The Steeplechase is, as crazy as it is, my favorite race of the year. That's why you get so many Northern folks making the crazy drive down there for the fun.
Every year I've done the Steeplechase there has been something different to talk about.
I was there in '98 when most of the fleet got demolished. I ended up looking for a lost sailor for most of the day after I lost track of him trying to pick him up.
I sacrifice a lot of cash and hassle trying to do this race every year. Thanks to lot's of folks who helped me get there this year.
We were listening to the weather radio on Friday and they were calling for 20-25 knots on Saturday. This didn't motivate me to put my boat together. My crew had never done a distance race and I don't think had really considered that I might actually pull the plug and not go out. My crew I think was getting a little pissed at me screwing around and not putting the boat together. Finally I decided I'd get it together and be ready in case the forecast was wrong. Forecasts are never right anyway?.
At one point on Friday they were calling for 15-20knots and I started to think that we would do the race.
We got up Saturday morning and turned the radio on only to hear 20-25 knots gusting to 30 knots. Also there were some showers in the area. I knew this was way past the fun factor and decided to bag it. While I might have survived it I wouldn't have had fun. Also my equipment could have been destroyed. My crew isn't experienced enough to handle the boat by herself in that much wind. The other thing that I was really thinking about was what if the weather is a little worse than predicted. Even if only for a short time 40-50 knots can make a really bad day.
I'm happy with my decision. It was the right decision for me and my crew. No reason to go out and kill myself and my crew.
We hooked up with an old friend of mine and went out on his powerboat to grab some pictures right at the Tavernier Creek. Neat seeing everyone go by. Funny that the wind and waves when we were out there didn't seem that bad. None of the N20's were running chutes when they went by us. All of them were just in survival mode. Krantz and Lennard were the only ones running their chute when they went by.
The amazing thing was how close the H16 was to everybody when it went by. I couldn't believe how he was right on the heels of all the boats. Ahead of a few boats. We saw the reefed Supercat go by and not 10 minutes behind them were Team Tybee. Then Accelerated Chaos, Seacats, H16, then Layline.
The pictures I took are up on Jake's website at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamseacats/sets/72157594412944888/It really did blow 20-25 with gusts all the way to 30. Everyone went over that did the race at least once. I talked to the H16 skipper, Mike Saiu, and he said that I caught his 5th pitchpole with the picture. I asked why he was so far out when he went by and he said that everytime he Gybed he pitchpoled. He was trying to minimize the Gybes. I did see one gybe without a pitchpole so I think he was exagerating a little.
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By the way if you ever get to Tavernier creek the little marina by the drawbridge makes the best spicy cuban I've ever had. I'll be back for one of those for sure. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Sunday was pretty dull it only blew 15-25 knots. They finished pretty quick. We went out on Sunday and played in the bays and the cut a little. It was a really nice day. Right at the verge of what we can handle. We passed Tybee and Accelerated Chaos in Grouper Creek. I even caught Kenny paddling a little in there. The cuts were really easy with the extra wind and the direction.
Quite a bit of mayham and damage. Two broken masts. 1 seperated crew. We were listening to the Coast Guard and they were seriously active looking for people during the race. I could hear the epirb going off in the background when they transmitted information. I could hear the plane spotting the crew in the water. It was all very Deja vu of '98 for me. Luckily this year the wind wasn't blowing directly offshore like it was that year.
Out of 18 that came down to do the race only 6 finished. My hat is off to those harty soles. See you next year.
Mike Hill
www.stlouiscats.com
