Around-the-island Eco-challenge race begins

The 10th Annual Lagoon Reef Eco-challenge took off this morning at 7:30 from El Embarcadero, on the lagoon side of Ambergris Caye and by my frantic count as they rounded the first set of mangrove trees there were about 20 two-person boats in the race.

Some time today, the kayakers will pull into  the Basil Jones Area in Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve at the very north end of this island. Tomorrow starting around 9 a.m. they “sprint” down the reef side of the island and into Central Park in downtown San Pedro Town.

I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

Two of my sons, Ryan and Chris, and I used to do a five-mile kayak race in the benign waters of San Diego Bay. And it was hard!

These guys do more than 40 miles over the two days.

Still, next year! Who will paddle with me? We can enter in the “”oldest team” category. I promise I’ll start training long before next April.

Here are some photos from today’s start, in more or less chronological order:

Kayakers warm up before the race, get those paddling cadences down.

Lined up for the start of the race as the crew board SEAduced counts down (and backs away) …

And they are off!

Heading into the lagoon …