Continuing the story of the cruise

One of the excursions possible from ST Maartens was a sail and race on yachts like thos eraced in the America's Cup.  This excurions had the participants working as  the crew, manning the helm, working the sails by raising and lowering and reefing while wctually racing another boat manned by similar participants on excursion.  THe course was laid out similar to the real thing and you got a pretty good idea why the crews of these fine tuned vessels are built like power lifters in many cases - it is hard work and an aerobis workput at the same time. To do this on an internationally competitive level requires a lot of training not only in sailing technique and strategy but also for fitness - these people are atheletes in the true sense of the word.

BOAT 1

BOAT 2

TACKING TO PORT

PART OF A TACKING DUEL

After a few more tropical drinks we headed for Ft Lauderdale and our trip back to Poconos.  Of coourse on tyhe way home we had had time to stop in Savannah, Ga for a night or two before really commiting back to the chilly spring ujp north