The Vendée Globe Village was a magnet that attracted 800,000 men, women and children.
Update 12-21-2008: Of the 30 boats that crossed the start line on November 9, 12 boats have had to abandon the race, 10 due to mechanical failures or dismastings, one due to an injured skipper, and one case of the boat running aground while attempting to make emergency repairs on the Kerguelen Archipelago, 49 degrees south, 70 degrees east, midway between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia.
This is the 42nd day of the race. From the leader to the last boat, there is a span of 3954 miles, around two weeks sailing time. The lead boat is 11,785 miles from the finish and is nearly halfway through the course, the last boat is 15,739 miles from the finish.
Click photos to enlarge.
From October 18 to November 9, teachers, tots, grandparents, lovers, tourists, and anyone interested at getting a stunningly close up view of the most magnificent sailboats in the world
streamed through the temporarily erected pavilions then down the ramps to the ‘pontoons” to which the boats were tied.The pavilions contained restaurants, cafes, educational exhibits, a media center in which the skippers and organizers were interviewed, and, of course, merchandise.
A memento junkie could find enough free full color posters and pamphlets given out in the entry tent to cover every room in the house. The entire experience was free.
You could spend euros on ‘jambon fromage’ baguettes or traditional crepes or souvenir paraphernalia but not for entry to this quadrennial event that was a cross between a nautical Disneyworld and a full fledged national occasion.
In order not to lose their charges in the milling crowds, teachers had their kids wear something that would visually stand out. So every so often, a little island of red slickers or yellow rain hats would be seen moving along like a teeny chunk of flotsam caught amongst the taller adults in the tide of spectators flowing down the dock.
For ptatlarge, this was a chance to capture the range of people enjoying the event...
and capture moments...of spectators spectating...
either captivated by each other...
or by the activities aboard the Open 60 yachts a few feet away.
From October 18 to November 9, teachers, tots, tourists, lovers, grandparents, over 800,000 in all, streamed through the temporarily erected pavilions and down the ramp to get a stunningly close up view of the "Open 60" racing boats, each worth the GDP of a small country, and hope for a glimpse of one of the skippers who would embark on November 9 to attempt to navigate "solo" around the world.
All photos and video, except top photo, by ptatlarge, Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.
I follow him every day. Have shared the race web site with Sailors. And pray and worry for him.
Carolyn
Posted by: Carolyn | December 22, 2008 at 11:26 AM