be a pretty fast passage. However, the wind was blowing from the northeast earlier, but has died completely.
If the light air stays, this is going to be a pretty tame passage of Cape Lookout, but will certainly make for
a long, long day on the water for these already weary sailors.
And if you had followed this race in the past few years, you would know that Cape Lookout and the inlets along the outer banks have claimed many a Worrell boat in the past. One year alone we had six boats knocked out of the race and one boat completely lost to the sea, abandoned with no hope. Sailors found themselves marooned on deserted islands. Those were tough times. But today the teams can expect much calmer conditions.
With light air also comes the possibility that a team can find themselves coming in last and losing valuable time overall, or falling way down in the overall standings. It can be a crap shoot. Alexanders, even with their comfortable lead, has to be cautious and work hard at staying in what good air there may be.
This race has had it all -- violent, tormented seas, high winds, crashing surf, and then pond-flat waters and no air. The winner of this race will have proven their team can handle all conditions. This indeed is a true test of one's sailing and navigational skills -- the ultimate final exam.
And yet, it is certainly not over. Here we are on the brink of the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" and we are ready to jump in headlong. Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras have reputations that strike fear in the hearts of the bravest seamen. This is the area where northerly and southerly currents clash violently on the reefs and bars extending far out to sea.., and suck the life out of ships and their crew.
Ground Crew Must Hurry
Meanwhile, all the ground crew are busy preparing to rush out of Atlantic Beach as fast as possible. It is a mad dash from here to the ferry that will haul everyone to Hatteras. The trip is a wild and crazy drive on a very narrow road.
The Start
Our ground crew is already loaded up, hooked up and ready to roll. We will watch the start and report to you all through our Hot Line Page, but will not come back to the Atlantic Beach phone line to transmit.
When we do arrive in Hatteras, we will get "..the rest of the story" up and running for you. Thanks for understanding the logistical problems involved.
| Stay Tuned for a Brand New, Constant Update System We are Attempting. We are calling it our "Hot Line Reports" by Mary which will bring you instant, brief reports of what is going on, or what is supposed to be going on, or what is rumored to be going on..
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This is unbelieveable! We have been traveling for 10 hours and have only gone about 60 miles. The difference between us and the guys on the water is that they are doing the same thing.., and they are wet and miserable.
Supposedly all the ground crew vehicles had reservations to get on the ferry, but there was not enough room. So they loaded some of the Worrell vehicles, but about half of them did not make the ferry at all. The first fleet left at around noon. The ferry folks then informed us that the next ferry was not until 3 PM and that we might not make that one either, since we did not have reservations for that time slot. DUH!
Perhaps the clue is to make your own reservations, get your own confirmation and then perhaps you will make the right ferry. Or you could always drive around on the highway.
At any rate, that is why you have not heard a peep from any of us. SORRY!
Meanwhile, the boats were supposed to be 20 miles out at around 8:30 PM and someone said they would be here by 10:30. That sounds pretty impossible since there is hardly any wind, they are beating which will add considerable distance they need to sail to get here. Better make that an ETA of around 1 AM or later. That would be my bet.
PHONE LINE PROBLEMS -- PLEASE JUST GO TO OUR HOT LINE PAGE UNTIL WE GET OUT OF HATTERAS! Click on HOT LINE PAGE to get there!