The Back Side of Douglas is a Wonderland:

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SEAS Cup

Only 8.5 miles out Gastineau Channel, by sailboat, turn right and you will find a water wonderland of delight that SEAS sailors have come to know as the Back Side. Summer showed up again this past weekend, in all its glory, on the back side of Douglas during the SEAS Cup Admiralty Cove Rally.

 

At 10:00 the race started off Marion Island with a foreboding thick fog challenging a small race fleet of four to find their way into Stephens Passage. Surprise was first to disappear into the fog leaving Loa’a Nalu, Tango and Lyric to ponder her fate. As the morning warmed and the fog lifted, a beautiful north wind of 8-10 knots filled most of the course to Admiralty Cove and the race was on. Most of the boats finished within sight of each other, all within minutes on corrected times. See results for details.

After a delightful beach party on Saturday night, all the boats readied for the return leg, which turned out to be similar in drama with a fog lifting delivering a light north wind.
 
 
Spinnakes flying off the start and no sail changes until Gastineau Channel made it challenging to keep the crew from dozing off on the foredeck under a warming sun, surrounded by the serenity only a downwind sail in Alaska can deliver. See results for details.