Midwinters Continued

With all the activity and visiting that Ben and I do at any regatta, it’s hard to keep up with these reports. So once again, I’m several days late and I’ll try to summarize all the fun we’ve been having! It’s hard to keep the days straight, though…

The wind predictions have been all over the map and every day we head out anticipating lots of hiking and pulling of the vang. Monday the wind was coming in really strong right down the docks. Getting almost 60 boats in the water in time for the start was made all the trickier by that wind direction. No one was in a big rush to get out earlier and get beaten up but eventually we all left and headed to the racecourse, which took about 30 or 45 minutes.

The race committee got us in sequence twice before putting up the postpone flag because of the change of wind direction. Then we had a general recall, after which they put up the Z flag. Finally, I think on the fourth try we all got a clean start and had an hour-long race. Sadly, I can’t remember much about it…

We had two long races and at the end of the day Ryan and Stacey were tied for first with Zeke and Jay Horowitz and Tyler Andrews and Andrew Fox.  That night we had a lasagna dinner at the club.

Tuesday the wind was gusting to 30, and still a few people put their boats in. I decided ahead of time that if they ran a race I would mutiny. Many crews were feeling the same way and so there were no complaints when the race committee canceled racing for the day. Some of us (Ryan, Stacey, Ned Johnston, Amy Linton, Greg and Diane Kampf, Kate and Roger Sharp and John and Connie Eckart) headed to the Mote Marine, which is so much fun! The three otters were feeling very playful. The manatee seemed to enjoy swimming back and forth and then bonking its nose straight into the glass. All we needed was a sound effect “BOING!” 

We saw some gorgeous art made of ocean debris. I was wishing I could have a piece or two for my living room. I guess you could argue that it was great to make something beautiful out of garbage, but it still made me feel really sad that there was so much garbage. 

That evening several of the Midwest sailors headed to the house rented by the Chattanooga sailors, Lynn, Bill and Lauren Bruss, Rob Fowler and Scotty Cline, Tom Clark and Dave Bergevin for a cookout. There was a huge crowd there and, as Scotty said, this was (in some ways!) one of the most fun parts of the regatta!

Yesterday, Wednesday, we got in three races. Again, the prediction seemed to be quite high and also with lots of gusts, but the wind settled much lower than that. There were times we were both hiking, with both the vang and then cunningham on, but there were other times where I was on the low side and we had barely a puff. I would say the conditions were just perfect. I’m going to try to remember this because in my mind Sarasota always blows stink.

The first race the wind was out of the east/southeast.  I will say, that was Ben’s and my best race. We got a slow start and had trouble getting the boat going in the chop, but then we just started focusing and Ben got the boat moving really well. We made a few really good calls. It was one of those races where every time we tacked we were lifted. I love those kinds of races! We finished fourth and that made the whole trip worth it for me, I admit it.

The next two races the wind shifted right, to about 230, but it seemed so unsettled that we never could find the groove again. Other Midwestern sailors were going gangbusters, however. Ryan and Stacey ended the day in fifth place and the Faugusts performed consistently and are coming into the last day at 17^th.

The most remarkable thing that happened yesterday (other than our fourth place finish!) was that Alan spotted a manatee and a few minutes later I think Ben and I accidently bumped it. We were sailing along in the channel very near shore with our board up and suddenly our bow popped up so dramatically that I sung out like an opera diva. It felt like we hit a big pillow, not like we hit sand or rock or anything. When I looked behind us the water was really churned up, though I didn’t see anything. When we compared notes later, I was really sure that was what happened. I’m happy we didn’t have a propeller and I’m convincing myself we couldn’t have actually hurt the big guy, so I don’t want anyone telling me any different!

In the racing, Eric and Alan are having some good moments and I gather Alan is getting more and more smooth in his crew work. In addition, Eric has been doing an incredible job getting video footage and photos and posting things, I believe at the Facebook page for Flying Scot or maybe also at the fssa.com website. I’ll have to check. He and a few others were interviewed by the local TV stations and the part I heard Eric say was just spot on. He talked about how we have Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year sailors, intermediate sailors and even some just beginning. He’s a great spokesman.

Also from CLSA, Rick Wojnar and Susan McIntyre, are learning a lot. It’s hard to compete in a 40–plus fleet — there is never any clear air!! Our newest CLSA members, Jim and Jennifer Colgrove are having a good time, except the tent is loud when the wind is honking at night. Surprisingly that has happened for at least three nights… But they and also Jim Moyle from Wisconsin are learning a ton.

