Volvo Ocean Race Finish Line

More photos today, thought I'd put up a few from Monday morning at the Volvo Ocean Race Leg 6 finish line. Can't wait to see Jarrett's, sure wish I'd rousted myself out of bed about an hour earlier. Have had too much going on lately, though, been tired. Oh, on the too-much-on-my-plate front? Got news today that I think means I get to stand down from this self-appointed mission to get the dockmaster to come talk to the Pier 63 paddlers - the news didn't make everybody happy but it was enough of an answer for me to say "OK, it is what it is" & let it go at that. Anyhow, that'll be the subject of another post one of these days. It is something of a relief, though. Back to today's:

Arriving at North Cove sometime after 7, here's what I see - the 4th & 5th place finishers waiting their turns to go into the marina.

Here's the scene at the dock!

They are done racing, but they still have a lot of work to do before they can enjoy their hard-earned break.

At least they get coffee delivered by dinghy, though. That's got to taste amazing.

More work - winching somebody up the mast...

Up...

up...

and awaaaay! Gives a good sense of perspective of just how big these boats are, doesn't it?

I hung around for a while, just enjoying the scene. I'd heard a rumour that the 6th place finisher (to be) was not far away, and every now and then I'd head over to the river & take a look south. Finally, just when I was thinking I might need to leave -
there, waaaaaay down the harbor, was that big sail I'd been watching for. I decided to run down to the finish line, on the south side of the marina. Here's most of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet from the land side.

There's the Brunel, passing the Statue of Liberty - quite a sight!

And here's the guy with the horn, waiting to do his thing...

And here comes Brunel - 6th place - at the finish line and there goes the horn!

And that meant it was time for me to go to work. What a start to the morning.

Speaking of work - there I was at work today at about 12:14, reviewing invoice codes, when the phone rang. I thought I recognized the number, I picked it up, and sure enough, it was Captain Peter from the schooner.
"You picked up fast!" he said.
"I was reviewing invoices, so I was facing the phone, and I saw your number" said I.
"That's nice. I'm calling from the harbor. We were just thinking of you because we are out here with the Adirondack watching the start of the Volvo race."
Oh Captain, My Captain...mean Captain, more like! Cruelty to the cube-farm inmate, I call it!

Actually I said something to the effect that I hated all of them - but I was laughing when I said it so he knew I didn't mean it. For all my protestations of seething jealousy, it really was nice to at least get a call from somebody who was getting to see it. He said it was a really exciting scene. I just wish I could have been on board!. I got to crew in 2002 when the Around Alone race started in New York Harbor - that was an indescribably incredible day. Bet this was another, even being sort of gray.