Volvo Ocean Race, Newport RI

Imagine spending nine months sailing around the world, battling not only the currents, winds and the harshest of elements, but five other boats manned by the best sailors in the world.

For boating enthusiasts, this is not merely a dream. It is a reality. Every three years, this event – the Volvo Ocean Race – takes place, bringing together expert crews as they cover nearly 40,000 miles; this year it started in the Spanish port of Alicante in October and will conclude in June in Goteborg, Sweden.

In between there are stopovers in 11 ports. Included in that list is Newport, Rhode Island, the only American city that is part of the race course.

Teams landed in Newport on May 5 – Cinco de Mayo for those who wanted a dual celebration – and will remain there until this Sunday, when they depart for Lisbon, the seventh leg that constitutes 2,800 nautical miles.

These next few days represent a wonderful opportunity for boaters of all types to visit the Volvo Race Village at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, and get a glimpse at some of the fastest and most breathtaking yachts in the world. It is more than a fitting setting as this picturesque New England seaport has a rich sailing history, having hosted America’s Cup for 50 years.

Thursday will allow spectators to watch a day of practice as well as the first Pro-Am Race, followed by two more Pro-Am races on Friday. There will be an In-Port Race on Saturday, set to start at 2 pm, before the seventh leg kicks off at 2 pm on Sunday.

Once on the water, crews will rely not only on their skills, but their equipment, the most basic (and perhaps, most important) of which are sunglasses. You see, being out on the open ocean is as much a struggle against Mother Nature as it is against oneself. Any way one can minimize the impact of either, the better the results.

While you may not find yourself in the same grueling conditions as those competing in the Volvo Ocean Race, there is a good chance you will encounter the same impacts of the sun’s harsh rays if you’re onboard a boat over the next few months.

That is why it’s best to consider sunglasses with polarized lenses and colors intended for long hours of on-the-water activities. Here are a few recommendations:

• Costa Starfish Sunglasses
• Costa Pluma Sunglasses
• Maui Jim Kipahulu Sunglasses
• Smith Dockside ChromaPop Sunglasses
• Maui Jim World Cup Sunglasses

Looking for a different style? Browse our wide selection of boating sunglasses where you will undoubtedly find something that catches (and protects) your eye.

In the meantime, head on down to Newport this weekend and check out the Volvo race. If you do, be sure to say hello to us at our Newport Sunglass Shop located at 109 Swinburne Row, just minutes from the Newport Yacht Club.