Bump....Comes To Annapolis

What a wild ride last night!  It was the opening race for the Wednesday Night Series in Annapolis & the winds were pretty intense--gonna say at least 25 knots sustained, 35 knot gusts, with threats of thunderstorms & a tornado watch.  Call me crazy--hells yeah--with about 60 other boats!  Actually, that was what was so jaw-dropping to me. I had never been out for a Wednesday in Annapolis--only White Rocks with my grandfather & the West River.  The West River has a lot of boats but holy crap, Batman! Annapolis was insane!  Just getting ready for the first race & getting the watch set with the guns from the RC, I had an opportunity as did the rest of the crew to really take it all in--I think most of us hadn't realized how many folk were out there along with t2p.tv & Spinsheet taking pics & video--it is a big-ass deal.  And here we were, up from Pirate's Cove, competing with the rest of the J-30 fleet--adrenaline rush! 

We worked our asses off & didn't even fly the kite.  At one point we dumped the main & were only using the number 3 jib & we still were able to clock 7 knots on the tacktik...crazy!  And we didn't finish last--WOOHOO!  I gotta say, it was a rush!  And, as we were rounding a mark, up comes a J-105 who attempted to squeeze us out--my skipper is yelling at the other skipper to hold his course--at first I thought he was ignoring us, & then she got a bit more insistent--we all had to laugh--"Bump... comes to Annapolis!"  Welcome!  And fireworks too (a huge lightening storm overhead as we crossed the finish)!  Great to be with my crew & back on my boat--I will miss them at NOODs, sailing instead on another J30--competition.  But, as always, looking forward to the rest of the season, flying out of Annapolis.


Check out t2p.tv   http://www.t2p.tv/index.php  They usually broadcast the Wednesday Night Races & there may be a glimpse of us there or on Spin Sheet  http://www.spinsheet.com/  I am posting a picture taken by Spin Sheet last year during the Miles River Race.  Very light air--NOT like last night.