The 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race fleet has left Miami and are on their 2000-odd nautical mile voyage to Lisbon, Portugal.

Though the crowds appeared nowhere near the levels they had been at previous ports of call, the fleet was led out of port by Miami-Dade Fireboat 1 with water cannons on full. The fleet motored out of port with Abu Dhabi at the lead, followed by Puma, Groupama, and Sanya, Camper and finally Telephonica.

Unfortunately, Miami didn’t seem to have quite the turnout that was seen at some of the other ports the race had stopped in. Moreover, as a spectator, or photographer, stuck on shore, there was little real opportunity to see or shoot the races. The course for both the in-port and departure races was well off shore, and ran predominately east-west instead of parallel with the shore. Moreover, the races were hampered—though Abu Dhabi Ocean racing would disagree—by light wind and Florida’s wonderful afternoon thunderstorms.

That said, the overall point spread between the top 4 boats was cut to a mere 14 points, and with 3 ocean legs and 3 in-port races to go the winner is anything but certain. We wish the crews and boats of the Volvo Ocean race good sailing and good weather, even if there’s a tropical storm in their way.