People, Places: Raison d’être

Volvo Ocean Race: Boston

Ericsson 4 entering boston harbor

Sunday was a beautiful day, and after dim sum  in China town, I walked to Fan Pier to check out the festivities associated with the Volvo Ocean Race.

Dubbed as the “Everest of sailing,” this around the world race launched last fall  in Alicante, Spain.  In total, the seven teams will sail over 37,000 nautical miles. Destinations include Cape Town, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm.

The boats arrived in Boston late Sunday afternoon. The first to arrive was Ericsson 4.  The teams had been sailing for weeks since departing from South America, so it was cool to be among the crowd welcoming them to shore. It’s very cool that Boston, the only stop in North America, made the short list of destinations. I recommend a visit to the Fan Pier.  Sponsors of the teams have invested millions of dollars into the race. Puma City, for example, it a shop/bar designed out of cargo crates. Located across from the ICA, there is a fabulous view of Boston and the harbor from the top deck.

Other exhibits include video of the race, information about the design of the boats, etc. Check it out! It’s a perfect location for enjoying a warm day!

Amy

Ericsson Team: 1st to arrive in Boston

April 28, 2009 - Posted by aburnis | sailing | boston, Puma city, sailing, volvo ocean race