Amidst a sea of over 160 boats, Phil and his co-skipper Alex loitered in the background of the hot sunny day, waiting for their class start. This followed a morning of final preparations of the boat and a buildup of energy as they waited to leave the dock and sail over 636 nautical miles to Bermuda. Alex took the opportunity for a short nap while Phil stood by the helm and watched as class after class crossed the start line – and the wind slowly died.

Thunderheads loomed when the warning signal was sounded and the double-handed class began to jockey for position across the line. This long of a race is not won at the starting line so Phil and Alex were not aggressive, preferring to ensure a clean start and avoid any collisions.

They slowly sailed past Fort Adams, the site of the first ever Starting Line Party that drew over 4,000 spectators. Sail For Epilepsy had a booth and our crew working at the table enjoyed meeting all those who stopped by to learn about our mission and some basic facts about epilepsy.

Raindrops started falling and our small boat that had been following Phil and Alex throughout the afternoon had to turn back to shore. This moment is always difficult for all involved as we wished the guys good luck and waved goodbye. They continued drifting down Narragansett Bay and we had one last look at the stern of Fearless, which displays the names of over 580 Virtual Shipmates, from 21 countries and 35 states.

Phil and Alex may be the only two sailors aboard, but we know these Virtual Shipmates are along for the voyage and the their support will be crucial as Phil and Alex face any challenges over the next few days!