Meanwhile, dealing with kelp, light wind and waves isn't the only challenge the competitors face. Drew Wierda of Chicago reported on a rival's encounter with local sea life: "When it comes to war stories, none of us can match Mark Herendreen and Pat Giles, another U.S. entry. Their boat was holed when it was rammed by a seal, and later in the day a dolphin jumped out of the water and broke their spinnaker pole."