The whole event was exceptionally well run. Most had been aboard, in one form or another, for 48 hours of the Chesapeake's stunning scenery, sun, more sun, some porpoise sightings, shenanigans lasting til whenever, and challenging navigation and sailing strategies, severely hampered by a rare lack of wind.
As to everyone's favorite: Lisette - Lioness of Little Creek - she got off to a good start in the race to Cape Charles, missing fifth in her class by less than two minutes. Not bad, but a disappointment in that they only gave trophies to those finishing five or better.
Seven O'clock came early that Sunday. Again, she made a good start. Note the many vessels astern. Granted many started behind her, in later starts, but she was with the leaders among her competitors.
All aboard wanted that trophy. Then a blast of wind came. Not from Poseidon, but from the blasting horn of Grande Guinea, a rapidly approaching freighter from Italy. Italian's push their vessels to the limit. As on land, so at sea, and no one was going to cross her path. Shipments of olive oil, pasta, parmesan cheese, Ducatti motorcycles, and Ferrari's trumped our motley fleet.
The bottom line was that while some sailors had been able to cross the channel before the behemoth's appearance, poor Lisette had to scamper back to safety; wise and prudent seamanship trumps trophies. Now, for those not aware, large ships do not yield to sailboats.
So we settled for sixth place again, and actually finished - in the averages of both races - somewhere in the middle of the pack among some sixty finishers, out of the eighty something who started. Many had dropped out.
And while we did not get that trophy, we did get an assurance that on some future dark and dreary evening, no one (with apologies to Italian Americans everywhere) - named Guido - would come knocking on the companion way hatch, wanting to know why his father's Lamborghini was late on delivery.
Story and photos by Captain L. Edward VanHoose (Capn Larry)
Broad Bay Sailing Association: broadbaysailing.org
