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Cat TalesApril 1998 |
Wayne Savage, Commodore
The 1998 CCYC cruising
season kicked off in a splendid fashion at our Annual Flag Raising Reunion
Brunch on April 4th. We had almost 40 people in attendance; had great food; had
a chance to catch up with old friends (many of whom we have not see in many
moons); and had a super slide presentation on "Shooting Your Boat" by Tom Dove.
The weather even cooperated, with a rainy, overcast day, just right for viewing
slides in a room full of windows looking over the water with no covers. We all
found his shots and comments to be very interesting, educational and
entertaining.
Now the cruising schedule is about to kick off with the
Ice Breaker to be held at Cindy's marina, once again. I am looking forward to
getting together with you to talk to about the upcoming season and, of course,
the start of the Whitbread on Sunday. We might even call the event our
"Whitbread Cruise", as Annapolis, Baltimore and most of Maryland will be
celebrating the event.
The start of the next to last leg of the 32,000
mile round-the-world race will be Sunday afternoon one mile above the Bay
Bridge and the boats will be in Annapolis for several days getting ready. You
will be able to see the boats in Baltimore beginning about April 23rd, or
Annapolis the following week. There will be a number of events in both cities,
climaxing in Annapolis with a dockside party at the Eastport Marina on Friday
May 1st, and fireworks on Saturday the 2nd to celebrate the event. We might be
able to see some of the fireworks from Cindy's, or we can head on down to
Annapolis in the evening to catch the full show. Bill Weeks has also invited
those of us interested to crew on Fortnight III and watch the race from the
water, parked somewhere near Thomas Point, as the 60s sprint down the
Bay.
I am very excited about the coming season, and if the first two
events are any indication, 1998 will be a great CCYC sailing season. I look
forward to seeing you all many times this year on the Bay.
Bill and Sharon Weeks, Fortnight
III
Bill and Sharon Weeks, with help from Joan and Wayne Savage
have volunteered as the Raft Captains for the first "sailing" event of 1998. As
is traditional, this event will be held at Cindy's Marina off Whitehall Bay.
The Marina (Sailor's Wharf Marina) can be reached by either land or
sea.
The event will begin with a cocktail hour beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Beverages will again be provided by the club, followed by a potluck dinner with
each boat bringing a covered dish and utensils for the crew. Call Bill or
Sharon (703-848-1848) to coordinate food planning.
By sea: Cindy's
Marina is about a mile above Cantler's Riverside Inn on Mill Creek, off
Whitehall Bay (just above the Severn River). The prominent radio towers mark
the south entrance to Whitehall Bay. It is 300 yards wide, but stay clear of
Hackett Point, which has a wide shoal that reaches out to the Red #2 buoy. Past
Red # 2, proceed west 200 yards to a red day marker, giving it a wide berth to
starboard. The entrance to Mill creek is clearly marked but pay attention to
which marker is next! YOU DON'T WANT TO CUT ACROSS THE SHOAL. Past the
entrance, proceed up the Creek past Cantler's, on your port. As you pass
Cantler's, stay to the starboard side (about 75 feet from the shore) and make a
wide sweep to port. Once around the bend, move back to the center and continue
up the creek until you see the CCYC Raft.
By land: Cindy's is at the end
of Orchard Drive. Turn off Route 50 at Old Mill Bottom Road and Bay Dale Drive,
which is where the Red, Hot and Blue Restaurant is located. Follow the signs
for Old Mill Bottom Road south and then Route 648 to St. Margarets Road. Take a
right and proceed until you see an old grocery store at a "Y" intersection,
where Browns Wood Road joins St. Margarets. Make a sharp left turn onto Browns
Wood Road. At the end of Browns Wood, turn right onto Orchard Beach Road and
take it to the end. Continue past the sign to a steep driveway and
parking.
An extra event this year is the start of the Whitbread Race on
Sunday, the 3rd. Bill will be taking his Catalina 36 out of Herring Bay to
catch whatever view can be seen of the event and will have space for about
eight people, so please let him know if you want to go. He will leave his dock
at Herrington Harbour North at 11:00 AM on Sunday May 3rd.
