After a splendid start to October, with warm weather and plenty of sunshine, the long-planned John Heffner Memorial Fall Invitational sponsored by Havre de Grace Yacht Club (HDGYC) on October 5th was full of promise. Sailors registered in record numbers, with 37 boats from five area clubs, almost evenly divided into the five classes. But Mother Nature had another plan. No racing today!
She teased with at best a zephyr, and added current pushed us down the Bay while we drifted on flat water. And then, everyone noticed a shark following closely behind Lottery from North East River Yacht Club! Sure, he was fat and bright blue, but a shark nonetheless. Amazingly, crew members jumped in for a swim with the shark so close at hand. Sailors had to find entertainment somewhere while under postponement! Our expert Race Committee, Bill Adams and Ursula Kuehn out of Eastport showed great patience, even postponing one start to allow for a very polite tug captain and barge to come through the line. But after nearly three hours, most agreed it was time to head up to Havre de Grace for the party.
And a grand party it was. With the tent adorned with lights, Wallis & Co. band playing our favorites, and the Laurrapin Grille serving us gourmet fare of steak, salmon and sides, sailors enjoyed a warm fall evening. Commodore Al Caffo decided that the event called for awards for something, since our traditional hand-carved duck decoy awards are so coveted. So decoy awards went to first-time racer Amber Ponti aboard Stella; youngest crew member, 6-year-old Ray Pennypacker, aboard Casper; Woody Brumfield, sailor with the longest history of racing; and the skipper bringing his boat the farthest, Dan Miller from Glenmar, aboard Blonde Stranger. The most senior sailor award winner would only admit to being over 71 to qualify, and prefers to remain anonymous, but he does sail on N’Titled regularly.
So, despite lack of a breeze, bad current, and a shark attack, the Fall Invitational was a hit for 135 sailors.
~by Betty Caffo
