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The crew of the Belle Maggio.
Cuba. That motivated him to participate in his first ocean race because of “the history of” making landfall in a place restricted to Americans for so long.
“People have done these races before, but they didn’t do them legally, so that’s the difference here. And me being a police officer, that’s very important for me because I didn’t want to come back and get in trouble,” Harvey said with slight laugh.
Among other requirements to make the crew that sailed on the Bella Maggio, Harvey needed to submit a sailing resume and apply to make the cut out of two dozen con- tenders. Harvey’s team placed second in the first leg of the race, which had boats traveling from Key West, Florida to Varadero, Cuba. From there, vessels sailed to Havana be- fore the final leg back to Florida.
Between legs, there was a little time for shore leave, and Harvey took the opportunity to introduce himself to Cu- ban Coast Guard members working the port. At first, they were reticent to talk to him, but eventually they warmed up to sharing stories and even posing for pictures holding Chicago Police Department patches.
“I never thought I would get a chance to see Cuba,” he noted. “I’m not sure I was the first police officer to be al- lowed in, but maybe I was one of the first. Overall, it was a
Harvey with the award his team won for the competition.
pretty historical visit.”
After visiting the U.S. Embassy, Harvey had to head back
on board and face the challenges of navigating the Gulf Stream that pushes water through the 90-mile span be- tween Florida and the island of Cuba. That’s not to men- tion the wind which can diminish a boat’s top speed con- siderably, or the threat of weather and the wave action it can churn up.
During the final leg, which was rescheduled to beat a nasty weather front, the boat faced eight-foot waves – and a few 20-footers. Harvey said one of the most harrowing moments came when the crew worked to fix a part related to the mainsail damaged by the storm. His skill, thin build and agility are what Harvey says make him a strong crew member “working the deck, working the sails.” He also mentions he’s not afraid of what comes at him onboard.
“At any time, you don’t know when you’re last day is go- ing to be, especially being a police officer,” he continued. “We go out and hit the streets with work (and) we’re faced with that more so than most people. For me, (sailing) gives me courage and faith to know I don’t need to worry about those unknowns,” Harvey explained.
The amount of unpredictability in sailing and police work require a reliance on training and experience to stay focused and safe. And, the more exposure you have to re- al-life circumstances the better off you’ll be in either envi- ronment.
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