KW2008 - More Racing on Thursday & Friday!

After a slow start to the wind on Thursday, the race committee sent us out after a delay hoping the wind would fill in that afternoon. And, yes, yes it did. We managed to get two races in before sunset placing 16th and 30th. That darn second race....

The wind continued to build into Friday making for exciting racing in 20-ish knot winds, placing 5th, 35th (dnf), and 9th...

That darn second race!!!!

Wait a second........

What did happen in that second race?

What does "dnf" mean anyways...?

For starters... dnf means 'did not finish.' The reason we didn't finish that race is because not all of the crew was on board going over the finish line... So, who was missing????

Yup, the crazy American of the crew!! Darn it!!!!!

Jibing the spinnaker, it happened. A pause to see if the spinnaker was going to make it over, then suddenly, it did. All wind caught and the boom on its way over towards me, I ducked out of the way, but forgot to grab on... The boat heeled and water washed over the deck and me into the drink!! In a flash, like a torpedo, I felt rocketted into the water, right under the lifelines.

The only thing running through my mind was "drop." I need to drop, to sink quick out of the way of the boat so as not to get hit by the boat. drop drop drop. As I dropped it seemed I was looking up watching the water fill up above me. I'm not even sure now if I was watching, even though it seems to be in my memory. When I recovered I hadn't taken on any saltwater and my eyes weren't stinging. I don't remember consciously deciding to hold my breath. I don't remember trying to breathe. I just remember feeling a calmness as I sank. A very strange feeling as it seemed I was drifting away from reality and all up above. Like a gentle good-bye... in a womb of warm clear sparkling water and all was calm and quiet.

But, seconds later, the inflatable PFD came to life and shot me to the surface!

I love my new inflatable PFD. I could be a spokesperson for that inflatable PFD.

Stunned back to reality, I swung around to see what sailboats might be heading my way on the race course! I watched too as my crew lowered the chute in attempt to turn around and retrieve me, but not before I was retrieved by another. I was half thinking of telling the other team to leave me and let my team pick me up, knowing that we would get dnf if I wasn't aboard. But, I didn't really know the rules on that, and so I let myself get hauled up onto their deck.

What an experience. I hope to never fall off again though!

In the end we finished 19 out of 34. A wonderful week I won't soon forget.

More photos and stuff at the following Key West Race Week 2008 site.

http://www.premiere-racing.com/08_KW_Results/kw08_results_reports.htm

Thank you to everyone that made the week so awesome!!!

Thank you Rob for everything you do above and beyond for all of us!!!!

Thank you Sandy!!!!

Thank you Jim!!!!

Thank you John!!!!

Thank you Ken!!!!

and, Thank you Travis for watching Miss Bi-car!