Volvo Ocean Race competitors sailed from City Dock in Annapolis on Sunday for one of the toughest legs yet, but festivalgoers felt no stress at the annual Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival.
“There are lots of people here, and it?s a gorgeous day,” said Mary Jo Robey, vice president of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau, via her cell phone.
In order to catch a glimpse of the boats leaving the Chesapeake Bay, many festival attendees participated in the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk, she said.
The fleet received a blessing at 10 a.m. before leaving City Dock.
Boats left at 1 p.m. from south of the Bay Bridge to start the sixth leg of the race toward New York City.
Robey said the Big Apple stop is for provisions only, and will not include any festivities to welcome the sailors.
Pirates of the Caribbean skipper Paul Cayard said this leg will be one of the most difficult stretches of the race so far, according to the race?s official Web site.
“The whole thing could be decided in New York Harbor, so it?s not going to be an easy leg, probably not much sleep,” Cayard said during a skippers forum at City Dock on Saturday morning.
The festival was scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m. Sunday.
