Volvo Ocean Race leg finish in Baltimore

[John D.]

I went down to Baltimore's Inner Harbor this afternoon to watch ABN AMRO One sail in after finishing the 5th Leg. The boat and boat handling were smooth and impressive, as you'd expect. The mast was almost as tall as the mainmast on the U.S.S. Constellation.

More notable was the cultural difference between the locals and the non-U.S. family members of the racing teams. You could tell who they were because they all wore team jackets and spoke with accents. Their toddler-age children were running all over the pier, close to the water's edge (a 6' drop, into +25' of water). One little girl was sitting quietly on a mooring bollard, apparently watching for her dad. The parents were unconcerned, and no kids fell in. It seemed like they were accustomed to being responsible for themselves.

Then the police came in and demanded to know "who are the parents of these children?" and shooed them all away from the edge.

Ahh, the land of the free.

[Joe CD MS 300]

If the officers were a little over vigilant in looking out for the kids that is OK with me. I won't be leaving the country over that, still too many harbors to visit.