Shades Of Yesteryear

During the past few years the cruising boat races have lacked participation. On an average, we would get anywhere between 4 and 8 sailboats racing. All that changed yesterday for the first point to point race of the season, when 15 boats showed up to race! Conditions were perfect and there appears to be more boats around Abaco right now. It was awesome seeing the competition, especially with that many boats approaching the starting line at once.

We had such diverse types of vessels entered in the race. Monohulls, multihulls, wood, fiberglass, and even carbon fiber.





This picture shows the two extremes. The wooden sloop, Abaco Rage, and a huge carbon fiber catamaran.



Even the boat we went sailing on the other day was out on the course.



Dave was running the mainsheet on the Rage during this race (aided by Interim Bill who helped tail). It is a very physical job controlling that huge sail. I was amazed at the wake that this legend produced as it sailed by.



I wasn't needed on the committee boat this time, so I went out in our 16ft. skiff to watch and take pictures. Cindy, our official club photographer, hopped on board so we could follow the fleet as they raced north around Sandy and Garden Cays off Man-O-War.



Trying to stay out of the racers' paths proved to be a challenge, and we were yelled at a couple of times. I didn't realize that the water was quite that deep close to shore and naturally the sailors were trying to cut corners for faster times. It made for great pictures though! As Cindy and I were right up against the rocks, I noticed a dolphin pushing fish right onto the same rocks. It was only about two feet deep, so we had a blast watching both the dolphin hunting and the fish fleeing. Unfortunately they were both way too fast for photo shots.

I know I keep saying this, but it was another great day out on the water.