STAGE ONE- Port Townsend to Victoria
Team name: Team OMG
Team captain: Geoff Pentz
Total crew: At least one human
Race vessel: 22’ Etchell
OK, in these bios it’s an obligation to talk about the racers, but we’re going to keep that short so we can talk about their relatives. Team OMG: 1969 Etchell, experienced sailors that run a dive business, and we are thrilled that they are doing the first stage as a tune up and test run for doing the full race in the future. Love that.
But enough about them. The best part about the Team OMG story is that this route is a family tradition that goes back almost 100 years. In 1924, Geoff’s grandparents traveled from Seattle to Juneau in a 16 foot rowboat. Yes, 90+ years ago, before most of the safety equipment required for this race was even invented these folks did twice the mileage in a tiny boat without a cabin. Another reality check on how different the world was then: they did their engineless trip to Alaska a full 4 years before sliced bread was commercially available. The route was more remote, there was no lifesaving network, and they had to slice their own bread. What’s more incredible? The crew on their 16 foot boat incldued the two of them, a cat, dog, goat, and Geoff’s father as a 6 month old baby.
Still thinking that you aren’t up for the trip in 2015? Think of Geoff’s grandparents going twice as far on a tiny boat with livestock and an infant. Sign up for this year, because next year goats and babies might be required equipment. Now that would be good television…