Morning Light is not only a documentary about the 2007 sailing team of young first-time sailors, it is also a story of dedication, honor, teamwork, and joy. The 2007 Trans-Pacific race, otherwise known as the Transpac, was historic in that the new, sleek boat named Morning Light had a crew of fresh, young sailors who had never undertaken a race, let alone an excursion, such as this. The Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii is the biggest expanse of ocean without land, and for over ten days the crew would be alone on the sea.
Disney and his team gathered together the best of the best of young sailors and brought them to California to vie for the final 15 people who would ultimately go to Hawaii to undertake the most grueling and intense training they could imagine.
The Prestigious Transpac Race
The Transpac is often revered to as the Indianapolis 500 of blue water ocean racing. It covers about 2,500 miles of ocean and attracts participants from all over the world. The first race was held in 1906.
Disney and his friend and co-producer Leslie DeMeuse decided to give some young people the experience of a lifetime. They had both participated in the Transpac and Disney said it was a life-changing event for him. This was something he wanted to give to others.
Usually the teams consist of the best sailors in the world, but Disney thought that he could train some young, inexperienced but eager sailors to undertake the challenge. He had no trouble recruiting volunteers.
The Morning Light and its Crew
The Morning Light is a 52-foot racing sloop manned by eleven crewmembers. When the group first went to Hawaii for intense training that included everything about the boat, how to fix every part in case something happened out in the ocean, how to best sail the sloop, and how to get along, there were fifteen candidates. After their tough training, the fifteen were asked to cut their number down to eleven. Those eleven would be the racing team and the other four would be alternates and support crew.
They first selected Jeremy Wilmot from Australia to be the captain. This 21-year-old had a big challenge in front of him, but he felt up to it. They then whittled down their racing crew to the final eleven. The crew of the Morning Light ranged in age from 18 to 23. They were all fairly new to this type of racing, yet every one of them was eager for the challenge.
The film is a non-scripted movie that follows the sailors on their journey from first being accepted through the actual race. With cameras on board, the viewers get a truly up-close-and-personal view of life during the Transpac. With all the ups and downs that this group of young sailors goes through, it is a truly inspirational and an enjoyable journey to watch.
Whether the viewer is interested in sailing or not, this is a worthwhile film to see.
Morning Light DVD
Bonus features include a look at how the sailors were selected, and a look at their experiences on the journey.
- Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Run Time: 97 minutes
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