Fog encompases the Volvo Open 70’s as they depart Boston Harbor for Galway Ireland :: beginning the 2,500 nautical mile Leg Seven of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race.

Leg Seven Start, Fog

The start of Leg Seven of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Seven Volvo Open 70 racing yachts — Ericsson 3, Ericsson 4, Delta Lloyd, PUMA, Telefonica Blue and Telfonica Black — departed Boston harbor and set sail for Galway Ireland, some2,500 nautical miles away. Leg Seven is estimated to last just over one week.

Leg Seven Start, Boston

Two Puma Moths at Fan Pier during the start of Leg Seven of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Il Mostro, Puma’s official Volvo Ocean Race sailboat, a Volvo Open 70, is visible off in the distance.

Puma, Volvo Ocean Race

Panorama of Boston Harbor and the departure of the Volvo Open 70 fleet as they depart for Leg Seven of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. The leg will take the seven remaining yachts just over 2,500 nautical miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Galway, Ireland. 

The sailboats, from right to left are:

• Telefonica Black
• Telefonica Blue
• Ericsson 3
• Puma
• Delta Lloyd
• Green Dragon
• Ericsson 4

For a full high-res copy (11,069 pixels wide) – it’s on my Flickr page

Panorama, Volvo Ocean Race Leg Seven Start

A panorama photo of Fan Pier in Boston during the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Taken from the ICA, this panorama is two exposures taken with a Nikon D300.

Fan Pier, Panorama (Volvo Ocean Race)

On board the deck of il mostro, the PUMA racing yacht in the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race.

On board "il mostro"

il mostro at Fan Pier in Boston during the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. This was il mostro undergoing repairs after completing Leg Six, 4,900 nautical mile journey from Rio de Janeiro Brazil to Boston.

Il Mostro

A photo of the Green Dragon at Fan Pier in Boston during the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race.

Although The Green Dragon finished last in Leg Six — Rio de Janiero to Boston — of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race, the team sits fifth in the overall standings with 44 points. The Green Dragon Racing Team is part of the Let’s Do It Global non-profit group which was set up following the successful bid for Galway’s  to host the Volvo Ocean Race in late May, early June. The sailboats arrive in Galway after completing Leg Seven of the race, after sailing 2,500 nautical miles from Boston. 

Green Dragon’s skipper is Ian Walker, one of Great Britain’s most successful sailors. 

The entire crew of the Green Dragon include:

• Ian Walker – Skipper
• Ian Moore – Navigator
• Neal McDonald – Watch Captain
• Anthony Merrington – Watch Captain
• Justin Slattery – Bowman 
• Andrew McLean – Pitman/Trimmer
• Phil Harmer – Pitman/Trimmer
• Damian Foxall – Watch Captain
• Freddy Shanks – Bowman
• James Carroll – Pitman
• Guo Chuan – Media Crew Member

The Green Dragon, Fan Pier

A photo of Ericsson 4, Ericsson 3 and the Green Dragon undergoing repair at Fan Pier in Boston after Leg Six of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Photo taken with a Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye. Some high pass filtering with Overlay, smart sharpen to the Lightness channel, Color Matching and Lens Vignetting in Camera Raw and Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Volvo Ocean Race, Fan Pier - Dry Dock

Lots of posts recently about the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. The boats are in port in Boston right now at Fan Pier. This race map gives you a feel of just how long the journey is. Let Six — departing Rio de Janeiro Brazil and finishing in Boston 4,900 nautical miles later — is just one of ten legs in the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. The ten legs include:

1. Alicante, Spain –> Cape Town, South Africa (6,500 nm)
2. Cape Town, South Africa –> Cochin, India (4,450 nm)
3. Cochin, India –> Singapore (1,950 nm)
4. Singapore –> Qingdao, China (2,500 nm)
5. Qingdao, China –> Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (12,300 nm)
6. Rio de Janeiro Brazil –> Boston, USA (4,900 nm)
7. Boston, USA –> Galway, Ireland (2,550 nm)
8. Galway, Ireland –> Marstrand, Sweden (950 nm)
9. Marstrand, Sweden –> Stockholm, Sweden (525 nm)
10. Stockholm, Sweden –> St. Petersberg, Russia (400nm)

 Probably the most extreme and awesome sporting competition I’ve ever seen. Somewhat of a morph between Formula One and the Tour de France.

2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race Map