It’s already been 10 days since the Race for Water crew stepped off the yacht and onto dry land in Bermuda, after more than a month at sea. We checked in with them to get their impressions of the stopover, which included tours of Race for Water, interviews, and watching the America’s Cup races.
Logistics and stopovers coordinator Luce Molinier and Director of Operations Franck David were already in Bermuda to greet Race for Water, and they organized a full schedule of activities for the crew. Luce commented, “The crew were really happy to get back on land; they were also very tired. They got into a rhythm on board, and they definitely bonded during this first crossing.”
Race for Water gleams in Bermuda’s turquoise waters
Race for Water had barely arrived in the harbor when Bermuda’s Prime Minister, Michael Dunkley, came on board to congratulate Race for Water Foundation President Marco Simeoni and the crew. Marco noted, “Next, we saw Anne Hyde, the president of the Keep Bermuda Beautiful Foundation. This wasn’t our first meeting; we met her during the first Race for Water Odyssey, in 2015. It’s really impressive to see the passion that Race for Water inspires in people!”
A great viewing deck for the America’s Cup
Race for Water dropped anchor in the Great Sound—the site of the America’s Cup races–, and Groupama Team France’s crews and guests came on board to watch the action while learning about plastics pollution and ocean preservation. Marco Simeoni commented, “The more people we welcome on board, the greater the impact of our message of hope—our mission to preserve the oceans and spread the word with our clean-energy yacht.”
The Bermuda stopover wasn’t only about sailing, tours, and meetings. At the end of the day, the crew still had to do maintenance tasks on board Race for Water, put the ship’s furniture back in place, and clean up. First Mate Annabelle Boudinot joked, “Our second shift starts in the evening. But we’re having the time of our lives in our front-row seats for the Cup matches.”