Two Special Honors for Classic Harbor Captains!

As the Adirondack II heads north for the summer, our season in Key West comes to a close. We're taking a blogging hiatus until November, but we couldn't depart without announcing two very exciting wins for the Classic Harbor Line team.

Captain Andrew Neuhauser sailed the Adirondack II to yet another Wrecker's Cup Race victory. The April race (which was delayed until May 3 due to weather) was against five other schooners. Captain Andrew and his crew sailed seven miles to the Wrecker's reef in just over 43 minutes, leaving the second place schooner far behind; the next best time was 50 minutes!

In other news, our very own CHL Key West manager, Sunny Andracchio, recently won the annual Key West Conch Republic's Conch Blowing Competition for Most Musical Performance! Sunny and other "conch honkers" faced off at the Schooner Wharf Bar, and Sunny serenaded the crowd first with "When the Saints Come Marching In," then in the finals with "The Hokey Pokey." As luck would have it, Sunny's prize was a free sail on the Adirondack II! Congratulations, Sunny!

The photos below show Sunny and all six winners.

Captain Andrew Prepares to Sail from Key West to Newport

On May 10, the Adirondack II will say goodbye to Key West, and Captain Andrew Neuhauser and seven crew members will sail the schooner to Newport, Rhode Island, where it will stay for the summer and fall.

The trip is a long one - it took seven and a half days to sail the schooner down to Key West, and their journey could be significantly longer depending on weather and currents. The crew sails through the night, rotating in three-hour shifts on deck and then taking nine hours off. Captain Andrew says its important to be alert, because even though there are long stretches of little activity, short bursts of very hard work are necessary throughout, as currents can make the trip tough, especially along the North Carolina coast. "It can be a walk in the park or completely difficult," he says.


Another issue is the wind. In Key West, Captain Andrew says he usually deals with wind at 18 to 20 knots, but this year the wind has been at 25 to 30. This made for a more adventurous season, and despite the record low temperatures, Captain Andrew says most guests loved the breezier, more intense sails.

The crew takes enough food for ten days, and keeps it healthy. Captain Andrew says he'll pack salad, meat and bread, but he tries to eat as little as possible because the temptation to binge can get so great.

Four of the crew members are from Newport, and are flying down to Key West to help out. With more than 100 years experience between them, the crew is ready for their journey, whether it be six days or twenty. Back in Newport, the crew will undergo orientation and training refreshers, and begin their season Memorial Day weekend.