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Armchair OF

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Started 5 years ago by BeastOarman
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BeastOarman
Member

Wow CleanSlate, I see your average is less than 1 1/2 knots since CP2, tough going out that creek/canal. Maybe things will improve now that you have exited and turned West into a larger bay, although forecast does not hold much promise right now. Paddle on.

Konkerer and HeavilyLaden turned North for the final assault, and are stopped at a pleasant looking beach at the Martin National Wildlife Refuge, maybe for a bite to eat and a change into evening gear.

DancesWithWaves is still 4 miles or more from CP2, having slowed down a bit also, maybe arriving around 7 if current speed holds.

The real action is between PHST and COjones & Puma right now. They look to be paint-on-paint, as we rowers say, although I'm sure with no wind it seems to them like slow motion. Who can tell us what winds should favor which boat?

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Well, I guess I was off by 7 minutes for the arrival of DancesWithWaves at CP2 - got there at 6:53, nice job. Should I stay or should I go now?
Konkerer and HeavilyLaden paddle North up the big bay, sure and steady.
CleanSlate is very close to also being able to head North up the Chesepeake, hopefully his speed will pick up then.
COjones & Puma have found the fast track, making good time North and they are well past PHST. They are further out in the bay, maybe catching a rising tide? Or maybe they picked up that outboard LeatherLungs has been trying to unload ; )
Looks to me like a calm, but slow, night on the water - good luck Tribers!

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Woohoo! COjones & Puma pressed on through the night, to finish Second in the OFC at about 6 this morning. That strategy of full rest at CP2 paid off for them. Well done, men!
PHST are not far behind after sailing all night themselves, now approaching the South end of Kent Island and projected to finish by eleven or so this morning.
Konkerer and HeavilyLaden stopped early for the night on tiny Holland Island, but were moving on the water by 4 AM and are now well up the Chesapeake. We will see as the day's weather unfolds, they have a shot at finishing tonight.
CleanSlate made the final turn Northward last night, and at 11 or so called it a night. Back on the water only 6 or 7 hours later, we all know that translates into just 3 REM cycles max, maybe 2, with all the camp activities - not much after a really long, hard day of paddling and sailing in light winds. Press on!
DancesWithWaves is not tracking yet, we all know how hard it can be to leave the comfort of a nice checkpoint this far into the race! But leave he will.

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

PrivateHam & SwampThing have finished the OFC! At about 10:30 this morning, they locked in First Place in their class, third overall. Congratulations.

Konkerer and HeavilyLaden continue their paddle up the bay together, and it looks like they have covered roughly half the distance to the Finish from their camp last night. This puts their estimated finish at about 8 PM, T-Storms not withstanding. But we all know that is a real roll of the dice in this region!

CleanSlate continues to progress North, apparently about 15 miles behind Konkerer. Speed seems to be a bit over 2 1/2 knots, better than yesterday but not what he was hoping for I'm sure. This afternoon winds are expected form the SSE at about 5 knots, not vrey strong but at least in the right direction. That changes in the wee hours of the morning, when they shift to NNW and remain there for the next few days! Again, not too strong, but 5 knots against you vs 5 knots with you is a big difference. Best if he can keep pressing on tonight until he is fighting the wind, in my opinion.

DancesWithWaves left CP2 a little before 8 this morning. He is entering the wildlife refuge just before the turn Northward for the final stretch. I expect a Friday finish, but he will be slogging against the wind in his Hobie TI. It will take a tremendous effort to cover this distance in that boat, against the wind, over the next 48 hours. Now the wisdom of JollyRoger becomes clear, jumping on that favorable wind when he had it and putting off sleep, which he can get any time. Easy for me to say ; )

Hope everyone stays safe tonight in the thunderstorms, must-see-tracking coming up!

Posted 5 years ago #
deepminnow
Member

I spoke to Konkerer and Heavily a lunchtime, via the Taylor's Island Camp store. The girl who answered the phone seemed a bit surprised that someone was calling to speak to the ratty-looking paddlers who'd walked in her store. They sounded good. Happy to be leading their respective classes on a record setting pace. Probably happier to be out of the sun - eating ice cream and waiting for the tide to turn.

Posted 5 years ago #
CleanSlate
Member

Frustrating day of fighting NW winds. Not much progress. Had to fight for every mile.

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Clearly I need to stop doing wind forecasts, sorry CleanSlate ; )

After the lunch stop DeepMinnow mentions above, Konkerer and HeavilyLaden pressed on and just before 1 AM finished the OFC at exactly the same time. Congratulations, very well done, and First in Class for both of them!

