CABB’s Around the Keys Distance Race
Miami, Florida
July 21, 2007
By John McKnight


Good competition, a challenging course, and adequate wind made for an enjoyable 33rd annual Around the Keys distance race. There were sixteen sailors on eight boats that showed up to race. I am happy to report that there were none of the calamities that sometimes occur during our CABB races. Nobody fell overboard, nobody capsized, and nobody got lost during this year’s race. That’s the way I like the races to run.

The race course circumnavigated Key Biscayne and Virginia Key, making this an approximately 15 mile race. The course is always challenging because of the natural features. There are lots of shallows to contend with along with tidal currents in two cuts. The race commenced with a timed start just off the Rickenbacker Causeway. Thanks to John and Inbal Esquivel and their motor boat, we had a proper start line and signals. John used our new CABB mark for the pin end of the line. It was all very professional. The winds were somewhat light, in the 5 knots range. The first leg to Cape Florida was a real challenge, at least for me. The winds were shifty. I think I managed to tack into every header there was for the first hour and a half. The winds were right on the nose out of the southeast. Bret Moss took an early lead on his brand spanking new A-Cat. He was followed closely by Jamie Livingston and Hans Barth on their Tornado. Kenny Pierce along with Jeff Park and Craig Callahan, on the Stiletto 23, were near the front in the hunt. There were lots of positions changing as all the boats crisscrossed the bay searching for the elusive lifts. Kenny was even trying to find some sea breeze near the shore. There were two Hobie 16s in the race and they were both sailing very well. The first was sailed by Scot and Tracee Corson and the second was sailed by teenagers Katlin Yasher and Alec Rubio. Oriol and I were struggling near the back of the pack, but we did get to see a dolphin jump 5 feet in the air not too far from our boat. There was a whole pod of dolphins cavorting near our boat.

Once we rounded Cape Florida, we were on a downwind run. Cape Florida has the magnificent historic lighthouse gracing its shore. We sailed north past the hundreds of beach goers at Bill Baggs State Park with their kaleidoscope colored umbrellas dotting the shore. We passed the forest of condos on the ocean side of Key Biscayne. We passed hundreds more beach goers at Crandon Park Beach. Wilder Robles and Mary Gilbertson, on the F-16 Blade, had popped their chute and were flying out in the ocean waves. Lenny Valdivia and Sara Fuentes were sailing on Lenny’s newly acquired Hobie 20. This was their very first race on the boat. They were having a good time. The water on the ocean side of Key Biscayne was breathtaking. It was crystal clear and had myriad shades of aqua green. Words could not describe it. The water colors changed constantly as we sailed over patches of sand and then reefs. This is what sailing in the ocean is all about.

We sailed past Bear Cut and the nude beach on Virginia Key. We didn’t look; we were focused on the sails. The boats were all spread out now along the lines of their Portsmouth numbers. The Tornado and Stiletto, with their spinnakers, had overtaken the uni-rig A-Cat on this downwind run. Next we reentered Biscayne Bay through Norris Cut. This shallow cut separates the north end of Virginia Key and the ritzy enclave of Fisher Island. This is some of the priciest real estate in Miami. The mega yachts litter the marina there. Once through Norris Cut, the course heads back south toward the Rickenbacker Causeway and the finish line. The winds had picking up by this time to 10 to 15 knots. Even at high tide, our leeward rudder kicked up going over the shallows on this leg. We passed between mangrove covered islets on our way to the finish. We passed the opening to the Miami Marine Stadium and blasted past the Rusty Pelican Restaurant flying a hull. We finished just abeam the Virginia Key Marina.

This day, the Hobie 16s ruled. The race is scored on corrected time and they finished one and two. Congratulations to Scot and Tracee Corson on the win. They get to keep the perpetual trophy lamp for the coming year. Their names will be added to the long list of winner of this classic CABB race. Second place goes to the hot kids Katlin Yasher and Alec Rubio from the Miami Yacht Club. They sailed very well finishing just seconds behind the very experienced Corsons. Jamie and Hans, on the Tornado, took line honors but corrected out a very close third. They finished the race in 2 hours and 41 minutes. Bret Moss on his new A-Cat finished fourth. Kenny and gang, on the Stiletto, rounded out the top five boats.

The only real excitement for the day came after we were back on the beach. A huge, and I do mean huge, thunderstorm came roaring off the mainland out toward the causeway where we were staging. Thank goodness all our boats were already off the water. We had charcoal black clouds rapidly approaching and fierce gusty winds blasting out of them. The sand blowing against my legs made it feel like I was getting sandblasted. Except for Lenny’s Hobie 20 all the boats had been put away. We hurried to get Lenny’s sails down but we were a little too late. The wind caught the mainsail which was down on the tramp but still connected to the halyard. The mainsail caught big air and launched into the sky and was flapping by the halyard like a flag from the top of the mast. That was quite a sight. We had to lower the boat gently to its side to prevent it from getting violently blown over. We got the sails off and hunkered down until the storm passed. Other than that brief episode, it was a beautiful day for a race. The scenery was gorgeous and the competition was keen. What more could you ask for?