Transpac: First of three starts on Monday

UPDATE (July 3rd): The quote below came from John Sangmeister's FB page, but apparently he borrowed it from Chris Lewis' fine preview article on the Transpac in Sailing World entitled, "Racing to Aloha: The Transpac." Read the full story here.

LONG BEACH, CA – As with any race, part of the magic lies with the start and finish locations, and Transpac is no exception. Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach is the center of gravity for the Transpac pre-race activities, which among other things, is home to the Transpac Walk of Fame, honoring famous participants from years past. There is something special about being able to walk the docks and see, up close and personal, some of the sweetest sailing rockets, lined up and ready to cross an ocean. Then on your start day, you motor out toward Point Fermin with fanfare including a fireboat spraying water high into the air. After the start, the Transpac has only one mark, leave Catalina Island to port. –John Sangmeister, our longtime friend, dean of Long Beach yachting, and skipper of the Santa Cruz 70 OEX, from his Facebook page. More on this epic biennial ocean race on the Transpac website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.