Annapolis November 2nd

It was a great day on the Chespeake on Sunday November 2nd, and a great season finisher for many.Pictured above is the Soling fleet sailing their Nationals near the Bay Bridge. Also on the water were a J105 fleet sailing the Chesapeake Bay Championship and the IRC East Coast Championship Regatta- both sailing down near Thomas Point Light. It was a great day to get our last photos of the season and it's always great to have a reason to go to Annapolis. Next stop: Florida. We're looking forward to taking photos at Key West Race Week 2009.

See the 2008 Soling Nationals photos here.

Click here for the 2008 IRC East Coast champs photos.

J105 Chesapeake Bay Champs photos: click here.

Governor's Cup 2008

Yes, we were back on the Chesapeake, and here's a shot of another screwpile lighthouse to prove it. This time it's the Thomas Point light, left to starboard by Governor's Cup racers on their way from Annapolis to St. Mary's College at the mouth of the Potomac.

See the 2008 Gov Cup photos here.


We did this exact trip in November '06 on our way to Key West from CT, but we did not have to anchor in the middle of the trip to avoid drifting backwards like many of these sailors did. That's the beauty of a working engine (not always to be taken for granted) and a need to get South before it gets even colder.



But enough about us. Around 150 boats of varying sizes started at sunset and finished throughout the next day on the 70-mile race down the Chesapeake.



Conditions were very light at the start, but the setting sun created some nice soft light, as expected.



This event includes a photography competition and also draws a lot of spectator boats from Annapolis, especially on such a calm evening. The result, lots of spirit for the race- a good thing- but also a lot of big boats buzzing around the start on a light wind night. Dude, get a dinghy.


This wake was the result of something big. I watched American Flyer and Dame Blanche get knocked to a standstill. It took them several minutes to get any boatspeed back while the rest of their division pushed ahead.

As the sun set, we dinghied back to Annapolis, put the boats on the trailer and drove to Historic St. Mary's City. St. Mary's is the original capital of Maryland, but is not in our GPS or in Mapquest. It's a beautiful place if a little hard to find.

The next morning, with a dozen or so boats already on the dock after a nocturnal finish, we captured many boats heading toward the finish in a variety of conditions, including pouring rain in the middle of a storm.

The nice light before the storm and the banks of the river made for some great shots, like the is one of the St. Mary's College team on Hendonism.


With only one or two hours of sleep behind them, hundreds of sailors enjoyed a 12-hour party on St. Mary's College campus, with three bands, many local vendors, ice cream, and a beer truck that opened at 10 am.

For photos of the 2008 Gov Cup, click here.

For more about this event full of tradition and fun, including this year's results, see the SMCM website: www.smcm.com/govcup

7,000 photos later: Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge 2008

135 boats raced in this year's Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge in Solomons, MD...and two dinghies were buzzing around them taking photos. Three days, 20 knots, 4-foot seas, one super thunderstorm, countless bottles of Mount Gay, 3 bands, and 7,000 photos later, everybody was exhausted, but happy.

We had a great time at this event, which is packed full of onshore fun (it's the only regatta with a band formed in its honor and therefore named after it). It's kind of a mini Key West Race Week, just a little more friendly and laid-back. Chesapeake-style.
Sunday's conditions were first rate, with a building breeze and growing seas; by 2 pm it was hitting 20 knots and it was getting bumpy. Even this double-jibber in the non-spinnaker division is flying downwind. Double-jibbing was quite popular on the West Course and we got a kick out of it.

For more info and results, go to www.screwpile.net.

For the 2008 Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge photos, go to http://www.thephotoboat.com/Screwpile_Lighthouse_Challenge_Photos_2008.html

2008 Annapolis NOOD and American Spring Series

It was foul weather gear over sunblock this weekend on both the Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound, where two big beginning-of-season regattas were taking place.

See more photos from both AYC Spring Series and Annapolis NOOD at http://www.photoboat.com/

American Yacht Club kicked off 2008's Spring Series with a powerful Easterly and chilly temps.

Despite the cloudy day, the shots are dramatic and as always, a lot of great boats were out racing, including Rima, Devocean, High Noon, Swan 42s, and a bunch of JBoats looking good.

In Annapolis
...conditions were very light on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday's 15 knots helped create some drama on the Chesapeake. Around 270 boats are a lot to cover in one day, but Allen did his best to get as many as possible. The Melges 32s and Mumm 30s were looking particularly good, with 15 boats in each fleet. Other fleets, also looking good, of course, included J24s, Etchells, J22s, Cal 25s, Catalina 27s, Stars, Alberg 30s, S2s, Beneteau 36.7s, J105s, J30s, J80s, Melges 24s, and J35s. That's a lot of One Designs...nice job Sailing World and Annapolis sailors.

Getting There...And Back

Our plan was to hit Annapolis NOOD on our way North from Florida, just like we did for Charleston Race Week. But Friday's conditions on the Chesapeake were far from photogenic and Saturday's forecast called for more of the same.

We had wanted to take some shots at AYC Spring Series and saw that the forecast called for a strong Easterly. On Long Island Sound, that means big seas and good photos, so a day trip to Rye it was. Then back to Annapolis for Sunday's action.

We officially have a screw loose for making that trip, especially with gas prices where they are, but dramatic conditions generate our income, so we have to be a little crazy sometimes.

See more AYC Spring Series and Annapolis NOOD photos here: http://www.photoboatgallery.com/lightbox/index.php