There’s something delightfully disorienting about realizing that Bermuda — with its turquoise waters and pink sand beaches — is actually a quicker flight from New York City than Miami. Sitting just 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, the island is roughly a two-hour flight from NYC, meaning you could be beachside in Bermuda in less time than it takes to make it to the Hamptons on a summer Friday.

Thanks to its subtropical climate, Bermuda draws travelers year-round in search of a slower pace — with beachfront hotels, rum cocktails, and a 35km/h speed limit setting the general vibe of the island. But for two days in May each year, things kick up a notch as Bermuda hosts one of the most intense events in international sports: The Rolex SailGP Grand Prix.

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Why we came: Supporting the US Sail GP Team

If you didn’t grow up in a coastal town — or around the kind of people who know what a catamaran is — the world of professional sailing probably hasn’t been on your radar.…