TRANSPAC: 2225 Miles
The 2,225-mile Transpacific Yacht Race has been near and dear to my heart for decades. Every odd-numbered year, our photo team covers the starts off of Los Angeles’ Point Fermin and beyond, out to Catalina Island from the air. While the starts and their tight groupings of boats typically make for great images, it’s the race’s finish which generates some of the world’s most exciting sailing photos — and most exciting shooting.
The starts are pretty straightforward to plan for. We know when the boats will be there at a given time, what time we’ll have to take off from the heliport, etc. I address the teams at the Skippers’ Meeting and tell them that we will be the last thing they’ll see off the west end of Catalina, and — provided it’s during the day — the first thing they’ll see when they enter the Molokai Channel on their approach to the finish. I tell them that when they see the helicopter come at them to: put the owner on the helm, put shirts on, clean up the deck, and if the breeze is atypically light, heat-up the boat.
The finishes are a different story entirely. We spend days glued to the tracker, trying to anticipate the sudden jump in location when the tracker’s delay is turned off. For borderline dusk or dawn finishes, we’ll try to get out to Diamond Head by boat. By day, one of us will be shooting finishes from the boat, while I’m constantly coordinating with the helicopter pilots to try to get as far as necessary out into the Molokai Channel to intercept the boats. There are a lot of moving parts — beyond just cameras and helicopters and boats — to try to execute something like this, and it’s not like I can ask, “Can you guys go back and do that again?”
The Bill Lee-designed, 68 foot-ULDB, Merlin, is one of the West Coast’s most iconic boats. Described as “the minimum life-support system for a spinnaker,” the needle-thin sled was born of an old chicken coop near Santa Cruz, CA in 1977. Merlin improved the elapsed-time record for the race by nearly a full-day that year, a mark that stood for the ensuing 20 years despite a relentless series of assaults lodged by some of the world’s best sailors. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of her historic win, and to celebrate, Bill bought back his creation and did the race. We, in turn, were trying to replicate Merlin’s photo finishes of years gone by, with that spectacular rainbow spinnaker.
I almost did not get this one! We had been photographing finishes for several days when Merlin came in. I had been out on the water for dawn patrol to catch another finisher and then went back into the dock for their arrival party. We had been watching the tracker and thought we had a good idea of when Merlin was coming in. After hitting the dock, I headed to the heliport while the on-the-water team took a break before going back out to catch Merlin’s finish. It was blowing at this point. I’m thinking that I have a ton of time to get to the heliport. After days of driving to and from the heliport, the car pretty much had it on autopilot. Next thing I know, my onboard liaison, Morgan Larson, calls me and says they have Koko Head in sight! Next thing I know, I get stuck in horrendous Honolulu traffic, and it’s looking more and more likely that we will not make it in time.
I call the pilot: “Start the engine, have someone hold the security door open!”
Eventually, I got my headset and seatbelt on, and before long we arrived at Koko Head right as Merlin went screaming past!
The 50th running of Transpac starts next week on July 10th. Participants, let the official Transpac photography team of Sharon Green and Ultimate Sailing make Transpac 2019 an adventure you will long remember. Who knows... maybe you will be featured in the Ultimate Sailing Calendar.
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+About Ultimate Sailing
Sailing is a magnificent, colorful and dramatic sport. This unique sport has many variables with the constantly changing elements, sea conditions, boats, events, competitors and locations. The challenge is to capture on film electrifying moments that take your breath away. Those moments and opportunities are very few, but when they happen... it is ultimate sailing." ~ Sharon Green
Sharon Green has been capturing electrifying images of performance sailing for more than 40 years. Her annual Ultimate Sailing Calendar, featuring the highlights of competitive sailing, is eagerly anticipated by yachting and photography enthusiasts worldwide. Sharon has been published in major boating publications, both locally and internationally, since she first took up a camera while still in high school.
The pursuit of 'Ultimate Sailing' images never seems to grow old. Four decades and I still love the challenge of creating memorable images for my clients and the calendar."
Sharon is happiest when she is on the water or hanging from a helicopter in search of the elusive image that can be called 'Ultimate Sailing'. "My greatest satisfaction is when it all comes together: the anticipation, planning, organizing, traveling and epic conditions that combine to create a thrilling photograph.
The passage of time eludes our grasp: we can only look back in awe and look forward in anticipation. Never did I expect, 40 years ago, that my vision of creating the Ultimate Sailing Calendar would endure and provide such an extraordinary life experience. boundless advancements in sailing, and concurrently radical developments in camera and photographic technology, have kept me on my toes and the years have swept by! I find myself at this landmark anniversary: humbled by your patronage and inspired by your support. To my many friends, colleagues, clients, and subjects who have sustained and fueled this endless passion for capturing the ultimate Sailing image, I extend my deepest love and gratitude.
View the images by clicking the 40th button
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