We were so excited to get out on the water this morning! It was about 70 degrees, sunny, and they promised wind about 6-8. Sadly, by the time we got to the course, it was as if God had taken her finger and swirled the wind around in a big, slow mess. The first race the wind just died, with tiny little patches at various places but with very little rhyme or reason. Rounding the windward mark, the wind shifted and, at least at times, boats were sailing upwind again. We never did see a single spinnaker that leg! Thankfully, the race was only three legs long ... but it took a full, long hour for the first boat to cross the line.
If that race took the patience of Job, the second race was no better ... well, maybe a little better, since we did actually hoist our spinnaker. We noticed Harry Carpenter's new, one-of-a-kind spinnaker, complete with a Pittsburgh Steelers logo. Nice!!
It was a real challenge to be consistent today, but a few boats did manage. Here are the results:
The Midwest District is represented here by Ben and Deb, Frank and Marianne Gerry, Cain Goettleman and Gordie Roberts (who drove 15.5 hours nonstop from Wisconsin to get here!!) and Carrie Carpenter Andrews and Tyler Andrews from Indianapolis.
Before the racing began, District Governor Carol Claypool presented the 2014 Helmold-Singletary Travel award to Charlie Bruckner. Qualifying boats must sail four of six regattas in the Carolina District, so it's similar to the Midwest District travel trophy. After Charlie thanked her, he gave the assembled group a very compelling ... "pep talk." I put that in quotes because the point he made was quite sobering: no one is traveling anymore. In 1990 there were 40 boats at the Governor's Cup (a North Carolina regatta). Last year there were nine. He also mentioned that only four boats total from the Carolina District qualified for the series. Bottom line? This sport relies on all of us to travel and support one another's regattas. So get out there and travel, Sailors!!
