The nine R2AK teams still on course continue to make way toward bell-ringing glory in Ketchikanian paradise, each carrying the unsnuffable torch of adventurous grit and perseverance. Most of these incredible humans make miles exclusively thanks to their own muscle and sinew—and apparent capacity to ignore or embrace physical pain—enacting feats of endurance that would humble ultramarathon runners, without the luxury of highway-shoulder pizza deliveries.
The northbound nine does not include the always intriguing and emphatically on-brand Team Lillian’s Vacation, who u-turned via Okisollo Channel north of Quadra Island yesterday, trading Seymour for tidal rapids less-traveled as she headed south and pulled in for the night on Cortes Island. Her plan… who could say? But the recent announcement that the Grim Sweeper has departed Port Townsend means either she needs to start rowing north, and fast, or she will accept her fate as one commendably perplexing R2A-cationer.
One of only two “big” sailboats on the course, Team Mike and Marty’s Big Day Out’s F-24 trimaran, is 34 nautical miles from the finish at the time of this writing. They ran through the night and are chewing up miles at a pace that seems to say, “We see the end, let’s get there!” It is likely that they will round the breakwater in Thomas Basin around the time you’re reading this.
For the remaining group, today’s forecast looks quite human-power-friendly with very light northerly breezes building slightly throughout the day. That’s good news for everyone except Team Supernautiloid’s Jeanneau Sunrise 34. They are headed north again after taking a big bite into Hecate Strait and sailing halfway to Haida Gwaii. Good thing their onboard accommodations are the most comfortable of any remaining R2AK vessel, since the day looks like it may be a slow one for this band of rockers and former special forces dudes.
The human-powered group is still led by Team Wave Forager, who continues to make excellent progress and is just only about 100 miles from Ketchikan as he exits extraordinary Grenville Channel. The dual side-bets for first human-powered finisher and first finisher under 20 feet are on the line! Team Of One is behind by around 30 miles. These two are particularly notable because if they are able to finish, they will earn R2AK World Records as the first and second pulling-with-both-hands-simultaneously solo rowers ever to ring the bell and chug/shower that sweet, sweet victory beer.
Team SUP N Irish is the other news of the day, having pulled the plug on his R2AK along Swindle Island north of Bella Bella, after a massively impressive effort. We watched him transit Seymour Narrows like it was no big deal, and he’s made remarkable progress since, including a genuinely white-knuckle Cape Caution transit, after which Stina Booth of fellow human-power Team Solveig declared simply, “SUP guy is phenomenal!” After a fortnight of waterborne travel with/near Teams Sporting Chance and Bella Bella and Beyond, it must be bittersweet for SUP N Irish to see his compatriots continue on without him—he’s made the right call for himself and his R2AK journey, but he must bid adieu-for-now to the unique kind of fast friendships forged by sharing one of life’s enormous experiences, all while wishing his fellow paddlers well. Team SUP N Irish has made it further than any other R2AK SUPer, save the one famous finish, and that earns him unambiguous respect, admiration, and congratulations from R2AK Nation. In the ceaseless inspiration-machine of Race to Alaska, Team SUP N Irish has added another awesome gear.
Meanwhile, here at R2AK Low Command (High Command is busy at loftier latitudes), we’ve had a bit of a breather. Even with no finishers in the last 24 hours, there are still too many stories to process, to honor. Nine teams have finished. Nine (and Lillian?) more press on toward the dream of bells and beers and reprieve and accomplishment on the dock in Ketchikan. And everyone from casual followers to full-on fanatics will continue to watch with the kind of wonder-jealousy that only Race to Alaska racers deliver.
Header photo by Kelsey Fletcher