This article is under construction. If you find it, let it go and check it out after the photos and deeds are documented. CF
The EVENT:
(This is being written 11-17-2011 from the Media Center for the ACWS in San Diego)
So much has happened in the past 10 days of hanging on the docks here in San Diego. Time to capture and massage my memories.
Arrived on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Cool stuff that happened:
Emergency Row Seating for the 2 hour flight down from Seattle.
UPgraded to a Jeep Liberty for free from an Aveo from Thrifty
Had a G&T at Island Prime on Harbor Island checking the boats sailing about. A fine place to see the race from. 3pm -3:30 pm
Checked in with the Media Center and got my press pass. Very easy. (890 approved and as of Wednesday the 16th there were 480 checked in.) Exited MC and headed north to Carlsbad @ 4:30.
Drove right to my host house with fine Google Maps he had emailed me.
Out to dinner for Mexican with DT.
Wednesday, day 2:
Arrived at MC around 10 AM, DT drove me in and we messed about. He was unable to go out on the docks as he had no press pass. We lost each other but played phone tag and were able to relocate so he could show me about the waterfront.
Costco run for food. We bought too much as per usual. Lots of chocolate and veggies.
Out to dinner in Encinitas at a great Italian place.
Thursday, day 3: Practice day and the last day for my pass to get into the pits with the AC teams.
Four teams were on the Media Center's Broadway Pier: Energy, Green Comm, Korea, and Aleph.
On the Midway Pier: China, Artemis, Oracle and New Zealand. Also out on this pier were many of the AC alphabet crews. ACRM (Race Management), ACTV were at the outside end of the Midway Pier, and ACEA (Event Authority) is in the Media Center on Broadway Pier.
I was walking through the boat pits and introducing myself to the various Media Representatives for each team on the Broadway Pier. I was asking questions about trying to get a ride and was surprised when Alexandra Peyron, (daughter of Bruno Peyron), of Energy Team, responded with "What are you doing around noon?"
The answer to that goes without question. I am IN! I was introduced to Yann Guilchard, the new helmsman and told to come back in an hour after they had lunch.
When I returned in an hour the winds were still light but I was SO excited. Sara fitted me up with foulies, PFD and a helmet that all looked matching with the crew. I conversed with Eric, a boat rigger who keeps the 45 in perfect shape. He explained the big repairs can be done by each team but the teams have an option to enlist, for a price, the services of ACRM which includes repairs. Eric also explained about who is paying and it depends on how the fault lays. Some of the insurance companies are dueling over payment because they don't recognize the Umpire rulings so some of the payment question has actually gone to court.
The team put me on the big Zodiac with 4 team support folks, a couple of sails in bags, and spare lines with water. We towed the AC 45 out from the boat haven and let them go and put up the headsail. There was 2-6k of wind and glassy water as I was invited to board the 45. I managed to grab the shroud and step onto the windward hull easily. Walking over the net towards the stern was not the easiest as the lines are just thigh high so are tough to go over or under.
A historical article submitted to my Editor, Craig Leweck, of Scuttlebutt (www.sailingscuttlebutt.com)
(He elected to not use it but I put it here to make... whoops, I will put this along with my other submitted article. See November postings in 2011 for the articles.
September 11, day 4:
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