Meanwhile, in the Challenger fleet, Carlyle Lake sailor Bill Vogler, with crew Peg Woodworth and Carrie Seven, won the first race and did well enough in the other two races to move into first place overall.

I'm sure I’ve overlooked someone and as soon as I figure out who, I’ll add an addendum!

Today as I write this I hear people worrying that the wind is predicted to continue to build. Winds of 18 with gusts to 26. That’s not really great sailing conditions for the Scot.

MidWinter Regatta About to Start

Ben and I have been in Sarasota for a few days now and we’ve mostly been socializing, though we’ve gotten some sailing in, too! There are 60 boats signed up, which is a great turnout. As for the Midwest District, our numbers are strong! We have Ryan Malmgren and Stacey Rieu, and Jennifer and Michael Faugust, from Ephraim,  Eric Bussell and Alan Shaklee, Ben Williams and Deb Aronson, Jim and Jennifer Colgrove, and Rick Wojnar and Susan McIntyre from Clinton Lake and Jim and Mike Moyle, who I think are from Delavan but I’ll have to ask them.

Today is the Charlie Fowler Memorial Race, which is a practice race but comes with a trophy. This helps northern sailors shake out the cobwebs and recognizes long-time class stalwart Charlie Fowler, creator and founding district governor of the Dixie Lakes District.

Tomorrow the racing starts for “real.” Because this venue has a strong afternoon sea breeze, racing will begin about noon. That gives off of us a chance to sleep in and/or drink tons of coffee to counteract the effects of the adult beverages consumed the night before. Of course, with 60 boats and not that much dock space, we will have to start putting boats in a little early, too. …

Anyway, check in for more soon!

Barely Escaping Winter to Sail in Sarasota

View from my dad's back porch

You get the idea...

Well, as many of you know, the Midwinters starts this coming weekend in Sarasota, FL. I made a plan to fly to Sarasota by way of Bethesda so I could visit my dad for a few days. Ben and Eric Bussell were going to be driving from Urbana, so it wasn't like I was leaving him to make the long drive alone (hear me rationalizing?).

Anyway, the plan was for me to fly from DC Wednesday (we headed down early to get some extra sailing in) and have them pick me up from the airport in Tampa, since that's as close to Sarasota as Southwest, my preferred airline, goes. But then came winter storm Tobias, or whatever they are calling it. By the way, since when did they start naming things that aren't tornados? Anyway, it looked like the day of my original flight DC would be covered in six inches of wet heavy snow and that did not bode well for my travel plans. Southwest, bless them, let anyone with a ticket change FOR NO FEE to any travel date within two weeks of the storm. Amazing. I wonder if other airlines do the same?

So I moved my flight up by one day. Although Tuesday brought no snow it brought rain and steadily falling temperatures. Then Tuesday also brought fierce storms to Tampa which kept our plane at the gate in DC for an extra couple hours as the temperature continued to drop. As we boarded I saw snowflakes. Gulp. Then while we were waiting to leave the de-icing machines came alongside. Things were looking grim for our hero... I practiced meditation. I listened to the screaming baby one row up and felt for her and her hapless dad. I told myself everyone had the same goal, to get the plane safely to Tampa. I told myself that even if we went back to the gate, it wasn't the end of the world. I took deep breaths. And it all worked. Despite a little extra adrenaline in my system I have to  say I weathered the whole experience pretty darn well.

And, wouldn't you know it, eventually we began taxiing, took off and above the clouds it was all blue skies!!

Landing in Tamps (and here I apologize to my Tampa sailing friends for not calling but I didn't want to be a bother and I have had a marvelous adventure) I realized I had neglected to book a hotel. Well, not neglected, exactly since I was never 100% sure I would take off from DC. It turns out, Tampa is full of people like me trying to escape the snow and the cold. Who would have thought?

After a few fruitless calls, the nice volunteer at the info desk passed me a note. Try the Tahitian Inn it said. I called, they had not only a room but a shuttle that pulled up 30 seconds after I got to the pick up spot. I rode the shuttle with an extremely enthusiastic woman and her husband who had come to the Tahitian Inn five times. She told me all about the marvelous people and accommodations and she was right! The decor is out of Hemingway's day, the people great you like an old friend. And in the restaurant for breakfast I think everyone who ate there was friends with one another and with the waitstaff. It was absolutely delightful!

I have a few hours to kill waiting for Ben and Eric to pick me up and so I'm headed out for a Cubano sandwich. I am full of gratitude today: for the Tahitian Inn, for my sailing life, for the sunshine and for escaping the bad weather up north...also appreciate not sailing today because it is very gusty!!