Directions to
Herrington Harbour North: From the Beltway, Exit 11, take Maryland Route 4
(Pennsylvania Ave.) south. Travel about 12 miles and take Maryland Rt. 258 east
toward Deale, MD. Go 4 miles to MD route 2 (stoplight). Turn right and go 4/10
mile to MD route 256.
Turn left and go about 2 miles. Herrington Harbour
North is the first Marina on the right. Follow the marinas main road to the
end. With the docks in front of you, turn left about 100 yards to G dock.
Bill's slip is G-21; you can't miss it.
From Annapolis, AKA, Parole:
take MD 2 south about 20 miles to MD route 256. This is 4/10 of a mile past the
stoplight at MD 258. Then follow the directions above.
Michael Davis, Chantilly Lass
The
Whitbread began in 1973 as a race around the world, following the routes of the
clipper ships of the 19th century. Because that first race allowed several
classes of boat, the race became contentious. This year, only Whitbread 60s
(W60s) designed specifically for this race are allowed. Annapolis-based
designer Bruce Farr, whom many consider the world's top yacht designer,
designed eight of the current nine entries.
These nine ships are the
world's fastest single-hulled sailing machines. On Leg 2, the British entry,
Silk Cut, broke a world record, sailing nearly 450 miles in 24 hours. Manned by
multinational crews and the world's top sailors, they set sail in September
from Southampton, England, on a nine-leg, 32,000-nautical-mile challenge of the
open sea. The race will finish its 870-nautical-mile 7th leg from Fort
Lauderdale to Baltimore on April 22nd and 23rd. After a seven-day visit to
Baltimore's Inner Harbor, the Whitbread racers will hoist their sails for
passage to Annapolis, where they will restart the race just north of the Bay
Bridge for the 3,390-nautical-mile leg to La Rochelle, France, on May
3rd.
Once the fleet is blessed at the Annapolis City Dock at 10:30 a.m.,
the Whitbread racers will parade to the starting line north of the Bay Bridge
for a 1:15 p.m. start. Spectator craft may view the start from either side of
the spectator exclusion zone so long as they do not interfere with commercial
traffic. Small craft only may anchor in Area A. Two other anchorages (B and C)
require permits.
Besides our raft-up at Cindy's, there are a few other
events planned during this special sailing event:
- National Geographic
Explorers Hall, 17th and M streets NW; is featuring a special exhibition on the
Whitbread race through May 15th.
- Annapolis Salutes Its Maritime Heritage
Festival, Annapolis historic district, running through May 11th. Outdoor
exhibits, storytellers, live historic recreations, opera, historical homes
tours. Free. 410/269-6125.
- Baltimore Waterfront Festival '98 at the Inner
Harbor April 22nd-30th. The festival's Volvo Race Village will showcase ocean
racing's technology, experiences and extremes. The Village will host the
Whitbread yachts off the harbor's finger piers. 800-282-6632 or
410-752-8632.
- Mini-Whitbread regatta, Inner Harbor, sponsored by the
Baltimore City Yacht Association on April 25th.
- Swedish Match, the
Whitbread racer, will host a day at Volvo Race Village at the Inner Harbor on
April 25th.
- Team EF Day at Volvo Race Village at the Inner Harbor on April
26th. Evening concert.
- An awards ceremony will honor crews and winners of
Leg 7 at the Baltimore Convention Center on April 29th.
- Parade of Sail
from Baltimore to Annapolis will benefit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Noon to
4 p.m., April 30th.
- Display of W60s at Volvo Race Village, Annapolis City
Dock, April 30th through May 3rd. Whitbread crews will prepare for the start of
Leg 8 at the City Dock.
- Whitbread Gala on the Green, St. John's College,
Noon, May 1st. The Eastport Yacht Club and Severn Sailing Association will host
this ticketed benefit for Whitbread Chesapeake. There will be a chance to meet
the crews and dance. America's Cup yachtsman and ESPN commentator Gary Jobson
will host an evening of entertainment, dancing and race footage. Tickets
$10.
- Sandy Point Water Festival, at the Bay Bridge, May 2nd and 3rd. Volvo
Race Village at Sandy Point State Park will feature Chesapeake Bay historic and
educational exhibits and a Taste of Maryland food extravaganza. P 24th Annual
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk, 9 a.m. May 3rd.
It's a special time and just
too much to do. Enjoy all of it you can.