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Everglades Challenge Race


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I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that Graham and Fred, with Gordy, have arrived in Mullet Key safely. I'll be posting position updates as I get them!!!! Sometimes we don't get them as promtly as we should - so please be patient. I'm trying to get banner on the website home page with the current position report - but have had a hard time - it doesn't want to save up to the site.... and I'm flummoxed! Thanks all for your patience... The race starts tomorrow at 7:00 AM.

Carla

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I am watching for their progress on the Water Tribe site. It looks like they may have winds on their stern about 5 to 9 miles per hour for the first day and a half, higher if they can work offshore a little. It doesn't look like there is any severe weather forecast for the probable duration of their race.

Wishing them good luck and you take care, Miss Carla.

Tom

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Graham and Fred are carrying a GPS transmitter that periodically sends their position in the race. If I am following the correct boat, they were at the first check point about 10 miles south of Englewood. They had to sail and row quite a distance and pass under at least one low bridge to get to the check point.

Here is the link to the website. I found it a little clunky to navigate but then I'm a bit clunky on the computer. I copied and pasted this so, who knows? The only boat that works for me is NavRes, which I hope is Graham.

_____________________________________

Go to www.globalwave.com

Click on

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I guess most of you have been able to follow the race on the WaterTribe site, but for those that can't: The guys made it to check point one in third place behind the two cats. The last GPS position put them 18.4 mi NW of Sanibel at 21:22:29. Still light and following and fluky breezes. The current conditions favor the cats, but this too may change.

Thanks for the pics!

And as for Tom's comment - yes Nav Res IS Green Heron - she is the only boat with the transmitter...the Sea Prompt is Terry at the base station. The program is set up for trucking fleets - hence the little red truck instead of boat. This is a seagoing beta test of the system. The updates are set to come in every two hours. I'll check the morning report and post it.

Thanks for the good thoughts and sharing of info! BTW...I am signed into the WaterTribe as Koala, which was Graham's Dad's pet name for me...

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Does anyone understand what is going on with the race?

I checked out Globewave. It shows that Graham was 20.95 miles SE of Marco, Fl at 12:23. One hour later, 13:23, it shows them as 20.84 miles SE of Marco, Fl. One hour after that, 14:23, they were 20.17 miles SE of Marco, Fl making 2 mph on a course of 33 degrees.

There must not be any wind to speak of. Over a 3 hour time period, they appear to have lost ground. For 2 hours Globewave shows their speed as 0.

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Noklin, I understand your confusion...let me clarify - not that I'm any expert but....The GPS tracking system Grahamis using is a beta test for a product that iscurrently used as a truck tracking system. All of his positions have to be relative to a major truck route road which is on thierr map - and since there are no roads of this type in the everglade area he is in it keeps referring back to Marco as the closest. Soon it should start to pick up some of the other town areas - maybe? And the speeds are direct line relative to that road position, and not their sailing speed.

Anyway tonight's position: 25deg 39.078'N 81deg 22.921W.

They were the second boat into Chocoloskee, butr the first boat out - we think. Gordy was there just about an hour and a half ago and said Graham and Fred had checked in at 4:45 and straight out, but there was a cat - which he thinks was the (leading) Hobie, on the beach with the mast up but boom and sail off and alot of gear off. We heard they may have run aground last night and perhaps they are in the process of soem repairs...but that is scuttlebutt. They did post a message saying they would lay over for 6 hours and sail again at night. But our guys may be in first place at this point. Gordy said the wind had turned more SW which will favor the cats again giving them a very broad reach to a run in some sections. The tracks are so close now it will take another hour or more before we really know anything. If I learn anymore before bed time, I'll post it.

When I spoke to Graham (beifly before the cell cut out) today, he was in good spirits. He said theya re a bit tired. It was a rough night with sloppy seas and barely any wind for much of it and still light winds today. They started to pick up at about 4:00 this afternoon I think. The guys are doing very well and are in the first place for monohulls by a long shot. There are several cclass 4 boats still haven't checked into the first check point - maybe they withdrew.

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Good morning. I've have a 7:22 position report..... about 42 miles N of Marathon at 25deg 18.256N and 81deg 13.629 W. It looks like they have about 8 miles to go before they begin to turn the corner. I have no news about any of the other boats that were in the lead pack. The board still only shows three boats into checkpoint 2 last night. One of the follks on the ground there wrote that they'd had a good front for awhile , but that it has fallen apart and they are probably facing the light and variable situation again. In that case it could be a different situation for each boat at any given time. At least, barring some bad weather break - like NO wind at all for a long period, they should easily get into and out of Flamingo in the daylight. One of the race ground crew said, with just a little co-operation from the weather the leading pack is in position to break 3 days. Well - we will see how it goes.

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NOAA weather for the next day or so:

FLORIDA BAY-

430 AM EST MON MAR 6 2006

.TODAY...VARIABLE WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. BAY WATERS MOSTLY SMOOTH.

.TONIGHT...WINDS BECOMING WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS AND INCREASING TO

AROUND 10 KNOTS. BAY WATERS BECOMING A LIGHT CHOP.

.TUESDAY...NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS INCREASING TO NEAR 15 KNOTS. BAY

WATERS BECOMING A MODERATE CHOP.

Looks like winds will be clocking from south, to west to northwest.

Checking with last year's times, our hero's beat their own time into the second checkpoint by over an hour. If the wind above blows as forcast above, they well may set some records.

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I just spoke to Graham at around 3:30, they were in the channel and within 1/2 mile of check-in at Flamingo. Light winds, but they made steady going last night and today. They will definately press on and try to bust that 3 day record. The only real contender left was the G-cat (The Hobie is many hours back). We know the G-cat came 1 1/4 hours after Graham at Chokoloskee from the website reports - but we have no idea where they are now - they never report in. Graham said he can't believe they slipped by in the night, as it was such good visibility that they could see for miles. But he will call me with news of whether or not those guys have checked-in at Flamingo yet. I expect to get that information in the next hour or two. carla

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Green Heron is now about 10 miles west of Key largo. With an hour and a half to go before midnight, they will certainly break the existing record. The G Cat was 2 hours and 4 minutes behind at Flamingo. The winner will be the one that best navigates their way across the flats and mud to Key Largo. With 2 hours in hand, our guys should be OK but a lot depends on chance and finding the best channels.

Gordy Hill will be there to pick them up.

Go Go, you can sleep when you get there.

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Graham is now about 12 miles or so from the finish point. The G-cat checked into Flamingo about 2 hours and 15 minutes after Graham and Fred. so it is a race across Florida Bay - at night! It looks like they have a very good chance of both boats beating the golden 3 day target

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THE WON. THEY BROKE THE RECORD. (excuse the

shout" but I am really excited.)

The guys arrived and checked in at 4:16 this morning. I spoke to Gordy at 7:30 and no one else has arrived or is even in sight so far. Gordy hasn't talked to htem yet - but said they are both totally flaked on - didn't even raise the dodger, just anchored and crashed. He said they are like two dead dummies in a boat our there aabout 20' off shore.

Thanks to all for all the support, and to our sponsers Harbor Specialties and WEST marine - and most of all to our B&B family for just being there and cheering them on! carla/koala

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