We sailed in our catamaran, Cat’s Cradle, to Victoria last week to watch the start of the R2AK, the first (annual?) race from Port Townsend, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska. The first leg, from Port Townsend to Victoria BC is a qualifying leg — if your boat makes it, you are qualified to Race to Alaska (www.r2ak.com) That first race day, we came upon Scott, his friend, Thomas, and Abe Streep (an editor from Outside magazine, traveling with Sea Runners only on the first leg) in their boat tied to some kelp off Discovery Island as strong currents tried (unsuccessfully) to pull them far away from their goal, Victoria BC. Team Sea Runners has been designing, building and testing a vessel for this race for the past year. They have blogged extensively during this process (www.searunners.net) and if you don’t know Scott or Thomas, check out the lead paragraph of this New York Times story about the race.
The rules for this race are minimal: no motors of any kind, two required checkpoints, no assistance that is not available to all racers (e.g. you can go to a grocery store but you can’t have your friend bring things to you), and most cool, if the race committee has to think about calling a lawyer, you are disqualified!
As the first day progressed, more and more boats of all sizes and shapes appeared in Victoria and more and more didn’t. Ten teams dropped out of the race the first day after breaking things, capsizing, being swept to the north and east by strong currents, etc.. Over the next two days the 29 surviving teams and their friends finished things, fixed things, procured more supplies, offloaded extras and generally busily prepared for the 750 mile adventure about to start.
Scott’s Aunt Barbara from Chicago asks, “What do they eat?” Scott and Thomas tried to share food on some of their shakedown cruises, but Scott is a vegetarian and Thomas a supreme carnivore. We know that Thomas is relying heavily on olive oil and his famous oatmeal concoction. Scott has two large rounds of cheese, simple dinners to which he can add water, fresh and dried fruit, crackers, and 2 high-energy recipes Leslie made for him: 18 cups of granola with dried milk plus 2 dozen Everest Cookies. They started with enough water for 3 days and will get other water along the way, either in marina or grocery stores or finding it at natural sources and purifying it.
The fleet ranges from one person kayak-based devices to large multiple-crew catamarans with a standout including a 6 man paddling team in a very long canoe equipped with pontoons and a mast with sail. Team Sea Runners’ boat was made in Scott’s garage and backyard with basic materials (the hull is 1/8″ thick marine plywood reinforced with fiberglass and the mainsail and storm sail are both tarps from Home Depot) and the whole works cost $2000. We viewed very large, sleek and expensive catamarans and trimarans which were designed specifically for this race. There are also boats which boast crews which have sailed in many international races and which have won prizes – truly a bunch of competent and experienced crews!
Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful in Victoria’s lovely inner harbor. Total sun and very light winds are predicted to continue for the next several days at least. This situation very much favors the smaller vessels which can be pedaled and paddled when the wind isn’t strong and the currents are not adverse.
Team Sea Runners was first out of the blocks after a Le Mans start with the crew arrayed along the Victoria seawall. In moments they were passed by the six strong Canadian paddlers called Team Soggy Beavers. Over the first 3 hours of the 750 mile trip, Scott and Thomas held on to second place as the light winds and adverse currents kept the larger and more sail dependent boats in their doldrums.
By 3 pm, the fleet had found some wind and helpful currents and the fast boats headed north passing Sea Runners, leaving Sea Runners, with its little yellow upside down crab claw sail and unique flag flying alone above the blue water.
. . .
You can follow this race via two tracking web pages. The links are:
http://tracker.r2ak.com/
https://share.delorme.com/searunners
Now, it is one full day into the long race. And, it looks like the boats had challenges during the night. At this juncture, our only information is what we can get from the r2ak.com web site and from a satellite tracker that Scott has on his boat. Here is a detail from the middle of last night when the boats were in calm winds and adverse currents in the Straits of Georgia west of Vancouver BC.
What in the world was going on? Your guess is as good as ours.
Wish them a safe journey, please! They have a long, long way to go.
Are we proud of Scott? Yes, of course. Are we a bit scared for him? You bet!
Elaine and Gary Derbenwick
8 Jun 2015Wow! What a challenge -but then again Scott is an adventuring Viers! We wish him and his friend the best of luck. It sounds like they prepared well and know what they are doing…
Elaine
dottie Lamm
8 Jun 2015Wow~ Most impressive! Both Scott’s journey and your recording of it! Can’t wait to hear about the whole trip when we see you. Cheers Team Veirs! Dottie and Dick
Heidi nevin
8 Jun 2015Great piece, guys, thank you so much. Hope you can get at least a little sleep at night! Nerve-wracking!!! Praying for their safety and hoping they’re having fun. xoxoxo
Kim Rice
9 Jun 2015We will be following with bated breath!
Jane Smith
9 Jun 2015Kudos to Scott and SeaRunners Team! How can you not be proud of this son you created who has your passion for adventure and travel opportunities and amazing creativity? We wish him well. Our Best, Janie and Don
Matthew Hecht
9 Jun 2015We learned of this adventure in the New York Times. It is great to read your commentary and to see the photos from the stop in Victoria! Wishing Scott, Thomas and all the others good safe sailing (and pedaling, paddling…). –Matthew and Mary
Norris & Karen Palmer
9 Jun 2015This is really a challenge, keep us all posted! God Speed to them all!
Lindsay
9 Jun 2015Amazing and adventures! Goooo Scott! Good luck on your journey. Beautiful pictures Leslie and Val!
Lindsay
9 Jun 2015Correction: Adventurous.
Carol Kampert
10 Jun 2015Wow, what an adventure! We will be following their progress on-line and cheering them on. Sure takes lots of energy and courage to undertake a non-motorized voyage like this.
Carol & Dave