Water Everywhere or Miles Part II

Drawbridge at Knapps Narrows

                                                        Sharps Island Light

The theme of the weekend was water.  Everywhere.  From all vantage points. It started Friday driving the cars down to St Mikes.  We drop the cars off & then decided to have lunch on Tilghman Island right by Knapps Narrows.  We drive down to the very tip--Black Walnut Point & look out over the Choptank River & Sharps Island Light--I love the story of Sharps Island--one of the coolest stories of many on the Bay. http://www.riverheritage.org/RiverGuide/Sites/html/sharps_island.html   It was great watching the drawbridge traffic.  Even better is that it is soft shell crab season--I had a fantastic sandwich.  After lunch we walked around looking at a bunch of sailboats on the dry--specifically little O'Days around 22' to 23' long.  Most of them hadn't seen water on their hulls for at least 3 years.  We wondered how much the owners would sell them for or if they were abandoned. 

  When racing to St Mikes, you don't always see the town, so we decided to poke around after we left Tilghman's.  I picked up a t-shirt for my son as I always like to get one from places I've visited.  We spent about an hour there & decided to make sure that we beat bridge traffic & get back towards Galesville where we'd be spending the night in preparation for a very early morning departure.  Up over the bridge--another beautiful view of all of the sailboat traffic & we decide to stop in Annapolis & walk around Ego Alley. 

We sat on the dock & looked out at all of the sailboats moored--all "Benehuntalinas" of course.  It was funny, we realized that we had done very little most of the day, but had covered much ground (or water)--on many levels.  As we were trying to decide what to do for dinner, I see one of my friend's boats sail in to find a tie-up at the dock--thought about yelling over to them but they motored by too fast.  They must have just finished the AYC Beer Can racing.  It was a gorgeous evening and whatever we decided it certainly had to be on the water for dinner to be truly excellent.

Our decision led us next to the South River & dinner on the water at Yellowfin.  As I said--big water theme--makes sense as we both decided that we need to be near the water as much as possible.  After dinner we drive down to Galesville & hang out with the skipper of my boat and some of the crew.  My skipper has a beautiful house on the West River and we woke up on the morning of the race to a beautiful water view even if it was pouring down rain at first.

No wind.  Big Problem.  Light air jib trim can be very dicey.  Long race but by the time we made it to the Eastern Bay we could fly the kite and the wind picked up enough to finish nicely & sail up to the Miles River Yacht Club for the party.  And no, this year I did not get drunk.  Instead, I swam in the river with some of the crew, & had a great dinner out on the raft-up of a few boats that did not race but came down for the party afterward.  Friends of the skipper had a dinner for someone's birthday--bbq off the stern of the boat was truly wonderful--good company, & of course good conversation about sailing & the race we'd all just completed.  Xing Fu & I sat on the cabin & I had my one Dark n' Stormy of the party--wonderful to watch the sun come down over the river & watch the tenders flit between the raft-ups, dropping off & picking up people to go to the club house.  I love the boat I've been sailing on--not only do we have fun, but I am learning so much--opportunity is everywhere with this skipper--very happy that Xing Fu linked me to this boat. 

On Sunday, we had to hi-tail it out of St Michaels to get to the party that my BFF(J) was hosting on the water in Essex.  Xing Fu & I almost immediately grab the two-man kayak & head out.  Another water perspective--it was truly beautiful, even with all the boat traffic--just can't beat a day on the water in whatever form it appears in.  Lucky to have found a man who loves being on/near the water as much as I do.  After paddling around, we come back & enjoy  great times with my friends--finished with fireworks that my BFF(A)'s husband brought--perfection!

OK, so it may be a bit of a reach to count the pool & view of the Jones Falls on the way back from dinner with my folks as more water, but we thought, "Why not?"  We did look out from my folks' house in Canton over the water so I think that counts.  It was a tremendously busy weekend but a hugely satisfying one.  Happy is really the theme here. 

Miles Part I

There's a lot going on right now which is bringing up my more ditzy side.  I've been joking lately that I'd do better with my head disconnected from my body as it seems to be getting me into more trouble than not--for example, big race this weekend--Miles River.  Did it last year & really looking forward to it--just not as drunk.  So on Tuesday I emailed the skipper of my boat to ask about taking stuff down with us on Friday (Xing Fu & I are driving two cars down to St Michael's tomorrow & leaving one there with the bags etc., that people want there after the race) & mentioned that I could pack stuff on Wednesday after the race.  The skipper emails me back to say that she's not racing.  Of course, I thought she meant for the Miles race.  So stoopid!  I panic immediately & rush to send off emails to other skippers trying to find a ride for the race.  I email Xing Fu & tell him & he starts sending emails to other skippers too.  Shortly, I get a response from Seamus telling me that a lot of folks have been turned away...not good!  Xing Fu & I have pretty elaborate plans for the weekend which involved having the car down there & possibly camping out that night (find out that Talbot County does not allow camping--some zoning thingy--was on the NOR doc from the Miles River Yacht Club), then returning to Baltimore on Sunday for BFF(J) & Hubby's big Memorial Day Bash.  A little bit later I receive an email from Xing Fu saying he's found me a ride on another boast--yehaw!  Now I don't have to worry....got a boat, plans stay put, all is right with the world.....heh!  As it turns out, if I'd bother to read the original email a little more closely I would have seen that she meant the regular Wednesday race & not the Miles Race.  Now I'm double booked!  And I thought it would be difficult to find a spot...go figure.  But what to do?  Thankfully, the skipper of the new boat understood & I was off the hook, but as I said, what a ditz!  Yeesh!  


