The Manhattan Yacht Club marked the pre-start to the 2016 New York Vendee race with a blast from a small canon.

The IMOCA Open Class 60 fleet sailed past the Manhattan skyline on their way the Ambrose sea buoy -- the official start of the race.

Amaury Ross, the official event photographer, and team photographers Yabe Yoichi and Mark Lloyd documented the departure from New York Media Boat.

One of our RIBs was chartered by Jean-Pierre Dick's team, St. Michel/Virbac, to escort and support their boat to the start. Once past the Verrazano Bridge, fog rolled in and visibility dropped quickly.

Minutes before the start, Captain Eric maneuvered our RIB next to St.Michel/Virbac to transfer the remaining crew off the boat. The New York Vendee is a 3,100-nautical mile single-handed race.

Around 15:45, the boats crossed the start line at the Ambrose buoy.

We chased the ghost ships through heavy fog for another 10 miles before turning back.

The Sandy Hook Pilots advised the race committee of all commercial traffic in the area.

Container ships sounded fog horns all around us, and our radar and AIS systems aided us in safely navigating back to New York Harbor.