Can you imagine cold? Rain? Light shifty wind?

If you can, then you know what participants of the 2000 Mid-Atlantic Championship experienced as they set sail at the Spruce Run Reservoir the weekend of May 20 – 21. The Hunterdon Sailing Club sponsored the regatta, which was punctuated with low temperatures, close races, and shifty winds. With a total of 18 boats the regatta proved to be extremely popular, even with our friends from the great white north (Canada).

A few participants braved the cold and rain to camp on the state park but most opted to spend their evenings with sailing friends or  in a hotel. Camping competitors were rewarded for their hardiness with a generous breakfast of Canadian back bacon, eggs, and French-pressed coffee from a renowned Albacore chef (who has made his breakfasts a regatta tradition).

Sailing on Saturday began with a short delay while we waited for wind and debated the merits of sailing in the cold rain. After 4 races we will glad to come in and warm up at a local restaurant over pizza and beer.

Sunday started early with 3 races. Finding the wind was equivalent to finding a pot of gold or a needle in a haystack–depending on which boat you were in. After the races we gathered for a wonderful spread of sandwiches, fried chicken, cookies, and fruit.
Awards were given to the top three competitors and stories were swapped about the anything-but-graceful roll tack of a lead boat, the swimming crew, and the lovely serenade by a PRAF skipper and crew. (And all these memorable events occurred in just the last two races! Don’t you wish you were there with us? Next year, make sure you are!)

Hats off to the regatta organizers and we’ll see you all again next year.

– Stephanie Strand
  June 1, 2000