CleanSlate stopped around midnight and did a little stealth camping on the Northwest corner of Taylors Island, and was back on the water 6 1/2 hours later. With any luck (ie wind), he should be able to make the Finish for a late dinner tonight. Bring it on home, CS!

DancesWithWaves is doing extremely well, and moving along at a decent pace out towards the middle of the bay. Must have a good incoming tide. Looks like he might have stopped last night around 9, and was then underway again perhaps 7 in the morning. At similar speeds, he looks to have maybe 9 more hours of travel to the Finish, so he will have to be prudent about stopping tonight. Stop too early or sleep too late, and he will miss the Noon deadline tomorrow!

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Congratulations CleanSlate and DancesWithWaves!!!

CleanSlate came in 6th overall, and Second to JollyRoger in his Class, braving some Thunderstorms and a draining slog to the Finish to arrive around 8:30 last night. Thank you for the mid-race updates, CS, it added a sense of realism for us Armchair OF'ers ; )

DancesWithWaves poured it on in the evening, seems like he was between 3 and 4 knots that whole time. He crossed the Finish line 7th overall shortly after midnight, First in his Class of Single Hobie TI. Nicely done!

The race is over! Phew, I'm exhausted.

Posted 5 years ago #
JollyRoger
Member

Beast and everyone, Thanks for the coverage of the challenge. Knowing that friends have an interest and are following along makes us push harder and keep at it. It helped for sure! And very nice to see everyone and get my needed watertribe "fix". Thanks again to all, Roger

Very tough challenge, one unexpected was all the debris from heavy rains prior to the start as mentioned by CS. The course seems to have it all. Beautiful part of the Country!

Posted 5 years ago #
SeaDawg
Member

For some more pics and video from the water of the UltraMarathon;

http://wp.me/pFgdM-FN

Photo credit to JollyRoger for the pic of Father and Son team Badger & Corsair who along with other midnight beach creatures were there to lend a hand dealing with gear after the Finish.

See you on the water,

SeaDawg

Posted 5 years ago #
Chekika
Member

Being a Hobie guy, I followed the 2 Hobies in the race. Congratulations all, but especially JR. Outstanding!

Keith

Posted 5 years ago #
Scareman
Member

Congratulations WaterTribers!

The mapper worked well fort this smaller lot of competitors. I was checking on ya!

Posted 5 years ago #
PrivateHam
Member

I just got home to Florida and saw the play-by-play. What a great read, BeastOarman, thanks for the updates. The course was incredible and tough. From the fish traps, floating logs, a million crab pots, ripping currents, super low bridges, big seas, glassy seas, in your face wind, fun downwind runs, and complete dead calm, it was a true challenge from start to finish. It was great to meet Puma and COJones in their super fast Hot Canary at the end of Big Thoroughfare. It was not so great to watch them sail away with their big red spin flying. Two great guys and great competitors. JollyRoger, I heard great things about the boat you made and were you not so far ahead, maybe I could have seen it. You crushed it and well done. Badger, watching you and your son crash through the waves upwind next to us when leaving Wye Island was inspiring and something I'll never forget. Chief and RacingVicariously, great job on selecting a tough, beautiful, and amazing course.

Posted 5 years ago #
Badger
Member

PrivateHam: we were overpowered on the leg from Wye River lighthouse to Tilghman Point, and I should have put in a reef. We did before we rounded the southern tip of Kent Island, and was glad we did, since the first hour of that leg was in winds just as strong, but it was also dark.

I've a writeup of the trip here. Last year's story is there, too. Great job, SeaDawg!

Posted 5 years ago #
Jarhead
Member

Nice recap, Badger. Congratulations to you and Corsair, and to all of the participants. Special kudos to JollyRoger, who is always a kick-ass competitor. Can't someone tie a bucket to his boat at the start? Very welcome updates from BeastOarman, too. This event is looking very exciting with a bit of wind. I like the mix of problems and conditions Badger described--calm, stiff breeze, chop, tide, low bridges, etc. It's also cool that everyone has a unique experience based on class, type of boat within class, and eventually even where you were when on the course. Those variables make the term "challenge" so much more descriptive than "race."

Posted 5 years ago #
whitecaps
Member

Thanks so much to the man that rows with a mirror. You impressed me when you hit my beach in Choko and keep right being that type. Thanks Pete!

You be right Bill when he races against us Rodger gets a sea ancor afixed to his boat.

Way to go all of ya! Yep I watch all of you.

toby

Posted 5 years ago #
Chief
Coastal Vagabond

BeastOarman, excellent commentary! Also, great input from everyone in this thread.

I think everyone can see that this is a great course and will add it to the must do list.

Posted 5 years ago #

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