2010 North Carolina Challenge

The last weekend in September is the WaterTribe North Carolina Challenge. The race starts on Cedar Island on the coast. The route goes up the Neuse River, then through the slave-dug Harlowe Csnal into the Newport River and on to Beaufort. Here, the 50 mile Ultramarathon ends, but the 100 mile Challenge continues on up Core Sound and back to the beach on Cedar Island.

The boats lined up for the start.  The tall sail is the winning boat, an A Cat

More boats.  My Kruger Sea Wind with its Balough Sail rig is in the foreground

The Glassy Sea at the start as the sun comes up

After a glassy sea at the start, we paddled to the turn onto the Neuse at Point of Grass, then the wind was in our face.  The sailboats beat across and back.  The fast canoes and kayaks paddles on into the wind.  I was not smart.  I kept my sailing rig up and, despite its resistance, paddled into the wind.  I was only doing the 50 mile Ultramarathon because I had promised to help with the race after that.

A video of the 5 minutes of decent wind during the first half of the challenge

Monohull (Class 4) winners Jarhead and Bigfoot.  Their Sea Pearl is behind them and second place boat is on the horizon, a Core Sound 22 skippered by SOS and DancesWithSandyBottom.