Anyway, early tomorrow morning we're off to the Eastern Shore to drop off a car, meet a friend of Xing Fu's for lunch, & then come back up to the West River for the night as I have a 7 AM dock time.  Looking forward to a great time!

Flying the Chute

Miles was a blast! The boat I was on was very old & really couldn't point much but the people who "own" it for their friend really want to learn to race so it's a good place to start. There were five of us: the "owners", a woman who is just learning how to sail, another man, & me.

I wasn't too sure about this race because as I mentioned the people weren't that experienced & neither am I; racing that is, which can potentially be a dangerous thing with a huge piece of equipment like a sailboat & 18-20 knot winds. Thankfully they had an experienced guy on board, at least for the race down to Miles. What I didn't know was that he wouldn't be racing back---

Going down was amazing--great wind, those of us who had some experience did well & there were no issues at all. Our start & the second leg, were most probably the best part of the race for us. We really did nail the start--even better then a couple of the more seasoned racers in our class of old Catalina 27's. Even though we came in dead last in our class, we weren't the last of the fleet to get to the Miles River Yacht Club. Most of the Cal 25's were behind us & a lot of the PHRF class boats came in after that. One of the most beautiful sights was on our downwind leg of the race--all of the spinnakers behind us, spread out across the bay--just a phenomenal picture.

We arrive & raft up with the other Catalinas & Cals along the bulkhead. Let the partying commence! And it was a massive one! My other boat was there--the SR-33, so I went on board to visit them & was immediately handed one of their regatta specials so now I was already a two-fisted drinker...needless to say, sailors are a loud bunch & it was a roudy night until 3 AM. There was a band & plenty of another sailing special: Dark & Stormy. This consists of Gosling's dark rum & ginger soda. It was not easy getting on & off boats when drunk--I wouldn't recommend it actually. Our outboard made it impossible to just step off onto the bulkhead so I had to hop onto one of our neighbor's & then step off--at 3 & 5 AM it is NOT fun. Of course we all woke up with massive hangovers & had to get ready for our gun at 10:40 AM.

Racing back was an adventure--especially for me because besides the folks running the boat, we'd lost our most experienced crewmember & the other woman didn't know how to sail at all. That left me as the only one who could remotely handle the sails in the pit. Which meant I was the one who was going to fly the chute. The start was a downwind run too. The gun meant getting the kite up & set to go. I was very nervous & hugely stressed--hangover was a thing of the past. All I can say is that when you are in control of such a massive & beautiful sail & you are able to fly it well--there is nothing more satisfying. It was just spectacular! It is just extremely hard to do. My shoulders are killing me now--but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. And on a boat with a more experienced crew, I never would have had that opportunity.

It looks as though I'll sail with this boat again, but the folk on the SR-33 want me for some of the longer races too so I may have to switch off. I think this is a good thing because I can get the experience I need with a seasoned crew & apply that to the novice boat. By the end of the season, I will have an super racing skill set. Next up: Wednesday night in the West River, & Leukemia Cup amongst other potential races....I am loving all this sailing!

Miles, BayBay!

So I will be racing in the Miles River Race this weekend. I am so psyched about this opportunity. The Miles is a beautiful river where one can find St. Michael's--another gorgeous town on the Chesapeake. The race is from Annapolis to the Miles on Saturday & then a race back on Sunday. In between there is, of course, a party.

I am racing on a Catalina 27 this time & the crew will be sleeping on the boat--hmmmm...close quarters here especially with all the racing gear--sails, lines, etc. Most probably NOT the most comfortable. But at least we can hop off & use the head onshore when we arrive. And a shower in the morning before we leave. This is my first time doing a multiple day race over a longer course. Eventually I'd like to be able to do a Newport/Bermuda Race so this is a good start. At least on the longer tacks we can relax--sort of. It won't always be a crazy rush with the sails & riding the rails. Also different is that I'm racing in a class of all single types--in this case all Catalina 27s. Before I was racing in a PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) class. For those who are interested:

PHRF Rating System
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) ratings are based on the speed potential of the boat, determined as far as possible on observations of previous racing experiences. It is the intent of PHRF handicapping that any well equipped, well maintained, and well sailed boat has a good chance of winning. Handicaps are adjusted as needed on the boat's performance so that each well sailed boat has an equal opportunity to win. This is the fundamental concept. PHRF ratings are not intended to reflect skipper and crew capability. Ratings are not adjusted to encourage a poor or careless skipper, and conversely, no rating adjustment is made to penalize proficiency. Intensity of competition and the influx of new and aggressive sailors require each skipper to maintain consistently high performance in order to place well.

I can't wait--my head is not on current events but somewhere out there near Annapolis. It is massively exciting as well as a super opportunity to continue to hone my crewing skills.

Hoping for fair breezes....