EC 2011 Update 18

6:31am EST
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Some interesting reporting on SandyBottom, nice pics too - Click here
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With the mapper down on the WaterTribe site, here are some updates; Click here
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Tuesday: 4:30pm EST Ben and Emily are on the more and looking good, from their SPOT check in; Just out of CP2, really bad cell phone reception, so could not make out much of what he was saying. He seemed to be in good spirits and was looking forward to everglades.
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Very difficult to follow on the message boards as 24 hour updates are not posting real time; scattered and adrift. We need widow's towers scattered across Florida's Coast for spotters.
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The Capt'n

EC 2011 - Update 17

5:38am EST - Monday sure was a wild day, with the Coast Guard rescue of DolphinGal and the sheer adventure of it all. To add more intrigue and mystery, the Mapper is over loaded so viewing SPOT positions has become an interesting proposition; I got up at 3:45am Central Standard time to see if I could get a gander. Here are a few slides:
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Ben and Emily are doing splendid; looks like they found a nice piece of real estate to catch up on some sleep before heading down to CP2. Not sure what the tides are doing but it's best to catch the tide coming in to Indian Pass. The XCR canoe appears to be bomb proof.
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You got love Chief; hanging back for the first couple of days. Now positioning himself for a big jump down to CP 2 from Rice Key. The wind is N NE, it will be a big sail day with off shore breezes.
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Third boat in to the finish; First mono hull finish goes to DanceswithSandyBottom and SOS. Nice effort boys, interesting route across Florida Bay, must have used a ruler.
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Early bird sees the mapper.
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The Capt'n

EC 2011 - Update 16

The EC mapper has been suspect with all the traffic viewing it, so I got it up and performing and am trying to get updates posted. Unfortunately I can't get everybody as I need to get moving and off to work.
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Finger crossed the mapper is working today, for everyone's viewing pleasure.
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The Capt'n

EC 2011 - Update 16

7:31am EST Toby "Whitecaps" going inside behind Marco Island; interesting route choice as he is in Class 3 with a Balogh 38; with today being a sailing day with winds out of the Northwest one would think he would stay outside.

EC 2011 - Update 15

Nightnavigator and Nightsong - In a Kruger Cruiser under paddle only doing awesome!

EC 2011 - Update 14

7:20am EST - Chief just outside of CP 1; it will be interesting to read his reports of performance with the Balogh 50sq ft and the over-sized ama's; last couple of days have been paddling days for Class 3's 2's and 1's ; today will be a sailing day, so we'll have to see if Chief can reel the fleet in.

EC 2011 - Update 13

7:15am EST: Ben and Emily Early Monday morning underway; winds favorable.

EC 2011 - Update 12

Sew Sew finish tracks - Across Florida Bay
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Bumpy's finish tracks - Across Florida Bay

EC 2011 - Update 11

6:32am EST
Confusion or just the nature of the challenge.
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Conflicting reports on the finish of the EC; Class 5 multi-hulls make short order of the Everglades Challenge. Reports from the discussion board.

SPOT shows Bumpy and Macho Man in just before midnight with Sew Sew following at around 0530. Both navigated Fl Bay in the dark, no small feat on it's own. Well done to both these veteran class 5 teams. DaveOnCudjoe

last night I clearly saw Sew Sew into the finish first on the challenge mapper about five or ten minutes before Bumpy. Fatfrank

Randy Smyth aka Sewsew is at the finish, according to MapViewer. Well, almost at the finish.OK, now he is at the finish and Tornado closing a lot faster than I thought. CrazyRussian

This was the most exciting race that I have ever witnessed! WOW! And it still continues. I hope that I can play next year. And there is still a whole lot more to still happen yet. ThereAndBackAgain

EC 2011 - Update 10

Let your colors fly! Michigan State flag - Take that Toby!!

Mrs. Chief reports

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Talked with Pelican a moment ago. As you can imagine, he is running on very little sleep, as you can imagine, with all the calls regarding SPOT and the weather. So thought I would update the "fans" about what is going on with the Challengers in general. First, they have looked into the SPOT issue and it appears it is just overwhelmed with the number of people logging on today. It was fine until early morning, and the thought is that come tomorrow, with many back to work, etc. the demand will be less and it will be working fine again then.

With so many still working hard to get into CP1, (Chief among them after crash landing on the beach and a long portage to the IC), Pelican has called a "weather hold" to extend the deadline, and he will stay at the checkpoint late until they get in. The deadline for Key Largo, however, remains unchanged. All challengers are fine and in good spirits despite the tough conditions.

In the meantime, we are back to the "good old days" before SPOT for the moment..... Mrs. Chief