The sun and wind made a joint appearance today for the first time all week at Key West Race Week. A strong NE breeze upwards of 20 knots made for an intense last day of racing. Conditions were choppier than they were wavy, which makes Allen's life more difficult. He decided to stick with the Div 2 course after taking a few shots of the Mumm 30s, Farr 40s, and Melges 32s first thing in the morning.

On a day like today it can be hard to catch boats like Numbers (J/V 66) and Gwaihir (Class 40) in an 11' dinghy with a 20 hp, but that's part of the challenge that keeps Allen interested. We talked to some crew on Gwaihir who mentioned that they prefer distance racing. They are so fast downwind in breeze like today's that as soon as they got their chute set, it was just about time to take it down.

Radio chatter was busy today and included several boats retiring early due to equipment failure, several protests, and an MOB in the J105 fleet (was quickly recovered by another boat). There was nothing boring about today and the sailors returned to the docks charged up with stories about blown out chutes.

So the awards are now given and another Key West Race Week comes to an end. Before we know it, the logo-covered trailers will be gone from the parking lots in town, the carbon fiber forest in Key West Bight will transform back to one of wood and aluminum, and the dogs will once again own the place at Schooner Wharf Bar.

The wind was still blowing today and the racing was intense on the Div 3 and 4 courses. In my opinion, Melges 24s are some of the most photogenic boats out there- they plane easily, they're nicely shaped, and the crew are always super-intense, whether in their hiking form or their facial expressions. The competition is tight and the course is crowded. What more could you want?

Today was disappointing for everybody except sailors who wanted to put some extra time in at the bar this week. After a 2.5-hour postponement due to heavy breeze, the fleet went out, sailed around for a while, and then came back in. No starts, no finishes, on the dock by 2 pm.

We were absolutely shocked this morning when we found out about the postponement. Take a look from our perspective...last year was our first time at Key West Race Week and the conditions were pretty tame. All of the visual media and--for lack of a better word--folklore surrounding Key West Race Week portrays epic conditions. Stories from '06 are still circulating in the tent where on Sunday a video of '06 racing was playing, not '07. We thought these were the conditions everybody lived for, but it was just a few too many knots above that level.

The weather report looks fair with a chance for another good day or two and if everybody had broken their gear today who would we have photographed for the rest of the week?

With the coming of a cold front, the weather in the Keys changed from a sunny Florida dream to a blustery, rainy reality. The boats out practicing today were pushing their limits in gusts up to 29 knots just off of Key West. We caught some shots of a broaching Melges and had to pull an MOB out of the water...that is Allen's second MOB recovery in the last six months.

It's good to be back in this quirky city where we spent three months last year and we've enjoyed catching up with friends from J World, Schooner Bar, Monty's and The Kitehouse over the last few days, as well as meeting many new people.



Still, we're excited to see some local boats from the place we call home. Here's a shot of Indian Harbor Yacht Club's Christopher Dragon having a great time on Key West waters despite the chilly temps.


Mondays' weather is supposed to be as tremendous as today's and we look forward to another great week of beautiful water, fast boats, and great racing. We'll be showing our photos at Schooner Wharf Bar all week.

Conditions were optimal today a mile off the Ft. Lauderdale coast. With 20 knots from the East, the only imperfect part of the scenario was a variably cloudy sky. When the light did punch through it highligted the spray coming off the boats and it made the cloudy moments worthwhile.

Approximately 50 boats- from R/Ps to trimarans to Bavarias to Js- started the 160-mile race today just outside of the Port Everglades inlet. After he finished photographing, Allen found himself half-way to the Baker's Haulover Inlet in Miami Beach. It's a long trip home in a dinghy in 6 foot seas. I was not surprised to get the call with his coordinates and a request that I find a boat ramp close by, but no luck.

It will be a quick one for the group beam-reaching to the Keys and lets hope the wind stays up for Key West Race Week.

See more dramatic photos here:
http://www.photoboatgallery.com/lightbox/index.php?category=gallery/Ft%20Lauderdale%20to%20Key%20West&start=0