We’ve been having a blast watching the Louis Vuitton qualifying races here in wonderful Bermuda. We watched the opening day races from the America’s Cup Village, which was quite an experience, but expensive, hot, and a challenge to get to. Since then, we’ve been part of the “Spectator Fleet” aboard ROAM. Since the races start at around 2:00 PM Bermuda time every day, we have the mornings to lounge around the boat, or run in to town for a quick shop, or comb through the hundreds of pictures we have been taking every day of the races.

We try to leave the anchorage between 1:00 and 1:30 PM and head out to the race course. The race committee generally has the boundary markers set up for the spectators by the time we get out there. Though we’ve explored all around the course, we generally prefer setting up at the windward mark because the prevailing winds give us the best light for taking pictures at that end of the course.

Once anchored, we busy ourselves getting ready to watch. Binoculars: Check! Cameras: Check! TV: Check!(wait, what?) That’s right, we set up a TV on the flybridge so that we can watch the closeups and replays on live/local TV while we’re watching the boats scream by us!!

We have been out for every single race, including the days that were cancelled due to too much wind and too little. We intend on being out for every other race as well and we’re having so much fun! 16 days of racing so far have brought us down to: Team Emirates New Zealand beat out Team BAR Great Britain yesterday to capture one of the two Luis Vuitton Finals spots. Today we get to see if Softbank Team Japan can fend off the amazing comeback of Team Aretmis. We’re in Sailboat Racking HEAVEN!!!

Of course, there is more going on here than just America’s Cup Racing…