Getting to Key West

Sunday was travel day for Scuttleblog to Key West. Arriving by a ten-seater prop plane, you do sense that you are about to greet the end of the world. Amongst the vacant land masses and spanse of water, the town of Key West appears with alot of water beyond. By the photo to the right, apparently perception is reality.

Being a first time visitor, it is a bit overwhelming at first in how much territory is covered by Acura Key West Race Week. With nearly 300 boats, the fleet can get spread out. However, I was able to borrow a bike to get the lay of the land, which was very helpful navigating the narrow streets of town.

You do get a sense of the Bahamas with all the cottages and white-picket fences, and a similar timeless feeling. Music is everywhere, and a bit of tourism has provided sufficient stores, eateries and drinkeries. The main drag is Duval Street, which I understand will not look much like the photo above as day turns to night.

Today was handled differently by many in the fleet. For some, it was the final day from a week of prep - some teams put a lot of effort into getting ready for this event. For others, it was arrive and launch. Most boats were out on the water, particularly since Saturday was blown out with 30+ knots.

After my bike ride, I was able to get back in time for the Swan 45 party, where they were offering free drink and eats to anyone who could get over to the main regatta tent area. Following the Swan party, event organizer Premiere Racing assembled an all-star panel in the big tent to discuss their prep for the event, particularly how they handled the day before the racing starts.

The roar outside the media trailer indicates the game is on, and Mount Gay is likely getting poured. The weather forecast is looking good for Monday, so stay tuned as arguably the premier US multi-class keelboat event is about to begin. - Craig Leweck